Rome, 25 of September 2019.

Dear brothers,

October has always been the missionary month for so long. However, this year it will be even more unique than it used to be.

Besides the “World Mission Day” (which falls on the penultimate Sunday of October every year) and the festive anniversary of the death of our founder Saint Anthony Mary Claret (on the 24), a Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region on “new paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology” will occur in Rome from 6 till 27. Additionally, pope Francis has called the whole Church for the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019. Why and for what?

He wants that all of us grow in our personal encounter with Jesus Christ, as well as in our missionary formation, testimony of life, and generosity towards the missions most in need.

Thus, as a Congregation going forth, we have invited all the Claretian Missionaries and those entrusted to us in our communities, schools, parishes, formation centers, social institutions, publications,… to join us and journey on this pathway from the 2nd Sunday of Easter – April 28 (declared as “Claretian Mission Day”) until October 31, 2019.

So far, at www.apostolatecmf.org there are some resources which were prepared for this special ecclesial-claretian program. As you look at it in our official website you may notice that there is room for more and different, taking into consideration the great diversity of realities, cultures, languages, apostolates, means, and communicational strategies.

On this regard, I ask you to send a message to all the members of your Major Organism to motivate them even more for this extraordinary period and to insist with some CMFF to create new materials that can be used and shared within the whole Congregation.

Thanks in advance to them and to you for doing so. Enjoy this brief “tour”.

Catechesis________________________

The joy of the Gospel is contagious. Our missionary life can be shared, celebrated, improved, challenged, …

Let us come up with some catechesis for this special occasion taking into consideration the concrete person and group entrusted to us.

Claretians from diverse latitudes have been challenged to share here some drafts that can inspire others. More than be prepared and sent to us for these stages: catechesis for age 6-10 | catechesis for age 11-15 | encounter for age 16-18 | group of Confirmation | Youth (>18).

It can include these four dimensions: a) From our experience / life-mission | b) In dialogue with God / wisdom from the Word of God | c) Celebrating our community faith | d) Moving towards the service to others.

________________________Multimedia

“The Mission” is an unforgettable masterpiece of the cinema. You may suggest others.
The song that was the main theme of such great film is also awesome and it sounds like eternal. Any others?

There are thousands of awesome pictures from our missions. We posted some examples as flyers. Do you want to make and share a new flyer? Go ahead.

Prayers______________________________________

Some of so many prayers from the wisdom of our ancestors, from the treasures of our Claretian spirituality, and from the challenges of our daily missionary life are available for download.

If you want to write a new one and send it to us, you are welcome. All of us will benefit and appreciate it.

Reflection_________________________

Some readings we recommend:

Missionary Discipleship in Glocal Contexts | by Lazar T. Stanislaus, SVD | Franz Schmitt Verlag – Siegburg | 2018.

Cómplices del Espíritu: El nuevo paradigma de la Misión | by José Cristo Rey García Paredes, CMF | Publicaciones Claretianas | 2015.

Missione Extra Large (XL): Per una Vangelo senza confini | by Giulio Albanese | Edizioni Messaggero Padova | 2013.

_________________________Solidarity

As Missionaries “with Spirit”, instruments of the “missio Dei” (mission of God), we are at the service of our brothers and sisters.

Many of our missions are located and at the service of the poor, the marginalized, as well as among indigenous tribes and ancient cultures who are at risk.

On this extraordinary time, we are invited to grow in our missionary commitment, universal availability, and fraternal generosity with the closest ones, mainly those most in need.

Your support is crucial. Our missions need your life, time, prayers, advice, gifts, goods, and smile. Ponder to volunteer or join us in our pastoral-social projects and humanitarian efforts to promote others while we build a more just, ecological and human world.

Testimony_______________________________________

On this section you will find a brief witness of some Claretians from yesterday and today.

Franz Dirnberger, Mariano Avellana, Armengol Coll, 51 Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro, Daniel de la Sierra, Fr. Sialo, Bro. Jesús María Hernández, Bobby Juaton,… Their lives and testimony inspired and touched us deeply.

If you have a chance to visit one of our communities or missions, you may find many other great missionaries. Also, you can check more examples on the last 2019 magazine “The Claretian Mission”.

Have a great October. Fraternally, Artur Teixeira, C.M.F. | Gen. Prefect of Apostolate

Curia Generalizia Via Sacro Cuore di Maria, 5. 00197 Roma – I T A L I A + 39 39 29 20 35 06

apostol@cmfgen.org www.apostoladocmf.org www.facebook.com/apostoladocmf