2.3. Consequences for the Charisma

The world was still divided in Christian countries on the one hand, and mission countries on the other. The missionaries were priests, religious, men and women, who left their Christian country where there were plenty of apostolic workers to offer their services in deprived regions. At that time, ad extra as a distinctive characteristic of our Congregations seemed to prevail. Like the Fidei Donum priest, the missionary became an emigrated pastor.

Since the objective of mission is first of all to promote the local Church, and in order not to compete with the diocesan vocations, it is only slowly that our Congregations considered the possibility of recruiting members for themselves. Our first novitiate was opened in the Philippines in 1953, followed by another one in Congo in 1954. But at that time we did not yet intend to recruit for mission ad extra or ad gentes. We just wanted to ensure the continuity of the works we had started in the missions. Other Provinces, such as Japan, did not even think of this eventuality. Today, the configuration of our Congregations still suffers from this slow recruitment.

ad extra

ad gentes           the poor

This period in history affects still today the mentality of some members and Bishops. Among the missionaries of a certain generation there is still a common belief that our missionary identity implies nothing but the service to a (still) deprived local Church. Neither is it exceptional to meet this view among Bishops who consider us as additional personnel. This does not always do justice to our charisma. Moreover, it risks to reduce mission to the fulfillment of the Church's needs.