Rome, AMCG 16 November 2002

“The charism of founders and foundresses, as “Word of life”, always remains uncontaminated, prophetic and current”.  Whence the claim for such a title? Surely, from a profound faith vision, which is able to grasp the charism in its essence: gift from On High, communication that God gives of himself and of his “dynamis”, Gospel of the Word who becomes history and makes history, Word of God pronounced anew in the power of the Spirit.  Because it is “Word of life” the charism shares its characteristics: it is action, creation, living and efficacious reality.  Because and in as much as it is “Word of life” it could also enjoy the perpetuity of the Word: “Heaven and earth will pass, but my words will not pass.” (Mt 24:35)

That does not remove the boldness of an assertion that is so unconditional: “The charism remains forever”. Does history not tell us that Institutes have disappeared in the hundreds? The three adjectives—uncontaminated, prophetic and current—then, are affirmations that give you “the shivers”. Precisely the historicity of a charism, its entering into the daily-ness of the life of the Church and people leads to wear and tear, to deterioration, with the risk of contamination, a decrease in its ability to offer anything, of an inability to tune in to a culture,  to expectations, to the ever new problems of humanity. Would there have been a need for the big shake-up of Vatican Council II if consecrated life had always remained uncontaminated, prophetic and current?

Certainly, the charism is one thing, and the institute that expresses it is another. In fact, however, there cannot be schizophrenia between the two realities.  A charism always manifests itself in the concreteness of persons who are invested with it and who are called to live it.  Can a charism exist without the human structure that gives it body?  And if an institute goes out of existence how can the charism  which animated it subsist?

Before answering these questions, I would like to look with you at the first part of the title: “The charism of founders and foundresses as “Word of life”, and even before that I would like to go again to the deep roots of every form of consecrated life, to the humus from which it is born and  by which it is constantly called to be nourished: the Gospel.