If I am to be honest, it has been a while since I last read the Founder’s Testament Letter in full. It is one of those “Xaverian things” that I studied in the past, reflected on at different times, but has not played a part for some time! When I have referred to it, it is all too often hastily as I look for a quote or phrase without taking into consideration the totality of the Letter. When I received the letter from Fr. Javier to reflect on the Testament Letter I felt the weight of many confrères on my shoulders because they have guided my understanding of the Letter and given the life example in their vocation!
In my re-reading of the Testament Letter I was taken back to my days in formation. The many times that the Testament Letter was read and referred to on my vocational journey. It also brought to mind the various Xaverian voices who guided me and others into life as a Xaverian Missionary. The shared stories of Xaverians who met the Founder or who were formed by those who knew him. In a way the Testament Letter unites us to the first Xaverians, to those who have gone before us and to the Xaverians who will carry forward St. Conforti’s “audacious project”.
Although it has to be noted that, the number of Xaverians who had second knowledge of the Founder is slowly decreasing. Let us hope that those voices do not get lost and remain a part of the Patrimony of the Congregation!
My first thoughts as I re-read the letter were: it’s longer than I remember! It is a letter that is shaped and founded in its time, but has the authority to transcend that time and become a reminder of our origins and a conscience of where we are today. Yes, we are in a time of dialogue with religions and the world, respect for all people and empowerment of the laity, so some of the language the Founder uses and some of his comparisons would not be deemed appropriate today!
However, moving beyond a surface reading it is possible to feel the joy and excitement of the Founder. He wants to share with those first Xaverians how he sees the congregation develop and, for me more importantly, how we carry forward his dream. He sees the opportunities that lie ahead, but is aware of the challenges that we face. There is a sense of optimism that flows through the text that is tempered by a humble appreciation of what it means to live a vowed religious life. And that is core to who we are as Xaverians!
Over the many years that I have been in the Xaverians one constant has been present in reports, reflections, documents, sharing and expressed in many other ways: individualism! How many times has this issues/problem been spoken about, confronted, challenged, tackled, but never gotten rid of! It is a pernicious weed that undermines our communities, our ministry and our witness! Jesus sent his disciples in pairs to prepare the Kingdom to give greater weight and substance to the message. The Founder, himself, recognises this and in the longest section of the Testament Letter (number 6) reminds us that individualism will undermine our humble congregation. He also revisits this (number 9) by calling on us to live in fraternal love that frees us to enrich and grow our communities. Our understanding of Obedience may have moved on from Conforti’s time, but his warnings still holds true.
How much of our time has been taken dealing with individuals who talk of community, communal discernment and living together, only to go off and do their own thing. Prayer and meal times are the only times we see them (if that)! And yet, to support “their ministry” the community needs to bend and give way in order to maintain a façade of brotherly love! Sorry for the ranting interruption!
It is also in this section where he challenges us to be a “militant force obedient to directives of the Vicar of Christ”. This is the image of a Congregation that challenges the “status quo” of the Church and calls on us to be front and centre of new challenges in the world. This phrase has made me realise that our “mission” is not just what we Xaverians see our ministry as, it places us in the context of the Church both locally and globally. This then, calls us to regularly discern what we are doing, how we are doing it and have we become complacent in our presences and ministry. I see in this the challenge of being fresh, creative and contextual in how we live our chrism.
The Testament Letter, for me, has been a bit like a friend from the past, whom you have lost contact with; not because you had differences, but because there was too much to do and not enough time to say hello. St. Conforti, does not hold back in his calling us to our commitment to religious life. It can be too easy to get caught up in the day to day, in ministry, in administration and many other commitments. But what of our commitment to one another and the community? The Testament Letter does not have all the answers, but it is a source of challenge for our communal living and individual commitment. I have enjoyed spending time with an “old friend” and realise that I need to do more of this, if I am to be a Xaverian who aspires to St. Conforti’s dream!
Fr. Patrick Duffy
