News

On Thursday, 19 October, at the Church of S. Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci, Card. Joâo Braz de Aviz presided over the Eucharist in thanksgiving for the 50^th anniversary of religious profession in the Company of Mary of Fr. Pier Luigi Nava, Undersecretary of the Dicastery.

Among the concelebrants were His Excellency Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo, OFM, newly appointed coadjutor archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz, Fr. Yoseph Putra Dwi Darma Watun, SMM, Superior General of the Company of Mary and some Montfortan confreres, religious working at the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Trinitarian religious of the parish of S. Maria delle Grazie. Officials and staff of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life were also present.

In an atmosphere of joy and fraternal sharing Fr. Nava, in the course of his homily, expressed gratitude to the Lord for the call to religious life, a gift of His mercy: “The well-known expression - professio in manibus - I interpret it above all as a profession into the hands of God’s Mercy, hands that clasp our hands as a gesture of affection and welcome. I have touched with my own hands how my faithfulness is nothing but a gift of His Mercy.”

There are many mercies of the Lord with which life is dotted. The Undersecretary retraced the journey so far: the friendships, the meaningful experiences, his “consecration to Jesus Christ Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom through the hands of Mary,” the sometimes steep paths, the free and liberating choice to serve the Lord, and the awareness of being safeguarded by Mary, in her Motherly heart. Fr. Nava addressed her with filial affection, “I hope and pray that the Blessed Virgin Queen of Hearts will still keep my name in her heart.”

At the conclusion of the celebration, the Cardinal Prefect spoke words of gratitude and esteem to Fr. Nava for his dedication and competent service in the Dicastery.

The Dicastery has sent all General Moderators of Institutes of Consecrated Life a letter informing them about our formation proposal known as the Studium, a specialized experience in theology and the law of consecrated life which will be held exclusively online this year in Italian, English and Spanish. LINK

USMI Sulmona

On 20 May 2023 Archbishop Carballo, Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, gave a conference on the topic of Mission. The event was held in the presence of Bishop Michele Fusco and was a moment of spiritual enrichment and formation for the participants.

Encounter with the CLAR: consecrated life in Latin America

“The Church is not an immobile and finite reality, it is a project, which at the breath of the Spirit and in openness to the signs of times and places, is transformed to become more credible and consistent, more meaningful and evangelical. In this context lies the prophetic value of Religious Life.” Bearers of this evangelical vocation, the Religious Confederation of Latin America (CLAR) was received in audience by the Prefect, Card. João Braz de Aviz, at the Dicastery on the morning of 17 May 2023. The purpose of the encounter was to articulate CLAR’s mission and vision on synodality and to update the Dicastery on the condition of religious life in Latin America and the Caribbean: “Today more than ever we are convinced that true reform comes from encountering Jesus, in echoing his Word, in learning his attitudes and criteria, in assimilating his style. This is well known by the Women of the Dawn, those who were able to transform their existence through their encounter with Jesus, those who, moved by love, began to walk.” To further the reflection, the booklet Con ellas: mujeres consagradas en el espíritu de sinodalidad was given to the Prefect as a gift. This text helps qualify all that consecrated women, starting with their identity, can bring to the synodal dynamic of the Church.

Blessing of the Abbot of Montecassino

On Saturday, 13 May, at 5 p.m., the rite of blessing of Abbot D. Luca Fallica in the Cathedral Basilica of Montecassino, was presided over by His Eminence, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome. The concelebration was attended by many priests, abbots and bishops including His Excellency Most Rev. José Rodríguez Carballo Archbishop Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Undersecretary Most Rev. Fr. Pier Luigi Nava, SMM.

St. Peter Favre Center for Formators to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life

The Prefect of DICLSAL, Card. João Braz de Aviz, in response to the invitation of the Rev. Father Pro-Director of the St. Peter Favre Center for Formators for the Priesthood and Consecrated Life, of the Pontifical Gregorian University, on 9 May 2023 delivered a talk titled: “The initial and ongoing formation of consecrated persons today: Challenges and perspectives according to DICLSAL.” After discussing the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata, the Cardinal Prefect recalled that in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, of the Second Vatican Council, the Church speaks of religious as members of the People of God (cf. n. 44 § 3), stressing that this state of life constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels is solidly related to the life and holiness of the Church (cf. idem § 4). In addition, the Cardinal Prefect recalled that the Decree. Perfectae Caritatis in turn deals with the life and discipline of institutes according to the needs of present times (cf. PC 1). In this sense, among the general principles proposed for the update of religious life is a continuous return to the sources of Christian life and the primitive and original inspiration of the Institutes as well as adaptation to the new circumstances of the times. At the conclusion, the Cardinal Prefect spoke of the depth and richness of guidance represented by Pope Francis’ Magisterium on Consecrated Life, particularly the Apostolic Letter to all Consecrated Persons on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life in which the Holy Father wanted first of all to re-propose to the whole Church the beauty and preciousness of this peculiar form of sequela Christi, represented by all those who have decided to leave everything to imitate Christ.