There are many different approaches to Salvatorian Universality. While the sisters and brothers of the religious communities see in it more the all-embracing love of God that is given to every human being without exception, we Lay Salvatorians seek a more practical application of it. For it is a truly universal instrument to give and make our neighbor experience the love of God.
As mentioned before, one of our most important guiding principles is the words of Blessed Francis Jordan: “As long as there is one person on earth who does not know God and does not love God above all things, you dare not allow yourself a moment’s rest.” Continue Reading
Even if there are local Salvatorian communities in several countries of the world, we must now find a common path to the future. We are now a Private Association of the Faithful dotted with juridical personality recognized by the dicastery of laity, family, and life at the Vatican. This indicates leaving some fond and cherished practices and taking over and becoming familiar with some new ones. In particular, we need to pay more attention to becoming a true community.
In a true community, it’s not enough to meet on a superficial conversational level, make a little more than small talk, and leave out all the areas that really get to the heart of a person and bring us closer together. True communities have passed 4 phases: Continue Reading
Since the Lay Salvatorians began to develop in the 70s and 80s of the last century, their image has changed a lot. While the first Lay Salvatorians were dropouts from the two Salvatorian religious communities, real lay people have increasingly built up the present communities. And with that, a somewhat different spirit or outlook came to light. Equal in spiritual content but differently expressed by life.
In the following I want to draw an image of Lay Salvatorians today now and how the development could go forward into the future.
The world we live in has a lot of different faces and with it a lot of different life issues and challenges. Living our Christian Catholic faith is not easy in many places and is becoming increasingly difficult even in those areas where it was previously considered traditional. The reasons for this are diverse and very much go hand in hand with changes in our values and points of view of society. Continue Reading
In today’s increasingly globalized world, where challenges must be addressed locally and globally at the same time, basic and comprehensive education is inevitable. Even if some people will not like going back to school, our world and life today afford lifelong learning everywhere. It is a slogan but if you think about it more closely at all times it was necessary to face new challenges and experiences and analyze them. Without doing so nobody would have been able to survive at any time. Today of course in a globalized world the amount of information is enormous and increasing. But to be interested in multifaceted topics can only marginally be compared with going to school again. Continue Reading
Maybe you know this image made by Robert Zünd: “On the walk to Emmaus”.
Anyway, many of us find ourselves in similar situations sometimes. The day after high feast of Easter is a good moment to reflect on the words of Luke 24, 13-35.
We want to invite you, as single or together with others to share your thoughts on this text or what is moving you in the comments below. May the blessing of the resurrected Lord come over all of us.
A time of quietness, a time of recovering, a time of reconsideration, a time of joyful anticipation. At least that we should connect with the word Advent, even if the world around isn’t it. The concentration on the center of our Salvatorian being, on Jesus Christ, and our reconsideration on his coming into our world should fill our hearts with great joy. I know that the reality is talking another language. The CoVid19 pandemic still forces many victims, the numbers of infects are increasing again, based on new mutations of the virus. Climate change is also hard knocking on our door but many people do not react, do not see the signs on the wall (“Mene mene tekel …” [Dan 5]) think they are not touched by that. Are we similar to King Belsazar?
Perhaps in the coming days of great anticipation, you will manage to take some time out. Time to question your own life, to re-explore, to reorient, and to rediscover the center of our Salvatorian being. Let us not close our eyes to the challenges and signs of the times, let us together courageously find new ways of consideration and sustainability. Let us learn to understand how each of us can counteract the pollution, exploitation, and injustice of the world.
May the song be an attunement for you for the coming time. In this sense a reflective Advent and really a time of great expectations…
Jesus himself washes the feet of his disciples and invites us to humble service to our fellowmen:
“When I, your Lord and your master, have washed your feet, you should also wash each other’s feet. I have set an example; what I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13, 14-15).
We feel the same as the apostles Continue Reading
English
Dear Lay Salvatorians,
Please read the new issue of our letter of inspiration and motivation here. Our GC member Sabin Ormaza from Venezuela has written something about “Activities for the Beatification of Fr. Jordan“.
Enjoy the letter and it would be nice to get a little feedback from you.
The members of the GC of the ICDS
Español
Queridos Salvatorianos Laicos:
Por favor, lee aquí la última edición de nuestra “Carta de Inspiración e Motivación”. Nuestro miembro del CG Sabin Ormaza de Venezuela ha escrito algo sobre “Actividades para la Beatificación del P. Jordán“.
Disfruta de la carta y sería bueno tener un poco de retroalimentación de ti.
Los miembros del Comité General de la ICDS
Liebe Laien SalvatorianerInnen,
Die aktuelle Ausgabe unseres Inspirations- und Motivationsschreibens finden Sie hier. Unser Mitglied des Gerneralkomitees Sabin Ormaza aus Venezuela hat etwas über die “Aktivitäten zur Selgsprechung von P. Jordan” geschrieben.
Lassen Sie sich von dem Brief inspirieren. Über eine Zuschrift dazu oder eine kleines Feedback würden wir uns freuen.
Die Mitglieder des GC des ICDS
Inspirations- und Motivationsschreiben
