THE PATRIMONY OF THE
ASSOCIATION SSA
1.1 MEANING
OF A PATRIMONY
Vatican II
has talked about the variety of charismatic gifts as a constitutive of the
nature and the life of the church. (Lumen Gentium 4a, 12b. Ad Gentes 4, ), but has never used in
explicit way the term “CHARISM” in
relationship to religious institutes and institutes of consecrated life in
general.
The word
charism that is present in the last scheme in preparation to the code in 1992,
is replaced in the Code with the GIFT
Can 577. “NATURE”, “CHARACTER” and “FINALITY” Can 588 “PATRIMONY” Can 631.1 Finality, Spirit, character can 722.2 are the
forms used already by Vat.II which talks about primordial spirit of the
institutes, their own portrait, of their own functions, of patrimony of each
institute. LG 45a, PC 2a, b.
The placing
of the word CHARISM has been made
because from juridical point of view it seemed to ramble, not specific but
rather difficulties to determine it, what cannot happen with NATURE, FINALITY, CHARACTER, SPIRIT, WISE
TRADITIONS, and PATRIMONY Can
578
All these
refer to what we collectively call COLLECTIVE
CHARISM OF THE INSTITUTE and CHARISM
OF THE FOUNDER. M. Rosa 11-12, ET.11. The patrimony of the institute
coincides with the collective charism.
Each
religious institute is deposit of spiritual patrimony that means a variety of
goods that in the past has received as a heritage and in the past has acquired
during the journey done. This patrimony is constitutive of the foundational
charism, having the first point of the first inspiration.
The charism
of the founder is converted in a patrimonial tie, in a heredity transmitted to
each member of the congregation. They receive it as a free gift but with
responsibility. They have the right to welcome it and to incorporate it to
their life, to protect it, to nurture it and enrich it progressively in its
continuity.
The
patrimony is a gift given for the good of the church. Therefore it is a good
that the members must protect and of which they cannot dispose, changing and
not caring. This duty bind the church itself that recognizes and interprets the
charism but does not modify it. To ensure fidelity the church requires that
this patrimony remains in fundamental code Can 578, 1
Finally it
can be said that all elements that constitute and specify the institute form
the patrimony of the same institute and moreover the patrimony of the church
for whose good it is given.
1.2 ELEMENTS
OF THE IDENTITY
a)
THE NATURE
The nature of the institute requires that it is
clearly defined that the institute of religious or secular, clerical or lay, of
contemplation of apostolate. It has particular importance the way in which the
founder has seen his or her institute. Can 588, 2
b)
THE AIM
The aim is given by the founder, according to what he
presents as finality of the institute, regarding God and others. The aim is not
identified with concrete activities. It constitutes a guide that command the
different activities which can change according to the signs of the time, but
always in a specific line. Aim means the finality for which the institute has
started and continue to live.
c)
THE CHARACTER
The character is the specificity in the kind of
institute example in the kind of religious institute is understood and those
dedicated to contemplation, apostolic life. In those in apostolic life are
distinguished by the canonical dispensation. Moreover the specific character is
further determined by each institute in the proper constitution.
d)
THE SPIRIT
The spirit is not easy to define, often it’s talked
about the specific spirit of the institute. Then it means the attitude that one
takes in front of God and to the brothers, feeling that inspires and moves the
conduct. It can also indicate the way to go and leading the brothers to God. It
also means the way of participating in the ministry of Christ, therefore the
concrete way to be in relationship with God and to work for the good of the
brothers.
e)
THE HEALTHY TRADITIONS
The healthy traditions are practical way of
actualizing in the space and time the same original charism. The daily prayers
and life.
THE PATRIMONY OF THE SONS OF
ST. ANNE
The origin of the patrimony: Foundress, the approval.
The public association of the faithful SSA founded
with the intention that after necessary preparation may become a clerical
religious institute aggregated to the family of Daughters of St. Anne founded
by M. Rosa Gattorno, a small portion of the people of God which moved by the
Holy spirit to respond to a gratuitous call from the father, has been gathered to
work “in the vineyard” sharing in the church and with the church in the
salvific work of Christ.
(Statute 1)
The approval of his Eminence the Card. Vicar of His
holiness for the diocese of Rome, firmly integrates the association within the
life and holiness of the church. Although it will be divided according to the
vocations that the Lord will inspire, into various local communities which will
be distinct from another, it will be characterized by single structure through
which the individual members will be united to one another and to the center,
more by virtue of the bond of the charity than by force of juridical norms
which regulate its life and activities. (Statute 4).
2.2 IDENTITY OF
THE PATRIMONY SONS OF ST. ANNE
NATURE
The public association of believers SSA has been
founded with the intention that after the necessary preparation could become a
clerical institute.
GOVERNANCE OF ASSOCIATION
Until the association has members who have made their
final vows (perpetual profession), the superior General of DSA has the supreme
personal authority over it. Local domestic authority will exercised by the
members designed by Mother General in common agreement with card. Vicar’s
delegate after basic consultation with the members of the association.
(Statute 1-65)
THE CHARACTER
Through the Holy Mother of Mary, rooted in the
spirituality of Yahweh’s poor, the SSA follow Christ, poor man par excellence,
while contemplating Mary, who stands out among the poor and humble of the lord
and live their consecration in poverty of spirit which for them becomes more
than mere practice of virtue, the manner of being, of living and existing which
distinguishes their presence in the world and inspires the life style of their
family and apostolate
(Statute 6)
The SSA considering themselves like Mary, the humble
servants of the lord, they continue in the church and throughout the world
their essential paternal mission as Sons of the heart of St. Anne, dedicating themselves
to the work of zeal and mercy, especially in the service of the poor.
(Statute 7)
Thus their vocation is deeply rooted in the vocation
of the church herself, which is called by the founder to walk the path of
poverty in order to communicate the fruits of the salvation to all mankind. As
a result, apostolic activity is an essential part of the charism of the
association of the sons of St. Anne, for them it is the fundamental demand
involving their whole life and making them feel solidarity with various events
of humanity and totally ready to meet humanity’s needs in the historical
circumstances of the moment, according to the mandate and directives of the
church.
(Statute 8)
THE SPIRIT
Family life Style….(Statute
19)
IN THE SELF PATERNAL GIVING
…… (Statute 25)
THE ACTING OF THE PATRIMONY
OF THE SONS OF ST. ANNE
GOAL
…(Statute 6a)
The SSA by virtue of their baptism and of a specific
divine call of the mission of the church, they are helped by the foundress’s
words “I see them intent and full of God’s love, to work for the glory,
converting sinners, evangelizing all the world” they try to be docile
instruments through whom the Lord manifests his love for the people when and
how he has chosen to do, therefore answering to the needs of humanity, they
continue in the church in the paternal donation and poverty of heart, the
mission of Christ ready to exercise:
a)
The
priestly ministry in all its demands: evangelization on the universal level,
administration of the sacraments, education of the people of God to the faith.
b)
The
ministry of charity in its various forms, giving priority to the neediest.
(statute
48-49)
SOUND TRADITIONS
For our association, the healthy traditions are the
historical events we are living. Its easily understood considering our history
in the first years of existence, and all what we will experience in our life as
SSA, living the charismatic dimension.
CONCLUSION
It’s impossible to identify with Christ through
prayers, the sacraments and above all the Eucharist without becoming one with
him. And since Jesus is one with the father and the Holy spirit, the spiritual
family of M. Rosa follows Jesus’s thought and example by letting itself be
guided by the spirit on the path that will lead it to full adherence to the
father’s will and perfect communion with him.
(Treatise page
114)
The members of the Holy immaculate called to express
the covenant, nourish their fraternal communion with hope. They are heirs to
the community spirit of the REMNANT of ISRAEL, the first of whom are Anne,
Joachim and Mary, constituted in the name of the lord, faithful to the unity
desired by Jesus and intended in fraternal love, the family’s motto, like Mary
they live the dimension of openness to God in all circumstances and situations
that their hearts filled with attention to their brothers and sisters.
(Treatise 115)
The family of St. Anne today has the mission of
announcing the kingdom and to incarnate in the history a presence of maternal-
paternal love of God. He gives himself in poverty of heart in the service to
the poorest that in the modern social ecclesial context are:
-
The
sick at home and in hospitals
-
The
youths, exposed to the risks of modern society: drugs, prostitution, AIDS
-
The
families in need of reviving the sense of their vocation to holiness
-
The
elderly who are alone and often abandoned in their weakness.
To all these poor as M. Rosa was inspired, members of
the family of St. Anne are called to witness hope and to
announce, serving them with paternal-maternal donation, the father’s love and
his will to make of all one family of children of God.
Their life style is characterized by the family style,
lived in simplicity and in the joy of a communion of prayer and life that of
every family.
