Sustaining each other in our Missionary Vocation – Message from the Superior General

On the first Friday of November, we remember all those who have been part of our Paulist family here on earth and are now with our Heavenly Father. It is a celebration of their lives and the way our Paulist charism accompanied them on their journey of faith.

In recent months, we have been remembering and rediscovering our elder brother in the Paulist family: Brother Joseph Caruana. In him, we see the flourishing of a seed sown through our Founder—a seed that has borne abundant fruit.

As we learn more about Fra Ġużepp and the hardships he faced, we might feel discouraged or ashamed when we find ourselves overwhelmed by far smaller challenges. We must not let ourselves be dragged down by these feelings, which are the work of the Evil One seeking to trap us in despair. Instead, let us joyfully embrace our own calling and draw strength from the example of brothers and sisters like Fra Ġużepp, thankful that they form part of our Paulist family.

I love the image St. Francis de Sales uses when speaking of the Church. He compares it to a garden filled with “flowers of different sizes, colours, fragrances… [which] make a most pleasing perfection of beauty in the gathering of their rich variety.” The same image applies to our Paulist family. There is no single way to be a Paulist missionary; rather, our distinctiveness enriches and complements us all.

To be truly inspired by Fra Ġużepp, or any other member of our family, we must reflect on how to live out the values they radiated in our own daily circumstances. St. Francis de Sales also compares this mutual support in faith to a bee cross-pollinating flowers in a garden. We inspire one another through faithfulness to our specific callings, trusting that God’s faithfulness is far greater than ours and that He will supply every grace we need.

The significance of this mutual support is especially clear when one vocation sustains another, as seen in the relationship between Fra Ġużepp and our Founder. Although our Founder was not called to serve in the foreign missions himself, he was instrumental in nurturing Fra Ġużepp’s missionary calling. In turn, as Fra Ġużepp grew older and less able to meet the physical demands of the mission, he began corresponding with his niece in Australia, mentoring her as her discernment journey led her to join the Daughters of St. Paul. We are not all called to be frontline missionaries, direct preachers of the Word, or founders of Christian communities. However, we are all called to support those who are, while proclaiming Christ to our family, colleagues, and friends through our daily interactions.

I especially want to affirm those called to live out our Paulist charism within the context of a family. In a family, there is a profound call to nurture the lives of others, whether or not children are present. This interesting interview offers valuable insights on this topic:

Taking this a step further, let us reflect on how each of us can nourish the missionary vocation in those around us. How can those of us who are called to form a family, support their spouse and children to be proclaimers of Christ in their environments? How can those of us who are called to be consecrated Paulist missionaries, sustain one another in living out our missionary vocations rather than focusing solely on our individual ministries? Just as our Founder supported Fra Ġużepp and as, in his turn, Fra Ġużepp did also with his niece, how can we empower others who are actively labouring to build God’s Kingdom?

Let us all cultivate this paternal and maternal heart—so central to both De Piro and Fra Ġużepp—so that others may feel genuinely supported and sustained in living out their missionary vocation.