Dear parishioners of Saint Patrick parish Community, in order for all to have a better knowledge of the Vocationist Fathers and Sisters, their spirituality and field of work, we are going to place in the bulletin on a weekly basis for a while the catechism of the Society of Divine Vocations (a.k.a -Vocationist Fathers)
Catechism of the Society of Divine Vocations – ( Chapter Eight )
71. What is the field and what are the areas of work for the universal sanctification in our Congregation?
Our Congregation considers the entire world as the field for the universal sanctification, and to that effect calls it “the Grand Shrine”; however the Congregation works more directly for the sanctification of the souls in its own residence, schools, parishes and missions.
72. Under which name do we identify these various areas of work of our Congregation?
In a language reserved only to our Society, we call “Perfectionary” every religious house, “Vocationary” every school, “Ascensionary” every Parish, “Religionary” every foreign mission committed to us.
73. What do we mean by all these names which sound still very uncommon or even strange?
By the name of “Perfectionary”, we indicate those houses where the real workers for universal sanctification are formed. By the name of “Vocationary”, we indicate those houses where we cultivate vocations. By the name of “Ascensionary”, we indicate those places where we work to bring the faithful Christians to a higher practice of their religion. By the name of “Religionary”, we indicate those places where we work to bring new people into the Church.
74. Which is the first work division and the first classification of workers in the above mentioned areas of our work field?
The first division is composed of Directors and Teachers, who are respectively called Perfectionist an Devotionists in the Perfectionary; Vocationists and Doctrinists in the Vocationary; Ascensionists and Annunciationist in the Ascensionary; Religionists and Evangelists in the Religionary.
75. Which other division of work and classified of workers could there be in the above mentioned areas of our work field?
Another division of work and classification of workers in the above mentioned areas of activities is related to the specializations that are necessary to four areas, and to the religious who have specific training for each one of them. Thus, the Misericordists are necessary in all areas, the Congregationists are necessary in the Ascensionary only, the Consecrationists are necessary solely in the Vocationary, the Predilectionists are necessary only in the Perfectionary.
76. What are the duties of the Directors and their respective functions?
The Perfectionist are responsible for the recruiting and continuous formation of our religious, the Vocationists are responsible for the constant search and cultivation of vocation to Religious life and Priesthood, the Ascensionists are mainly responsible for Parishes, Mission Churches, Chapels, and especially for all sacramental and liturgical life therein. Religionists are responsible for the establishment of a foreign Mission and for the organization of a Catholic life style among the converts.
77. Who are the Teachers and what are their respective functions?
The Evangelists are in charge of the perpetual preaching of the Gospel of Jesus, both to the pagans and to the faithful, aiming especially at their conversion to the faith and to the state of grace; the Annunciationist are in charge of the perpetual catechesis to every type of vocation, with special emphasis on vocations to consecrated life and to priesthood; the Devotionists are in charge of providing a high and profound teaching of all Catholic devotions, with special emphasis on the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity and its relationship with us.
78. Who are the Misericordists and what do they do that is so important to all areas of our work field?
The Misericordists are in charge of all the works of mercy, especially the corporal ones; as a result they are in charge also of all the financial means necessary for the functioning of the rest of the area. Many of them are needed, and in turn they need a profound virtue; therefore they require a special formation. We owe them a great veneration as the hidden heroes and the mother-souls of all the activities of the Congregation.
79. In addition, who are the special workers of the Ascensionary, Perfectionary and Vocationary, and what do they do?
The special workers of the Ascensionary are the Congregationists. They are in charge of all the associations aimed at establishing the Kingdom of holiness in the Parishes. They try, in special way, to imitate and reproduce, through permanent committees, the Sacred Roman Congregations in everything that can be and should be done in Parish; at the present they are responsible also for the progressive functioning of the Catholic Action, having always in mind the formation of Priests, or Religious, and Saints.
80. And who are the special workers of the Vocationary and Perfectionary?
In the Vocationary, the special workers are called the Consecrationists. They are to lead the souls on the road of free and progressive consecration, to an ever more perfect interior state, with the aim of the Divine Union always in mind. Finally in the Perfectionary, the special workers are called the Predilectionists. They apply themselves, almost exclusively, to develop and live the entire life of action of our Congregation, and, as contemplative religious, they are to cater to the spiritual needs of all other areas of activity.