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 Six )
51. Whom does the union of the soul with the Lord specifically depend on, in its reality and its degree?
The union of the soul with the Lord, in its reality and degree, depends, above all, on the infinite goodness of God, our Father and Creator, on the infinite merit of God’s Son and our Savior, on the infinite love of the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier.
52. What are the conditions and obligations of a soul toward this diving gift?
The essential conditions and obligations of a soul toward this divine gift are: penance and fight against any sin, flight and segregation from the world, self-denial, solitude and prayer.
53. Do others personal unions of a soul with creatures constitute a hindrance to or help for the achievement of the Divine Union?
Any other personal union of a soul with creatures constitutes a hindrance to the achievement of this Divine Union. However, a spiritual intimacy with the Saints, the Angels, and especially with St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and most of all the union with the Divine Humanity of Jesus will be very helpful.
54. In our itinerary towards Divine Union with the Lord, should we rather have in mind the Unity of Divine Nature or the Trinity of the Persons?
In the Divine Union with the Lord, according to the spirit of our Congregation and for the fulfillment of our mission of the same Divine Union, it is more helpful to have in mind the distinction of the Three Divine Persons.
55. How do we distinctly address the single Divine Persons, in our prayer of adoration for instance?
We distinctly address the single Divine Union Persons in our prayer of adoration, for instance, by begging the Father and the Son for the gift of the Holy Spirit; in a prayer of love, we address the Divine Persons by joining ourselves to the rejoicing of the Father in His Son, and with the rejoicing of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. etc.
56. Could this way of praying, perhaps, affect our faith and our worship of the Divine Unity?
Our faith and our worship of the Divine Unity will not affected, but rather perfected, because in each Person we contemplate and glorify the other Two, on account of their Circumincession in the Unity of their Nature.
57. Do we follow this personal method and itinerary in our work on behalf of the souls also?
We follow this personal method and itinerary also in our work on behalf of the souls, aiming at performing not only virtuous deeds, but at establishing ourselves also in a state of perfection, through a real and true consecration, in honor and imitation of the acts and states of the Incarnate Word.
58. In our spiritual work, what do we expect to obtain through this personal method and itinerary?
With this Personal method and itinerary we expect to obtain, in our spiritual work, that every person, with all of its being, may live in the elevation to the supernatural state that the Divine Love has bestowed upon us, and may obtain the Relationship of the Divine Union to which the Divine Love has invited us.
59. How do we hope to respond, through this personal method, to our vocation and mission of forming religious and saints?
We hope to respond to our vocation and mission of forming religious and Saints through this personal method, in that this method is the most suitable to the achievement of our goal, inasmuch as the religious is essentially a soul consecrated to a life lived in the supernatural, and the Saint is a soul ever ascending to higher degrees of union with the Lord.
60. Could the same thing be said about the formation of Priests?
For the formation of Priests this method is also the most suitable and efficient, because since he is to be the most consecrated man in his soul and the most effective consecrator of the souls, he first is to tend to an ever stronger personal union with the Lord.