Our fourth vow
"Some affirm that that Apostolic Exhortation added a fourth counsel to the three classical counsels: fraternal life. . . . One might say that for the religious life, which includes life in community, fraternal life is in many ways very much like an authentic evangelical counsel." (A Short Course on the Consecrated Life by Pier Giordano Cabra)
Our life together has always been very, very important to us, a gift of the Holy Spirit and an integral part of our mission. Consequently, we take a fourth vow to the common life.
from Fraternal Life in Community 54: "The relationship between fraternal life and apostolic activity, in particular within institutes dedicated to works of the apostolate, has not always been clear and has all too often led to tension, both for the individual and for the community. For some, 'building community' is felt as an obstacle to mission, almost a waste of time in matters of secondary importance. All must be reminded that fraternal communion, as such, is already an apostolate; in other words, it contributes directly to the work of evangelization. The sign par excellence left us by Our Lord is that of lived fraternity: 'By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (cf. Jn. 13:35).
"Along with sending them to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mt. 28:19-20), the Lord sent his disciples to live together 'so that the world may believe' that Jesus is the one sent by the Father and that we owe him the full assent of faith (Jn. 17:21). The sign of fraternity is then of the greatest importance because it is the sign that points to the divine origin of the Christian message and has the power to open hearts to faith. For this reason, 'the effectiveness of religious life depends on the quality of the fraternal life in common'".
Our life together has always been very, very important to us, a gift of the Holy Spirit and an integral part of our mission. Consequently, we take a fourth vow to the common life.
from Fraternal Life in Community 54: "The relationship between fraternal life and apostolic activity, in particular within institutes dedicated to works of the apostolate, has not always been clear and has all too often led to tension, both for the individual and for the community. For some, 'building community' is felt as an obstacle to mission, almost a waste of time in matters of secondary importance. All must be reminded that fraternal communion, as such, is already an apostolate; in other words, it contributes directly to the work of evangelization. The sign par excellence left us by Our Lord is that of lived fraternity: 'By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (cf. Jn. 13:35).
"Along with sending them to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mt. 28:19-20), the Lord sent his disciples to live together 'so that the world may believe' that Jesus is the one sent by the Father and that we owe him the full assent of faith (Jn. 17:21). The sign of fraternity is then of the greatest importance because it is the sign that points to the divine origin of the Christian message and has the power to open hearts to faith. For this reason, 'the effectiveness of religious life depends on the quality of the fraternal life in common'".