Pallottine Spirituality
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Pallottine spirituality has its basis in the spirituality of St. Vincent Pallotti, which reflects in our times above all in the spiritual diaries of the Founder. St. Vincent Pallotti is often called “apostle and mystic.” This means that there existed an intimate relationship between the active and contemplative dimensions in his spiritual life. Each spirituality is defined through a series of characteristic concepts and it manifests a specific image of God and of man, through a set of values and a concrete style of life. It expresses itself also through the official prayers and the liturgical celebrations. The essential traits of the Pallottine spirituality are found in the idea of “catholic” or “universal” apostolate. We can say that all the elements of the Pallottine spirituality stand in relation to the universal apostolate of all the faithful. In a concise way, the essential elements of Pallottine spirituality are expressed in the Law of the Society: “All members of our Society live in a spirit which is ever renewed by the love which Jesus brought to earth.
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Our Founder, St. Vincent Pallotti
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As the Apostle of the Eternal Father, he makes known to the world that God is infinite love. He calls man and woman, first created in God’s own image, and later restored to grace through his death, to give themselves entirely to God and to the service of their fellow human beings and to work for the salvation of the world”. Members of the Society “are guided by a spirit of generous love which desires not only to serve and does not seek its own interests" (cfr. 1 Cor 13). This is the source and the strength of our apostolate and of our community living. It assures a basic harmony between our apostolic work and our own spiritual life (…). In the Holy Family of Nazareth and in the first community at Jerusalem we find models for our communal way of living the life of love, and for our common apostolate”. (Law SAC nn. 10 e 13).
The dynamic principle on which the multi-faceted apostolic activities of St. Vincent Pallotti was founded was his personal faith experience. God gave him, as a gift of the Spirit, a profound experience of His infinite love and mercy. According to Vincent Pallotti, the most profound motivation of God’s activity is infinite love. For this reason men and women, created in the image and likeness of God, reach the full understanding of the meaning of life when they continually exercise the love of God and love of neighbour (cf. 1 Jn 4,16).
The dynamic principle on which the multi-faceted apostolic activities of St. Vincent Pallotti was founded was his personal faith experience. God gave him, as a gift of the Spirit, a profound experience of His infinite love and mercy. According to Vincent Pallotti, the most profound motivation of God’s activity is infinite love. For this reason men and women, created in the image and likeness of God, reach the full understanding of the meaning of life when they continually exercise the love of God and love of neighbour (cf. 1 Jn 4,16).
Patronness Mary Queen of Apostles
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This experience permits men and women to know Christ as the Apostle of the Eternal Father. All that Jesus achieved during his life on earth derives from his love of the Father and from his saving love of all people (cf. OOCC III, 175ff). The secret of the apostolic efficacy of every Christian consists of the imitation of Christ’s love for God the Father and for all people. For Vincent Pallotti, therefore, love is the driving motive for anyone who wishes to collaborate in the apostolate. The following of Christ and participation in His mission to save all people are inseparable. All people, since called to be his disciples have an apostolic obligation. (cf. OOCC III, 142). Mary, Queen of Apostles, is, “after Jesus Christ, the most perfect model of true Catholic zeal and perfect charity, because she was so committed to the greater glory of God and the good of souls… that she surpassed the Apostles in merit” (OOCC I, 7). This title of Mary, Queen of Apostles, is for St. Vincent a symbol, a programme, Mary is the most efficacious example and the more perfect model for the apostolate of the faithful. |
Pallottine Resources
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Blessed Elisabetta Sanna
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