We, the members of the 20th Ordinary General Chapter of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS), assembled at MSFS Provincialate in Guwahati, Assam, India from February 1-13, 2019, greet all our confreres with fraternal love and affection.
The theme of our General Chapter, “MSFS, WAKE UP TO THE BASICS,” invited us to a deep soul searching, a renewed fidelity to Jesus Christ, an attentive listening to the voice of the Spirit, and a zealous living of the Charism of our Congregation and the spirit of our Founder, Fr. Peter Mary Mermier. The General Chapter, the supreme legislative and teaching authority in the Congregation, reiterates the collective conviction of the confreres that it is a joy to be an MSFS, and firmly resolves to strengthen our community life and existing ministries. Heeding the call of the Church, especially, the Second Vatican Council and the Exhortations of Pope Francis, we also resolve to continue to read the signs of the times and respond to the needs of the Universal Church in new ways.
To commit ourselves to these resolutions, we hereby present the following Statement, Directives, Decisions, and Implementation Mechanisms.
STATEMENT
Gathered as one family by the Triune God with our unique identity as Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, we firmly believe that we are called to grow in communion with God and with one another through a life of prayer, participation in the mission of the Church, living the Salesian virtues, and through fraternal love and sharing.
Our Charism calls us to live the spirit and spirituality of St. Francis de Sales in our community and mission as envisioned by our Founder, Fr. Peter Mary Mermier. The four basics of our Charism: Community Life, Mission, MSFS-ness, and Spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, are to characterize our daily lives and apostolates. In living these basics, we follow the Holy Trinity as our model and reference point, and strive to live as brothers united in love, valuing the uniqueness of each member and remaining united as one family. The General Chapter upholds this family spirit and emphatically affirms the need for strengthening our communion with the Lord and with one another.
Jesus Christ being the source and summit of our mission, we re-affirm our commitment to Him by being effectively available for the apostolic activities of the Universal Church through our three foundational Apostolates of the Renewal of Christian Life, Overseas and Pioneering Evangelization, and Education and Formation, especially of the Young. Imbibing the vision and missionary spirit of our Founder and all other confreres who have gone before us, we resolve to continue the rich legacy of our Congregation in being missionaries who Live Jesus and thus
make a difference in the life of the Church and the world.