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"As the Father has sent me,

I send you"

(Jn 20, 21)

Mission and the Kingdom

 [7.]       The Society is completely at the service of the kingdom of God in the church. The church is the seed and sacrament of the kingdom.  Our mission summons us to proclaim the kingdom wherever it is still unknown, denounce whatever obstructs its path, indicate its presence in signs, favor its realization.

The Kingdom and human History

 [8.]       The origin and culmination of the kingdom of God rest in the love of the triune Godhead. The kingdom comes about and is made manifest by the communion of people with God and people among themselves.  While awaiting the advent of the kingdom in human history, when God will be all in all, we join in the march of fellow men and women, so that together we may be free and become workers of justice and peace.

To whom we are sent

 [9.]       Our specific charism invites us to go out from our usual milieu, home churches and cultures. to non-christian peoples and areas. Faithful to preferential options of Christ, among the non-christians we direct ourselves toward the privileged of the kingdom, viz. the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the unjustly treated, the outcasts of society.

Temporary pastoral service

 [10]      The pastoral service, that we offer Christian communities in established churches which are not adequately provided for, is temporary. Our presence is not to be prolonged beyond what is necessary. Our specific charism invites us to assist their process of inculturation and growth. Our purpose is to enable these communities to be active agents of mission to non-christians and live in communion with the other churches.

10.1            Fidelity to our charism: During chapters and other occasions the community is to reassess our various activities in the light of our charism. Commitments, which no longer conform to our sole exclusive purpose, are to be dropped gradually and with courage in dialogue with the local church and the General Direction.

 10.2            Priority criteria: In taking on new assignments, due consideration is to be given to

  -  potential areas and human situations of first evangelization,

  -   the need for liberation and human development,

  -   mission activity which cannot be assumed by others.

 10.3            Temporary service: We dialogue and work with local churches so they may attain autonomy as quickly as possible. We cooperate in pastoral initiatives which guarantee their attainment of self-sufficiency in the shortest possible time.  Some priority initiatives for us are:

- vocation ministry,

- cooperation in seminary training,

- formation of grass root Christian communities,

- preparation of leaders and pastoral agents,

- establishment of a sound and autonomous economic base.

Mission and the local church

 [11]      Our service for the kingdom, which is offered in the spirit of genuine and responsible collaboration, takes place within local churches. These churches are primarily encharged with the task of evangelization.  Even though we may direct our attention to non-christians in ways independent of ecclesial structures, we always do so in communion with the local church.

 11.1            Communion with the local church: Our place within the life of the local church demands that we effectively cooperate in its activities, comply with directives of the Episcopal conference, and participate in diocesan initiatives and organizations.

 11.2            Quality service: Our Congregation is dedicated exclusively to mission service. This requires that our members receive a qualified preparation since they are to carry out specialized ministries. The preparation of personnel is to be programmed together with the General Direction and respond to the felt mission needs of the church and regions where we work.

 Mission and proclamation

 [12]      Our primary service to the kingdom of God is to proclaim  Christ and his message by word, example, and especially by the testimony of our consecrated religious life. Our activity is cooperation with the Spirit, in order that the union with God and communion with our brothers and sisters proposed might be accepted and occasion a conversion of hearts and structures. With joy do we welcome into our Christian communities all who, convoked by the word and regenerated by the Spirit, wish to follow Christ and accept his example and teaching.

 12.1            Formation of Christian communities: Acceptance of the gospel leads one to join the church, the community of disciples of the Master. Entrance to the church and admission to the various stages of growth are mediated by sacraments. These are signs of salvation which express faith and a committed life style.

 12.2            Continuity and planning: Evangelization is not a single or isolated action, it is profoundly ecclesial. It demands continuity and respect for the initiatives of our predecessors; it draws individual projects into community planning.

 Mission and dialogue

 [13]      We commit ourselves to understand and accept our non-christian brothers and sisters, their value system and religious beliefs. Through a friendly and qualified dialogue of life and faith, we aim to promote common kingdom values. This type of dialogue presupposes knowledge and respect for the cultures of peoples among whom we work, that we may understand their spiritual heritage and be able to incarnate the christian message there with wise discretion.

 13.1            Means of dialogue: To be attuned with initiatives and the spirit of dialogue promoted by the church, we maintain contact with various agencies established for this purpose, especially the Secretariat for non christians.

 13.2            Ecumenism: Since the division among christians is indeed both a scandal and an obstacle to evangelization, we wish to be attentive to ecumenical issues and to seek forms of mutual collaboration which lead to unity and full gospel witness within the established norms of the church.

 Incarnation and solidarity

 [14]      We pattern our apostolic work on the road followed by Christ's incarnation.  This requires constant attention to the complex situations where we work, and demands a freedom of spirit and mind capable of adjusting our response to diverse needs of times and place.  More precisely this asks us to become actively involved in the life struggle and destiny of those to whom we are sent, to the point of sharing their problems and quest for liberation.

14.1            New ways of presence: We encourage confreres who wish to engage in new methods of mission presence as long as they have the approval of the Regional Superior, sufficient preparation, and provided that the new ways respond to the needs of the local church.

 14.2            Commitment to justice: For us Xaverians, the promotion of justice and transformation of the world are integral components of gospel proclamation. We feel obliged, therefore, to recognize our responsibility and seek effective methods of action through close contact with appropriate existing organizations on all levels. We are to enable the Christian communities we work with to mature and share these concerns as well.

 14.3            Defense of human rights: With prudence and firmness we ought to be ready to denounce grave violations of human rights, no matter where they originate, and without aligning ourselves with party politics. On such occasions we will act together with the local church. If necessary, we will urge the local church to assume positions which are gospel inspired and in defense of human rights.

 Mission education

 [15]      Our mission charism compels us to work so that local churches acknowledge and assume their mission obligations toward non-christians, as did our Founder. We remind them of the concern they are to have for all the churches so that the wonders which the Spirit works in them may be occasions for praise and an invitation to continual conversion.  Since we witness actual situations of suffering, injustice, margination we can address the issue of universal brotherhood and its needs.

 15.1            Priorities: Mission education is carried out in the following ways:

   -        by creating Xaverian communities that live and witness basic mission values and concerns

   -        by establishing a formation process which includes mission  education as a component

   -        by mission endeavors carried out in collaboration with other religious communities, organizations and local churches

   -        by preparing qualified personnel for specialized service in this sector.

Vocation ministry

 [16]      We recognize the need to enlist new laborers for the vineyard and turn to the Lord in prayer. Through our lives we give witness to the urgency and importance of the mission vocation. We promote all forms of mission service, and particularly lifetime commitment in the Xaverian family.

 16.1            Role of the Regional Direction: The Regional Directions are to be aware of vocation issues and provide the most suitable means and instruments for effective vocation ministry.

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