Page 164 - Reflections on St. Joseph

 “What characterizes the apostolate of the Oblates of St. Joseph is the spirit with which they
perform their ministry. In imitation of St. Joseph, the saint of the humble and hidden life
and of total trust in Divine Providence, the Oblates choose to serve the Church in humble
tasks and places. They are happy to dedicate themselves to the most ordinary and simple
work with extraordinary love” (Const. 58).
 “The apostolate of religious consists first of all in the witness of their consecrated life, which
they are bound to nurture by prayer and penance (c. 673). It is also a call to the building up
of the Mystical Body of Christ. It is essential, therefore, that in their pastoral ministry the
Oblates have the ability to accept and coordinate the variety of gifts bestowed on the
confreres and the diversity of all possible methods of action. We are all working for the same
cause. A genuine apostolate creates unity. It is the responsibility of superiors to insure the
continuity of ministry by a prudent selection of confreres” (Const. 59).
 “Among the forms of apostolic ministry of the Oblates of St. Joseph, the Christian education
of youth holds a position of privilege. If concern for young people is everyone’s obligation,
for the Oblates it is demanded by fidelity to the spirit of their Founder" (Cost. 60).
 The spirit of work of St. Joseph is translated in the words “service of the most urgent
needs of the Church”, in dedication to the “poor youth, so much abandoned” and to the
forms of apostolate directed toward compensating, in all possible ways, for the
deficiencies in diocesan ministry: supplying for the diocesean ministry .
 About these principles there is not much doubt...The doubts and problems come in
carrying them out practically.
 One problem comes about when, in our past and present history, we confuse the
forms of apostolate adapted to times and places as if they were our apostolic goal. That
is the types of local and temporary apostolate become the apostolic goals of the
Congregation.
 For example: caring for youth is a goal, but in
the practical action it needs to be adapted to
the way God disposes in the circumstance of
time and place.
 The forms must change, but the double
ministerial goal from our beginnings must
remain: the care of youth, most of all through
catecheis and supply ministry.
 Our Charism, a gift of the Holy Spirit received
from St. Joseph Marello, is not a static reality,
but dynamic and existential, which must
accompany the life of the Congregation and be
incarnated in the historical situations of the
moment.
 We Oblates must always update our apostolic
Charism. We must ask ourselves always: here
and now how can we best educate youth and
carry out our apostolic ministry? We must pay
attention to the signs of the times, discover
the input which the Spirit gives us in so many
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Reflections on st. joseph