The Movement of the Lay Missionaries of Charity as a Community at the Service of Man

"I have chosen you to be with Me,

I will also send you out to preach"

(Mk 3:14)

 

"The Lord wishes to spread His Kingdom

by means of the laity also"

(FC 63)

 

42 - The LMCs are called to give whole-hearted free service to:

a) The members of their own families: precisely because Lay Missionaries of Charity live within their families, the first and immediate mission field must be the family, with the purpose of transforming it into a "true sanctuary of love".

1) With loving care and mutual respect for each other, the fruit of sincere love: "Hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good, love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing respect, in practising hospitality; do nothing from selfishness, but in humility counting others better than ourselves; be patient in adversity, constant in prayer; live in harmony with one another, defeat evil with good" (Rom 12:9ff.);

2) doing the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love for the greater glory of God, and everything in Jesus, with Jesus and for Jesus. "Whatever you do, in word and in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through Him" (Col 3:17);

3) being constant in prayer together, "husband and wife together, parents and children together. Communion in prayer is both a consequence of and a requirement for the communion bestowed by the sacrament of Baptism and Matrimony. 'Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them'" (Mt 18:20; FC 59);

4) educating the children especially in prayer through concrete example and living witness. "By reason of their dignity and mission, Christian parents have the specific responsibility of educating their children in prayer...the concrete example and living witness of parents is fundamental and irreplaceable in educating their children to pray" (FC 60);

"...The parents are begetters not only of bodily life, but also of the life through the Spirit's renewal flows from the Cross and resurrection of Christ" (FC 39);

"Mothers do you teach your children the Christian prayers? Do you prepare them, in conjunction with the priests, for the Sacraments that they receive when they are young: confession, communion, and confirmation? Do you encourage them when they are sick to think of Christ's suffering, to invoke the Blessed Virgin and the saints? Do you say the family Rosary together?

And you, fathers, do you pray with your children, with the whole domestic community? Your example of honesty in thought and action joined to some common prayer, is a lesson for life, an act of worship of singular value. In this way you bring peace to your homes" (Paul VI, Audience Address, August 1976; FC 60).

b) To the members of their own Movement by:

1) living fully and sincerely their consecrated life as LMCs;

2) making every effort to be present at all meetings of the Movement of whatever kind;

3) rendering themselves open to listening to all the participants in the meetings and discussions with patience, love and respect;

4) praying daily for one another and for the entire Missionaries of Charity family;

5) fostering and promoting vocations in the Movement through the witness of their own life, concrete example, and constant and assiduous prayer and penance;

6) contributing materially, according to their own means, to the needs of the Movement. However, the LMCs must not be preoccupied with projects to collect money for the Movement. "...but seek first His Kingdom and Hid righteousness, and all else will be added unto you" (Mt 5:33);

7) the Movement of the LMCs is open to all without distinction of class or status, of nationality or colour, provided they are disposed to fulfil the required conditions. All have equal rights and duties by virtue of the vows they take. All owe respect and obedience, help and collaboration to the responsible persons in the Movement;

8) the sick and suffering members of the Movement will joyously accept their own pains offering them to the Lord in complete abandonment, loving trust and serenity;

9) the Movement is not composed of persons who are already saints, but of persons who want to become saints. Therefore, the LMCs will be extremely patient with one another faults and failures, and will avoid speaking against each other or finding fault with one another either among themselves or with others. They will also guard against the temptation to criticise and make rash judgements of the motives of others (Mt 7:1ff.).

c) To the Missionaries of Charity Family:

1) coming to know the life and spirit of the Missionaries of charity -Contemplatives of Rome (Via S. Agapito, 8) where, with God's grace, the Movement of the LMCs began, founded by Father Sebastian Vazhakala M.C. on April 16, 1984. The Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity - Contemplatives is also the Mother House of the LMC. Their Superior General will remain the Spiritual Director General of the Movement, as long as this is possible and helpful, and will be assisted by a Lay person general - in-charge (Responsible Generale Laico) with four counsellors;

2) participating whole-heartedly, as far as possible, in the various Liturgical prayers, which are: the Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, night vigils, etc.;

3) helping to foster and promote vocations through words, prayer, penance and exemplary living,

4) working with the brothers and sisters in their apostolate among the poor, with the poor and for the poor;

5) knowing how to see Jesus in the poor, in the unloved, in the needy neighbour and to do so in such a way that others can understand in these actions the words of Jesus "you did it to me";

6) encouraging the people to come into contact with the centres of prayer, inviting them to participate in the Eucharistic celebration, to make sacramental confession etc. Persons must be approached with profound humility and with a spirit of true charity, not pretending to be holier, better, or more perfect than they. The vocation of the LMC is simply to communicate to others the influence of God's love, the peace and the joy that they experience in their way of life.

d) To the poorest of the poor:

1) making a whole-hearted effort to know the existence of the poor in the persons closest to us and to understand their needs and problems;

2) rendering immediate and concrete help according to their own means and capacity, and referring the poor to the appropriate persons, centres, and institutions which are better prepared and organised;

3) in their visits and encounters the LMCs must try to:

- listen to others with understanding and concern;

- pray with the people when it is possible, or for them when the former is not possible;

- to encourage personal and family prayer, the reading of the Word of God, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary...;

- consecrate their own family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, encouraging others to do the same;

- promoting filial devotion to Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, and a true devotion to the Angels and Saints;

- helping the non-baptised to receive baptism; to rectify, sanctify their marriage; to approach the sacraments in order to receive their fruits, especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist;

4) in their apostolate the LMCs will use simple and humble signs of faith, such as simple prayers, ejaculations, the sign of the Cross, the Rosary, medals, Holy Water etc., which might be insignificant for the powers of this world, but which are charged with the power of God;

5) the LMCs must, however:

- not impose faith or force belief, but be very humble and courteous in their way of dealing with their neighbour;

- not engage in arguments, quarrels, or unnecessary discussions,

- not be anxious to see the fruits of their own work, but do everything they can trusting solely in the will of God;

- not accept or initiate works which are not in harmony with the nature and the purpose of the Movement. They may, however, have a centre of hospitality for those who are alone and homeless, if they consider it necessary and they can assure its functioning and efficiency, with the help of God and collaboration of others. Before deciding, it is indispensable to pray, reflect, and discuss in order to discern together the will of God.

"Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward" (Mt 10:42).