杏MAP导航

By Sophie Peeters

Last year marked the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the founding of the Abby of Prémontré, the first Abby founded in the order of the Premonstratensians.

The order was founded by St. Norbert in 1120 Prémontré, France, and soon spread to regions all over Europe.

Following the monastic rule of St. Augustine, the Premonstratensians combine a monastic, reflective life with a more active religious life influenced by the Cistercian ideals.

Receiving members of the order in the Vatican on Thursday, 杏MAP导航 Francis had words of encouragement and appreciation for them, as he noted the significance of orders such as the Premonstratensians in their ability to remain present and spread as 鈥渟hining beacons鈥� of hope throughout the trials and successes of human history.

Heart of the community: mission and stability

In his address, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on the long history of the order, noting that the foundation of the many Premonstratensian communities throughout history has provided a great sense of stability and mission where they were located.

Each monastery and Abby were deeply connected to both 鈥渉appy events and trials鈥� of each particular region they were in, the 杏MAP导航 noted, giving a 鈥済limpse of how stability and mission, life in one place and evangelization can walk hand in hand."

Therefore, the charism of the community is in its ability to have both a missionary presence and a sense of stability, with the firm communities 鈥渢ied to a particular place,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said.

Missionary Spirit

Being a brother or sister in Christ, a missionary open to the will of the Lord, is rooted in the practice of the Liturgy of the Hours and the Eucharist, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued in his address.

Communal prayer offers a culture of fraternal coexistence, which in turn leads to the true missionary hospitality of 鈥渕aking strangers brothers and sisters.鈥�

Throughout their history, the Premonstratensians offered a missionary spirit, which in and of itself is 鈥渁 story of courage and self-sacrifice, out of love鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued, leading to the establishment of new stable communities in mission lands.

In this context, 杏MAP导航 Francis invited the members to meditate on the long history of the order, to learn not only from the past but also from each other.

Economic, social and cultural roles of the community

The economic activity of any religious community, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, should be used to serve the mission and the realization of the charisms of the community: 鈥渋t is never an end in itself, but oriented toward a spiritual goal.鈥�

Furthermore, 杏MAP导航 Francis stressed the importance of sustainability to 鈥渢ake into account the environment and the people who inhabit it with you鈥� so as to create 鈥渃onditions for effective pastoral care and credible proclamation of the Gospel.鈥�

In addition, the 杏MAP导航 said it is important to care for those living outside of their network through works of charity:

Taking care of the communities鈥� economic, social, and cultural models reflects the Premonstratensian way of life, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued, with many of its members having served as pastors, teachers and missionaries, thereby echoing their Jubilee motto 鈥淭ogether, with God, with the people.鈥�

Living in the Eucharist

The Eucharist, the 杏MAP导航 said, has always played a central role in the lives of the Premonstratensians.

鈥淢ay you, brothers and sisters, become what you celebrate, receive and adore: the body of Christ, and in Him a hearth of communion to which many can warm themselves.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 concluded his address asking for the guidance of Mary Most Holy, Mother of Christ and the Church, to 鈥渉elp us to become fully human, to be credible witnesses of the Gospel of salvation.鈥�