“Thus I made my long-awaited profession

On August 27, 1855, in her religious profession, Maria Antonia Paris felt the joy of something so long-awaited, sought for a long time and for which she had fought for a long time. It was a very special experience, in continuity with the “Initial experience“, which confirmed his charism and ecclesial vocation:

When the Archbishop put on the crown, I felt such an extraordinary weight on my head that it made me bow it, and naturally the crown weighed very little because it was made of very fine flowers. I was greatly amazed at this great weight, and Our Lord said to me: “This is my daughter, the burden of the reform of my Church that rests upon you “; and he called me “my spouse” for three times with great affection, making me understand that he loved me very much the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And Our Lord said to me: “My daughter, from now on I want to sit in the midst of your heart”… And he wanted to celebrate it for eight days, preserving the sacramental species from one communion to another (RC 9).

“This high experience“, as Fr. Jesús Álvarez cmf says, undoubtedly marked the process of union with the humanity of Christ that transforms her into a woman, spouse to whom she entrusts the interests of her Church.

What could it mean today for each of the Claretian missionaries and those of us who walk together the union with the Humanity of Christ that transforms us into apostolic women and men to whom the interests of the Church have been entrusted?

In the context of the Congregational, social and ecclesial reality that surrounds us, celebrating the 169th anniversary of the profession of Maria Antonia, renews the commitment to continue betting on pastoral transformation and reconciliation, knowing that it is our reason for existing, praying, working and missioning.

Happy feast of the birth of the Congregation!