Letter to the Confreres from the Central Commission of the Rule of Life

Letter to the Confreres
from the Central Commission
for the Revisitation and Revision of the Rule of Life

Dear Confreres,
The Central Commission for the Revisitation and Revision of the Rule of Life met in Rome from 26 to 29 of June, first of all for an initial evaluation of the work underway on the Rule of Life by all the circumscriptions of the Institute, secondly to gather and organise the revision proposals received to date by the Commission and, thirdly, for an exchange of ideas on this matter with the Comboni Consultants and with the General Council.

Generally, the reports received so far from the circumscriptions tell us only of the reflection on the first two parts of the Rule of Life. But it is already a source of great gratification to see with how much willingness, commitment and seriousness the confreres have faced the work of reading, studying and praying on the Rule of Life.

So far, this work has focused on the aspect of revisitation that is on the appreciation and internalisation of the theological, spiritual and practical wealth of the Rule and on its creative appropriation. The very content of the first two parts of the Rule favoured this approach.

We recognise with humility and gratitude that in general there is in the Institute so much desire to re-appropriate the spirit of the Rule of Life, to deepen the Comboni charism and to concretise it and live it within the various socio-cultural contexts in which we are present and exercise our missionary ministry.

Precisely from this desire to translate the Rule of Life into today’s vital fabric, suggestions for revision have emerged, many of which more than changing the meaning of the Rule’s text reformulate it in order to make it more explicitly rich, with attention both to the spirit of the charism and to the cultural diversities present in ever greater numbers within the Institute and to the sensibilities of the present time.

Taken together, these revisiting proposals breathe a fresh spirit and a desire for renewal, being the result of the participation of the younger confreres, but also of cultural and theological-missionary sensibilities, other than those of the north-western world.

To all the Confreres, for their participation and contribution and to the animators and superiors who at circumscription level have supported and favoured the process, go our most heartfelt thanks. At the same time, as we bless the Lord for this grace, we encourage all to continue with the same interest to study and pray on the other three parts of the Rule of Life: a task, that is, to revisit the RL in order to promote our personal and community renewal as well as to offer greater missionary imagination and, if necessary, an intelligent and constructive revision.

We remind all that there are also various contributions available that can enlighten and support us on this journey: it is a mutual help.

In order that the work of collecting and processing any proposals for revision may proceed more quickly and more easily and effectively, in view of the next General Chapter to which they must be presented, we would like to make the following clarifications:

• In the reflection and, above all, in formulating revision proposals, let us take into account the Italian text of the Rule of Life (1988 edition), which, as it is said in the NB on page 13 of the Rule of Life, constitutes the original and normative text of the Rule of Life.
• Each circumscription or group of circumscriptions make a summary of the proposals that emerge from your reflection and sharing. The Central Commission assumes that these proposals are representative of the feelings of the respective circumscriptions as such and the result of community discernment. If you think necessary, you may also take a vote on the proposals.
• If a confrere or a minority group of confreres should feel obliged to make their own proposals, they may do so with freedom, sending them directly to the Central Commission.
• In both cases, each proposal is to be made by presenting the new text that you wish to be inserted, in a substitutive or additional way, in the Rule of Life. Also indicate the reasons behind the proposed change, so that the proposal may be better understood and supported.
• At this stage of study of the Rule of Life, the revision work concerns only the constitutional part of the Rule of Life. Any revision proposal that refers to the directorial part will in any case be recorded by the Central Commission as material for a possible future work of reformulation of the same directorial part.

Finally, we urge all the circumscriptions to send their proposals for the revision of the text of the Rule of Life as the circumscriptions proceed in their reflection, without waiting to reach the end of the whole process.

In any case, all proposals must reach the Commission no later than the end of February 2019.

We wish one another a good work and the joy of experiencing through it an even deeper communion among us and with our Founder, St. Daniel Comboni, in the same passion for the mission and the same love for the poor who await the good news of salvation.

Rome, 29 June 2018
Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul
The Central Commission