Marianist life, our ministries, and our Province mission are essentially communitarian. Too often, when we think about the vows, especially the vow of obedience, we become too individualistic. I am amazed how often we receive letters that begin something like this, “After much prayer and discernment, I have decided. . . .” How can you possibly respond to that? For us, our ministries, our mission, is discerned together within the community: first the community of the Province, then my local community. In other words, our mission is OUR mission—not MY mission—and my ministry helps the Province realize its mission. And we do this together, trying to discern the call of the Spirit of Jesus—today, here and now—within a Spirit-filled family with Mary at the very center. The time and effort required for this type of life is much greater, but the results are far more effective and fruitful. The work that went into Vision 2020, with all of the meetings and consultations and deliberations and fights helped produce a blueprint for Marianist life that will carry us well into the future. Our vow of stability strengthens our love and loyalty to our religious family and to the entire Marianist Family.
[Editor’s Note: Father Martin Solma, SM, the Provincial for the Society of Mary’s Province of the United States, delivered the following talk as part of the 2011 summer retreat series for the Province.]
