1. VINCENT PALLOTTI’S VISION

 

Introduction

When we speak of Vincent Pallotti’s vision, we need to understand the background of the society and the Church in which he was living. Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome on the 21st of April 1795. He lived in a time when the society was rocked with revolution, bloodshed and uncertainties. Political greed of the kings and social and economical discontent among the peoples led to the emergence of revolutionary groups in many countries. Prominent among them was the French revolution. The French revolution soon spread throughout the Europe. Italy was no exception. The French revolution changed the world by means of violence, war, invasion, reasoning and occupation. Even Rome, the Capital of the Papal State, was not spared. The French occupied the pontifical territory, proclaimed the republic and forced Pope Pius V1 into exile, where he died on 29th August 1799. Pallotti witnessed the invasion of Rome by Austrian and French troops. He also witnessed the cholera epidemic in 1837[1].This being the political situation, the Church was no better.  The faith of the people was declining. The functioning of the Church was strictly hierarchical and the people had no saying in her activities. They were mere spectators, when it came to their participation in the Church. It was at this backdrop of religious and social milieu that Pallotti lived and propounded his dynamic view of a participatory Church.

His Vision

The experience of God as Infinite love and mercy towards the creation and his own life transformed Pallotti, in turn to love God and neighbours with all his abilities. The love of God made him to become aware of the worsening crisis and the needs of his time and to respond to it appropriately. He pointed out that one becomes a true apostle only when filled with the love of Christ. He was also convinced that the Church’s missionary task of proclamation of faith throughout the world is an urgent need and it was enormously vast. Therefore he ventured new possibility to spread the faith. [2]

[1] Cf. Flavian Bonifazi SAC, Yearning of a soul, St. Paul’s, Boston, 1979, pp.15-16.

[1] Cf. Document on the Chrism of St. Vincent Pallotti: Origin Development, Identity, Rome 2004, p. 18.

 

9th of January 1835, was the turning point in his life. He celebrated the Holy Eucharist with extraordinary holiness. He realized how worthless and lowly, a creature he was and realized that through his suffering and martyrdom he must sanctify the world. As these thoughts were playing in his mind, after the celebration of Holy Mass and thanks giving in the Church of the nuns of Regina Coeli at Rome, the light of the Holy Ghost illumined the mind of Pallotti to institute a Society. He wrote in his diary:

“ My God my mercy, You in your infinite mercy grant me in a special way to promote, to establish, to perfect and perpetuate, at least with a great trust in your Sacred Heart, the following undertakings: –

  1. A holy institution of the Universal Apostolate amongst all Catholics, to propagate the faith and the religion of Jesus Christ among all unbelievers and those not Catholics.
  2. Another hidden Apostolate, to revive, preserve and increase the faith amongst Catholics.
  3. An institution of Universal love in the exercise of all the works of spiritual and corporal mercy, so that as much as possible, you are known in the world, since you are infinite love.”[1]

 

Vincent Pallotti received a vision of reviving the universal call of every baptized person to collaborate in the salvific mission of the Church. Indeed, he was convinced that all the members of the people of God are called to share in the apostolate.[2] We can say that for this purpose he coordinated all  the baptized people of God, irrespective of their state of life and condition. “He believed that the individual initiatives would be more effective if they were integrated and directed towards a common goal. For this reason he founded the Union of the Catholic Apostolate”[3]

 

Thus Pallotti’s ardent desire was to awaken, foster and convince every baptized person of his or her baptismal vocation to cooperate in the mission of the Church. He wanted to make all Christian, in whatever state they are in, from being passive to active apostles to work in the Vineyard of the Lord.[4] He brought together the priests and lay people in one single union. This was his unique contribution. This idea of participatory Church was new in Pallotti’s time. There was misunderstanding and hostility towards him. However, in May 1835 he appealed to all and everyone, particularly in Rome, with a sense of zeal for the glory of God.  These lay people were not merely co-operators of the priests; rather, they undertook apostolate in virtue of their call. Priests and lay people walked hand and hand for the realization of the apostolic mission of the Church in the world.[5]

He named his newly founded pious society as the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, “Not because it claims to be the Catholic Apostolate but because it calls all, unites all, awakens the zeal and love of all the faithful of every talent, role and situation so that all may humbly and caringly appreciate and be committed to the Catholic Apostolate as instituted by Jesus Christ in his Church.”[6]

Vincent Pallotti’s idea of the vocation of all Christian to the apostolate was based on the commandment of love of neighbour. As God loves us and made us in His own image, we too are motivated and called to love one another. Further more the basic foundation upon which the castle of this union of priests and laity was to be built is love. Pallotti realized this love of God in his very life. In his writing and in his prayers we see how profoundly he was touched by the love of God. He says, “ love is the essential constituent of the pious union”[7]. Infact, it is promotion of love that the Holy Trinity shares among themselves is the purpose and goal of the Union. Hence, the ideal love that is shared between the Trinity and lived between the Church and the Holy Spirit is inspiration and motive of the Union. The day when this love is missing among the collaborators and in their works, that would be the day when the Union ceases to exist.[8] Pallotti could not think of person who having experienced God’s love keeps for himself. Infact he becomes a messenger of that love for others. It was the love of Christ which impelled Pallotti to work tirelessly for the Church.  So Pallotti invited people to cooperate in the work of spreading the work of love.[9]

Understanding Pallotti’s vision, we can say that he dreamed of a “new way of being Church”. A Church where all, clergy, religious and laity, would work together impelled by a strong apostolic spirit and the love of Jesus Christ.  Besides, there would be equal dignity and feel co- responsible for the mission of the Church.[10]

Vincent Pallotti visualized the vision of the Church “ like an Evangelical Trumpet, which calls all, invites all, awakens in all the zeal and charity of all the faithful of every state, grade and condition.”[11]  All Catholics were called to be part of it: “Ecclesiastics and seculars, men and women, learned and ignorant, poor and rich, noble and plebeian, whatever may be their state, profession and fortune… There cannot be anyone excluded from being part of the Catholic Apostolate and sharing in its merits, its undertakings, and its compensations.”[12]

Having envisioned a pioneering thought of involving the laity in the activities of the church, Pallotti next took out time and drew up a programme of dividing the missionary activities of the Church in the world. He categorized them into thirteen groups or department, which he called as ‘procures’ and he dedicated the names of twelve apostles and Paul as their heavenly patrons in directing their work.[13]

Thus Pallotti envisaged the universal call of every baptized Christian to the apostolate and that all are called to be an apostle. Taking the example of Blessed Virgin Mary , the Mother of God he said that though Mary was not a priest, she neither celebrated Mass, nor heard confession, nor preached, and yet she is the Queen of Apostles. “She is called that because in her own way, she contributed in a wondrous way to the spread of Jesus’ kingdom. And so each one who in his own place, exerts himself as he can for the spread of the faith, deserves the name apostle. Indeed all are called to the Apostolate since all are meant to imitate Jesus Christ who is the Apostle of the Eternal Father”[14].

“And so everyone, great and small, rich and poor, in position high or low, whether educated or not, priests or laity, secular or religious clergy, those living amongst society or in solitude, each can in his own place and state of life exercise the Apostolate in some manner, and with honour and merit”. [15]

“ All manner of means can be engaged to promote faith, prestige, position, personal talents, studies, art, money, crucifix, a holy picture, a scapular, a book; but especially good will is needed. In short, the least every Catholic can and should do to pray and to urge others to pray for the propagation of faith”.[16]

 

From the above references we could confer that for Pallotti, no person is excluded from the apostolate. Every baptized person has the bounden responsibility to continue the mission of Jesus Christ. Priests, religious, men and women of every state of life are called to collaborate in the salvific mission of the Church. Pallotti wanted all “the laity in particular, to become conscious of all their apostolic vocation and obligation”. Keeping in view of Pallotti vision Pope Pius X1 hailed Vincent Pallotti as “the Pioneer of Catholic Action”.[17]

Membership

Membership of the union is open to all the people. All clergy, religious and laity, all are the part of the Union. Pallotti exhorts that all have the equal right to initiate apostolic action. They strive to fulfill the role of being an apostle by remaining in their specific state of life. They come from different background some secular and some religious. However, the unifying force of this diversity is their participation in the salvific mission of the church. The actualization of the plan was to be done by a core group of members who dedicated themselves to the realization aims of the Union. They are to promote, sustain and carry out the apostolic task of the society. He envisioned them as the soul that must sustain the life of the whole body that is the  society.

Pallotti  categorized  members into three classes:

  1. Associated workers: This group includes priests and lay persons dedicated themselves for the service of the Union. Though initially this group was consisted of priests, laity were included to assists the clergy in the works of sacred ministry and in producing books. This assistant was one of voluntary service. Those who dedicate their entire life to the service of Union would live in common without forming a ‘Reqular’ institution. They would form the central and moving body of the society. They were to have six months of novitiate. At the end of the novitiate they would consecrate themselves to God in the service of the Catholic Apostolate. This consecration did not have the force of vows, but implies a promise to persevere in the society.
  2. Associated Spiritual Cooperators: These people had no function of sacred ministry but helped the Catholic Apostolate through their prayers for the propagation of faith.
  3. Associated Temporal Cooperators or contributors: These people collected material objects, books in various languages, holy pictures to send to wherever the need was felt. They provided for the maintenance of the mission and missionaries. There were no fixed contributions. Even a small sacrifice of monitory was appreciated. .[18]

 

Pallotti through this associations wanted to awaken in all the faithful an awareness of their apostolic vocation. Having realized that the laity were mere recipients of faith and sacraments, he was of the supreme idea that they were also apostles and by their Christian vocation, were bound to labour for the kingdom of God in their own way and living conditions. Hence, Pallotti propagated for the first time the idea of lay apostle based on the ideal of early Christian community, wherein each member bore the responsibility of living for Christ. He says “every one, young and old, healthy and sick, prisoners or free, rich or poor can be apostle”[19]. To realize this goal Pallotti propagated the idea of Catholic Apostolate. It involves all who strive to realize the kingdom of God here on earth, for the sake of the love of God. They become one by making an act of consecration to God. In doing so he or she unites himself or herself with the mission of

the Union.

The detailed role and function of the membership could be found in the General Statutes nos. 22 to 40

Questions

  1. Pallotti saw the needs of the Church and society of his time and responded, how do we see the relevance of Pallotti’s vision today?
  2. What are the challenges we Pallottines face in implementing Pallotti’s vision?

Implementations

  • First and foremost, I believe, we Pallottines from different entities viz., Fathers, sisters and brothers could strive for common understanding, collaboration and unity. Time to time we could come together for studies, discussion, planing and execution of UAC.

 

  • In all our communities’ we could keep the model of Holy Trinity and Holy Family of Nazareth. Our community spirit must lead us to live as brothers and sisters. We must aim at working together as a team. We must realize that it is the teamwork which brings more fruits and effective results, rather than individual or isolated efforts.

 

  • We Pallottines must be trained to collaborate with all the people of God. We must aim at building participatory Church and the Church of communion.

 

  • We need to concentize the laity, their responsibility and their role in the mission of the Church.

 

  • We need to encourage the laity to take active part in the apostolate and help them to be ready and willing to cooperate with one another in carrying out apostolic activities.
  • We need to encourage, appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of the  laity in the mission of the Church.
  • We need to work for the reawakening of faith and re-enkindling of charity within the members of the UAC and outside.
  • We need to unite the secular, religious clergy and sisters with the common
  • Cooperate with NGO and non-Christian organization for the welfare of the humanity in the place where we
  • We need to initiate Inter Religious dialogue and Ecumenism .

 

These and many other apostolic activities could be undertaken in India.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Living in this cut throat competitive world, where consumerism and materialism has captured the minds and hearts of every human being, there is a tendency to be individualistic in our thinking, approach and relationship with one another. Looking into the context of India today, we could say that Pallotti’s vision is very much relevant. His objective of collaborative venture viz. clergy, religious, laity and the people of good will, could be achieved only by working and journeying together  for the mission of the church and the welfare of the humanity. Besides, we will be also able to evangelize and respond effectively to the needs of the society. In doing this, the chore of  our action should emerge from   Christ’s new commandment  “Love one another as I have loved you”. [ Jn15:12]  Let the love of Christ and the theme of the General Congress of the UAC, which was held in Poland from 22nd to 27th August 2005, may ring in our hearts and minds “Now is the time for a new “Creativity” in Charity”. May all our apostolic endeavors be rooted in the love of God and with  Blessed Virgin Mary in the Cenacle.

 

 

 

Fr. James Joseph SAC

                                               

[1] Francesco Ambroso SAC, A Remarkable Roman; the Life of St. Vincent Pallotti, trans. John Winson, Yuva Deepti, Trivandrum 1983, p. 106.

[2] Cf. Document on the One Hundred and Fifty years of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate (1835- 1985), Rome 1984, no.1, pp. 4-5.

[3] Law of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, Rome 2003, no. c, p. 12

[4] Cf. Document on the Memory and Prophecy of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, Rome 1993, no. 26, p. 34

[5] Cf. Document on the One Hundred and Fifty…, Op. Cit.,  no.1,  pp. 4-5.

[6] Ibid., p. 5.

[7] Document on the Memory and Prophecy …, Op. Cit., no 24, p. 32.

[8] Cf. Ibid., no. 24, p. 33.

[9] Cf. Ibid., no. 12, p. 23. Cf. No .24. pp.23-24

 

 

[10] Document on the Memory and Prophecy…, Op. Cit., no.23,  p. 31.

[11] Ration Institutionis of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, Rome 2004, p. 40.

[12] Ibidem.

[13] Cf. Augustine Kollencherry, St. Vincent Pallotti, SAC Publications, Thiruvananthapuram 2001, pp. 130- 131.

[14] Francesco Ambroso SAC, A Remarkable…, op.Cit. p. 107.

[15] Ibidem.

 

[16] Ibid., p. 108.

[17] Flavian Bonifazi SAC, Yearning…, Op. Cit., p. 20.

[18] Cf..Flavian Bonifazi SAC- Louis Micca SAC, Pllottiana, New Jersey 1983, p. 63.