Mission Ad Gentes

During the last weekend in October, Bro. Michael Flanigan, Delegate of the Superior General for Mission Ad Gentes, gave a workshop to the Brothers of the South Asia province in Sri Lanka on Mission Ad Gentes. Bro. Sunanda Alwis, Provincial, invited Michael to speak to the Brothers about Mission Ad Gentes and how it affects each Brother.

Bro. Michael began the weekend workshop by giving an overview of Mission Ad Gentes and the progress that we have made thus far. We have begun new presences in 6 Asian countries and three non Asian countries. At this stage, the third group of six are finishing their discernment period in Davao and are getting ready for mission. Certainly the work is progressing.

Then Michael situated the Mission Ad Gentes initiative in the context of our institute and tried to show how Mission Ad Gentes is a call for each one of us to a conversion of heart? or a ?revolution of the heart? as Brothers Sean Sammon, Superior General, would say. Mission Ad Gentes will change the look of our Institute by our new presences in new countries, but it also must change the look of our present ministries and presences. In a process that began with the formal restructuring of provinces, continues with Mission Ad Gentes project in calling us to a simplicity of life, Bro. Sean is asking each one of us to look into our heart, our relationship with the Lord and Mary, and bring back that original fire that inspired St. Marcellin. We are being challenged to ?reclaim the spirit of the Hermitage?.

In that context, we can see how Bro. Sean is challenging each one of us to be faithful to the original vision of St. Marcellin and reclaim the spirit of simplicity that marked the first Little Brothers of Mary.

The weekend provided time for personal reflection and small and large group discussion and reaction.