Rule of Life No. 53 of the SSS reminds us that the novitiate draws inspiration from and continues the catechesis of baptism. Now, all catechesis places God at the centre of our concerns. And it is very clear that God allows himself to be found in every experience that expresses goodness and love. These qualities are lived out generously through the relationship that extends from the individual to himself, to other creatures and to God. We wish here to outline the guiding principles that our attentive reading has helped us discover in this richly meaningful text; this in relation to the daily life of the Inter-African Novitiate, following the three pillars of SSS religious life.
1. Prayer of thanksgiving with creation
In the Acts of the Apostles, we read of the idle contemplation of the disciples of the cenacle as they gazed at the sky now devoid of the Master, who had ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–12). Indeed, creation bears the mark of the Creator. Do not the cries of birds and mammals… at dawn and in unison, remind us just how deeply these living creatures are immersed in thanksgiving! And Saint Peter Julian Eymard, in one of his letters, urged “keeping one’s soul in thanksgiving, for it is the most pleasant exercise”. Moreover, prayer is inevitably linked to creation. Paragraph 36 of Laudato Si’ presents “the Eucharist as an act of cosmic love”, being itself the fruit of the earth’s bounty. Fr John Keenan SSS does not hesitate to write on this subject: “The Eucharist is profoundly connected to ecology through its roots in creation, its cosmic symbolism”. It is the earth’s offering to humanity and to God. Thus, during our silent adoration, our annual retreats, monthly recollections, sessions, our participation in the sacrament of reconciliation, and our daily spiritual readings, we perceive the joy of nature uniting with us in prayer. Thus, we are able within ourselves to realise the immeasurability of the Creator.
2. In the service of our brothers, sisters and nature
From the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the door of the cenacle is opened. This is preceded by the reception of the Holy Spirit. From now on, hearts groping in the dark are filled with a wholly new power. Saint Peter Julian Eymard commented on this event in these terms: “It is with the love of Jesus that the Apostles leave to evangelize the world, in the midst of all the dangers and all the sacrifices of the apostolate” (RA 18,5; OC VIII, 472). On several occasions in the Bible, the Holy Spirit is identified with one of the forms of nature. He is himself a force that coexists with creation. To destroy the earth is to dare to destroy the Holy Spirit. As religious of the Blessed Sacrament, our daily quest, which begins in the cenacle, sends us out to respond to the urgent need to satisfy the hungers facing our world: hunger stemming from injustice, lies, every form of violence, theft, and killing… for all these evils wound creation to the very root of its soul. Initiation into a life of service prepares us to cultivate the earth, our place of pilgrimage, whilst ensuring its protection. To learn to truly coexist with nature is to learn to raise one’s consciousness to the level of love. The authors of Ensemble/Together, thus emphasised the balance and harmony that must exist between the relationship of individual life, that of nature, and the promotion of values in society. In this way, our life in the novitiate, through our many tasks (livestock farming, agriculture, floriculture…), highlights this aspect of self-giving through service.
3. We wish to be brothers and sisters to all created beings
We start from the conviction that: All Christian action aims to make every person a brother or sister, without distinction of race, culture, language, let alone nationality or even religion. We are therefore brothers and sisters both with our fellow human beings and with all of creation, the world. It is for this very reason that the Inter-African Novitiate values cultural diversity and internationality. We come from seven African countries: Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville and Kinshasa, Mozambique, Uganda, Cameroon, and finally Guinea-Bissau. It is in the name of this brotherhood that we are united with the rest of creation, and through our sense of belonging, we see the Novitiate as a common good from which every generation can benefit. Indeed, solidarity with creation is a way of acknowledging the pain, wounds and misery it endures: pollution from carbon dioxide emissions generated by industry, excessive smoke production, the dumping of toxic chemical waste into space and, more often, into vast bodies of water; the chaotic management of waste, the abusive and excessive exploitation of the subsoil. We are also aware of the impacts of climate change, the consequences of which continue to undermine the planet. In short, Ensemble/Together invites us to a conversion of heart. For creation will never find peace if humanity itself becomes corrupted.
Father César Da Cruz, SSS
Inter-African Novitiate ‘le Cénacle’
Province Our Lady of Africa, Senegal
