Dearest Confreres,

The precious inheritance that St. Hannibal Di Francia has left, by his example and sanctity, commits us to charity towards our neighbors. It springs from the compassion of the Heart of Christ for the fold and is concretely translated in the preferential option for the children and the poor. The Rogate is born from and is living for charity. Therefore, the fullest and most authentic meaning of prayer and work for vocation  comes from the exercise of evangelical charity. 

These are the themes that have accompanied the experience of the permanent formation of the Conference of the Major Superiors and Councils of the Circumscriptions 2007. In this meeting, like in the Cenacle waiting for the Spirit, in an atmosphere of verification and collaboration, we met from all over the Rogationist World, with different language and mentality, in the fraternal sharing of our works and responsibilities, to reflect on the great mystery that God has entrusted to us through the Rogate while we practice charity. 

In listening to the Word of God celebrated in the Eucharist, in the prayer and adoration, in mutual acceptance, in the sharings, we have experienced how beautiful and happy to stay as brothers. 

We have seen how the Congregation matures internationally. How it is open to the phenomenon of inculturation in the reciprocal respect and listening and in the finding of solutions to the problems of the world. We can say that the Congregation is now our common home. Diversity is richness; the decentralization, in the totality of understanding and articulation of responsibilities, is participation and living expression of interest and common commitment. 

The listening to the poor, their defense, the sharing of life with them, the support being extended with the phantasy of charity, characters of  the interest and charitable passion of St. Hannibal, should differentiate our service. It should generate the need of being sensitive to the new expressions of poverty  while we network with the various agencies of the place. 

We have reflected on the paternal care that we should have towards the children and the youth, the highest ideal of the life of St. Hannibal. Even in the changing conditions of our time, they constitute the primary object of our charismatic commitment and of our apostolate in various parts of the world. 

The presence of the laity is a significant reality that allows us to see the ecclesial dimension of the charism and the full sense of sharing: a gift shines only if it is given. They are our collaborators and our co-interpreters in the common charismatic journey, encouraging reality in our service for the children and the poor, from the school to the “mensa del povero”, from the “casa-famiglia” to the cooperatives, from the parish to the institute, from volunteers to the mission, from our anonymous donors to the generosity of the big projects. 

We are aware that to start again from Avignone we need to return to it first. This, in order to learn from that “locus theologicus” and from the extra-ordinary man, St. Hannibal, a different style, modern and more authentic interpretation of living the charity of Christ and then, to the re-taking of the journey along the roads of the world, giving the same charitable impulse a new zeal for the service of the modern society and of the man of today. Only like this could we be prophecy for the the future. 

We desire to open our heart to see, through the eyes and heart of Christ, the needs of man today in the Avignone of the world and to draw, for the children and the poor, the evangelical educative project of charity which has less words and more facts and truth. 

In front of difficulties, while we discover once again the length and generosity Divine Providence, we commit ourselves to look for all those solutions that will allow us to better use the material and spiritual gifts which the Lord has placed in our hands through our benefactors, at the service of our needy brothers. 

May the operative presence of St. Anthony of Padua, celestial provider of bread for the poor, comfort and sustain us. 

With joy, as the door of the cenacle of the world is being opened to us, with ardour that is born from the baptism of the Spirit, in communion and in the sharing of ideals that characterize our charismatic dimension reaching all the Rogationist communities all over the world, to the DDZ and the “Missionarie Rogazioniste”, to the lay Rogationists, above all, to the children and to all who benefit of our apostolic and charitable service, from the Americas to Asia, from Africa to Europe, we extend our greetings and fraternal salutations.

May the power of the Holy Spirit, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the paternal blessing of St. Hannibal, our Founder and Father, saint of social charity, be for all of us help and support.

Solemnity of the Pentecost
Morlupo, 27 May 2007