{"id":6085,"date":"2026-07-07T07:18:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T07:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/?p=6085"},"modified":"2026-07-07T07:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T07:21:30","slug":"the-year-of-community-life-an-opportunity-for-renewal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/the-year-of-community-life-an-opportunity-for-renewal\/","title":{"rendered":"The Year of Community Life: an opportunity for renewal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita3.jpg 1265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Being one single family for the same mission&#8221;. Missionaries from the Mozambique-Angola Region. IMC Mozambique<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Genesis 4 -11 records that only a few men, such as Abel and Noah, were found worthy in the sight of God. However, God chose Abraham for a covenant of friendship, and it was through him that God raised up a chosen nation to be His people.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>By Orero Charles *<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this sense, God called Abraham to establish what I call the &#8220;Abrahamic community&#8221;, a distinct people destined to become a chosen nation, uniquely marked by the abundance of God\u2019s blessings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This Abrahamic community was founded by God&#8217;s will. It remained the bedrock for subsequent faith communities down to the Apostolic church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jesus, the head of the church, is explicitly referred to as &#8220;the son of Abraham&#8221; in Matthew 1, 1. Furthermore, the early church frequently invoked Abraham&#8217;s name in their preaching. For instance, in Galatians 3, 16, Paul identifies Jesus as the ultimate, singular descendant of Abraham to whom the Old Testament promises were made, writing: &#8220;The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say &#8216;and to seeds,&#8217; meaning many people, but &#8216;and to your seed,&#8217; meaning one person, who is Christ.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The General Council at the launch of the Year of Community Life in Rome. Photo: Jaime C. Patias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The foundation of the Consolata Missionaries, much like the Abrahamic covenant, was willed by God, as Saint Joseph Allamano teaches. As a faith community, the IMC Institute is a chosen race, raised by God for the Mission ad gentes within the Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the biblical tradition, the Abrahamic community continually renewed its relationship with God through communal gatherings, physical signs like circumcision, and sacrificial rituals. They performed these acts to realign with God&#8217;s will, remember His promises, and return to Him after periods of disobedience or spiritual drift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From both Biblical and secular perspectives, renewal is a universal desire for any community. Religious communities, in particular, require continuous renewal to prevent stagnation and preserve their spiritual vitality. This process ensures that the community&#8217;s core mission remains a vibrant, lived experience rather than a rigid routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Year of Community Life (March 2026 to March 2027)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Anno della Vita Comunitaria\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qfx-z0I66xs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therefore, the IMC <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/year-of-community-life-one-single-family-for-the-same-mission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Year of Community Life<\/a><\/strong> serves as a direct call for this type of renewal. The central question we must consider is: why dedicate a year specifically to community life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To answer this from a Christian spirituality perspective, we can look to the tradition of monasticism, a dedicated way of life embraced by Christians seeking to bear authentic witness to the teachings of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the field of Christian Spirituality, historical research shows that the origins of monasticism stem from a powerful nostalgia for the early Church. Its principal expression was a desire to adopt the apostolic life, the Christian mentality communicated by the apostles and lived by the earliest believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consequently, the Year of Community Life calls us to model our entire Institute and our individual communities after this early Church pattern. By doing so, we can be united in heart and soul, live together in faith, share in the daily breaking of bread, hold all things in common, and join together in praising God, who willed the foundation of our Institute<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita-1024x606.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita-1024x606.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita-768x455.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260706Vita.jpg 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A group of missionaries take selfies at the Mother House in Turin. Photo: Jaime C. Patias<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given these circumstances, the spirituality of our community should be defined as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Christocentric<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Consolata missionaries living in community, we must place Jesus before us daily as the pattern for our relationships with one another and the ideal of our sanctity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our communities should be filled with the presence of Jesus, who calls us to love one another just as he has loved us. In doing so, when people see us, they will naturally observe, &#8216;See how the Consolata missionaries love one another.&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This presence of Jesus should be experienced especially within the liturgical context of the Eucharist, through which we are broken for one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Saint Ignatius of Antioch stated, our charter should be Jesus Christ, his cross, his death, his resurrection, and faith through him, by which we hope to be justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In our communities, we should act as Jesus did, for he always acted as the Father did.&#8221; The XIII General Chapter brings to our attention a life centered on Christ, stating: &#8220;We reaffirm that the centrality of Christ is the reason and source for our being consecrated ad vitam for the mission ad gentes.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Eschatology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we live this year of community life, one of our primary concerns should be eschatology. Our relationship with each other should be modeled around a vigilant preparation for the Parousia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a theme enshrined in Allamano\u2019s maxim of first saints, then missionaries: &#8220;In this house, everything is meant to make you saints.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, we should form a community of saints here in preparation for joining the communion of saints in heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During this year, we should frequently gather together in prayer, seeking the things that benefit our souls. Never should we open the doors of our communities to the spirit of false prophets whose intention is to deceive us into believing there is still plenty of time to relax and enjoy ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We should live constantly bearing in mind the words of our Lord: \u201cWatch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour\u201d (Matthew 25:13). Yes, ours should be a community in vigil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260705Vita1.jpg 1130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Morogoro community begins the Year of Community Life lighting a candle. Photo: Peter Njoroge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Ascetic Life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the field of Christian spirituality, the ascetical life is a deeply interesting topic. It is also a subject that has been misunderstood for quite a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In its original meaning, the ascetic life referred to the practice and growth of virtue, rather than acts of austerity and self-denial. In other words, it originally meant imitating the virtues of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was only later that a specific class of people within the Church resorted to physical austerity as a way to radically imitate Him. The aim of this radical choice was to achieve martyrdom, which was considered at the time to be the supreme example of Christ&#8217;s imitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In our IMC communities, we should live the ascetical life in its original sense. Our community life should be marked by the following virtues as we imitate Christ: fraternal charity, humility, patience, obedience, chastity, and the practice of daily prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Above all, during this year of community life, charity must remain at the center of our lives. This virtue was so dear to our Founder that he intended for it to define all relationships within our communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is for this reason he said: &#8220;Everything that concerns us as priests and missionaries calls for the love of neighbour: the altar where we offer ourselves to Our Lord in atonement for our sins and those of the people; the confessional, where we demonstrate the heroism of patient and compassionate charity; and likewise for all the acts we perform in our ministry.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fonte wp-block-paragraph\"><em>* Father Orero Charles, IMC, Makambako, Njombe in Tanzania.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Genesis 4 -11 records that only a few men, such as Abel and Noah, were found worthy in the sight of God. However, God chose Abraham for a covenant of friendship, and it was through him that God raised up a chosen nation to be His people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,153,6,16,24],"tags":[121,362],"class_list":["post-6085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-consolata-missionaries","category-featured","category-spirituality","category-vocational","tag-consolata-missionaries","tag-year-of-community-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6085"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6085\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6092,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6085\/revisions\/6092"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consolataafrica.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}