What are four gifts and the advantages of our La Salette Rule?

Editor: This series of articles is based on the eight Dossiers (from February 1978 to November 1981) totaling 718 pages in this study of the La Salette Rule. In 1982, Fr. Eugene Barrette, M.S., the prime mover in this historic study, was elected the thirteenth La Salette Superior General (1982-1988). Other articles on Religious Life are available in our La Salette Online Library.

What are four gifts to us from our Rule?

First: It responds to present needs and gives stability for our future

La Salette Formators in Madagascar in 2003: (from left)
Frs. Ludovico, Ernest, Fulgence, Honoré, Jeannot,
Jean-Pierre and Bro. BasileThe formation of our Rule required a great deal of grace and common sense. It incorporated lasting values. It ...looks beyond the present and suggests organizational structures which will uphold our community’s spiritual inspiration for many years to come and bring us stability without stifling our natural evolution.

Second: It reflects the spirit of the Gospel but contains specific provisions for our community

Our Rule is not an abstract, soulless legal document. What makes our Rule good is that it integrates spiritual principles with practical rules and structures suitable for our community. It’s solid faith principles are expressed in sensible rules that free our community for the service of God and God’s people and create a harmonious human and Christian environment.

Third: It aptly describes an actual way of life that has proved itself in our own community’s history

When we reflect on the beginnings of religious orders and congregations, we do not find that the founders first wrote an abstract Rule and then looked for some persons who were prepared to try it out. Rather, they first gathered a group for a specific way of life, for a particular apostolic task, and when it all worked out and the group was forged together into one community, they committed into writing what they lived and experienced so intensely.

Fourth: The Rule is necessary but only the faith of individual persons can give it life

Many religious communities worshipped their own structures before the Second Vatican Council. Today we religious understand that our Rule is a means to open our hearts to faith, hope, and love and therefore there is nothing absolute about our Rule in itself. (6)

What are some advantages in living our Rule?

Preparation Program for Perpetual Profession in 2004 on the Holy MountainConcerning our Rule, it cannot be emphasized enough that we are dealing with a faith-reality — a spirit-directed work which the Church recognizes as such and has highlighted in recent times. The Holy Spirit graced our founder (or our founding event) with a particular vision, impulse and capacity to draw others to our community (see Perfectae Caritatis, #1; Evangelica Testificatio, #3). The Spirit was operative in the original band of men drawn to this vision, lifestyle, and ministry; all versions of our Rule were generally formed with the help of intense prayer and reflection, asking for the guidance of the Spirit.

a) Our Rule preserves us:

It is a written attempt to express this reality – this charism – this gracing that has been given by the Holy Spirit to the Church through our particular community. Our present Rule must be seen as one of the means of effectively preserving and transmitting the consciousness of the Spirit-gift to the Church.

b) Our Rule reminds us:

It reminds us of the religious vision clearly before us as well as that of the Apparition itself. It can help us to get in touch with and draw from this ever-present Spirit-Power. It can help us see:

• • • whether we are living our lives in conformity to this grace as our vocation and mission;
    • whether our actions, our motives and our values are guided by our particular La Salette vision of the Gospel life;
    • whether we are truly appropriating this unique and distinct grace as reconcilers.

c) Our Rule confronts us:

It confronts us with the challenge of being faithful and responsible for the preservation and transmission of the La Salette charism in a living and incarnational way. Our Rule spells out concretely some of the various ways, means and situations for fulfilling our ministry of reconciliation. (1)

Reflection Question: What La Salette ministry, in which you have served, has been the most enjoyable or challenging and why?

Endnote: (1) La Salette Dossier #1, February 1978, pg. 20.