CLE

• Charismatic Insights


  Spiritual experiences that led St. Magdalene to identify her charism
• Ministries of Charity


  The five branches of charitable works established by St. Magdalene
• Magdalene did not immediately see the plan of God for her life. It took a lot of time, of prayer, of consultation with her spiritual director, and of patient waiting for the revelation of God.
• Discovering her charism of imitating the greatest love shown by Jesus on the Cross and Mama Mary did not happen in an instant. God had to touch her heart five times in different spiritual experiences before she was able to identify her charism.
• First Intuition: Active Charity


  1. Magdalene felt a strong inner impulse to dedicate herself to works of charity

  2. She had a natural inclination towards assisting the sick

  3. Spiritual assistance to the sick will become one of the five branches of the works of charity of her Institute
• Second Intuition: Merciful Charity


  1. Magdalene was struck by the line "I shall teach transgressors the way to you"

  2. She decided to make Jesus Christ and His teachings known to the maid servants of Canossa palace

  3. This impetus of grace will later become the fundamental apostolic charism of the Daughters of Charity, dedicated essentially to the teaching of Catechism
• Third Intuition: Euntes in Universum Mundum


  1. Each time Magdalene listens to the verse "Go into the whole world", she is deeply touched and consoled

  2. This missionary impulse ad gentes will become a charismatic reality for the Daughters of Charity only in 1860

  
  

  Meaning of "Euntes in Universum Mundum" is Go into the whole world
• Fourth Intuition: The Divine Glory


  1. Magdalene ardently sought the glory of God

  2. Glorifying God means revealing His goodness, charity and holiness above all in her own life

  3. It means spending herself to prevent sin, shedding her blood like Christ for the salvation of the entire world and reconciling all people to the one Lord and Redeemer, Christ Jesus
• Fifth Intuition: Inspice et Fac


  1. Magdalene was stirred by the verse "Look and do like the model"

  2. This led her to center all her life in Christ Crucified

  3. The contemplation contained in the command "look inwardly" must prompt every Canossian, to strive to imitate His virtues which are the fruit and expression of an infinite Charity
• In 1812, Magdalene had a vision in Venice where she saw a beautiful Lady (Mama Mary) accompanied by six young women dressed in a brown habit with a black shawl on their shoulders and a black silk bonnet on their heads (Canossian Sisters).

  
  

  The Lady directed two of the girls to a Church asking them to teach the truths of God, another two were directed to a hospital ward asking them to tend the poor sick people, and two women to a school.
• In 1820, Magdalene realized her dream to open a Training College for Elementary Teachers, which started another ministry of charity called the Formation of the Laity. She also started to organize retreats (Spiritual Exercises) to rich and noble ladies to remind them about their duties to their servants, the necessity of paying fair wages, and the need to put an end to a scandalous and dangerous fashion.
• The 5 ministries/works of charity

  • Education
  • Evangelization
  • Pastoral Care of the Sick
  • Formation of the Laity
  • Spiritual Exercises
• Canossian Philosophy of Education

  It speaks of the importance of the human person who is created in the image of God, invited to the fullness of personhood and son ship, the redeeming Christ, and as such has the right to be prepared, to be freed for growth and helped towards the integral fulfillment of his human Christian vocation and an ever more Personal decision for Christ, humankind and the Church.
• Main Objective of Canossian Education

  Formation of the Heart or the integral promotion of the person
• Canossian Education Method


  • Preventive, keeping in mind the needs and difficulties of the individual
  • A delegate blending of amiability and firmness, familiarity and respect, gratuitousness and joy
• Evangelization/Catechesis


  There is no perfect act of charity than that of helping our neighbors to love God. Called to break the Word of God, we collaborate with the Church, so that every person may encounter Jesus in their lives.
• Methods Used in Evangelization/Catechesis

  • The Breaking of Bread (explaining Christian truths)
  • Teaching with Devotion
  • Respect the conscience of learners and refrain from judging them
  • Make the power of the Gospel shine
• Attitude of a Catechist

  • Spirit of prayer
  • Availability
  • Zeal and perseverance
  • Humility
  • Fidelity and joy
• Pastoral Care for the Sick and the Dying

  Goal: Liberation and Salvation - To win the souls of the sick in order to lead them to their real good.
• Methods of Pastoral Care for the Sick and Dying

  • Comforting - Creating an atmosphere of welcoming presence where the sick and dying feel accepted and loved
  • Instructing - Helping the person to unveil God's messages with the eyes of faith, reflecting together with the patient the event of sickness as a call to repentance, and helping the patient accept gradually his/her salvation
  • Assisting - Assist them for a better Christian life if they recover by stressing the importance of family relationships and strengthening them in their good resolutions
• Formation of the Laity


  St. Magdalene saw that the works in the Church were so vast and overwhelming that they need to involve the lay people in her works of charity. She was among the first to promote education of the people and to encourage the laity to collaborate generously in the apostolate of the Church.
• Spiritual Exercises


  For Magdalene, the spiritual exercises (recollections, retreats) are the crowning glory of all the ministries of charity because through spiritual exercises one will be able to encounter the Lord intimately and personally. In all the ministries of charity spiritual exercises are present and are considered as peak moments with God.
• Charism


  A gift freely and graciously given, a favor bestowed a grace. It is a gift or favor given by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church. Like the strong, driving wind in the Pentecost story, it is a powerful energy that permeates through the community members and the way in which they do their ministries.
• Charism of St. Magdalene of Canossa


  The Charity of Jesus on the Cross. The Crucified Christ is the "Great Model" of love for St. Magdalene of Canossa.
• meaning of "inspice et fac secundum exemplar"

  See and do likewise

  Look and do like the model
• St. Magdalene of Canossa invites us to

  Allow our words and actions with the spirit of Jesus Christ: a spirit of charity, gentleness, meekness and humility, a spirit of zeal and fortitude, a most amiable, most generous spirit and most patient spirit
• Christ Crucified became our great model who showed us how to love from the Cross.
• Our Lady of Sorrows


  Considered by St. Magdalene of Canossa as real foundress of the Institute
• St. Magdalene of Canossa told us

  Behave as children of Mary by consoling her in sorrows with the holiness of your lives, by suffering with her and by trying to prevent sin