Forty years ago, during the Second Vatican Council, the Church instructed which renewals and adaptations should take place in consecrated life. The Council’s instructions apply to every form of consecrated life. It declared: "The adaptation and renewal of the religious life includes both the constant return to the sources of all Christian life and to the original spirit of the institutes and their adaptation to the changed conditions of our time. This renewal, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Church…" (Perfectae caritatis, n. 2) Doesn’t this fit perfectly to today’s occasion , the presentation of the Rule?

The Rule is God’s gift to whoever is faithful to His call. It’s a privilege to whoever embraces it. It can be a hindrance if we do not accept it entirely, whole-heartedly and daily. Since the Society’s way of life is approved and blessed by the Church, faithfulness to the Society’s life leads to a better Christian life, since it is the way to Christian perfection.

Today I feel duty-bound to encourage you to accept again the Rule which you already know, love and practise, as it has been renewed and approved by Church authorities. The authentic spirituality of the SDC Members, who have consecrated their life to God, is a spirituality of communion which was proclaimed in the New Testament and practised by the saints. In the Apostolic Exhortation on Consecrated life, the Pope shows that consecrated people should be experts in communion. We find, "In founders and foundresses, we see a constant and lively sense of the Church, which they manifest by their full participation in all aspects of the Church’s life, and in their ready obedience to the Bishops and especially to the Roman Pontiff." He mentions the devotion of Saint Francis of Assisi for "the Lord Pope", the apostolic obedience and the "sentire cum Ecclesia" of Saint Ignatius Loyola, and the profession of faith made by Saint Teresa of Avila, "I am a daughter of the Church". We can add the Founder’s motto, "I am always on the Pope’s side."

We are convinced that the revised Rule is the Founder’s will for us. On reflecting about Father Preca’s heritage, one feels that many other peoples and countries should have the opportunity of learning about him and deriving spiritual benefit from him. Father Preca’s legacy should not be confined to Malta. When one becomes familiar with Father Preca’s teachings and writings, with his intuitions, with his enthusiasm and faith, one should realize that it is indeed a privilege that one has been called to share him with others through one’s life and example.

SDC Members cannot be exempted from suffering. Christ’s life was mainly characterized by suffering and the Founder is his faithful disciple.

One inevitably comes across contradictions. It was foretold that Jesus Christ would be a sign of contradiction.

The Rule presents a dedicated life, a style embraced by people who have deprived themselves of many things to gain everything.

However one won’t fail to find the light which one requires to keep walking steadily without faltering. The Rule fulfills this role. You have chosen Jesus Christ who claimed, "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8,12). Today He was proclaimed as light of all peoples. We are privileged enough to be members of the Church, the Divine Ark, and to have embraced a holy rule which gives us the help which we need in our discipleship of Jesus Christ.

Mgr Lawrence Gatt