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 Sr.
Maria Antonieta Bruscato has been re-elected for a second mandate as
Superior General of the Daughters of St. Paul, at the conclusion of the
ninth General Chapter, which was celebrated on the past September at a
few Km from Rome. She was born in South Brazil, obtained the licentiate
in philosophy, theology and spirituality. She enjoys a rich experience
of Pauline life acquired in the communities of Brazil, Italy and
Columbia. She carried on responsibilities at the level of apostolic
direction, formation and government. She was also superior provincial in
the circumscription of Brazil and during her service she animated the
spiritual life, promoting various apostolic initiatives. She has been
General Councillor for the apostolate, co-ordinator of the “Charism
Year” and directress of the SAL (inter-Americans Secretariat of
apostolate…). We have approached her with some questions on debated
themes during the ninth General Chapter centred on “Chosen and loved in
Christ Jesus, we communicate the Word to everyone”. This theme interests
the whole consecrated life, since all of us are involved in a constantly
changing world.
Overcoming new cultural thresholds, not losing the missionary ideal,
facing the present challenges: which of these debated themes during the
work of your ninth General Chapter do you feel to be more urgent in
Italy, particularly in the Old Continent?
“The
Pauline Sisters are present in 11 European Countries, which are very
different from the historical and cultural viewpoint, but are united by
the same problems that touch social life and the family: Consumerism,
diffused secularisation, loss of moral sense; a kind of new-paganism,
which subtly penetrates everywhere. The Pauline Sisters in Europe are
almost 1000, committed in books editorial activities and audio-visual
aids, with 70 centres of diffusion. In the Catholic traditional
Countries (like Italy, Spain, Portugal and France) their primary
commitment is to strengthen the faith, to illumine the Christians before
permissive attitudes and hedonism, before the invading proposals of
values. In countries where they live with people of different religion
confessions (like Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain), the Pauline work
is in dialogue and ecumenical collaboration, to the end of promoting the
whole patrimony of the common Christian root. While, in the countries of
the ex-Slovene block (like Poland, Czechoslovakia Republic, Romania and
Russia) they try to –re-build up the consciences, to bring back to light
the Christian faith and ethics, which have been obscured by years of
atheism. Beyond the enjoyed material well-being, the Old Continent must
face and let itself be shaken by the freeing message of the Gospel. It
must learn also a peaceful conviviality with the mass immigrated people
of different cultures and religions.”
Your Religious Congregation is dedicated to evangelisation in the
culture of media. Which modality of mass-media do you suggest in order
to approach the poor and the extra-communitarian families, living also
in Italy and struggling amidst thousands of difficulties?
Like
the whole Church, the Pauline sisters, too, feel the problem of the
immigrated families, of the roms, of the clandestine people seeking
refuge and work. Here in Italy, with opportune publications, we are
committed to educate boys/girls, youths and adults on the task of
welcoming and tolerating the diversity. At the same time, we collaborate
with the pastoral structures of the Church, according to the requests of
those who operate on the spot in direct contact with the
extra-communitarians, by offering pamphlets and messages or other
material, so that the Word of God may enlighten and give hope to those
who struggle and face the difficult context of immigration with dignity
and trust.
How to animate the communication keeping into account also the Laity?
How to start an efficacious synergy?
“The
technological newness, at the origin of deep social transformations, is
determining a new vision of man and culture. Signed by communication,
the new culture questions the Pauline vocation and mission strongly. The
Pauline attitude is that of advancing towards new frontiers. This means
keeping their sight constantly ahead, paying attention to the reminder
of the world’s spiritual needs and trusting the enormous possibilities
of today’s communication to proclaim the Gospel.
To go
beyond the frontiers of the Institute becomes possible only with
enthusiasm of faith, passion for the Gospel and the integration of many
collaborators in our mission, after the example of the Apostle Paul.
The
sharing of our charism with the laity requires that our communities may
progress in three directions:
a)
Passing from “working community” to “community that works together
with…”. The community that works together with…. needs to
reflect together on the aspects of collaboration with the laity,
dialoguing on the facts and problems of the said collaboration, in
harmony and goodwill, ready to confront and collaborate with one
another.
b)
Passing from “community that manages works” to “involving community”,
aiming at transmitting to the collaborators a spiritual-evangelical
inspiration, as motivation of the activity itself. To the fatigue of
“doing”, the community will have to add the fatigue of thinking about
how to involve others in the apostolic activity. This is a new form of
“Pauline activity” , which here acquires a full sense.
c)
Passing from “community that does many things” to “community that
guarantees the charismatic soul” to the entire management of
works and, therefore, a high “evangelical quality” to the
initiatives.
As
Pauline sisters, we intend to dedicate time and formation to the laity:
the evangelisation, which we realise in the Church, will become rich in
collaborators, exchange of energies and means.
During the international Assembly, in your report you brought to light
the strong call of today’s Pauline sisters to vacate “numerous cultural
thresholds”, each one requiring spiritual energy and a new imagination.
How?
“For
us Pauline Sisters the cultural threshold to be crossed is surely
communication, because we are called not only to use the media in our
spreading the Gospel, but also to integrate the saving message with the
new culture, which is created amplified by the powerful instruments of
communication. According to the document Il rapido sviluppo by
John Paul II, the use of contemporary communication technologies is an
integral part of the Church’s mission in the third millennium. In fact,
the world of communication is the first Areopagus of modern time,
capable of unifying humanity and making a global village out of it. The
Daughters of St. Paul are convinced that to cross this cultural
threshold they need to actualise the Pauline Charism; they need a
“supplement of soul” and a “great spiritual energy”; they need academic
preparation and plenty of imagination”.
Thanks to the expressed will of the Holy Father, a year dedicated to St.
Paul will start on the coming June 28. Which Projects do the Pauline
Sisters plan to this regard?
“The
Pauline Family has joyfully and enthusiastically welcomed the decision
of the Holy Father to dedicate a year to the apostle Paul. I can say
that all the Pauline sisters are enthusiastic and desirous to go deeper
into the life, the spirit and dynamism of the Apostle to the end of
knowing his thought, assuming his teachings and, particularly, to let
themselves be caught fully by the love for Christ. We wish to
re-appropriate ourselves of its spiritual and apostolic heritage so
that, mainly the youths, may know this giant of faith and may have the
desire of following in his footsteps. I think that the theatre,
recitals, music and singing are to be favoured to the end of realising
this objective. Projects are being elaborated in different countries,
together with other institutions and the local churches.
At
international level there are many ideas on their way of becoming
projects. There are already wonderful proposals to be made known to the
public, for instance the film Paul in dvd From
Tarsus to the world,
published by the Pauline audio-visual Editorial, Rome. The production in
digital technology and 7 parts, already translated into 15 languages and
furnished with a guiding card, is a journey towards the discovery of the
life and thought of the Apostle, through a journey along the places
signed by his indefatigable missionary action. It is a precious film
that leads us to know the person, to discover the spiritual richness and
to be involved by his passion in the proclamation of the Gospel.
“The culture of communication is not born only with reference to
communication”, Silvio Sassi said in his report, specifying that among
the factors that modify the socio-cultural context there are the
secularisation, the practical atheism, the variety of religions, the
sects and the violent fanaticism. To you, how much do they affect
society and how to consider them?
“The
knowledge of society, particularly the situation of the religious
practice, has been, in Don Alberione, an important component for the
elaboration of the Pauline charism. He tried to arouse in us a deep
historical sensitivity, which can be summed up in a single sentence:
“How and towards what does this humanity walk…? We cannot ignore
that secularisation, practical atheism, the variety of religions, sects,
consumerism, relativism, etc. are modifying values, traditions,
behaviours, leading towards practical agnosticism and to religious
indifferentism, Yet, we must not forget that in the heart of man,
created to the image of God, there persists the desire of happiness, of
a serene life, of immortality. We need the ability of touching these
desires, often hidden under other expectations and satisfactions. We
need to learn how to speak with today’s men and women using their own
language, presenting, with humility and trust, the human and evangelical
values that give us life and build up a future.
Which
are the most interesting hints that emerged out of the works of your
ninth general Chapter?
“We
can synthesise the most interesting hints in some lines, which we wish
to sign the journey of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul
during the coming six years.
- The
Christological and Biblical line, particularly the study and
assimilation of the letters of St. Paul, to the end of living the
communicating style of the Apostle and acquiring a “Pauline thought”,
which will turn us into passionate apostles..
- The
apostolic line, starting anew from the charismatic experience
that inspired Don Alberione, to the end of spreading the Pauline charism
beyond the frontiers of the Institute, so that more women/men may share
with us the joy of making the enlightening force of the Gospel shine in
every situation of our human existence.
-
The relational-communicative line to become true “teachers of
communication”. We are aware that individual holiness is not enough: we
need the testimony of holy communities, sanctified by living together,
walking together and each one offering to the other what the Spirit
suggests.
- The
formative and vocational line: we need
to
motivate and re-motivate our life; to guarantee an on going and
systematic apostolic-professional formation, to elaborate and/or to
realise the projects of vocational pastoral activity”.
These
emerging lines are deeply integrated among them and united by the unique
desire of growing as apostles with a unique reference, Christ, the
inclusive protagonist of our life and mission”.
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