Let me share a question I reflected on in a private meeting with our vicar general, Fr Sylvester, last month when he visited our center. Yes, some ordinary brother like me can get a meeting with the vicar general.
I surprised him with a very simple question that most of you probably think you can answer. What is the goal of the Legion and Regnum Christi? Formation, apostolate, prayer, holiness… what is it?
The first number of our constitutions states two ends: personal holiness, and apostolate of the congregation.
But my personal reflection brought out something new: even though both are expanded in the first number, formation is not mentioned as an end. We form ourselves only for those other two ends – which can be easy to lose while we are in formation. Still seems kind of obvious, right?
If that’s all true, whatever we do in formation should be directed towards a life doing apostolate. But I went even further, which gave him a pleasant surprise, by pointing out a few practical ways we might be better able to prepare for apostolate here. I don’t know if all my exact suggestions are good – I focused more on having that mindset. The world needs Legionary apostles coming out of formation. We can grow in holiness just as much in apostolate as in formation.
