1. We, the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in India, with a consciousness of who we are and what we are called to be in the Church and society, commit ourselves to the following:
We commit ourselves:
1. To deepen our understanding of, our love of and our living the charism entrusted first to Fr. Dehon and now to us. (RL 2-7)
2. To live the evangelical counsels in solidarity with those we serve (RL-29)
3. To live together as religious brothers committed to common prayer, fraternal support and collaboration, and to a community of goods. (RL 8)
4. To develop a community that reflects in its members the rich diversity of the Indian nation.
We commit to the following mission:
1. To promote and develop the spirituality of and devotion to the Heart of Jesus as found among the Indian people and in the charism of Fr. Dehon.
2. To serve in areas of India where the need for priests and religious is most urgent, especially in North India.
3. To serve in those ministries which best reflect our charism to serve the most urgent needs of Church and society, with an emphasis on the dimension of social justice, peace and integrity of creation in all our ministries. The following are cited as examples of such ministries:
a) Ministries relating to the poor, who make up nearly 40% of the Indian Population.
b) Ministries of justice: promoting the social teachings of the Church and challenging the deep-rooted, widespread injustices.
c) Ministry to destitute youth, who are numerous due to the severe poverty.
d) Ashram-style retreat/SCJ spirituality centres since there is a great demand for and response to these, especially centres that will serve the poor.
e) Priestly and religious formation in seminaries or renewal centres, especially in those areas of formation that are most closely related to our charism.
f) Ministries of reconciliation in light of the deep and crippling divisions in Church and society.
g) Mission parishes in areas where priests and religious are few.
4. To give serious consideration to ways in which our Congregation can be present to Syrian Rite Christians.
5. To establish our Congregation in other Asian countries, in collaboration with other SCJs in our Asian Zone, where we judge our Congregation and our charism are most needed.
***********************
RETURN TO JPIC * RETURN TO HOME