On the occasion of the Day of Consecrated Life, brought forward to January 30, the General Government organized an online meeting with confreres, formation students, Redemptoristine Sisters, and mission partners. The event, broadcast live via Zoom and YouTube, was attended by over 1500 people from various units, countries, and time zones around the world.
The meeting was opened by Fr. Rogério Gomes CSsR, Superior General, who expressed his joy for this moment of listening, sharing and vocational renewal: “It is with great joy that we gather on this Day dedicated to Consecrated Life, a precious time to reflect together on our commitment and the mission entrusted to us.”
After a prayer led by Fr. Ivel Mendanha CSsR, Fr. Piotr Chyła CSsR, moderator of the meeting, presented the biography of Sister Simona Brambilla MC, Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Sister Simona Brambilla’s Reflection: Tracing Paths of Hope
Sister Simona developed her reflection starting from the Final Document of the Synod on Synodality , highlighting how consecrated life is called to be a prophetic voice for the Church and society. Through evocative images such as the pilgrimage, the anchor, the hour of the moon, and the embers of a fire, she illustrated how religious communities can become laboratories of synodality, interculturality, and hope .
Consecrated life as a prophetic voice and laboratory of synodality
The Synod’s Final Document emphasizes that consecrated life is called to challenge the Church and the world with a prophetic voice. Orders, Congregations, Secular Institutes, and New Communities, thanks to their centuries-old experience, are invited to harmonize individual gifts with the common mission , becoming models of coexistence and prophecy. This journey is inspired by symbolic images that help us understand the depth of the consecrated vocation in the contemporary world.
The pilgrimage: movement and hospitality
Pilgrimage, the central theme of Jubilee 2025 with the motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” represents a physical and interior movement. The pilgrim sets out on a journey, opening himself to encounters with others and allowing himself to be transformed by the cultures and experiences he encounters. This journey is sustained by the hope of a final encounter with Christ, whom we receive and to whom we give ourselves. The receptive dimension of the pilgrimage invites us to allow ourselves to be welcomed, nourished, and cared for, overcoming the resistance of self-sufficiency.
The Anchor of Hope: Security in the Heart of God
The image of the anchor, proposed by Pope Francis, symbolizes the stability and security that hope offers amidst life’s storms. This hope is not founded on daily satisfactions, but on the unconditional love of God, who precedes us and awaits us. The anchor is cast into the heart of God, the root of our hope, which allows us to face trials with confidence.
The Hour of the Moon: Humility and Sharing
The moon, unlike the sun, does not extinguish the light of the stars, but shines alongside them, creating a firmament of communion. This image, drawn from the wisdom of the Macua people of Mozambique, invites consecrated life to live a synodal, humble, and convivial style of presence. In a world characterized by plurality, the moon represents the ability to value diversity, making room for the light of others.
The Ember Fire: Brotherhood and Authority as Service
The burning embers , an image dear to Pope Francis, evoke fraternity and mutual care. Jesus, who lights the fire and prepares food for his disciples, becomes the model of an authority that serves and nourishes. This fire represents the warmth of the strong and delicate bonds that unite communities, called to grow in charity and discernment .
The Mystique of Us: A Charismatic Body on the Move
Consecrated life is invited to move from the “I” to the “we,” living the “mystique of we” as an experience of communion and co-responsibility. Each Institute, like a charismatic body, is a living organism in which each member is connected and influences the whole. Synodality expresses itself as a symphony, where each instrument contributes to the harmony of the charism.
Fragile Signs of Hope: The Strength of Weakness
The testimonies of martyrs like the monks of Tibhirine and Sister Leonella Sgorbati show how fragility, inhabited by God, can become an overwhelming force. These figures, far from power and fame, lived love to the end, becoming icons of hope in a world marked by violence.
A Dialogue Rich in Questions and Sharing
After the presentation, participants were invited to submit questions and comments, to which Sister Simona responded with insight and simplicity. Those present particularly appreciated the accessible language, enriched with anecdotes, African proverbs, and references to everyday life , which brought to life the themes of community life, service in authority, and witness.
Father Rogério Gomes concluded the meeting by thanking Sister Simona for her valuable reflections and dialogue. The emoticons visible on the screen during the broadcast demonstrated the participants’ engagement, who felt part of a shared journey of renewal and hope.
The meeting, organized in this form for three years, represents a precious opportunity to thank God for the gift of vocation, to unite in prayer and to reflect as one great Family of the Most Holy Redeemer.
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