Association evolving and gaining purpose among the Viatorians A recent study by the Center for Applied
charism, which works with Christian commu-
Research in the Apostolate (CA RA) shows
nities to live, deepen and celebrate their faith.
that lay associates play an important role in
It's all a part of me. I'm not a vowed religious,
the life of a religious
but I believe that I've
institution. These
taken on that Viatorian charism."
associates rely on formal training and
M arilyn became an
orientation to best carry
The Age of the
Laity Fr. Charles G. Bolser, CSV, Provincial
My dear friends in St. Viator, The Decree on the Apostolate of Lay
associate just four years
People, developed during Vatican Council II, was promulgated on November 18, 1965.
religious order.
ago, with three others. At first, some people,
As we approach the 40th anniversary of this
Associates are lay people
laity and religious alike,
Decree, we experience a variety of forces
who, in order to gain a
weren't comfortable
that are causing increased tension as the
out the mission of the
deeper understanding in Associates gather with students from St. Viator their lives, affiliate with H igh School, Arlington Heights to deepen and a religious order and go celebrate their faith at a freshman retreat.
with the process. Many felt it was difficult to ge t excited or endorse a
Church struggles to understand and to implement this Decree. All radical cultural
through an offi cial formation period to learn
program that was too undefined and had no
change is by its very nature both threatening and challenging. There is always a tension between letting the old go in order to accept
about the institute's charism, or founding grace,
purpose. Marilyn remembers that there was
and mission. Although associates do not take
much discussion on what people wanted out
the new which is unknown and untested. This
formal vows as religious do, they commit to
of Association, what gifts they could offer
tension is necessary. It is a constant within
living the mission of the religious institute.
and generally who would do what.
nature itself and within all social structures.
"Association is still in its infa ncy and is
Today, there are 12 associates in the Chicago
From the time of Constantine until the experi-
continuously evolving. As vowed religious,
province and ten pre-associates undergoing the
ence of Vatican II, there were two churches
we ask, 'how do we enable associates to
discernment process. "We ask pre-associates to
-the institutional Church and the people
develop skills of ministry and how do we
do quite a bit of introspective thinking abou t
of God. We were living with some degree of
provide opportunities of sharing the Viatorian charism?'" says Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV,
their lives and Association," Marilyn continues.
comfort with that lived experience. We
"We call this process 'discernment.' We ask
existed in a paternalistic church and world,
provincial. "We have to realize that the Spirit
candidates to examine their spirituality; to study
confident that God acted through men,
speaks and works through the whole church,
and to learn the history and the philosophy of the order; to understand the Viatorian mission.
ordained by other men, who were the con-
not just through the vowed religious. It's time we listened to the world ." The factors that attract associates to the religious institute with which they are
duit of God's presence in the Church, and
Most importantly, we ask them to discover
through the Church, into the world. Men
what gifts they can share with the community
were seen to have full authority in the family,
to enrich the lives of all involved."
and all forms of government, civil and ecclesial. Vatican Council II reaffirmed the early life
affiliating include a general desire fo r a deeper
The associate experience is different for each
spirituality in their lives, as well as, the
person. Cathy Abrahamian, administrative
of the Church. It recognized that Jesus gave
institute's spirituality, charism and mission.
assistant at St. Viator H igh School, Arlington
his mandate to act to all, not just the few.
"My thoughts and actions changed before I
H eights, Ill. , feels she brings her dedication to
The words of St. Paul express our faith that,
became an associate," says Marilyn Mulcahy,
children in the community. "I've always been
chairperson for the Viatorian Commission on
close to children, coming from a family of
Association. "I like the Viatorian mission and
eight," says Cathy. "My vocation, however, is to
In Christ, there is neither male nor female, j ew nor Gentile, free nor slave - there is one body. (Ga/3:28) The entire Church, as the
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