Missionaries of Hope

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations!”

— Matthew 28:19

The brothers take the letter Evangelii Gaudium as the Magna Carta of their missionary life. In this way, they endeavor to communicate the light of Christ, having discovered that this is the greatest service they can offer those to whom they are sent. Indeed, the light of Christ brings with it the experience of a hope that never disappoints and the joy of knowing the love of God that surpasses all understanding.

This joy of the Gospel and the mercy of the Father manifested in the Lord Jesus is the great testimony that the brothers bring to men and women, to the rich and the poor, to the young and the old, to the sick and to those in good health. The brothers offer this testimony while remaining attentive to each person and to the whole of their human and cultural conditioning.

Each mission is undertaken first and foremost as a response to the invitation of a diocesan bishop. As such, each mission can include a diversity of orientations, depending on the place. These diverse orientations can involve: offering an oasis of prayer and mercy where one can come to receive the sacraments and live the liturgy; ministering to camps and groups for young people; holy hours; campus ministry; formation; missions in poor neighborhoods; retreat centers for priests; preaching for religious communities, groups of couples, and families, etc. Lay people or priests who desire to live by the spirit of the fraternity in a deeper way are invited to cooperate in the missions of the brothers who love to involve them in their apostolic work and to incorporate their talents.

“In your heart you know that it is not the same to live without him; what you have come to realize, what has helped you to live and given you hope, is what you also need to communicate to others.”

— Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, §121