John Paul II valued highly the consecrated life in
the church which he expressed in a number of
magisterial documents and audiences as well as by
instituting the World Day for the Consecrated Life.
This paper highlights the Marian imprint the Pope
left to the members of the consecrated life. The
author examines this question in two steps. First he
analyses three magisterial documents and then he
compares them with Redemptoris Mater. The
three papal writings are:
1.
Letter to all Consecrated Persons belonging
to religious Communities and Secular Institutes on
the Occasion of the Marian Year
of May 22, 1988 (Letter)
2.
Apostolic Exhortation Redemptionis Donum –
to Men and Women Religious on their
Consecration in the Light of the Mystery of
the Redemption. March 25, 1984 (RD).
3.
Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita
Consecrata – on the Consecrated Life and its
Mission in the Church and World. March 25, 1996
(VC).
The Letter to all Consecrated Persons of 1988 taking
up the Marian teaching of Lumen gentium
begins with the following core statement: “Since the
Mother of God is constantly present in the life of
the Church by reason of the part that she has in the
mystery of Christ, your vocation and service are
like a reflection of her presence.” Based on this
truth, the Pope discussed the vocation, consecration
and apostolate of members of the consecrated life in
the light of Mary. Next he examined the three
foundational dimensions of the consecrated life in
terms of their Marian ramifications: the
contemplative and active life as well as the life of
members of the Secular Institutes.
RD presents consecrated life in the context of
Easter. With the exception to her fiat and obedience
RD makes very little reference to Mary. The
exhortation closes with the invitation "to
renew your religious consecration according to the
model of the consecration of the very Mother of God."
(RD 17)
VC highlights Mary’s person and mission in various
places which can be summarized in three points: 1.
the significance of Mary’s presence in the life of
consecrated persons (VC 17; 95); 2. the
steriologically motivated relationship of all
consecrated persons according to the example of St.
John (VC 28); 3. Mary as role model for all people
of the consecrated life. (VC 34; 97)
The main Mariological pronouncement of John Paul II's
RM does not directly address the members of
the consecrated life. However, certain connections
can be established. RM speaks of Mary’s pilgrimage
of faith which means for members of the consecrated
life a particular way of following Christ. While the
documents of the consecrated life speak of a
vocation, RM highlights Mary’s election.
Mary’s fiat in RM is seen as an answer
grounded in faith while the other three documents
just speak of Mary’s "yes" to the question of the
angel (RM 13). RM interprets Mary’s Immaculate
Conception in view of Ephesians 1:3f which indicates
Mary’s consecration to God from the very beginning (RM
10f). In the letters to the consecrated persons John
Paul II describes Mary’s role at Pentecost in view
of her bridal and motherly character, whereas in RM
Mary is portrayed as pioneer witness for the Mystery
of Christ (RM 27f).
Nebel presents the following parallels of Marian
statements in RM to John Paul II’s pronouncements to
the consecrated life.
·
Mary’s presence in the Church should
be mirrored by members of the consecrated life (cf.
RM 19, 24, 28, 48. Four references in Letter).
·
The reference in RM to Colosians 3:3 also
appears in RD 15 and the Letter.
·
Mary’s poverty is mentioned in RM 11
in contrast to her fullness of grace, yet this
connection is not made in the pronouncements to the
consecrated life.
·
References to Mary’s obedience in RM
(11, 13, 14, 22) expressed in her heroism beneath
the cross are repeated in the Letter and in MD 19.
·
The notion of Mary as Bride of the
Church developed in RM 39 and 43 which becomes
effective in spiritual maternity is also highlighted
in VC 43 and MD 17, 20 and 21.
·
Mary’s spiritual maternity described
in RM 24 and 44f is also emphasized in VC 28 and 97.
Mary’s freedom portrayed in RM 37 is seen in the
context of her Magnificat and not her fiat to which
RD 13 connects freedom.