Bringing others to heaven

A common theme in the Regnum Christi Movement is the task to bring others to heaven. For years we were told that our vocation to RC was a privilege and a duty -- and we had to live it faithfully not only for the sake of our own souls (to turn our back on the Movement was to turn our backs on God) but also for the sake of others -- because their salvation also depended on our fidelity. For example:

I have seen so many people happily, smilingly take on responsibility for every person's soul who crosses their path. I distinctly remember one talk where we were told that we would be asked in heaven, "And who did you bring with you?" meaning "Who did you save in your time on earth?"  And we should be able to pull a whole wagon full of people up to the pearly gates.

It should be recognised, of course, that those who enter heaven do so by the Blood of the Lamb, and we are charged with sharing that salvific message.BUT, things are not what they seem. Grace flows where it will, and even when one person says something that resonates with a neighbour, there are so many other unseen collaborators praying and sacrificing that have paved the way for that moment. I find it sheer pride and folly to "count coup" as it were, and take credit for what is truly part of the divine mystery. (I touched on this somewhat in this column.) Ah well.

Could readers expand on this, their experiences with this in apostolic dialogue, spiritual direction and guided meditations? And could we put this unCatholic thought to bed once and for all?

ADDENDUM: Ok, this has jogged an old story loose:

I attended the Atlanta women's convention in the mid-1990's which was a lovely affair. Very inspiring in the usual RC way. It was stressed over and over that our vocation to RC was life-changing, world-changing, and that so much depended on our constant evangelisation. So much so that I knew that every personal encounter was laden with supernatural meaning and eschatological import.

Thus it began on the plane heading home. As I sat in my seat, waiting for someone to take the place next to me, I knew that failure to proselytise would mean that one less soul would know of his critical vocation -- and that vocation might even be to the Movement. It was a "seat of destiny!" A young man sat down, and I trembled with excitement (and fear) wondering if I would be responsible for a priestly vocation! I hardly knew how to begin, but knew I had to say something.

Long story, short. The man bolted off the plane as soon as possible, leaving behind a woman he probably considered certifiable. I look back on the exchange (even all these years later) with chagrin and embarrassment. Not only did I NOT bring a man to Christ, to the priesthood or even the Movement, but I'm sure it darkened his understanding of our faith and his ability to respond to any promptings of the Spirit. Rather than being "fool for Christ," I was a "goon for Maciel" and am appalled that I could have behaved so badly. And yet I did. God forgive me. I take full responsibility for my action, but I also know how I came to that perverse understanding of apostolic zeal.

Humility is an integral part of healing, and heartfelt repentance is the only way to grow.

Comments

[AnonObserv]

This topic ties so well into the thread that dealt with "immanentizing the eschaton" and all of its spin-offs.

It gets back to CULT VS CHARISM. It will be one or the other.

When dealing with a true corporate charism (or collective charism to use Ghirlanda's terms), its dynamic is based on witness and the efficient principle of life and growth is COMMUNION in the life of grace. Spirituality does not just talk about a personal relationship and the need to bring others to it; it IS that relationship, it compels an authentic and deeper communion with the Lord.

A cult, while using the same means as a charism, changes the ultimate end in view, which is the group itself. Corporate charism becomes corporate narcissism. It takes on the same characteristics of a narcisist: inability to feels its faults, always carries a sense of self-woundedness and self-martydom from misunderstandings, grandiose sense of one's place in the world. The dynamic is not living a common witness to the faith, but the institute itself -which has now been made equal to it in its practical functioning. The efficient principle is growth and results getting. What once should have been a fruit of witness and communion in grace is now a condition for any future relationship with Christ and the group. Subtlely the message is work for us, or risk your rank in the group if not your very salvation.

[giselle]

Brilliant assessment, AO. Huzzah huzzah!

[****]

I thought those things were good. Being responsible for your spouse's soul, for example. This brought me a message of hope to what may have seemed a lost cause. Not that one has to be a fanatic about it. Witness is the best way to go, and gentleness too, and of course, respect.

Actually, this aspect is what I liked the best about the movement, though some of its initiatives were misguided and coercive, especially with the youth. This impeded effectiveness as it would backfire and the kids would resolve NEVER to do THAT again. Those that didn't were ripe for vocational recruitment, however, and I wondered if this might not be the intention. Shock the fish to grab those that didn't float to the top.

It was a shame, really, because it got in the way of the objective of winning souls, and deepening the faith of those who were nominally Catholic.

[giselle]

I'm afraid you're dancing around the surface, ****. We are all responsible for not causing scandal and for building up the Mystical Body of Christ. Where it goes off the rails is the frantic "what if...?" If I don't 1. say this; 2. do that; 3. pray this prayer; 4. promote this particular apostolate, then certain souls will run the risk of being damned for my laziness. AO said it well, that this sort of faith subtly feeds narcissistic tendencies.

You do the best you can, and trust God. You're not seeing the perverse twist of the spiritual works of mercy into a form of spiritual pride (not to mention the guilt trip that ensues if material fruit isn't harvested in our line of sight).

[****]

That was not my experience of it in the movement, Giselle. I can remember that kind of thing from the nuns in the 50ies, but our parents used to set us straight when we got home. It was a real turn off, particularly as we got older.

I rediscovered it again in the movement, and saw it differently, I guess.But I remember giving my kids the same advice I got.

I'll grant you that those experiences do exist.

[****]

PS After reading Shalimama's post, I am wondering if RC wasn't my rebound 30 years later!

[giselle]

@****: also, kindly remember that you've never lived in a thriving section or even in a place where integrated RC's operate. Always being at the periphery has its benefits (and drawbacks when understanding the heart of the Movement).

[See my anecdote added to the original post.]

[****]

It's a good story, Giselle. And you are probably right about the rest. It would seem that as soon as we would cross that border, the climate would change. Even the LC's would notice and comment on it.

[Scipio Africanus]

I guess Br. Matthew Schneider from RC live, can shed some light on the current understanding of apostolate:
God Is Your Business Partner
“Your God is personally involved with you that He has created a customized vision for you and for you alone. The vision is unique to your circumstances and calibrated to your abilities. Why would He bother? Because God is your partner in ministry.” –George Barna, The Power of Vision

You can probably guess from this quote that the author is Protestant. I can respect a guy like George Barna as he spends his life doing professional market research to help Christian ministers be more effective (his focus is Protestant but 90% of what he says applies to us too). I think at times we have something to learn from the Protestants, and I can say his book helped me.

In this section he has a very clear mission: God creates each of us individually with a mission. He doesn’t make individual Christians, local Churches, or other Christian groups with a cookie cutter. It would seem awfully stupid for God to recreate the same thing 5 times to compete with each other. God knows everything.

Each one has a different aspect in it. The Catholic Church has recognized this with parishes – this parish is responsible for these two neighborhoods. But then on that the Church has religious communities, lay associations, apostolates, study circles, and a slew of other means that don’t fit in the parish.

As the Legion and Regnum Christi, we fit in the last category. I think Mr. Barna speaks right to our spirituality: Christ is beside us helping directly, we have a personal relationship with him, and he is the “Senior Partner” in whatever apostolate we do. God made each of us with a special mission.

This reflection also speaks to our spirit of teamwork, both amongst ourselves and with others. In other businesses, when the other guy gains a customer, I lose one; but in the business of saving souls, when someone else helps save a soul it’s saved just the same as if I did it.

[giselle]

"I'm special!" isn't the healthiest way to embark on the Christian mission, methinks. Don't all the saints start with, "I'm a worm and no man" and work there way forward from that premise?

Remember, many of the Protestants have fallen prey to the "prosperity gospel," which reminds me of this piece:

http://www.life-after-rc.com/2007/01/personalitydriv.html

[AllChristiansCalled]

In pondering these comments on L/R cult-narcissism, Mother Teresa readily comes to mind, for one...in her statement and superb example of focusing simply on fidelity, NOT success. Study nearly any of the canonized saints' lives as examples to be learned from in this self-forgetful service - sometimes bearing little visible fruit within their own lifetimes...while keeping in mind, as needed, that their unique missions are not what's been given to us.

[****]

I think Scripio is onto something, Gisele. Benedict the XVI wants so much to see a New Evangelization of Europe and North America that he has created a new mission. If the Pope sees the Legion having the potential for a charism, it is probably in this aspect. It needs to be purified, of course, but it does take fearlessness and heroic commitment.

Ignacius of Loyola did not take the "worm" approach. I have a healthy skeptism that true humility has much to do with "worm-ness." If anything, if we look at Latin America, the "prosperity gospel" is making a lot of adherents in places like Guatemala, where there are now more Protestants of this ilk than there are Catholics.

[PWC]

And the old subterfuge the superiors used to use on LC seminarians: Satan looks to drive a man away from his vocation to the priesthood, because when someone abandons his vocation, not only his soul is lost, but all the souls that he would have saved as a priest are lost forever, too.

[Savannah]

I think I may be confused here. I very much experienced the RC/LC preaching that we are responsible for saving as many souls as possible. However, I cannot see how this is true. Yes, I am called to spread the gospel and be a witness to Christian life, BUT each and every person has their own free will. Each and every person chooses whether or not to accept God's grace.

How can I personally be responsible for my husband's salvation?

[Scipio Africanus]

****: LC for New Evangelization? Gotta be kidding. You need a solid formation, open mindedness,creativity, exactly what the Legion does not have.

[aaron]

This is a recruitement tool, a cult mechanism: the LC do not really care for the savlation of anyone who is not incorporated (except in that smug patronising "I will pray for you" way) all non LC and RC are SINNERS and UNSAVED until they are incorporated, and they they are in a different league of needing saving...

I remember well a very clear belief that our LC centres were the only saved parts of the city, country... that ALL other priests were to be pitied, were not true...

There are different cult mechanisms invovled: guilt trips, creation of a them and us society, dependancy on the cult for salvation, belief in the cult for salvation of others (aggressive recruitment) and probably more.

[Jeannette]

Wow. The biggest red flag for me, when RC was recruiting me, was that Pride was used as recruitment tactic but I never realized how integral it is in Legionist theology. Again, This. Isn't Catholicism. It isn't even Christianity, as it replaces Christ with You; Your Sacrifices, rather than Christ's, are necessary for the Salvation of the World eh?

Yikes.

[AnonObserv]

"Ignacius of Loyola did not take the "worm" approach"

Well *****, St. Ignatius is a mighty figure in the history of founders. I am amazed though by how self effacing he was and his cofounders.

During the period of foundation, the original company of Jesuits each took a turn at being the superior each day, including Ignatius. The personal importance of the superior was minimized. In the LC world the person of the superior is maximized and takes on pseudo-charismatic tone and his manner and nature are untouchable-- (legacy of the private vows). The struggles to keep the superior from replacing one's own conscience are still a clear and present danger.

For St. Ignatius the experience of the charism in foundation was so clear and evident that when it came time to write the constitutions of the order he thought any one of the cofounders could do it. It was they- his cofounders- who insisted that he do it. For MM the writing and giving of rules and constitutions were his exclusive and absolute right without discussion. Minor superiors would constantly have to refer to him about what were the norms for this or that- because no one else knew what the true spirit was.

Finally the fundamental motor of the zeal of a Jesuit was rooted in the unitive life of the 4th week, of being compelled by love for gifts of love Christ had bestowed upon their soul. Hence the choice of a better way, of one's vocation was fruit of a lived communion with Christ found in the spiritual exercises. A Jesuit did not need 32 non-profit organizations with pre-determined statutes and policies to serve;nor 14 volumes of letters and epistles from his superiors, rather he simply lived his spirituality, and meditated on the Gospel. That is indeed a charism!

[****]

Thanks for that, Anon. Truly inspiring, wasn't he?

Scripio, I guess I misread your first comment because that is what I thought you were referring to. Thanks for setting me straight.

[Deirdre Mundy]

Also, Ignatius was pretty upfront about his own sinfulness. In fact, IIRC, there are some hilarious Jesuit documents from soon after his death which basically take the tone of "Well, sure, he was pretty good, but it's OBVIOUS he was no Saint...." Not like Francis Xavier or someone.....

[AllChristiansCalled]

"I remember well a very clear belief that our LC centres were the only saved parts of the city, country... that ALL other priests were to be pitied, were not true..."

Wow, Aaron, I trust your experience and perceptions of attitudes. It really was THAT bad...?!!!

NOT.CATHOLICISM!

[****]

http://youtu.be/1IAhDGYlpqY

[Scipio's Buddy]

I would say we have "conflation" again in view. It's like thinking: We have to bring people to heaven because we are the best instruments of God to do it... It's like kids showing off how many cards they have collected. Indeed, it's a matter of grace and salvation, and we are in it as useless servants, not because we are of no use, but because we are not the masters.

[Anon out of RC]

Can't remember the Envoy number but just recall some words of Maciel that said something like Lord I want to present to you a bouquet of souls on fire for the Lord. Anyone recall that? I used to think that was beautiful. I definitely do not need Maciel or his methodology to present or bring me to the Lord and the reason I left RC was because Maciel, his methodology and the way the scandal was handled became an obstacle for me to the Lord.

If the Lord somehow uses me to touch a soul...thanks be to God.

[Savannah]

Anon, I very clearly recall the "bouquet of souls on fire for the Lord."

And PWC, I also remember the souls that would be lost forever if we did not say "Yes!" to whatever was asked of us--a huge apostolate or watching the nursery, whatever.