Rome, Italy. We have a new book to illuminate the Claretian mission in our days. It has been written by Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino, who was our Superior General from 1991 to 2003. It is available through our Claretian Publications in Madrid. It is entitled “Arraigados y arriesgados” (Rooted and Daring). The game of double A’s and R’s makes its pronunciation a little difficult (especially for those who do not have Spanish as their mother tongue), but it makes us see that it is something “perfectly serious. The subtitle indicates its timing: “In the footsteps of Claret on the 150th anniversary of his death”. It is a book of 422 pages divided into ten chapters that gather together some conferences and articles of the author composed for some special occasions: meetings, chapters, ongoing formation, etc. They deal with different aspects of the spirituality and mission of the Claretians. It is worthwhile to dwell on them: 1) O my God and my Father! (on apostolic prayer); 2) Our missionary passion: to seek and procure the glory of God in all things; 3) Claret, a man of solidarity; 4) The Constitutions: still an instrument of personal and community renewal; 5) Thought and practice of proximity in the history of the Congregation; 6) The mission of the Spirit in the Congregation; 7) Our post-conciliar journey of renewal; 8) Living the third age in a Claretian way; 9) Living the third age in community; 10) The service of the Claretian superior in his community.
The book also constitutes a reference in the journey of preparation for the XXVI General Chapter that we have just begun. It connects with the “declaration of aspirations” which the General Government and the Major Superiors drew up at the meeting in Talagante (January 2020) and which bears a title similar to that of the book: “Rooted and Audacious”. We hope that it will be well received and disseminated among us and that it can be translated into various languages.
