“Rejoice and Do Good”. The Embodied Works of Mercy in the Motto of the Religious of Christian Instruction
Dedicating their lives to the young and the least, Religious of Christian Instruction live the Works of Mercy with joy
The Institute of the Religious of Christian Instruction is an institute of pontifical right founded by Mother Agatha on March 25, 2024, in Ghent, Belgium, to provide Christian education to young people. The congregation is present on three continents: Europe, America and Africa.
Based on their motto “rejoice and do good,” Christian Education sisters restore the joy of life to desperate young people on the continent. The sisters share the daily life of God’s people among whom they live.
Embodying the face of Christ the Educator among young people is a work of mercy
The main mission of Religious of Christian Instruction is to offer access to the riches of the faith to young people, who are often like sheep without a shepherd, whom Jesus himself took pity on and instructed at length. (MC 6:30-34).
Indeed, youth are dying because of the unsatisfied feeling of the world. Globalization offers young people many effervescent goods, tries to lure them to perdition by dazzling them with a desperate light.
The use of drugs, alcohol, psychoactive substances, the relativity of parents in educating young people, the irresponsibility of the state, war, armed conflicts, the manipulation of young people for the selfish interests of adults, abuse in all its forms, these are many of the evils faced by young people today. This reality is not only African but global.
Its expansion in the service of young people to tell them about God
The congregation founded in Ghent in 1825, expanded to the American continent then to Africa in 1959. Through its continuous expansion to different corners of the world, it spreads the works of spiritual mercy by instructing young people. Mercy is the compassion that our heart feels when faced with the misery of others and that drives us to help them if we can.
Because others can be affected by misery in soul as well as in body, the charism of the Religious of Christian Instruction takes into account both corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Corporal works of mercy and the charism of the Religious of Christian Instruction
Education means bringing the person into its holistic dimension. It is difficult to educate the hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick, imprisoned and tried soul. With more education, Sisters strive to alleviate other miseries not only materially but also spiritually. By educating, the Sisters of Christian Instruction counsel the doubting youth; rebuke sinners; console the afflicted; forgive offenses; patiently tolerate troublesome people; and pray to God for the living and the dead.
Rejoice and follow religious consecrations well
The Institute of Religious of Christian Instruction spreads through the generous consecration of young people to the Lord’s service. Thus, on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 2024, we had the grace to celebrate the temporary vows of four novices, the perpetual vows of two sisters and the silver jubilee of one sister at Notre Dame du Mount Carmel Parish.
In addition, we welcomed seven candidates for the first year of novitiate and three in the second year of novitiate, eight in the second year of postulancy and about ten in the first year. All these events are reasons for us to give thanks to the Lord. The Bishop of the Diocese of Goma encouraged the girls to serve the Lord and be faithful to the Lord’s parish.
The implementation of the HIC SUM project through the charism of Religious of Christian Instruction
Religious Women of Christian Instruction participate in the HIC SUM project by spreading works of mercy through the education of young people, and this is from all points of view. Young people have so many abilities and talents and helping them to realize them concretely through their inventions and creativity for their own good and the good of others is also another way of experiencing charity.
Rather, as far as we are concerned, this project aims to empower young people, making them able to create or benefit from the goods we offer them to reduce the rates of misery they encounter most in the poorest regions. Thus, even through education, Religious always seek to form a man or woman completely, thus forming his or her mind, soul and spirit.
The most vulnerable category of young people who do not have access to education are those displaced by the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their large numbers make it difficult for the Institute to provide for their needs materially, but they try to teach activities such as sewing, field work and others that can generate income for them.
Realizing that the poor also need more than just material goods, women religious spread the works of mercy through their closeness, sharing moments of joy and sorrow with materially and spiritually poor people.
The implementation of the HIC SUM project by Religious of Christian Instruction
The Religious of Christian Instruction is in contact with Mr. Luigi Spadoni and the spazio + spadoni movement for a project to spread works of mercy around the world.
Thanks to his support toward religious congregations, we can together still help the poor in their survival.
Through this collaboration, two sisters were able to benefit from a training period in Italy specifically on the works of mercy.
The HIC SUM project, which also includes the activation of a small social enterprise, will be carried out in the diocese of Bunia and, to this end, a chicken coop will be built, the fruits of which will help the sisters practice works of charity.
But knowing that everything comes to us from God, we rely on the Lord for the realization of this purpose.