Chastity August 10
As support, (the Crosier) cultivates solid fraternal ties in the community (Profile of the Congolese Crosier).
To form solid fraternal bonds is a task that demands attention, effort and patience. Together, the members of the community, each in his uniqueness, participate in the common project of religious life. They must be present to one another, not just physically but also with the heart. Significant fraternal bonds begin with mutual and generous availability. The confreres need to be able to count on one another, in accord with common agreements. Self-interest or lack of will leads nowhere. Open collaboration in shared projects is the heart of their interaction. Participation in dialogue, prayer, work and all communal activities brings them closer together. Being together for the long term, the members start to realize an important experience of belonging. The happy sense of feeling at home is the fruit of this kind of interaction. Fraternal intimacy is born that respects the character of each member. Little by little, the confreres, side by side, risk a transparency that reveals to one another their limitations as well as their strengths. The confrere who lives with the reality of the other and integrates what he learns about himself grows as a person. In remaining faithful to the good will to live together, the confreres come to a communion, a sense of personal and communal well-being, that supports them in their celibate call.
Trees grow straight in a dense forest. (African Proverb)
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