Page 27 - SJC Constitution

more particularly, to those who are orphaned and supportless
among them. 23
32 The greatest blessing we receive here on earth through the
vow of poverty is that we are thereby enabled to serve the
least ones - the orphaned and the abandoned - seeing Jesus
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himself in them. By our trust in God and total surrender to
Him, we make ourselves instruments of Godís praise and
glory; by our service and care of the orphaned and poor we
make ourselves apostles of divine mercy. Thus, by so living
our vow of poverty, we realize the religious ideal envisioned
by our Founding Father.

Obligations

33 It is on God as well as on her own Congregation that a
religious, who has taken the vow of poverty, has to depend
on for all her needs. The superiors as well as the community
shall have enough care and promptness in joyfully providing
for all the legitimate needs and wants of the members.
34 Our poverty obliges us to raise and increase resources by
work without any shadow of laziness, so that we may have
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the wherewith to consecrate to God and share with the
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orphaned and abandoned. Therefore to toil hard for Godís
glory and sustenance of the poor is an indispensable law of
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our life of poverty . If our resources are to be spent for the
glory of God and protection of the poor, we have to have the
following dispositions in regard to them:
ß1 We should have the generosity to spend our health, talents,
wealth, time, joys and sorrows etc., for God and His people,
as they are all Godís free gifts to us; 28
ß2 As we are persons meant totally for God and His poor, we
have to be keen on restricting our personal needs, by practising
a style of simple living, so that the moving of our resources to
God and His people may be made smoother and quicker.

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