From USCCB: The Fortnight for Freedom: Freedom to Serve will take place from June 21 to July 4, 2014, a time when our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. The theme of this year’s Fortnight will focus on the freedom to serve the poor and vulnerable in accord with human dignity and the Church’s teaching.
The Salesian, Visitandine way also deeply respects the Fundamental Option for the Poor
“As often as you have done it to the least of these my people, you have done it to me.” (Mt. 25:40)
OUR TENET OF SOCIALJUSTICE: The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable and voiceless members: the poor and marginalized. All have a claim on our conscience and generosity. We are called to examine public policy decisions in terms of how they affect our brothers and sisters, so that we can do what is just and build a future based upon respect for the dignity of each person.
SALESIAN THEME: Living the little virtues. Sr. Jane de Chantal says, “We cannot always offer God great things, but at each instant we can offer little things with great love.” Our focus will be on changing our world and our environment in small steps by living our concern and by having faith in what might appear to be limited effectiveness. By taking on ourselves the lowliness and gentleness of Jesus through living the little virtues, we discover God’s will and can adjust our own objectives to those of Christ.
Those committed to Salesian Spirituality have a responsibility to develop a concerned awareness of the poor and marginalized. This awareness begins with ourselves.
We are called to acknowledge our anger at injustice and to let this anger add strength to our gentleness, firmness to our kindness, constancy to our patience.
The Salesian spirit actually shows a preference for those rejected by society just as Jesus himself was hidden from the wise and powerful and revealed to the little ones.
OUR VISITATION MONASTERY IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS FOUNDED IN 1989 IN ORDER TO LIVE JESUS PARTICULARLY FOR THE MARGINALIZED.
Mission and Goals FROM THE WEBSITE
How many ways are there to be fed?
The Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis, by expressing the mystery of the Visitation in a new way, is committed to being one with economically challenged and marginalized persons on the North Side.
Our ministry of presence and prayer has enabled us to develop many longstanding relationships within the community, not only with those who come to our door, but also with agencies.
Key Goals
1. To companion and affirm those who are impoverished and lonely—those living on the fringes of society.
2. To support those committed to a ministry of peace and justice by sharing our Salesian spirituality with them.
3. To educate and network with those who, in being materially secure, seek ways of growing in faith, hope and love by bridging with people in our multicultural community.
4. To provide spiritual formation for those affiliated with us in a variety of ways.