OASIS Report: Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Today's OASIS activity began with morning prayer at 7.30am. The morning prayer was organised by the brothers from Indonesia and led by Bro. Andre Joko. They gathered the inspiration from the FIC constitution article 61 (prayer life) and Scripture readings from the Gospel of Luke 6: 12-19 (Jesus calls the twelve apostles). The theme and materials of this morning prayer were in accordance with the material that we explored today, namely prayer life.

After breakfast, the participants started the next session which was delivered by Bro. Johan Muitjens. His presentation was based on "The Development of Charisma" (Creative Fidelity to our Apostolic Charism). The participants were invited to recall the project of Mgr. Rutten (Dream of Mgr. Rutten). He emphasized that the congregation was founded as a tool to realize Christian education of the young people and especially the poor ones. However, the congregation is also open to other charitable works.

In the life of the brothers, the religious community plays an important role. Community is the guarantee to realize the quality of apostolate. In the ever-evolving dynamics of life, the brothers are required to continuously search for a method in order to provide better teaching. Actually, the changes that took place in society also affected life in the congregation. The meaning of life as a brother was also influenced in our congregation. The founders, especially Bro. Bernardus Hoecken kept trying to clarify the reason for the establishment of the FIC congregation. This can be felt in the development of our constitution.

In the constitutions of 1870 and 1936 we find the main purpose of the congregation, which is the sanctification of the members by doing works of charity, with the main apostolic focus on the formation of young people. The Second Vatican Council had a great influence on the reformulation of the congregation's rule of life. The Second Vatican Council highly values the human person as a whole person. Religious life and the people the religious serve were also seen as whole persons. This is evident in the FIC Constitutions. Article 1 of our Constitutions talks about To be a Human.

Although life is constantly changing, the brothers must still be mindful of the heritage of the founders, viz:

-       feel great concern for spiritual and religious needs

-       education, mentoring, and teaching as the primary apostolic tradition

-       special care for the poor and needy

-       be open to healthy development

-       upholding community life

-       special honour to Mary

In this age, the heritage of the founders of the FIC Congregation needs to be fought for in the current conditions. Life today is characterized by globalization in the areas of information, trade, transport etc. It is also characterized by neo-liberalism, environmental and climate change, changing political and spiritual conditions, and the growing influence of social media.

At the end of the first session, the OASIS participants were given the opportunity to share ideas on creative ways in which the FIC brothers can carry out the apostolate so that the presence of the FIC brothers can still carry out the heritage of the founders in today's conditions.

In the afternoon session Bro. Johan Muitjens gave a presentation on prayer life. The dynamics of the meeting started with a small exercise. The participants were asked to write down a short prayer that they often use every day. From that personal prayer, it turned out that we can realize the condition of our relationship with God.

One's daily life is actually a prayer, and one's personal prayer is born out of one's life experiences. Prayer, then, can be an expression of friendship and intimacy with God. From this idea, we understand that the statement that God is love in our constitution is actually a reality. It is a testimony of the congregation's life with God.

In the afternoon session, Bro. Johan invited the participants to experience prayer as an expression of friendship, which is the true friendship of man with God. Bro. Johan explained many aspects of true friendship. In true friendship, there is a condition of mutual growth and empowerment. Thus, prayer life experienced as a form of true friendship actually develops and empowers human beings.

At the end of the afternoon session, Bro. Johan shared one of the prayer models that builds the pattern of man's true friendship with God, which is the prayer of the heart. Prayer of the heart is simple. It opens the heart to the presence of God in the human heart. It helps people experience God in every atmosphere in life.

Prepared by: Bros. Kurniawan and B. Puryoko