John Paul II – With Saint Mary, from listening to God to serving life (2001): Letter to the Servants of Mary

# Letter of Pope John Paul II to the Prior General of the Order of Friars Servants of Mary (Servites)

## *With Saint Mary, from Listening to God to Serving Life* (September 29, 2001)

Addressed to Very Rev. Fr. Hubert M. Moons, O.S.M., Prior General of the Order of Friars Servants of Mary (Servites), on the occasion of his General Chapter in Ariccia.

This letter by Pope John Paul II is one of the most concise expressions of papal Marian spirituality, available in *Enchiridion Vaticanum* vol. 20, paragraphs 1907ss.

**Collection:** *Enchiridion Vaticanum* vol. 20, paragraphs 1907ss
**Pope:** Saint John Paul II
**Document:** Letter *”With Saint Mary, from Listening to God to Serving Life”* to the capitulars of the Order of Friars Servants of Mary
**Date:** September 29, 2001
**Theme:** The Servite charism: *”from Listening to God to Serving Life”*, with Saint Mary
**Source:** *L’Osservatore Romano* 13.10.2001, p. 10

## Italian Text

> Al reverendissimo padre Hubert M. Moons, priore generale dell’Ordine dei Frati Servi di Maria.

> 1. «La grazia del Signore Gesù sia con voi. Il mio amore per tutti voi in Cristo Gesù!» (1Cor 16, 23). Con queste parole dell’apostolo Paolo, saluto cordialmente lei e l’intero Ordine dei Frati Servi di Maria in occasione del capitolo generale, in programma ad Ariccia dall’8 al 30 ottobre 2001. Il tema dei lavori è: *”Con Santa Maria, dall’ascolto di Dio al servizio della vita”*. Esso richiama la vostra riflessione sulla necessità di rendere la testimonianza dell’Istituto sempre più fedele al carisma delle origini e insieme vicina alle istanze dell’uomo contemporaneo.

## Portuguese Translation

> Ao reverendíssimo padre Hubert M. Moons, prior geral da Ordem dos Frades Servos de Maria.

> 1. «A graça do Senhor Jesus esteja convosco. O meu amor para todos vós em Cristo Jesus!» (1Cor 16, 23). Com estas palavras do apóstolo Paulo, saúdo cordialmente Vossa Reverência e a inteira Ordem dos Frades Servos de Maria em ocasião do Capítulo Geral, programado em Ariccia de 8 a 30 outubro 2001. O tema dos trabalhos é: *”Com Santa Maria, da escuta de Deus ao serviço da vida”*. Este chama a vossa reflexão sobre a necessidade de tornar o testemunho do Instituto sempre mais fiel ao carisma das origens e ao mesmo tempo próximo das instâncias do homem contemporâneo.

## The Servite Charism: Mary and the Seven Founders

The Order of Friars Servants of Mary (Servites) was founded in Florence in 1233 by seven saints known as the Seven Founders (Bonfilio Monaldi, Bonajuncta Manetti, Manetto dell’Antella, Amadeu degli Amidei, Hugo dei Lippi-Uguccioni, Sostegno dei Sostegni, Alessio Falconieri), all canonized in 1888. The central charism of the Order is:

– **Service** to Lady Mary, hence the name *”Servites”*
– **Fraternal life** in community according to the Rule of Saint Augustine
– **Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows**, Mary at the foot of the Cross as a privileged object
– **Study and preaching** theological, especially Marian

## *”From Listening to God to Serving Life”*

The theme formula of the 2001 General Chapter, *”from listening to God to serving life”*, is particularly meaningful:

## Maria in the Pastoral Mariology Post-Vatican II:

### Listening to God:
Maria as a woman of the Magnificat, who “meditated all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

### Service of Life:
Maria as Mother of Life (Magnificat: “she has exalted the humble”).

### Spiritual Movement:
From contemplation to action, from Marian interiority to defending threatened human life.

This formula encapsulates the essence of post-conciliar Mariology: not merely prayer but also social service inspired by Marian spirituality.

## Connection with Other Marian Orders:

Other religious orders with a specific Marian charism include:

– **Servites** (1233): Mary of Sorrows
– **Carmelites** (12th century): Mary of Mount Carmel, Escapular
– **Mercedarians** (1218): Mary of Mercy, liberation of captives
– **Marianists/Company of Mary** (1817, Chaminade)
– **Oblates/Sons of the Immaculate Mary** (1816, Eugene de Mazenod)
– **Salesians/Little Company of Mary** (1859, St. John Bosco)
– **Montfortians/Company of Mary of Montfort** (1715, St. Louis Maria Grignion de Montfort)
– **Marianists** (1670, St. Stanislaw Papczynski)

## Pastoral Heritage:

The 2001 Letter is a prime example of how Pope John Paul II valued the carisms of Marian religious orders as vital elements in the contemporary Church. Each order possesses its unique charism, yet they all converge on the same goal: to draw the Church closer to Mary and, through her, to Christ.

## Further Reading:
– *Vita Consecrata*
– *Redemptoris Mater*
– St. Louis Maria Grignion de Montfort
– *Onore a Maria 1995*