From the Pope's letter at the Lay Orione Movement

To the Reverend Father ROBERTO SIMIONATO General Superior of The Sons of Divine Providence

1. “We want to see Jesus “(Jn 12.21). With these words a group of Greeks, attracted by the inner strength of the Divine master, addressed some disciples, expressing the desire to meet the Lord. In the course of the centuries many other persons, in every corner of the world have and continue to manifest this same desire, drawing many men and women marked by a particular relationship with the person of Jesus.

In this century among the witnesses of Christ, Bl. Luigi Orione, founder of this religious Family, occupies a privileged place. His spiritual strength struck many people during his life and still continues now to generate admiration and interest. Thus it happened that the laity close to the little Work of Divine Providence, came together affirming the desire to know in depth the Blessed Founder in order to follow more faithfully in his steps. In this way the Lay Orione Movement was born, with the aim of offering, to the different components of the lay association, which arose around the Institutions of the Little Work, the possibility of living the following of Christ, sharing with the Sons of Divine Providence and of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity the Orionine charism.

2. After the first years of the movement, it has seemed wise to monitor the journey so far in preparation for future developments. This international convention has as its theme the motto taken from St. Paul, “Instaurare Omnia in Christo”, which was chosen by Blessed Luigi Orione for the religious family which he founded. In this way lay people are having the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the charism of Don Orione. They are also formulating a “Charter of Communion” and planning other deadlines in their commitment and sharing of service of the new evangelisation in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the year 2000.

I greet the participants of the meeting and cannot fail to remember in doing so the impassioned words of Blessed Orione, “Instaurare Omnia in Christo”! We shall renew ourselves and the whole world in Christ when we live Jesus Christ, when we shall be really changed into Jesus Christ”. Thus it was clearly a conviction of the Founder that the soul of every authentic renewal was the newness of Christ who becomes present in individual persons, in families, in civil structures and in relationships between peoples. His great desire was to make Christ the heart of the world and to serve Christ in every human being especially the poor. To fulfill this intuition, he intended to involve lay people much more in apostolic activities. He called them to be in harmony with his limitless heart which was expanded by the charity of Christ crucified. In fact, he wrote to some friends of the Work in 1935 from Buenos Aires, “I am sure you share with me the great desire to co-operate as far as you can in the renewal of christian life - to “restore all things in Christ” in which the individual, the family and society can expect the restoration of society. “Have courage in doing good” (Letters II, 291).

Aware of this plan, already present in the heart of the Blessed Founder, those in charge of the Don Orione Family have for several years promoted the Lay Movement, which this Convention intends to further define and strengthen, with the aim of validly co-operating, as he loved to repeat, in “doing good always, good to everyone, harm to no-one”.

3.It is dear to me to take advantage of this significant occasion to encourage you, Venerable Brother in the priesthood, and Religious men and women of Don Orione to take for yourselves “expert guides in the spiritual life and cultivate in the laity ‘the most precious of talents - the spirit’!” (Vita Consacrata, 55).

I invite the laity who have chosen to share the Don Orione charism, while living in the world, to be zealous and generous in offering the Little Work of Divine Providence “the precious contribution” of their secular life and their specific service. The Don Orione Lay Movement will help to spread the spirituality of your religious family beyond the boundaries of the Institute itself, deepening the charismatic features by an ever more effective carrying out of its special mission in the Church and in the world.

A particular thought for the members of the Orione Secular Institute is that it has recently been given canonical approval as an Institute of Consecrated Life. Knowing that at this time they are holding their General Assembly to elect their own Authorities, I exhort them to live with faithfulness and joy the particular consecration in the world and with the means of the world. They should know how to become operators of a new synthesis of the greatest possible nearness to God and His will, to the greatest possible participation to the joys and hopes, to the agonies and sorrows of our brothers and sisters, to show them a project of salvation made visible in Christ, by the Founder.

Their lay and consecrated status help them to live with the Gospel coherence, in the daily efforts to make real and practical, following the example of the witness and teaching of Blessed Luigi Orione, St. Paul’s programme “Instaurare Omnia in Christo”.

To this end I beg the protection of Mary, “Mother and Heavenly Foundress” of the Little Work of Divine Providence, through the intercession of Blessed Luigi Orione. Meanwhile, as a pledge of heavenly favours I impart to you, to the members of the Lay Movement and the Secular Institute, as well as those who belong in any way to the Family of Don Orione, a special Apostolic Blessing.

From the Vatican, 7th October 1997

Joannes Paulus II