Consolata Missionary Sisters Institute was founded by Saint Joseph Allamano on 29th Jan, 1910, in Turin, Italy. The deep inspiration that he got from God was to take Jesus, the true consolation to All, especially to the non-christians. We are a Marian Institute, devoted to Mary under the title of “Consolata”.
As an Institute, we have a unique aspect of our missionary tradition, that is, the celebration of a Missionary Mandate.
This takes place after the first vows and a period of service in one’s own country of origin or Region. As soon as a Sister receives her destination, the Missionary Mandate is done before she departs for her new mission for evangelization.
At times it brings confusion, as many people tend to think that it is a Final Vows celebration. It is absolutely NOT.
The profound meaning of the missionary mandate
From the very beginning of our history, the Consolata Missionaries have received the missionary mandate. Our founder, Saint Joseph Allamano, said to the first departing nuns:
Know that the Lord and the Consolata accompany you, and every morning from six to seven, right before our Mother, I offer thanksgiving at Holy Mass, praying especially for you. Remember that for each of you, and on your feast days, I will especially note your feast day.
A Missionary mandate is the commissioning within a Eucharistic celebration in which the Consolata Missionary Sister is sent to be a testimony of God´s love and consolation to the people. It has its biblical foundation from Mt 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” And in Isaiah 66:19, which is OUR MOTTO “ They will announce my glory to the nations”.
As members of the Catholic Church, in communion with and sent by the Church, we bear witness to and announce Christ according to our Charism, inspired by the motto given us by Father Founder: “They will proclaim my glory to the nations” (Constitutions, 6)
It takes place in the parish of origin of the particular Sister because this is where the first seed of faith was planted. It is in the family and in the local church that for the first time the Religious Sister became a child of God through the sacrament of Baptism.
This renders the local church the cradle of the missionary mandate, and a sign that She (the local Church) has grown and is mature enough to share her missionaries for evangelization.
The Missionary Mandate celebration involves several steps, that is:
The Calling
The Sister is called by name by the Regional Superior from the assembly as a sign that God calls us from our concrete reality, our families.
She walks towards the altar accompanied by the parents and she is offered to the Church through the Priest. The main celebrant blesses the parents and they go back to their seats while the sister sits in a designated place together with her fellow sisters then follows the homily.
The Interrogation
The Mandate ceremony takes place after the homily whereby the Sister affirms her readiness to be God´s instrument through answering the questions asked by the celebrant.
During the mandate, the Sister receives the Crucifix, the Bible and the Rosary after they have been blessed by the Celebrant.
The Cross
The Sister receives the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as her consolation and guidance, to support her in the apostolic work and defend her against the dangers of evil.
This affirms the words of St. Joseph Allamano when he says, ‘this cross will be for you, a book, a friend and a weapon which will defend and protect you from spiritual enemies.´´
The Bible
The Sister receives the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, inviting her to be a faithful witness to the truth in love, to live by the message she announces and bring to people the message of salvation.
The Rosary
The Sister receives the Rosary, a symbol of Our Lady, to be her companion in the journey, a Mother and a model of her life.
The Blessing
Thereafter, the Sister kneels and the Celebrant stretches his hands to bless her, giving her the power to go and proclaim the word of God where she is sent. Here, the Sister is officially sent by the Church through the Institute to be a Missionary in the whole word according to the Will of God for her.
We walk in the footsteps of Jesus, the Missionary son of the Father, who came to the world in order to save souls. Keeping alive the charism that Our Founder received, we bring to reality his favourite words from Ps 117: 17, “ I Will not die but I will live to proclaim the glory of God.” This is exactly what we continue to live through such a celebration.
Sr Mourine, mc
