Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity
Encyclopedia
The Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity (Fraternidad Misionera Verbum Dei in Spanish) is a Roman Catholic contemplative-active missionary
community. It was founded on 17 January 1963, in the Spanish island of Majorca, by Jaime Bonet. The community was ecclesiastically approved as an Institute of Consecrated Life
, by Pope John Paul II
on 15 April 2000. According to the constitutions endorsed on that date their mission is to announce the Word of God
and to propagate the Kingdom of God
through prayer, the ministry of the Word, and the testimony of evangelical life. The community consists of consecrated religious women, consecrated religious men (brothers
& priests
), and associated married couples. The name, Verbum Dei, is Latin
for "Word of God".
The mission of the VDMF is to promote the greatest dignity for all people by empowering individuals and communities to partake in the journey of Christian discipleship. This discipleship is forged in a spirituality rooted in Scripture and Catholic tradition that leads to witnessing to justice made visible through community. Most celibate members of the community go through several years of academic study of philosophy and theology similar to that which takes place in a Catholic priestly seminary. The daily life of a missionary involves several hours of silent prayer.
Verbum Dei's missionary outreach takes place by organising retreats and regular prayer and discussion meetings with lay people. There is often an attempt to encourage people to commit to a discipleship group or a regular "revision of life" group. To a much lesser extent the community assists Catholic parishes and schools with sacramental programmes and other activities.
The Fraternity Verbum Dei is active in several European countries as well as places such as the United States
, Argentina
, Brazil
, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Singapore, Taiwan, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Russia
, Cameroon
, Australia, the Philippines
, and Taiwan
. For periods of time the community has been present in Hong Kong, Nigeria, Zaïre and elsewhere. Across five continents the community involves people of different states and areas of life: single and married, old and young, of different backgrounds and occupations. There is however often a focus on attracting university students. Some consecrated members of the fraternity work as Catholic chaplains in Australian, Portuguese and British universities.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
community. It was founded on 17 January 1963, in the Spanish island of Majorca, by Jaime Bonet. The community was ecclesiastically approved as an Institute of Consecrated Life
Institute of Consecrated Life
Institutes of consecrated life are canonically erected institutes in the Roman Catholic Church whose members profess the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience by vows or other sacred bonds...
, by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 15 April 2000. According to the constitutions endorsed on that date their mission is to announce the Word of God
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and to propagate the Kingdom of God
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
through prayer, the ministry of the Word, and the testimony of evangelical life. The community consists of consecrated religious women, consecrated religious men (brothers
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
& priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
), and associated married couples. The name, Verbum Dei, is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Word of God".
The mission of the VDMF is to promote the greatest dignity for all people by empowering individuals and communities to partake in the journey of Christian discipleship. This discipleship is forged in a spirituality rooted in Scripture and Catholic tradition that leads to witnessing to justice made visible through community. Most celibate members of the community go through several years of academic study of philosophy and theology similar to that which takes place in a Catholic priestly seminary. The daily life of a missionary involves several hours of silent prayer.
Verbum Dei's missionary outreach takes place by organising retreats and regular prayer and discussion meetings with lay people. There is often an attempt to encourage people to commit to a discipleship group or a regular "revision of life" group. To a much lesser extent the community assists Catholic parishes and schools with sacramental programmes and other activities.
The Fraternity Verbum Dei is active in several European countries as well as places such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Singapore, Taiwan, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Australia, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. For periods of time the community has been present in Hong Kong, Nigeria, Zaïre and elsewhere. Across five continents the community involves people of different states and areas of life: single and married, old and young, of different backgrounds and occupations. There is however often a focus on attracting university students. Some consecrated members of the fraternity work as Catholic chaplains in Australian, Portuguese and British universities.
External links
- Verbum Dei Missionary Family International English/Spanish option
- Verbum Dei International Spanish
- Verbum Dei UK English
- Verbum Dei USA
- Pope Encourages Missionary Fraternity