The VDB Secular Institute has almost 1,200 members who are located in 60 countries around the world and who live their consecration to God through the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity in their ordinary daily lives. They do not live in communities, but usually gather as a group once or twice a month, to live together days of recollection and formation.
Sometimes it is not easy for the other groups of the Salesian Family to understand the "secular consecration" of the VDBs. Through the simple words of the outgoing World Moderator, Olga K, entrusted to the quarterly magazine of the VDB "Crescere", one can however understand a little more about this Secular Institute. "I want that the good Lord makes of me and all my sisters a living tabernacle in this world," she said.
We can all help the delegates of the General Assembly with our prayers. During the period of preparation for the Assembly, the Institute indeed proposed to support them by reciting the following prayer:
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Your name is Love. With this infinite Love, you enter the heart of every person and into human history.
Holy Trinity God, God of Love, bless our eighth General Assembly.
Guide our steps to discover new and profound ways to offer your water to the world,
the only one that can quench our thirst.
We believe that every time we open our hearts to discover the face of our needy brothers and sisters,
we receive the fresh water of your Love, the courage and joy of announcing your Word, like the Samaritan woman.
We ask you: renew in us the desire for your Love and the thirst for you,
so that we may welcome the living water that you offer us.
Give us the strength of the Holy Spirit to become a water of love for the entire world.
Amen.
Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.
Saint John Bosco, pray for us.
Blessed Philip Rinaldi, pray for us.
