St Raphael’s work and proselytism

You will understand the St Raphael work better if you consider it independently from the work of proselytism, although in reality, the St Raphael work and proselytism always go hand in hand. But we cannot say that with one particular boy or girl we carry out the St Raphael work and with another proselytism, because we carry out proselytism with all of them, whether or not they belong to the St Raphael work; some will receive the grace of vocation and others will not.

Proselytism begins with friendship

If we direct our attention to those whom we regard as simple friends of the St Raphael work, we will discover how to develop naturally our apostolate with them: what it is we ought to teach them, what we expect of them, what they themselves expect, and what God is asking of them.

Friendship made supernatural

Proselytism for the St Raphael work begins, therefore, with friendship, with some social or professional contact with one of my sons or daughters. From the very first moment these persons in the Work supernaturalize the friendship and contact, because such activity is apostolic. The fellows themselves don’t see this at the start, although gradually they do begin to understand and assimilate it, without ever needing to have it spelled out explicitly.

Increased by going to our Centres, which they regard as their own

This friendship, this relationship with one of you, is deepened afterwards, first by a growing sense of affection for and a more regular contact with the centre of the Work, which they have got to know and were taught to regard as their own. All this is naturally joined later to their friendship with the people they meet and deal with in this house of ours.

Affection for the Work grows

And second, it is deepened as they gradually begin to assimilate the spirit of Opus Dei and to identify with it; little by little they acquire an affection, a genuine love for the Work, and start to consider it their own.