Role of the priest

To complete this work of formation which you carry out, my daughters and sons, we have the activities of the priest. Through frequent preaching, these priest friends of ours – shortly, through the grace of God, it will be priest brothers of yours who will carry out this task – will help you in bringing the fellows to deepen the doctrine they receive in the Courses of Formation, making it part of their life in the form of generous ascetical struggle and apostolic zeal.

Meditations and recollections

In all the houses where the St Raphael work is carried out, there can be a weekly meditation for the boys or girls, normally on Saturdays, in honour of Our Lady. They should also be offered the possibility of attending monthly days of recollection and also yearly retreats, which are so effective for making progress in one’s interior life.

When inviting them to attend these means of formation, we will always tell them that they are completely free to come or not, because they are not under any sort of obligation.

Personal spiritual direction

When we have priests of our own in the Work, they will carry out extensive personal spiritual direction as an essential part of their activity in the St Raphael work. And so they will offer to everyone a way to carry out that divine exhortation: cor boni consilii statue tecum... ut dirigat in veritate viam tuam (Sir 37:13,15);¹⁴ may they have a good counsellor with them, who will guide them in the truth along the way that leads to God.