The possible initiatives are innumerable: there is ample freedom

The diversity of the activities which can be organised in and from our houses is unlimited. You have already seen this, my daughters and sons, in these last few years. And you will see it even more in the future, as our apostolate, with God’s grace, extends across the world.

I have never wished to tie you down. On the contrary, I have tried to get you to work with great freedom. In your apostolic activity, within the very broad limits laid down by our spirit, you have to have initiative to find in every place, in every environment, and on every occasion, those activities that best respond to the circumstances of the young people you are dealing with.

Examples; Always lay in character

For university students it may be cultural get-togethers; for other non-intellectual types, a sports club; for young farm workers, practical classes of agriculture, and so on. The possibilities are endless, but they all have a common feature: they are lay, secular activities, proper to our specific apostolic way. They are never ecclesiastical activities or official activities of the Church.

The work is adapted to all circumstances

We try to provide means which are formative, which the people enjoy, and which enable us to get to know them, to deal with them and to lead them to the warmth of our spirit and the light of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is precisely this collection of activities which makes the St Raphael work perfectly adaptable in all circumstances. We might express this by saying that our work with young people is a suit made to measure for each occasion and for each place.