Help from our friends

Our friends will have to bear a great part of the weight in these activities which develop around the St Raphael work for young men and women of all conditions and all ages. In this way the Numeraries can devote more time to spiritual formation and giving the St Raphael classes. They will be able to deal with the students individually and provide them with the opportunity to open their hearts and speak about their little problems.

Help from the older ones

Depending on the task involved, some co-operators can help. And in one way or another, the St Raphael fellows who have been in contact longer with our work must do the same. Even if they can only help materially, it increases their apostolic concern, their zeal for souls and their sense of responsibility. It binds them closer to the Work, and it makes them see that they are not coming just to improve spiritually themselves; they also come to give themselves by working generously for others.

“The souls of the saints are like the regions of the earth: they share with one another what they have received, as the fruits of one region are consumed in another, so that all are united in a one charity.”¹⁵ We have to ensure always that all those who pass through the Preparatory Course are given some specific responsibility within our apostolates. For example, they can be a great help in our work with the younger boys or girls.