Nota storika
Din il-Kostituzzjoni Fundamentali (KF) ġiet ifformulata fil-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ River Forest fl-1968, kapitlu li dam xahrejn sħaħ, u li tana Kostituzzjonijiet (LCO) ġodda. Iżda kien kapitlu ppreċedut minn preparazzjoni twila. Fl-1966 kien intbagħat kwestjonarju lill-membri kollha tal-Ordni, li kien jinkludi mistoqsija dwar il-prinċipji fundamentali tal-Ordni, fi kliem ieħor, il-kariżma proprju tal-Ordni. F’Settembru tal-1967 kien ġie organizzat Kungress tal-Provinċjali, li dam 4 ġimgħat. Wara dan, inħatret kummissjoni ta’ 25 esperti li ħadmet għal 8 xhur.
Għal River Forest, barra l-provinċjali, attendew esperti minn kull provinċja. Il-Provinċja ta’ Malta kienet rappreżentata minn P. Serafin Zarb, provinċjal, u P. Mark Said bħala espert.
KF § I:
The Order’s purpose was described as follows by Pope Honorius III in a letter to St Dominic and his brothers: ‘He who never ceases to make his church fruitful through new offspring wishes to make these modern times the equal of former days and to spread the Catholic faith. So he inspired you with a holy desire to embrace poverty, profess the regular life and commit yourselves to the proclamation of the word of God, preaching everywhere the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Hawnhekk tissemma l-ittra tal-Papa Onorju III lil San Duminku, fejn wera x-xewqa ta’ ritorn għall-ispirtu tal-Knisja primitiva. Isemmi espressament il-faqar, li f’Atti 2, 44-45 hu ppreżentat bħala kundizzjoni għal ħajja verament fraterna. Niftakru li San Duminku, fin-nofsinhar ta’ Franza, wara l-laqgħa tiegħu mal-Legati tal-Papa, irrealizza kemm hu importanti l-faqar evanġeliku għall-kredibbiltà tal-predikatur.
Il-Papa Onorju jsemmi wkoll il-ħajja regolari. Din timplika ħajja komunitarja, liturġija komunitarja, ċelibat, u regola (allura ubbidjenza).
Commit yourselves to… preaching everywhere – fidili u infidili. San Duminku kien tant ħerqan li jmur jevanġelizza lill-Kumani. Il-ħtieġa tal-predikazzjoni kienet tant tinħass dak iż-żmien, kif wera l-Konċilju Lateran IV. U llum xejn inqas!
KF § II:
The Order of Friars Preachers, founded by St Dominic, ‘is known to have been established, from the beginning, for preaching and the salvation of souls, specifically.’ Our brothers, therefore, as the founder prescribed, ‘should everywhere behave uprightly and religiously, as men intent on procuring their own and other people’s salvation; they should behave as gospel men, following in the footsteps of the Saviour, speaking to God or of God, among themselves or with their neighbours.’
Huma kkwotati l-ewwel Kostituzzjonijiet: l-Ordni twaqqaf ‘for preaching and the salvation of souls’. U l-aħwa għandhom jgħixu ‘uprightly and religiously’, jigifieri ‘as evangelical men’ u ‘speaking to God or of God’ – frażi ripetuta spiss fil-proċess għall-kanonizzazzjoni tal-fundatur tagħna. Il-Beatu Ġordan jgħid li San Duminku ‘wera ruħu kullimkien bħala bniedem evanġeliku’ (Libellus, 104).
KF § III:
To ensure that by following Christ in this way we would perfect our love of God and of our neighbour, we consecrate ourselves entirely to God by profession, thus becoming members of our Order and dedicated in a new way to the universal Church, fully committed to preaching the word of God in its totality.
Hawn jissemmew l-effetti tal-professjoni tagħna, jigifieri: (1) konsagrazzjoni lil Alla; (2) inkorporazzjoni fl-Ordni; (3) dedikazzjoni b’titlu ġdid għall-Knisja universali; (4) xandir tal-Kelma fit-totalità tagħha. Onorju III kien kiteb: Verbi Dei sunt evangelizationi totaliter deputati (Fully committed to preach the word of God). Fl-LCO hi miżjuda l-kelma ‘integrae’: integrae evangelizationi Verbi Dei totaliter deputati. Mela totalment u mingħajr kompromessi.
Il-formula tal-professjoni tinkludi ubbidjenza lill-Madonna – li turi li sa mill-bidu nett l-Ordni wera rabta speċjali magħha.
San Tumas jikteb: Religiosus antonomastice dicitur ille qui divino famulatui mancipatur, quasi holocaustum offerens (II-II, q. 186, a. 1).
KF § IV:
Sharing the Apostles’ mission, we also follow their way of life, in the form devised by Saint Dominic. We do our best to live of one accord the common life, observing faithfully the celebration of the liturgy, especially the Eucharist and the divine office, diligent in study and constant in regular observance. Not only do these things contribute to the glory of God and our sanctification, they also bear directly on the salvation of humankind, since together they prepare and impel us to preach; they give our preaching its character, and, in turn, are influenced by it. The life of the order comprises a synthesis of these elements, inseparably interconnected, harmoniously balanced and mutually enriching. It is an apostolic life in the full sense of the word, from which preaching and teaching ought to issue from an abundance of contemplation.
Dan huwa l-aktar paragrafu importanti.
Sharing the Apostolic mission … in the form devised by St Dominic, jiġifieri:
ĦAJJA KOMUNI: unanimiter agentes – din tissemma fl-ewwel post. Għalhekk immedjatament wara l-KF, LCO jitħaddet fuq De Vita Communi (nn. 2-16), qabel ma jitkellem fuq il-kunsilli evanġeliċi. Għaliex? L-ewwel nett għax San Duminku ried li l-ħajja tal-Knisja tal-ewwel żmenijiet, kif imfissra f’Atti 2, 42-47,tkun il-mudell għall-ħajja tal-aħwa. U fil-bidu tar-Regola ta’ S. Wistin naqraw: ‘L-ewwel raġuni li għaliha nġbartu flimkien hija biex tgħixu għalenija fid-dar, u tkunu ruħ waħda u qalb wada f’Alla’. Barra minn hekk, fil-bidu tal-Perfectae Caritatis naqraw: ‘il-ħajja li tfittex tilħaq il-karità perfetta permezz tal-kunsilli evanġeliċi ...’ Fi kliem ieħor, il-kunsilli mhumiex il-fini, iżda mezz għall-fini, li hi l-karità perfetta. Il-komunità hi skola ta’ mħabba u ta’ għerf. Għalhekk fl-artiklu De Vita Communi tingħata importanza kbira lill-ħajja fraterna komunitarja, u n-n.3 § II jispjega fil-qasir imma tajjeb ħafna d-dimensjoni komunitarja tal-kunsilli evanġeliċi. Xieraq li xi darba ssir diskussjoni fit-tul dwar il-ħajja komunitarja Dumnikana skont LCO.
IL-KUNSILLI EVANĠELIĊI: Anki dawn, irridu ngħixuhom f’perspettiva Dumnikana. Dwar l-ubbidjenza: LCO (17, I) ifakkarna, ‘If a community is to remain true to its spirit and its mission, it needs that unity achieved through obedience.’ Mela l-ubbidjenza għandha dimensjoni komunitarja. Dwar il-kastità: LCO (27, II) itenni li hija ‘a requirement in our Order for a fruitfaul apostolic ministry’. Jerome Murphy O’Connor, fil-ktieb What is Religious Life?,u Timothy Radcliffe (f’ittra fejn kiteb li ‘the greatest sin against the vow of chastity is the refusal to love’) wrew tajjeb ferm id-dimensjoni komunitarja tal-kastità. Dwar il-povertà: LCO (31, II) jisħaq fuq il-valur appostoliku tal-povertà għad-Dumnikan. U San Duminku fehem il-povertà bħala kwalifika għall-kredibbiltà tal-predikatur.
IĊ-ĊELEBRAZZJONI KOMUNITARJA TAL-LITURĠIJA (ara LCO, 57): Il-Beatu Ġordan u l-proċess tal-kanonizzazzjoni ta’ San Duminku jisħqu kemm il-fundatur tagħna kien bniedem ta’ talb: jitlob bil-lejl, bl-akbar devozzjoni jiccelebra l-ewkaristija, jitlob u jkanta bil-ferħ huwa u sejjer għad-disputi pubbliċi. Umbertu de Romanis kiteb li r-reċita tal-Uffiċċju Divin għandha ssir ‘b’mod ċar u distint, mhux bl-għaġla, iżda b’attenzjoni u devozzjoni ... “bl-intelliġenza, b’affett, bil-ferħ, b’dinjità, b’umiltà, b’libertà sħiħa tal-ispirtu”’ (De Vita Regulari, II). Fuq l-eżempju ta’ San Duminku, id-Dumnikan għandu jagħti wkoll importanza lit-talba privata. Yves Congar kiteb li t-talba mentali trid tkun ‘bħan-nifs jew l-ossiġnu għas-saċerdot’. Niftakru wkoll id-devozzjonijiet partikulari tad-Dumnikan: l-Ewkaristija, Kristu msallab, u Marija.
L-ISTUDJU: San Duminku ta importanza kbira lill-istudju, mhux bħala fini, iżda bħala mezz għall-kontemplazzjoni u l-predikazzjoni. LCO, 76 jgħidu: ‘St. Dominic in founding the Order was truly innovative … He directed his brothers to the schools and sent them to study, preach and establish convents in the larger cities.’
L-OSSERVANZA REGOLARI: LCO 40 itenni li din l-osservanza regolari tinkludi l-ħajja komuni, iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-liturġija u t-talb privat, il-voti, l-istudju tal-verità u l-ministeru appostoliku. Iżda mbagħad isemmi speċifikament il-klawsura ‘biex l-aħwa jingħataw aktar għall-kontemplazzjoni u l-istudju, u tgħin għal ħajja aktar intima ta’ familja’; is-silenzju, li jgħin ħafna ‘l-ħajja interjuri, il-paċi, it-talb, l-istudju, u l-awtenticità fil-predikazzjoni’; il-penitenza bis-sawm u l-astinenza, imma li tinkludi wkoll l-eżerċizzi spiritwali, mortifikazzjoni, u xogħol għall-ġid tal-komunità (LCO 41-55).
Dawn il-valuri kollha, magħqudin flimkien inseparabbilment, jagħmlu minn ħajjitna ħajja teoċentrika u skola ta’ predikazzjoni: Contemplata aliis tradere.
KF § V:
Having been made cooperators with the episcopal order by priestly ordination, we have as our special function a prophetic task, which is to proclaim everywhere by word and example the Gospel of Jesus Christ, taking into account people’s situations, the times and the locations. The object of our preaching is either to cause the faith to be born, or to allow it to penetrate people’s entire lives more deeply, thus building the Body of Christ which is brought to perfection by the sacraments of faith.
‘… [W]e have as our special function a prophetic task.’ X’jagħmel il-profeta? (1) Ixandar valuri veri, (2) jiddenunzja valuri foloz, (3) inissel tama, (4) hu sensibbli għas-sinjali taż-żminijiet.
L-Eżortazzjoni Appostolika Pastores dabo vobis (n. 10) ittenni li anki meta fis-soċjetà nilmħu fatturi negattivi, għandna wkoll niddixxernu u nistaqsu: Kif jappellaw għalina? Anzi aħjar: X’qed jistenna minna l-Mulej f’din is-sitwazzjoni? Għalhekk dan il-‘prophetic task’ inwettquh taking into account people’s situations, the times and the locations. (Ara LCO 99 II u 110.)
KF § VI:
The Order’s nature as a religious society derives from its mission and its fraternal communion. Since the ministry of the Word and of the sacraments of faith is a priestly function, ours is a clerical Order, in whose mission the cooperator brothers too share in many ways, exercising the common priesthood in a manner specific to them. The total commitment of the Preachers to the proclamation of the Gospel by word and work is shown by the fact that at solemn profession they are united fully and permanently with Christ’s life and mission.
Since our Order is sent to the whole world, in collaboration with the entire Church, it is universal in character. The better to equip it for this mission, it is granted exemption and draws strength from a robust unity centred on the Master of the Order, its head, with whom all brothers are directly linked by profession, since study and evangelization require everyone’s availability.
Because of the Order’s mission, personal talents and a sense of responsibility are especially esteemed and cultivated by the brothers. After the completion of his formation, each brother is treated as an adult, competent to teach others and take on various responsibilities in the Order. For this reason, the Order has decided that its rules do not bind under pain of sin, so that the brothers may accept them with mature understanding, since ‘you are no longer slaves under the law, but a people living in freedom under grace.’
Lastly, in order that the Order may achieve its purpose, a superior has the power to dispense ‘whenever he deems it appropriate, especially in regard to what may impede study, preaching or the good of souls.’
Diversi aspetti tal-Ordni tagħna: a. klerikali, b. universali, ċ. l-eżenzjoni għat-twettiq xieraq tal-missjoni tagħna, d. l-unità, e. maturità, f. dispensa (li ma teħodhiex b’idejk … u dejjem in vista tal-pastorali jew, naturalment, ta’ mard).
U jtenni li ‘personal talents and a sense of responsibility are especially esteemed.’ Personal talents: T. Radcliffe semma eżempju: ‘Se il priore del Beato Angelico gli avesse ordinato: “Tu non dipingere. Ho bisogno di te per fare l’economo!” Avrebbe privato la società di un talento artistico straordinario!’. A sense of responsibility. Għalhekk il-Kostituzzjonijiet tagħna ma jobbligawx taħt dnub. U responsabbiltà li hi conditio sine qua non għal sistema demokratika.
KF § VII:
Our Order is both universal and a communion, and this is reflected in its type of government. Of special importance is the organic and proportionate sharing of all its members in achieving the Order’s purpose. For the Order is not confined to a single community, though this is its basic unit; it extends to a communion of convents, which constitute a province and to a communion of provinces, which constitute the entire Order. For this reason its authority, which is universal at the highest level – a General Chapter and the Master of the Order – is shared proportionately and with corresponding autonomy by the provinces and convents. Consequently our government is communitarian in a manner peculiar to itself, for superiors ordinarily take office after election by the brothers and confirmation by a higher superior. Furthermore, when matters of greater moment are being determined, communities share in several ways in the exercise of self-government, in chapter or council.
This communitarian form of government is particularly suited to the Order’s development and frequent renewal. For, in General Chapters superiors and – through their delegates – the brothers enjoy equal rights and freedom with provincials and diffinitors, and together with them ensure that the Order’s mission is advanced and that the Order itself is suitably renewed. This constant renewal of the Order is demanded by the Christian spirit of continuing conversion and by the Order’s special vocation, which compels it to adapt its presence in the world to the needs of successive generations.
Is-sistema ta’ gvern fl-Ordni hi komunitarju (b’elezzjoni kkonfermata mis-superjur maġġuri, u l-komunitajiet jipparteċipaw b’kapitli u kunsilli. Sehem fil-kapitli ġenerali u provinċjali.
Ara aktar ’l isfel, ir-riflessjoni personali dwar il-gvern (treġija) fl-Ordni.
KF § VIII:
The Order’s fundamental purpose and the way of life which follows from it retain their worth in every age of the Church’s existence. However, as our tradition teaches us, it is of the greatest importance that in times of accelerating change and development they be understood and given due weight. In such circumstances it is for the Order to renew itself and adapt itself courageously, discerning and testing the elements which are good and useful in humanity’s aspirations, taking them into the unchangeable equilibrium of the fundamental elements of its life.
With us, these elements cannot be changed substantially and must inspire forms of living and of preaching suited to the needs of the Church and of humankind.
Fi żmenijiet u ċirkustanzi ta’ tibdil, it is for the Order to renew itself and adapt itself courageously, discerning and testing the elements which are good and useful in humanity’s aspirations, taking them into the unchangeable equilibrium of the fundamental elements of its life.
KF § IX:
The Dominican family is composed of clerical and cooperator brothers, nuns, sisters, members of secular institutes, and fraternities of priests and laity. The Constitutions and Ordinations which follow concern the brothers only, unless it be otherwise expressly stated. The essential unity of the Order is protected by these regulations, without excluding a necessary diversity according to those same laws.
Il-Familja Dumnikana.
RIFLESSJONIJIET PERSONALI DWAR IS-SISTEMA TA’ TREĠIJA FL-ORDNI
Minn San Duminku ma writniex kitbiet tiegħu personali (bħalma wirtu istituti oħrajn: Benedittini, Frangiskani, Sależjani ...), iżda writna forma ta’ tregija ferm oriġinali għal dak iż-żmien – naħseb li nistgħu nsejħulha wkoll ‘forma ta’ spiritwalità’: is-sistema ta’ treġija komunitarja u demokratika.
Il-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Bolonja (1998), n. 179 tenna:
‘Il governo domenicano, comunitario e democratico, … fa appello alla corresponsabilità di ciascun frate e la stimola. Questa si manifesta nella capacità di ascolto e di servizio… I nostri confratelli sono sempre più sensibili a una partecipazione ai progetti di collaborazione, non solo nella loro formulazione, ma anche nella loro realizzazione’.
U l-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Providence (2001), n. 452:
‘Il nostro governo, che include una spiritualità di fraternità, responsabilità e libertà, richiede l’impegno personale e la disponibilità dei frati a liberarsi totalmente per la missione dell’Ordine. Questa forma di governo è fondata nella pratica dell’obbedienza e trova la sua efficacia nella generosità, collaborazione e solidarietà di tutti i suoi membri, così come nella reciproca fiducia tra superiori e frati.’
Minn dawn it-testi nistgħu nidefinixxu s-sistema ta’ gvern fl-Ordni tagħna bħala demokrazija komunitarja, li tħares u tħeġġeġ il-fraternità, ir-responsabbiltà u l-libertà. Il-Kapitlu ta’ Bolonja qal li l-finalità tat-treġija fl-Ordni hi li tiffavorixxi l-missjoni tal-Ordni. Għalhekk sa mill-bidu nett, fuq insistenza ta’ San Duminku nnifsu, is-superjur għandu l-awtorità li jiddispensa.
Il-predikazzjoni Dumnikana għandha essenzjalment dimensjoni komunitarja. Ma aħniex individwi li nippridkaw, iżda Ordni ta’ predikaturi. Għalhekk ingħad: ‘il governo domenicano è comunitario e democratico’. Dan juri wkoll l-importanza tal-kapitli konventwali, provinċjali u ġenerali.
It-tip ta’ komunità li ried iwaqqaf San Duminku kellha tkun fi qbil mat-treġija li ried jassenjalha. Mela kellha tkun komunità ‘partecipattiva’, fejn kull membru jassumi r-responsabbiltà. Kull wieħed irid ikun leader, inkella t-treġija ma tirnexxix. Anzi leader tajjeb hu dak li hu kapaċi jifforma leaders oħrajn, kapaċi jistimula l-oħrajn biex jaħsbu, jikkritikaw, jieħdu inizjattivi. Fl-ittra Dominican Freedom and Responsability T. Radcliffe jgħid li l-Ordni ma jinqasamx f’dawk li jiggvernaw u dawk li huma ggvernati, anzi l-gvern iqegħedna f’kundizzjoni li naqsmu responsabbiltà komuni. Fis-sistema tagħna ta’ gvern jeħtieg nagħrfu l-importanza li nedukaw għall-użu tal-libertà taghna sa mill-bidu tal-formazzjoni inizjali.
Iżda s-sistema ta’ gvern tagħna jitlob konverżjoni kontinwa għal responsabbiltà matura, li tħares mhux l-interssi personali, iżda l-ġid komuni. Kif tenna l-Kapitlu Ġenerali ta’ Bogotà (n. 227): ‘Ogni frate accetta la responsabilità per la promozione della missione e contribuisce personalmente a quella conversione comunitaria che sta al cuore della nostra chiamata alla proclamazione del Vangelo.’