Childlike Simplicity and Our Lady in the Congregation Of The Little Children of Our Blessed Lady
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Date
2001-04
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
At the heart of humility or childlike simplicity lies faith. Faith gives this virtue value and this faith
means trusting someone. Little ones according to the Gospel values are always cheerful for God is
not happy to see long faces. In the world today most people prefer to discuss humility rather than
live it and with that they never achieve since the true source and meaning of humility are to be
found in God alone. My intention is to find some practical examples of living humility as God wants.
It has been my desire since my Novitiate to explore the charism of our congregation. I am
privileged this third Millennium to begin exploring this theme. I say this because what the paper
contains is very limited and I feel there is more unwritten material to enrich me in the exploration of
this childlike simplicity. The gift of my studies in Tangaza College has made it possible and I thank
God for that.
Our founder thought it best to give us childlike simplicity as our Charism and Mary our Blessed
mother as our advocate and patroness. "Nothing is higher than humility says saint Ambrose, since
humility is highest placed of all". In gratitude therefore, under Our Lady's patronage I would like to
explore the relationship between Mary and our charism and how we as a Congregation can follow
suit. The first chapter is going to be our founder Aston Chichester's biography together with the
history of our foundation and the Charism and Spirituality of the Congregation.
The second chapter concentrates on the theme and sources. This is to consider childlike simplicity
in the Gospels i.e. (Mt. 18: 1-4) and in other sources like in the Benedictine spirituality whose
contribution seems to have enriched our founder, in St Francis of Assisi whose humility he asked
us to reflect on and in the Ignatian spirituality that was our founder's own. I consider too St Therese
of the Child Jesus whose simplicity he asked us to contemplate on. The third chapter is focused on Our Lady and the Congregation. This would include elements of
her Immaculate Conception, one of our feast days as a congregation. I will also consider her model
in living childlike simplicity as well as her challenge to the congregation.
Chapter four concentrates on integration of the element of childlike simplicity in one's life. I will
concentrate on formation in the congregation. The virtues that surround childlike simplicity are
numerous and call for a lot of contemplation in order to bring the message home. In all 'what God
wants is poverty of spirit, the denial of covetous desire and the charity of self-giving, which alone
opens the heart of perfect love of God and generous love for others'.1
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Keywords
Childhood, Charism, Spirituality