“You will not be--this should be obvious--an assembly of the perfect; but you must be a school of Christian perfection." - Ven. Pope Pius XII
God's merciful kindness does not discriminate between man and man. At His ways and purposes we can only wonder. He has sent out His invitation time and time again to all the Christian Faithful, that all should seek and practice perfection wherever they may be.
So it has came about in the working of Divine Providence that many chosen souls––even in the midst of the world so vicious and corrupt especially in our times––have opened out to Him like flowers to the sun; souls not only full of burning zeal for that perfection to which each single soul is called, but capable in the midst of the world with a vocation (calling) that is from God, of finding new and excellent ways of seeking perfection together in associations suitable to the needs of our times and yet well adapted to the search for perfection.
In such associations it is quite possible to lead a life of perfection in spite of any difficulties arising from time, place, and circumstances. For those who wish to join a monastic (or religious) community but cannot or should not, an association of the Faithful is often the answer. You will not be––this should be obvious––an assembly of the perfect; but you must be a school of Christian perfection.”
– His Holiness, Ven. Pope Pius XII
“Be ye perfect as you your heavenly Father is perfect."" - Matthew 5:48
The TRANSITUS “school of perfection” is a simple and flexible yet arduous program of ongoing discipline and spiritual formation (ascesis) in which the ordinary Christian may acquire a true faith, a holy life, a perfect charity (the hope of salvation), and attain union with God and a sharing in His divine life (deification). The program consists of daily acts of prayer, study, meditation, work, fasting, vocational discernment, and service--in and through the Church’s Liturgy, to and from the Gospel, for the love of God, oneself, and others.
Thus wherever they reside and in all sectors of life, regardless of age, occupation and whether they are married or single, the life of monks will be their rule and crown, the sustenance and fruit of their union with God. Then from contemplation to action and Gospel to life, they may enkindle the monastic spirit within the Church and infuse its holy and divine order, life, and peace into society--restoring all things in Christ, our Abbot, Teacher, and King.
We hope that humble and sincere souls will enter and remain in this school of perfection. We pray they interiorize and meditate over its lessons, that they grow in grace, holiness, and above all charity; and thus be the “living stones” that rebuild the House of God, the “living sacrifices” that redeem the world. May this school serve to make a great number of souls better understand the nature of this perfection to which God so widely invites all Christians to increase in some of these the esteem of the Christian vocation and life often misunderstood by our age.
May this school inspire certain souls to realize in themselves the call of grace, and to triumph over the obstacles that natural affections or this spirit of the world oppose to its call. May it quicken the first fervor of such souls whose perseverance perhaps is wearied by the length and difficulty of the Way; and obtain for those who are faithful to their vocation and covenant promises the resolution of applying themselves without relaxing to attain the essence and summit of perfection. Finally, may it stimulate among them the best of ambitions, ever satisfied, that of the holiness of God--sainthood!
It is a great challenge to Christians to arise and labor unceasingly for the kingdom of Christ--for the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few--yet greater is He who is within us than he who is in the world! Confident that the Heavenly Father will recognize in our humble labor the precepts and counsels of the Gospel and the traditional teachings of His saints, and will vouchsafe to bless our efforts as we labor in His field; for this let us render Him even now our humble and filial thanksgiving.
“I will sing to you, O Lord. I will walk in the way of perfection.” (Psalm 101:1-2)
• The Gospel: Meditation and practice of the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ with frequent Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation), Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, & Contrition, and daily Examination of Conscience;
• The Liturgical Year: the study and commemoration of the Life of Christ and the participation in the mysteries of salvation through the Church’s festivals of Seasons and Saints with their daily readings from Sacred Scripture, subjects of Meditation, and rules of Fasting, Abstinence, Tithing and Alms;
• The Divine Liturgy (The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass), Eucharistic Adoration, and Acts of Spiritual Communion;
• The Divine Office (The Liturgy of the Hours): the Church’s official Psalter and Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise;
• Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) as well as Sacred Music (especially Chant), Icons, and Sacred Art;
• Popular Devotions: The Sign of the Cross + The Jesus Prayer + The Angelus & The Regina Caeli + The Rosary + The Brown Scapular + The Chaplet of Divine Mercy + Morning Offering + Examination of Conscience + Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, Spiritual Communion, & Contrition + Eucharistic Adoration + Holy Hour of Reparation + Home Enthronement of the Sacred & Immaculate Hearts of Jesus & Mary + First Friday Communion of Reparation + First Saturday Communion of Reparation & Consecration + Act of Oblation to Divine Merciful Love (Weekly Consecration & Renewal of Commitment in Transitus) + Act of Consecration of Transitus Oblates of the Last Martyrdom to the Immaculate Heart of Mary + (Personal) Act of Consecration to the Immaculate (St. Maximilian Kolbe) + any time-tested Catholic devotion is encouraged.
• Catechetics: The study of Sacred Scripture and Salvation History, the Ecumenical Councils and Ecclesiastical Documents, the Catechism and Creeds, the lives and works of the Fathers and Saints, the Church’s Liturgy and Sacraments, Faith and Morals, Ecclesiastical Government and Social Doctrine;• The study and living of The Rule of Transitus Oblates of the Last Martyrdom.
