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What is the Chain of Love?
It is a way of
how to live the baptismal priesthood. The Venerable
Servant of God Concepción Cabrera de Armida, inspired by
Christ, called this practice the
"Chain of Love".
The Chain of Love is also the exercise of the spiritual
priesthood by which "all their works, prayers and apostolic
undertakings, family and married life, daily work,
relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the
Spirit--indeed even the hardships of life if patiently
borne--all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to
God through Jesus Christ"
(L.G. No. 34; cf. I P 2,5).
This is what our Bylaws says about the Chain of Love:
"The Chain of Love is the characteristic way of living the
baptismal priesthood for those who live the Spirituality of
the Cross.
We will live the Chain of Love, taking on its existence like
Jesus, in faithfulness to God and all people, making a
permanent offering of one's life. We will study its
fundamentals and rules and encourage its practice"
(Bylaws & Regulations 63).
"As a consequence of our loving attention to God, we
will each day, with the frequency that is possible for us,
make the
Offering of the Incarnate Word"
(Bylaws & Regulations 64). |
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"I, from the moment
of My Incarnation in Mary's most pure womb, acquired graces. I want you, transformed into Me, living out of My own life,
not to do from now on anything else.
Offer yourself in my union and offer me at each instant to the
Eternal Father with the so noble goal of saving souls and giving
him glory".
"Listen, you are going to make a Chain.
Each hour of your life will be one of its golden links, offering it
for this intention; I want you to stop only on your death."
(Conchita's Diary, June 21, 1906) |
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The Fourteen Rules of the Chain of Love |
| 1. I want the souls that
make up the Chain of golden links, which I have asked you for,
to be far advanced in virtues, above all in
humility and sacrifice. |
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| 2. They must be pure of body and
soul. |
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| 3. They must be prayerful souls. |
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4. They must be souls with a tendency to keep to
themselves with the perfect
spiritual modesty. |
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5. They must have a vow of poverty or at least a
great affection for this virtue experiencing, by love, its
effects. |
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| 6. They must forget about
themselves and have Me as the sole object of all their
aspirations. |
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| 7. They must have their heart
empty of all earthly affections so that I may fill it
in its entirely. |
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8. They must have a very great love to my Mother,
imitating her in her perfect obedience towards God and men. |
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9. They must live a supernatural life with the
purity of intention, my presence being familiar to them.
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| 10. Those souls must tend towards all that
is right and holy. |
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11. They must be souls tempered for sorrow and loving the
Cross in all its ways. |
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| 12. They must love Me without
self-interest, just for Who I am, with generosity, without
interruption and abandoned to my will. |
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13. They must be always prompt to be faithful and to
correspond, just as I want the exercise of this virtue. |
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14. And lastly, they must live in Me, dead to
everything that is not Me or that leads to Me. |
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Let us live the notable grace of the Church's baptismal priesthood or of
the
"Chain of Love".
Jesus is asking us for it: "I wish for a mighty stimulus to be given to
this expiatory act, joining victims to the Great Victim... and that in
unity, everybody would offer me and offer themselves in my union"
(C.C. 49,18).
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"May the
Chain, which I have asked, exist by all means possible"
(C.C. 22,36) |
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