We are called by God to a community of faith, fraternity, and apostolate. Following the example of the first Christians, we share with our confreres our faith experience, our friendship and fraternal living and our apostolic activities.

Gathered in the name of Christ, the Savior, we are assured that He is in our midst as the continuing source of our unity, our strength, and our apostolic effectiveness. Our community life is characterized by its apostolic spirit and our apostolic life is formed by a spirit of community and mutual love, sharing, and service. Hence our community life is flexible and open to the demands of our ministries.

In our community life we respect the individuality of each member. We accept differences, and we recognize the wealth of gifts which enrich our community. We try to overcome our failings and pardon one another, mutually bearing our shortcomings and limitations with patience.

Mutual understanding and acceptance are essential for the wellbeing of our community. Hence we enter into dialogue with one another to discover what is good for the individual, the community, and our work for the Kingdom of God. Prayer and love for one another sustain us in unity through all differing views.

The members participate in community activities to promote the general wellbeing and spirit. Our common activities, which are periodically evaluated, include common prayer, meals, recreation, and dialogue. Every member belongs to a local community, even when, for a legitimate reason, he lives apart from the community. Members who, because of age and ill health, can no longer exercise their active apostolate may so far as possible live in the community of their choice.

The sick and the older members deserve our special love, gratitude, and care. They are given proper medical assistance and every spiritual ministry. Continued love for deceased confreres, parents, relatives, and benefactors demands that we remember them in our personal and communal prayers.

Wherever feasible, one portion of the house is reserved for the exclusive use of the community. An atmosphere of peace and quiet prevails, as these are important for our life and work.

The better we live a fraternal and apostolic community life, the more it becomes a sign of God's love and prophetic witness that Christ abides in us and unites us in love.

Our life is apostolic

"The life of those who join this work is the apostolic life, or the imitation of the holy Apostles. They leave behind all things and go to work there where, in the judgment of the superiors, the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls await each one." (Rules. 1882)

Our spirit is love

"The spirit by which they are impelled is the love of God and of neighbor, according to St. Paul's exhortation in his first letter to the Corinthians (Ch. 13). That love is like a burning fire from which issues forth such an apostolic fervor that they give all and wholly spend themselves for souls, even to the shedding of their blood, if God should desire." (Rules 1882)

We are called to become saints and to work in order that others become saints

"Since, however, without effort towards their own perfection no fruit is to be expected from their labors in the Lord's vineyard, they are bound to make daily progress on the road to holiness. Let them, therefore, be mindful above all that all our progress is the work of divine grace, which they should in unceasing prayer implore for themselves from the Father of all light." (Rules 1882)

We live according the evangelical counsels

"In order to grow in this necessary virtue it is very helpful to look upon our Lord Jesus Christ, who became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross... Celibacy is to be observed in the Lord... Since they follow in the footsteps of the holy Apostles who left all things and followed Christ they shall, as far as possible, observe poverty in their life and conduct." (Rules 1882)

We love each other

"Above all, the members shall cultivate mutual charity so that, united by the bond of peace in the Holy Spirit, they show themselves to be companions of the Apostles, taking as their special legacy the words of our greatest master, Jesus Christ, as He was about to leave this world: “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another; even as I have loved you, you too, shall love each other.” They shall treat each other with kindness, support one another with patience, and accept correction from a confrere in all humility." (Rules 1882)

Pope John Paul II wrote in his Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata:

“The Consecrated Life, deeply rooted in the example and teaching of Christ the Lord, is a gift of God the Father to his Church through the Holy Spirit. (…) In every age there have been men and women who, obedient to the Father's call and to the prompting of the Spirit, have chosen this special way of following Christ, in order to devote themselves to him with an "undivided" heart. Like the Apostles, they too have left everything behind in order to be with Christ and to put themselves, as he did, at the service of God and their brothers and sisters. In this way, through the many charisms of spiritual and apostolic life bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit, they have helped to make the mystery and mission of the Church shine forth, and in doing so have contributed to the renewal of society”.

As you can see ‘consecrated’ life means solemnly dedicated to Christ with undivided heart through religious vows.

What is a vow?

A vow is a total and sacrificial commitment to Christ that is binding forever. It is an expression of great love that allows the person who takes on the commitment and responsibility of the vows an opportunity of incredible freedom from the ties of this world, so that they can grow closer to the joy of the next world.
The vows most commonly used in religious communities are known as the evangelical counsels. These are vows of chastity in celibacy, poverty, and obedience.

Chastity

We should be chaste in our family and in public life. Chastity for the laity means celibacy before marriage and respect for one's spouse in marriage. Chastity for the clergy or for religious means celibacy for life. The vow of chastity is something religious profess. By it they sacrifice the freedom the laity have to marry and raise children.

Obedience

We should obey all legitimate authority, in our family, in our nation, and most importantly in the Church. A promise made to God to obey an ecclesiastical superior in a religious community is called a vow of obedience. By it one makes himself a subject of the superior and promises to obey him in accord with the Rule of the community.

Poverty

We should love God above all things and love other things only insofar as they help us love God. No one should be greedy, or make wealth the purpose of his life. Religious, by the vow of poverty, promise to live as a family, with all goods owned by the community and each member owning nothing personally.

Not everyone is ready do follow Christ in consecrated, religious life, but there are many who are called by God to know him, love him and serve him in a special and unique way. For many people these vows could be difficult to understand, but for those who fall in love with God and have heard God’s call to religious life these vows are expressions of personal love to God and others in religious community.

As Salvatorians we are fulfilling God’s call in our consecrated life with those vows in apostolic life.

 As Salvatorians we describe our charism, mission, spirituality and identity by stating that these elements are all inseparably related to one another. Charism and mission are two sides of the same coin, which are lived out in spirituality. Identity is the composite of specific Salvatorian characteristics that we recognise in ourselves and by which we are recognised by others.

 
Salvatorian Charism
The founding charism is the specific gift of the Holy Spirit given to Fr Francis Jordan for the Church and the world. It is rooted especially in four biblical texts that are key to his life and work. They are at the core of the charism he communicates to all Salvatorians.

And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
(John 17:3)

Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.
(Matthew 28:19-20)

And he said to them, “Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.”
(Mark 16:15)

But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendour of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.
(Daniel 12:3)

Key elements found in these foundational texts by which we are called and empowered are:

• to live eternal life
• to know the one true God and the one He sends, Jesus Christ
• to follow in the footsteps of the apostles
• to make disciples of all nations
• to lead others to eternal truth and justice
• to proclaim the universality of Christ’s message
• to be able to discern the signs of the times

Salvatorian Mission
We Salvatorians are sent in mission to announce through our lives and actions the gospel message as contained in the key elements of the charism:

• to make known the Saviour
• to work for the fullness of life or salvation
• to lead others to a conscious awareness of God
• to support one another in our apostolic commitment
• to involve others in the mission
• to emphasize the role of the lay apostle
• to proclaim the message to all people, everywhere and at all times, and to do this through whatever ways and means the love of Christ inspires

Salvatorian Spirituality
Salvatorian Spirituality is the way Salvatorians live out our charism and mission in a concrete day-to-day way. Specific elements of this spirituality are:

• knowing God, that is, experiencing God as the centre of our lives
• trusting in Divine Providence, living holiness as a vocation and helping others to do the same
• manifesting the goodness and kindness of the Saviour
• being people of prayer
• being poor in spirit
• having apostolic zeal
• living out truth, justice, solidarity, and faithfulness
• being willing to bear the cross for the sake of the mission
• loving inclusively
• following the example of Mary by making the Saviour known
• loving the Church
• living the simplicity of the children of God

Salvatorian Identity
We identify ourselves as Salvatorians by the way we live out our charism, mission and spirituality both individually and as a group. We are bonded together in mutual commitment to be the incarnated expression of these key elements through which others are able to identify us as Salvatorians.

Salvatorian Prayer
Our whole life is based upon our unity with Christ. We constantly deepen this unity by:

• celebrating the Liturgy
• meditating the Word of God
• personal and communal prayer
• offering our life into the service of salvation
• seeing and meeting Jesus in every person and everyday events

God speaks to us through His word contained in the Bible. God’s word strengthens our faith, hope and love. We accept God’s word with gratitude and meditate upon it in order that we may understand it better, live it out in our lives and announce it to others.

Jesus gives us an example of prayer. Father Jordan reminds us that we should be people of prayer. Because of this we appreciate prayer. Our individual and community prayer includes daily meditations as well as prayers which are most profitable.

Patrons of our Society
The Society is dedicated to the Divine Saviour. The Patrons of our Society are:

• Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Saviour
• the Apostles
• St Michael the Archangel
• St Joseph

Patronal Feasts of our Society
The titular feast of our Society is the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour. The principal Marian feast is that of Mother of the Saviour (11th October). We celebrate our foundation day on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8th December) on which day we renew our commitment to God in the Society. We also venerate Mary as Queen of the Apostles. We observe the feasts of our patrons and we commemorate the feast of Blessed Mary of the Apostles (5th September) and the anniversary of our Founder’s death (8th September).