Bishop Giaquinta wrote about spirituality and how it is expressed by six fundamental points:
- The Father
- Christ
- The Spirit
- The Church
- We
- Mary
In his words…
It almost expresses a dual concept of Trinity: the Divine Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit) and the human trinity (the Church, We, and Mary).
Basically, the six points find their foundation in Scripture, but also in Tradition, for it is impossible to separate Scripture from Tradition, or to understand one part from another.
From these foundations is derived the theology of spiritual maximalism, which is a logical and systematic reflection on the gospel’s principles. In fact, theology is the application of the intelligence to the revealed truth, that is, the in-depth study, at the logical and explorative levels, of that which has been revealed.
Theological principles, when translated into practice, become a spirituality.
Such spirituality must become a source of apostolate and of pastoral ministry, permeating the individual activities in the parochial and diocesan environments.
Each of the six points will be studied in depth and in a fourfold perspective: scriptural and patristic, theological, spiritual, and apostolic.
Bishop Giaquinta adopted a Creed for Holiness. It is an adaptation of the writings of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. For him it captured the entire message and mission of his spirituality.
1) I believe in You, Father, God of love, whose love for us is infinite and who asks of us, in turn, a response of total love.
2) I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, eternal Word made flesh, and our brother who with His life-death-resurrection has actually made us new human beings.
3) Give us the Spirit of love that He may guide us in the living-out of Your message, form in us the image of Your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all your invitation to holiness.
4) May the Holy Church , Bride of the Lamb and our Mother, be for us a living source of transforming grace which we draw abundantly from the sacraments given to us by the Apostles, Your ministers. Grant that in her we may persue our call to holiness and become light for all people.
5) Let Your Word be for us and for all an invitation to bring about Your universal plan of love, to form new families in a new world where all shall live as brothers and sisters in Christ.
6) May Mary, Your Mother and ours, assist us; May your Saints, our modles, who have gone before us on the path of love, be our companions.
Amen.
(From The Spirituality of the Pro Sanctity Movement by Bishop Giaquinta, pages 7-9 — Reprinted with permission.)
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