Who we are
The Intitute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) is a Catholic clerical Religious Institute. Its members are priests, seminarians and religious brothers. It was founded in Argentina on March 25, 1984 by Reverend Father Carlos Miguel Buela. It was canonically erected as a religious Institute of diocesan right by Most. Rev. Msgr. Andrea Maria Erba, Bishop of Velletri-Segni (Italy), on May 8, 2004.
It is currently spread throughout the five continents, working pastorally in 93 ecclesiastical jurisdictions in 44 different countries.
Our vocation is to follow Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit. We want to dedicate ourselves totally to God as our supreme Love, seeking His glory in a new and special way, for the edification of the Church and for the salvation of souls.
We want to imitate Jesus Christ as perfectly as possible, principally by the fulfilment of our religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, spurred on by charity. At the same time, we want to manifest our love and gratitude to the Blessed Virgin by imploring her indispensable help to prolong the Incarnation in all things, and therefore we make a fourth vow of Marian slavery according to the spirituality of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort.C
"To imitate Jesus Christ as perfectly as possible in the fulfillment of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience".
Our Charism
The specific charism[1] of our Institute requires all of its members to work in supreme docility to the Holy Spirit and according to the example of the Virgin Mary, so that Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all that is truly human, even in the most difficult situations and under the most adverse conditions; that is, it is the grace to know how to work concretely so as to extend the presence of Christ in families, education, the mass media, the scholarly, and in all other legitimate manifestations of human life. It is the gift of making each person “like a new Incarnation of the Word,”[2] thus fulfilling our essential call to be missionaries and Marian.
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The mission, received from the founder and submitted to the Church for approval, is to bring to fullness the effects of the Incarnation of the Word, “the epitome and root of all good”;[3] this is to be done especially in the vast world of culture, i.e., the “manifestation of man as an individual, as a community, as a people, as a nation.”[4]
Our Spirituality
Our spirituality[5] seeks to be anchored in the sacrosanct mystery of the Incarnation – the mystery of the Word made flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So we can say that our spirituality is that of the Person of the Word and of His Mother, so that, in the Holy Spirit, we may become united to the Father. All the principles of our Institute’s spiritual life, as stated in the Directory of Spirituality, stem from the elucidation of the mystery of the Incarnate Word.
“The name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God”[6] must take priority in our lives and actions, so vividly lived that we must not put anything before His love.
"Our Spirituality seeks to be anchored in the sacrosanct mystery of the Incarnation".
Marian Slavery
This consecration to Mary is done as a “filial slavery of love” according to Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort’s commendable method. He refers to such slavery as “willing” or “loving,”[7] because, as we are moved only by love, we freely and willingly offer ourselves and all our goods to Mary and to Jesus Christ through her. This offering is a fuller and more conscious renewal of the promises made in our baptism, when we were clothed in Christ,[8] and in our religious profession.
By this slavery of love, we offer Christ through Mary not only our bodies, souls, and goods, but also our good works (past, present and future), together with their satisfactory and meritorious value. Thus, she may dispose of everything according to the will of her Son and for His greater glory.[9] We are certain that we must go to the Incarnate Word through Mary, His Mother, and that she will form “great saints.”[10]
Our Founder
Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela was born in Buenos Aires on April 4th, 1941 and was ordained a priest on October 7th, 1971. He taught Theology and Sacred Scripture in different seminaries and schools in Argentina, such as the Instituto Superior de Cultura Católica (Rosario) and the Universidad Católica Argentina, and he gave a valuable service in the parishes of Nuestra Señora de la Merced and Nuestra Señora del Rosario (diocese of San Martín, Buenos Aires). He has been spiritual director and professor in minor seminaries and in the Diocesan Seminary of San Rafael (Mendoza). In this diocese he founded the religious congregation of the “Institute of the Incarnate Word,” the female religious congregation “Servants of the Lord and the and the Virgin of Matará, and, also in this diocese, he founded houses of religious formation, contemplative life, works of mercy and schools.
He wrote several books: “Catecismo de los jóvenes” (“Catechism for Youth”); “Jóvenes en el tercer milenio” (“Youth of the Third Millennium”); “María de Luján”; “Pan de Vida Eterna y Cáliz de Eterna Salvación” (“Bread of eternal life and Chalice of everlasting salvation”); “Juan Pablo Magno”; “Servidoras”; “Mi Parroquia”; “Ars Participandi”; “Fátima, y el sol bailó”; “El Arte del Padre”; “Ejercicios Espirituales y nueva evangelización”; etc. He has been a preacher and great promoter of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises.
"By this slavery of love, we offer to Christ through Mary not only our body,
our soul and our external goods, but also our good works, past, present and future..."
[1] Constitutions, 30-32.
[2] Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, Elevations, Elevation 33
[3] Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies on St. Matthew, II, 3
[4] Saint John Paul II, Discourse to the Men of the Culture on the Occasion of the Jubilee of Redemption, (15/12/1983), 3; OR (12/25/1983) Spanish Edition.
[5] Constitutions, 36-47.
