The text details the establishment of the Association pour le Developpement de l Esprit Missionnaire, which was a constant aspiration of Father de Foucauld throughout his life. Originally drafted in 1909 and subsequently simplified in 1913 and 1916, the statutes of this union are built upon two fundamental principles. The first principle emphasizes that Christians, particularly the French regarding their Muslim subjects, have been deeply negligent in their primordial duty to evangelize non believers. The second principle dictates that this difficult mission requires much more than mere financial alms and occasional prayers, demanding instead a constant preoccupation with non believers and a genuine missionary spirit fostered through a serious and active Christian life.
To achieve this sincere and deep-rooted Christian commitment, the association proposes that believers subject themselves to a shared rule and organizational discipline. Father de Foucauld envisioned that every mother country should establish a similar union for the colonized infidels who depend upon them for the knowledge of the true religion. This broad, fraternal, and pressing idea first gained formal approval from Bishop Bonnet of Viviers and Bishop Livinhac in 1909, and later from Cardinal Amette in 1919, gathering individual and collective memberships from both persons and religious communities.
Ultimately, this association stands as the unique legacy and final counsel of Father de Foucauld to his friends and followers. By offering a disciplined rule of life oriented toward every form of apostolate, the organization aims to assist both the clergy and the faithful in fulfilling their religious duties toward marginalized populations. It remains a generous and expansive endeavor designed to transform passive belief into active spiritual dedication for the advancement of colonial evangelization.