INTER-PROVINCIAL MEETING 2021
TOGETHER...
towards the future
The future has a name ... It's called HOPE!
- Pope Francis -
Second Week
November 1
Economy at the service of Charism and Mission (Part I)
From internationality to interculturality (Part I)
Economy at the service of Charism and Mission
Sr. Claudette Casavant
After the opening prayer, the first topic began: Economy at the service of Charism and Mission. To illustrate this, S Claudette made use of the prayer for the canonization of Mother Rivier to encapsulate the Charism and spirituality that is ours. Economy for the service of the Mission emphasizes one’s fidelity to the original charism of the foundress.
Based on this point of view, the participants were invited to reflect together and to share as Council groups how our Economy can be at the service of our Mission.
These are the two questions they were given for their reflection:1.In the economic management of our P/R/M are there attitudes, ways of doing that we must rethink, review, readjust?
- In the economic management of our P/R/M are there attitudes, ways of doing that we must rethink, review, readjust?
- What would be some small daily choices that we could make in our P/R/M in order to live an economy at the service of our charism and our mission?
The second part of this topic will be presented during our next session.
From Internationality to Inculturality
Fr Tim Norton, svd
Every nation has its own distinctive culture but there are some elements that are common to all of us. There is no perfect culture. We are all made in the image of God, but sin is present. All cultures need to critically look at their own cultural reality and discover that we all need conversion. Fr. Tim helped us to see the difference between international and Intercultural living. Intercultural living is not natural, but “supernatural” and requires an intentional and voluntary commitment.
This topic will also be continued during Wednesday’s session.
November 3
Continuation...
From Internationality to Inculturality (Part II)
Finances: Fond Pontanier
Economy for the service of Charism and Mission (Part II)
From Internationality to Interculturality
Fr Tim continued his session and invited us to look at the way Jesus proclaimed the Reign of God, as a reign of inclusivity. He also reflected on Interculturality in the Early Church rereading with us the experience of Peter and Cornelius in the Acts of the Apostles 10:1-36.
We explored the value of our being members of One Body which is one of the underlying spiritual values of interculturality. In Leadership, Spirituality and Interculturality F Tim helped us discover the wisdom of Chris Lowney and his writings on Leadership, listing spiritual values which we are invited to reflect in our religious life today. The session on Interculturality brought us new enthusiasm as we look towards the near and far future with its challenges and hopes!
Fond Pontanier
Miss Jocelyn Desloges, presented the Canadian laws which the Fond Pontanier, a Canada Registered Charity, is obliged to follow in order to function well and fulfill its aim. This explains all the documents that are required from each P/R/M. The presentation was clear, concise, precise and well appreciated by the participants.
Economy at the service of Charism and Mission
S Claudette continued her presentation, focusing on some criteria that we can use during our discernment process as we make choices that concern the economy of our P/R/M in the present and for the future. She mentioned three in a particular way: fidelity to the Gospel, fidelity to our Charism and fidelity to our Mission.
S Ginette also presented the various stages of on-going formation taken from our Formation Handbook. These would be the basis we would use to prepare an online on-going formation program.
Our session was filled with enriching topics that gave us the impetus to walk together with creativity towards the future!
November 5
Preparation of a Provincial /Regional Chapter
Modalities for participation in the Chpater
Proposals/Wishes
The Spirit of a Chapter
Echoes: Youth and Vocation Ministry and Lay Consecrated
Concrete Plans for the Future
Today’s sessions focused on the concrete guidelines to be used in the preparation of our Provincial/Regional Chapters in view of our General Chapter in 2023. Sr. Claudette, Sr. Louise and Mother Maria dos Anjos were the principal speakers for these topics.
November 6
Economy at the service for Charism and Mission
Future perspective
Synthesis of the challenges for the Future
Final Message Closing prayer
After the opening prayer, S Claudette continued with the topic of: Economy at the service of Charism and Mission. The sharing of our lived reality and ideas for the future were important, as we continue to learn from one another. The participants were invited to continue this discussion as Councils so that as a Congregation we may respond to the call of Pope Francis to re-think our Economy for today.
We explored together the ongoing realization of congregational projects such as the Intercultural Community which will soon begin in France and the Intercultural Novitiate which we hope will become a reality. We took time to share the challenges that we face today as a Congregation and how the Spirit is calling us for move forward together.
Our Congregation has a wonderful future because our future is JESUS CHRIST!
The First Week
October 25
The second Inter Provincial Meeting has begun!
The English-speaking group began their INTER PRM encounter today! We are 34 participants, members of the Provincial/Regional and Mission leadership teams and their treasurers from 5 countries – United States, Canada, Philippines, Japan and The Gambia, as well as the General Administration who is responsible for the facilitation of these gatherings.
The session began with a video presenting the participants and an opening prayer on the theme of our gathering: TOGETHER, TOWARDS THE FUTURE. (see in pdf format TOGETHER TOWARDS THE FUTURE ) Mother Maria dos Anjos officially opened our session with her words of welcome and gave us orientations for our gathering that is considered an enlarged Council of the Congregation. Her message opened up for us the path for our reflection and sharing.
Sr. Hortência Ubisse, General Councilor, shared her reflections on Integral Ecology from the perspective of human ecology and relationships. All relationships are interconnected and interdependent. Building a healthy community is building a healthy planet!
presentation of the participants
October 27
Tranformative Experience
Creating Safe Environment
TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE
Sr. Marian Murcia, SFB
This approach is an instrument of discernment, a way of looking at reality from four areas of experience: the experience of being a person, the experience of being in a context, the experience of being part of a system, the experience of the living God.
We were led to ask ourselves how we situate ourselves as members of our Council. This question opens doors for us and promotes mutual knowledge. It also invites us to be attentive and to discern the actions of God in our areas of experiences.
CREATING SAFE ENVIRONEMENT
Sr. Kelly Connors, Canonist
Sr Kelly began a reflection and discussion on the creation of a Congregational policy for the safety of children and vulnerable person. It is also necessary for Religious Institutes to have a written policy that provides clear guidelines on how we can best ensure the safety of those we care for, of those whom we collaborate with, in our ministries, and those whom we live with in our communities. The policy has to be founded on core principles and values that we hold as a Congregation. We are responsible for our behavior. Whatever we do, teaches.
At the end of her presentation, Sr. Kelly invited the participants who would want to collaborate in the formulation of this policy to communicate with her.
October 29
Synodality and Consecrated Life
Sr. Jolanda Kafka, CMS
Sr. Jolanda Kafka, the Superior General of the Claretian Missionary Sisters and the current president of UISG, is the speaker for today’s session on Synodality and Consecrated Life.
The beginning of her talk focuses on presenting Synodality: The Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission. Pope Francis had launched the whole Church to her Synodal journey, as the ‘path which God expects the Church of the third millennium.’ It calls for a listening and discerning Church. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist of the synodal journey because Synodality calls for the participation of all of the People of God.
The second part is Consecrated Life and what CL can contribute to Synodality in the universal and local Church. The role of Consecrated Life is indispensable because of its synodal nature rooted in the history of foundation intended by the founders and foundresses. Members of a particular Religious Life, the participants are led to reflect and identify some aspects in the PM spirituality and charism that may help nourish the synodal life in their local church.
