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Reflection On The Year Of Consecrated Life

Sons and Daughters of the Rainbow: Co-Creators with Our Creator God

By Elizabeth M. Davis, RSM

In proclaiming the Year of Consecrated Life (the Year of Religious Life), Pope Francis cried, “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living!” Steve Werner, composing the hymn for the Year, challenges us to wake up the world with “abiding words of faith, uplifting words of hope, prophetic words of love and unending words of joy.” The sense of waking up the world with a word is deeply embedded in our call to holiness as Christians. In the first story of creation in Genesis 1, “God said . . . And it was so.” John’s Gospel begins (Jn 1:1, 14), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word became flesh and lived among us.”

More and more, we are coming to realize that we are called to be co-creators with our Creator God, transforming our torn and fractured world one moment at a time. Our Jewish sisters and brothers have given us the powerful Hebrew phrase, tikkun olam, “repairing and healing the world.” In Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor (1997), Leonardo Boff writes:

Human beings must feel that they are sons and daughters of the rainbow, those who translate this divine covenant with all the beings existing and living, with new relationships of kindness, compassion, cosmic solidarity, and deep reverence for the mystery that each one bears and reveals. Only then will there be integral liberation, of the human being and of Earth, and rather than the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth there will be common celebration of the redeemed and the freed, human beings in our own house, on our good, great, and bountiful Mother Earth.

In To Weavers Everywhere, Marchiene Rienstra poetically expresses this invitation to be co-creators:

And God invites us
Not only to keep offering her the
Shreds and rags of our suffering
And our work
But even more -
To take our place beside Her
At the Jubilee Loom,
And weave with her
The tapestry of the New Creation.

We women and men religious are profoundly privileged, not in being the only ones called to be co-creators because that is certainly not so, but in being among the very few who know that we are called to be co-creators. Through our personal and communal contemplation, through our access to wise teachers and mentors and time for study, and through opportunities to share wisdom in our communities, we have grown in our awareness that God wants us to be co-creators, trusts us to do so and strengthens to do so.

In the Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis challenged each one of us, not matter what our position in the Church or our level of instruction in the faith, to be missionary disciples (EG #119-121). In a letter written to the Canadian church in 2003, the Christian Ecological Imperative, our Bishops give us a contemporary blueprint to help us in our response to this challenge in faith. They invite us to live contemplatively, ascetically and prophetically – (i) contemplatively: each one of us is personally called to deepen our capacity to understand and appreciate the world around us as an act of faith and love through meditation, prayer, participation in liturgy, study and reflection; (ii) ascetically: we adjust our lifestyle choices and daily actions in awareness of and sensitivity to the realities of the world around us; and (ii) prophetically: we work with each other through community action to make our world more inclusive, more socially and ecologically just, and more rooted in right relationships.

On the way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Mary and Cleopas found joy and hope when they were in the midst of despair. They found that joy and hope in walking with a stranger, sharing Scripture with him, inviting him into their home and breaking bread with him. Each one of us has that very same experience every single day. Yet how rarely do we exclaim in joy-filled delight as Mary and Cleopas did, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” (Lk 24:32)

This Year of Religious Life is a blessed moment for us to renew our faith journey with energized steps, to re-read with new eyes our Scriptures and our newspapers, to welcome once again strangers to our tables, and to re-ignite our burning hearts.

Because we choose to celebrate this Year of Consecrated Life with “abiding words of faith, uplifting words of hope, prophetic words of love and unending words of joy,” will Earth be repaired and healed? Will our global village become healthier? Will our communities become more daring places of welcome? Will our Church become more radically inclusive? Will our hearts burn more brightly within us? Will we wake up the world? Let us dare to say “Yes!” Let us dare to live “Yes!”

A Reflection For Advent 2014

In her beautiful book of meditations, “Fragments of Your Ancient Name”, Joyce Rupp writes:

Come, Spirit of Joy, come!
Be reborn in us. Birth enthusiasm.
Leap into our minds with gladness.
Dance away dismal discouragement.
Toss out griping and antipathies.
Topple old fortifications of blame.
Chase away what creates sadness.
Loosen all that keeps out your joy.
Hasten our footsteps to happiness.
Fulfill the designs of your heart.

God indeed has plans for each of us and God desires our happiness that in our lives we might fulfill the designs God’s heart. It is through living out our particular vocation that we are called over and over again to fulfill God’s designs in the world.

At the beginning of this Advent, 2014 we also begin the celebration of the “Year of Consecrated Life”. During this special Year, women and men who are vowed members of religious communities are asked to re-examine and renew the commitments of their vocation. But Advent provides an invitation to all of us to “take stock” of our lives; to re-examine and renew our commitments in light of our personal and varied vocations. In this special liturgical time of waiting anew for the coming of Christ in our hearts and in our world will we receive that invitation and pray, “Come, Spirit of Joy, come! Be reborn in us?”

Sr. Helen Pinto First Vows

Sr. Mercedes Lopez, U.J., congregational leader, receives her vows.

*First vow celebration of Sr. Helen Pinto, Ursuline of Jesus.

The celebration took place on Friday, September 19, 2014 at St. Joseph Basilica in Edmonton.

She has answered God’s call to live our charism, “contemplating, celebrating, living and announcing the Incarnation”.

Read about the Ursulines of Jesus

WAKE UP THE WORLD!

THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

*What a wonderful gift and invitation we have been given by Pope Francis who has named 2015 the “Year of Consecrated Life”. Pope Francis reminds all religious that they are to “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in the world”, he says. While addressing his remarks specifically to members of religious communities this call reminds us all that together in our varied vocations we are indeed to proclaim the Gospel of Joy through our lives.

The Year of Consecrated Life begins significantly with a call. The call is expressed in three ways:

(1) For renewal within communities of women and men in consecrated life.

(2) For appreciation and gratitude for the multitude of ways that religious sisters, brothers and priests witness to God’s love in lives of prayer and joyful service in the world – those in our contemplative communities and those in lives of active diversified ministry in our Church and world today.

(3) For invitation to the next generation as Pope Francis has said, to “be courageous” in discernment of consecrated life – to commit and to dare to live differently for God.

Please pray that this special year will indeed be a time of renewal, ever deeper commitment and witness, thanksgiving and new life. Younger people, “be courageous” dare to discern a religious vocation, to a life lived fully in Christ and in service. “Wake up the World” with your life!

The Year of Consecrated Life Resources

Appointment of NAVFD Executive Director

Nancy Sullivan, CSJ

* The Board of NAVFD is delighted to announce the appointment of Sister Nancy Sullivan, CSJ as part-time Executive Director of the Association.

Sister Nancy is currently Director of the Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada and she will now combine her two roles.

Sister Nancy brings many gifts to her new position. She has much experience in vocation visioning and ministry, a deep and practical commitment to those who are poor, strong administrative and financial skills, global outreach and international experience.

Sister Nancy will begin her new work on July 1, 2014.

We greatly look forward to working with her as together we build a “culture of vocation” in Canada and partner closely with other Vocation and Formation organizations across the world. Congratulations, Sister Nancy!

Taking a Risk for God: Vocation to religious life! – Ottawa

The Daughters of Wisdom and the Montfort Fathers/Brothers – Congregations without Borders

Inviting women and men 18+ interested to reflect on their call

Theme Lord, what do you want me to do?

Where? When?
424 Montreal Rd. (in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Church)
Saturday June 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch offered)

The same session given in Montreal at a later date

Information/registration by May 31:

Sr. Claudette Bélanger 613- 749-1466 bclaudette17@gmail.com

Taking a Risk for God: Vocation to religious life! – Sudbury

The Daughters of Wisdom (Montfort Sisters) – A Congregation without Borders

Inviting women 18+ interested to reflect on their call

Theme: Lord, what do you want me to do?

Where? When?
St- Jean-de-Brébeuf Church, Sudbury
(26 Kathleen – corner of Notre-Dame – in the basement)

Saturday May 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch offered)

The same session later given in Ottawa and Montreal

Information/registration by May 19:

Sr. Monique Potvin – 705-356- 7262 – moniqpotv@hotmail.com

A Reflection For Easter 2014
Amazement and Joy Bring Openness to New Life

On Easter morn, Mary Magdalene sought to anoint Jesus’ body but instead, was surprised by His presence! He is risen as He said He would! Her surprise came when she heard her name called “Mary!” as one very much known by Jesus.

“Rabboni!” Amazement led to extreme joy! Then, before she could totally grasp this experience, Jesus brought her to another level of encounter. “Go and tell my brothers” was poured into her mind and heart as good news. This would set a record of newness, of new courage, of new life to Jesus’ disciples and all who await the fulfilment of His promise of salvation. That moment, her encounter with the Risen Lord opened a new chapter of who she is to become. A messenger of Easter joy!

How can we prepare ourselves to encounter and be amazed by Jesus? As we know, Jesus, by His Resurrection, is present among us in the ordinariness of our daily life (“I am with you always…”), in His living Word, in the life of the Church-in worship and in the care of others, especially the poor and the vulnerable. His presence is loving and gentle, inviting us to see Him through suffering and pain. Let us be amazed at the new life that springs forth from the faithful efforts of men and women who believe and care, and in those who defend and promote life. Let us be amazed at the silent whispers of prayer and supplications by the people of God. Let us be amazed at the inspirations the Holy Spirit gives us to constantly hope and promote peace. Let us leave behind ways that entomb us. Let us allow the light of God to roll away the stones of fear, indifference and busyness that keep us away from those we love. With our faith-filled amazement, let us turn to prayer where we contemplate Jesus active in our lives and around us. The Sacraments are for us, signs of His loving presence, abundant mercy and wise accompaniment in our journey to new life.

This Easter season, let us ask Jesus to transform this amazement of His love to a constant renewal of our mind, to think as He thinks, to think with the Church in outreach, to make our daily encounter with Him reach a newer level of discipleship.

How can I cultivate the habit of being amazed by God?
How can I be a messenger of Easter joy?

Days of Prophecy, Promise and Hope: The 2014 Canadian Vocation Conference

Sister Barbara Reid, O.P. keynote speaker

* Between March 9 – 12th., over 100 participants gathered in Toronto for the 2014 Conference hosted by the National Association of Vocation and Formation Directors (NAVFD). The conference was a celebration of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church and for the world, lived out by all in their various expressions of God’s call to prophecy, promise and hope.

Keynote speaker and Scripture scholar, Sister Barbara Reid, O.P. invited challenging invitations to reflection on the witness of Mary and Elizabeth in the New Testament story of the Annunciation and Visitation. Speaking of prophecy Sr. Barbara said that “Mary teaches us the blessedness of messiness – we are challenged to be attentive to the voice of God in the midst of the messiness of life.” With Mary, we are to sing the Magnificat as a song that announces justice and hope, denouncing the shadows of oppression and violence in our world – proclaiming promise and hope for all. Elizabeth was a woman who found her voice to announce the “Good news” out of which we are called to “accompany people on the margins and to speak up to unjust situations” – to give “voice to the voiceless”. This is born in “contemplative commitment” in order that we may birth new life in God’s promise and hope.

The themes of prophecy, promise and hope were also echoed in the presentations of two other keynote speakers. Brother Paul Bednarczyk, CSC, Executive Director of the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), brought “good news” relating to religious vocation in the United States and the wonderful NRVC initiative of “Moving Forward in Hope”, encouraging a lively vision of the future of religious life. Fr. Frank Morrisey spoke of promise and hope as he helped participants reflect on issues concerning mature candidates entering religious communities today.

Vibrant and varied workshops focusing on living the contemplative religious vocation, respecting diversity of call, circles of discernment, evangelization, formation for mature candidates, associate membership of religious communities, creating vocation websites, discernment with young adults and helping children and youth see the place of God’s call in their lives, added to this dynamic conference. Beautiful prayer planned graciously by Sister Mary-Clare Stack, U.J. and Eucharistic celebrations, one presided by his Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Collins, completed the gift of this hope-filled gathering. The flavor of the whole conference was enhanced by the gifted facilitation of Sister Elizabeth Davis RSM.

With much gratitude, The Board of NAVFD, received the wonderful offer by Sisters from Winnipeg to host the next national vocation conference in 2016. Keep watch here for dates and join us for what promises to be another gathering of great hope and trust in God’s love and call for the future.

Fr. Isaac Slater OCSO addresses the call to contemplative religious life

Conference particpants

Pope Francis Dedicates the Year 2015 to Consecrated Life

* At a meeting remarkable by its informality, with the Union of Superiors General of religious men held in Rome in November, 2013 Pope Francis expressed his views on the nature and role of consecrated (religious) life today and for the future. The Holy Father entered into dialogue with the gathered participants. He responded to their questions relating to his expectations for contemporary consecrated life. The superiors asked the Pope, “”What do you ask of us? If you were in our place, what would you do to respond to your call to go to the frontiers, to live the Gospel? What should we hear you calling us to do? What should be emphasized today? What are the priorities?” The following are some of the key remarks made by Pope Francis.

While emphasizing the call to all Christians to radical discipleship, the Holy Father, himself a religious priest, went on to say that men and women members of religious communities are called to follow Jesus in a special way. “They are men and women who can awaken the world. Consecrated life is prophecy. God asks us to fly the nest and to be sent to the frontiers of the world, avoiding the temptation to ‘domesticate’ them. This is the most concrete way of imitating the Lord.”

Pope Francis said that the Church “grows through witness, not by proselytism” … attractive witness, “associated with attitudes which are uncommon: generosity, detachment, sacrifice, self-forgetfulness in order to care for others.” The Holy Father called this the “martyrdom” of religious life that “sounds an alarm” for people. With their life, religious say something significant to the world. He called on religious men and women to witness to a different way of doing things in action and in living. Religious men and women, he said, are to be on the periphery from which reality is best observed and engaged in order that they may be acquainted with the life-experiences of people. If this doesn’t happen then we “run the risk of being abstract ideologists or fundamentalists, which is not healthy.”

The priority of consecrated life, the Holy Father said, is “Prophecy of the Kingdom, which is non-negotiable…Religious are men and women who light the way to the future.” He continued, “Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say ‘a mess’. But in reality, the charism (or gift of the Spirit to religious communities) of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the Spirit of the Gospel.” Charism, however, is not like “a bottle of distilled water. It needs to be lived energetically as well as reinterpreted culturally.”

What a lively and challenging call to all religious women and men and to those who may be discerning a vocation to consecrated life and what a wonderful foundation as we plan for the approaching year dedicated to consecrated life! Watch this site for ideas and resources as we begin those preparations for such a celebration of and re-commitment to the wonderful call to consecrated life in the Church and world.