June : During the month of June, Sister Clare Stanley, Superior General, and the General Council are all present in the Generalate. This is truly a special time for the Generalate community as they spend time together in contemplative prayer, reflection and sharing all with the aim of future planning and General Chapter 2018 follow-up.
Meanwhile, the sisters of the Mother House community are busy preparing to receive 81 sisters who will be arriving in July for two different sessions.
July 01 to July 30 : General Councillors Ann Stevens, Teresa Rai and Luciana D’Rozario, will be leading 56 English speaking sisters from 12 Provinces (India (6), West Africa, West Indies, Seychelles/Tanzania, Australia/PNG, Angola/Guinea-Bissau/Namibia, Generalate Group) on a pilgrimage to the sources
of the congregation.
The pilgrimage will include :
- sessions at the Mother House, Paris (purchased in 1849, place of Anne-Marie’s death)
- a retreat
- and a visit to :
- Jallanges - place of Anne-Marie’s birth and early childhood.
- Seurre - where Nanette (Anne-Marie Javouhey) was baptized.
- Chamblanc - where she spent her childhood and adolescence.
- Cluny - the first Motherhouse (1812-1854), the congregation taking its name from this location.
- Bailleul sur Therain
- Senlis - where she was buried
- Taize
The Pilgrimage to the Sources is definitely a highlight in the life of any Cluny Sister.
July / August : The second session being held at the Motherhouse is preparation for perpetual vows. 25 French speaking sisters from 7 Provinces (Afrique oust francophone, Guinéee, Afrique Centrale, France/Suisse/St Pierre et Miquelon, Haiti, Madagascar, Antilles/Guyane) will begin their preparation in July. This preparation will be lead by General Councillors, Agnes Thevenin and Marie Fatima Faye.
The session will include :
- Sessions with input from various individuals (from both within the congregation and from outside the congregation) in relation to vows, mission, discernment, accompaniment, prayer, collaboration, communication
- Discovering the Mother House
- Discovering the reality of the congregation’s province of origin, the Province of France/Suisse/St Pierre et Miquelon
- Visit two communities
- Discover different ways of prayer
- Pilgrim in the footsteps of Anne Marie Javouhey in Paris
- Visit to the sources : Senlis, Baïlleul sur Thérain, Cluny, Chamblanc
- Visit to Taizé
- retreat in Chamblanc from the 29 of July to the 6 of August
With the sisters coming from various provinces and countries, the session will no doubt be a time of building community and companionship ; an important preparation to being true Cluny missionary disciples.
In the midst of these sessions taking place, two feasts will be celebrated :
- July 15, the Feast of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey
- August 15, Feast of the Superior General
We unite ourselves with the General Council, all the sisters of the Mother House, the sisters taking part in the sessions, and the sisters and lay people receiving the groups in their various destinations. May all that takes place in the Mother House this summer lead to the furthering of our Cluny mission !
