The two week session was facilitated by Father Ronald McAinsh, C.Ss.R,
with additional input given by :
- Père George Auduc,
- Sr. Marie Noel Lefrançois, SJC ;
- Sr. Dominique Marie Primevert, SJC ;
- Sr Marie-Simone Ignaci, SJC ;
- Sr. Matilde Faneca, SJC ; and
- Sr. Clare Stanley, SJC.
Sr. Claire Houareau, Superior General, gave the Opening and Closing Remarks.
The days unfolded with input / discussion and group work in the following areas :
- Our call to Discipleship/ Essential elements of Consecrated Life
- Spirituality of Anne Marie Javouhey
- The Relevance of our charism today
- Anne Marie Javouhey’s Vision of Formation
- How do we Interpret this Vision Today
- The philosophy, theology, spirituality and psychology of formation
- Human Development
- Formation in Mission : Context matters
- Context matters : Digital technology, Social media & Formation
- Formation today : The role of the Formator
- The importance of spiritual accompaniment
- Stages of Formation
- Towards a new Formation Directory
- Outstanding Questions / Forms
Both the opening and closing liturgies, along with our daily prayer kept the ‘flame burning’ within us.’ As Sister Claire said in her closing remarks,
“I wish to recall our opening celebration, when we used the symbolic ritual inspired by the imagery of ‘the fire in the ashes’ from Joan Chittister O.S.B and ‘Grieshog’ so beautifully enacted by some of you … the process of burying the warm coals in ashes at night, in order to preserve the fire for the cold morning to come. … Associated with “Grieshog” there is another Irish custom and this is to preserve the fire from home to home as well. When a young person marries or when a family moves house they take a hot coal from the first hearth to start the first fire in the new home. … If each of you did the same in transmitting these fresh, new, red-hot embers taking them back to your own place of ministry, to your respective communities, all you will need to do is to continue to “fan the flame of discipleship within you.” And the world will be ablaze !”
We thank all the sisters of the Mother House community who did so much to facilitate this session, as well as each of our sisters who, along with Father Christopher Hogg, C.Ss.R, worked as translators throughout the session.
