INTERCOMMUNITY MEETING OF NUCLEUS BOM PASTOR

“IN REFLECTION OF LOVE AND DIVINE LIGHT, YOU WILL SEE GOOD THINGS BROTHER...”

On the 18th of September, at the St. Joseph Convent, Curitiba, the Intercommunity meeting of the Bom Pastor nucleus was held. Sisters from nine communities in Paraná participated in the meeting. We remembered in our prayers the Sisters of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The aim of the intercommunity meetings, which are taking place in all nucleus, is to reflect and evaluate the progress of the Province during the quadrennial, as well as offer suggestions for new steps to be taken as a province. In addition to share about the Conference of Religious of Brazil (CRB) that took place in July 2022, among other matters.

It was gratifying to see the enthusiasm and joy of the sisters when they arrived for the meeting. The feeling that permeated all throughout the meeting was, the desire to walk with Him and with each other with joy facing the challenges encountered in the process and, at the same time, make efforts to walk in better harmony with the province.

‘WHO IS FAITHFUL IN SMALL THINGS IS ALSO FAITHFUL IN BIG’

 Sr. Nadalina Perondi, animator of the nucleus, welcomed everyone and thanked the Provincial Council for being present for the meeting. Then Sr. Kátia Rejane Sassi, the Provincial, addressed the group saying: “Dear Sisters, this month is dedicated to the Bible and today’s gospel enlightens us in our Intercommunity meeting which says: 'Whoever is faithful in small things is also faithful in the great'. Faithfulness in what is small; faithfulness in small steps; faithfulness in small truths; faithfulness in small challenges; faithfulness to our personal and community prayer as if it were the exercise for great events”.

In the words Sr. Kátia said that fidelity opens us up and enables us to welcome the great challenges that arise in the mission and sets us free. Unlike infidelity that enslaves us and leads us to complacency and we end up unfaithful to our commitments, giving space to laziness and lack of commitment.

THE COMMITMENT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.

Prayer was conducted by Srs. Lapa and Mariental in which we were invited to go back to communities with the grace of the Spirit of God and look into the eyes of our community members and feel her presence and reflect: What is the importance of this sister in my life? Then we were enlightened by the texts of our Constitutions pg. 6 and 7: “in the spirit of our founder, following Christ and participating in his mission we are called, consecrated and sent forth to the forms of ministry...”. “The prophetic dimension of our religious life and the fruitfulness of our ministries which flow from our mission, depend on action rooted in faith, on prayer, and, above all on God’s all-embracing love...”.

We continued the work, looking at ourselves and our actions and realizing that we can be light and prophetic sign. We are co-responsible to make our Provincial Chapter to be what we want and dream of, and see whether it is feasible to be implemented. The commitment belongs to all of us.

RESIGINIFY CONSECRATED LIFE

Recalling the mantra: “do not close your heart”, we reflected on the theme of the CRB General Assembly: Re-signifying Consecrated Life in a Synodal Church, “and the motto Remain in my love” (Jn 15,9) with the three guiding axes: Centrality in Jesus Christ, Mission and Synodality. Srs. Maria da Consolação and Ignes shared with us about the CRB General Assembly and invited us to think: How are we living these guiding principles? What does the word “re-signify” mean? What do I need to re-signify in my life, in my community and in the nucleus? We talked about this topic and felt challenged to ask ourselves every day: What did I do today that wasn't good? What made me sad? What do I need to re-signify in my life?

LOVE AND SERVICE ARE THE MISSION FOR ALL

Each one of us is responsible and co-responsible for our ongoing process of conversion, in order to better live the mission entrusted to us, that is, to go out of our comfort zone to meet the other. This is the way for all the Sisters of St. Joseph who want to continue to grow as disciples of Jesus, cultivating a spirituality embodied in the word of God as an itinerary of daily conversion.

With the spirit of disciples, we continue our journey with joy and willingness, in the certainty that loving and serving are the mission of all of us, Sisters of Communion, Unity and Reconciliation. We concluded this moment of grace by reflecting, listening, welcoming the suggestions that came from all the communities and making our contribution to the Provincial Chapter. “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven...”

Our intercommunity meeting was concluded by the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr. Fabio Eduardo Pinto, Camillian. 

“With you, Father of love, I want to walk”.

Srs. Vilma de Oliveira and Eliana Aparecida dos Santos