The General Chapter in 2014 recommended...

The General Chapter in 2014 recommended that we “seek ways of encouraging and deepening the Spirit of God Alone in all members”. In the December issue of Weavings 2017, we shared how our Sisters – Breda, Colleen, and Kathleen participated in an international session for deepening our roots.

The three Sisters were trained in facilitation and committed themselves to share their experience with the whole Association in our Unit. Together with the Leadership Team, it was decided to have two retreats of six days each for the Apostolic Sisters. The consecrated Seculars and Priests and lay Associates were invited to share in these retreats with the Sisters. The retreats were held at Good Shepherd Retreat Centre and Holy Family Convent Pietermaritzburg.

The reflections focused on the cosmic walk, God Alone, Faith, Incarnation, and Presence. Each day our programme focused on prayer, reflection, group sharing, and the Eucharist. The way in which participants entered into the spirit of this retreat was very edifying. Participants were invited to allow themselves to be taken along a new path on their spiritual journey.

First of all they were asked to move beyond their comfort zones and stretch their beliefs to include the new - see the Creator of the Universe as mystery beyond mystery rather than trying to contain God in a way that keeps us comfortable and filled with illusion- thus leading us closer to the truth of who God, the Divine mystery, is and who we are in the Divine Truth.

The Cosmic walk gave us the grace to walk this earth and see it as a sacred place. It gave us some knowledge of the age of the earth and universe, and know something of the long story of its unfolding to become what we know it to be today, with its powers and patterns of unfolding.

The retreat reminded us of Teilhard de Chardin’s words: “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey; we are spiritual beings on a human journey”.

Later this year one-day retreats have been planned for our Lay and Priest Associates and Consecrated Seculars. Let our prayer accompany them as we continue to walk this journey together, living the Spirit of God Alone.

Sent in by Sr Melanie O’ Connor