This meeting is in three parts

You must be wondering what the EGC participants have been up to during the last few days. We will tell you about it briefly.
This meeting is in three parts:

 

 

 

You must be wondering what the  EGC participants have been up to during the last few days.  We will tell you about it briefly.

This meeting is in three parts:

 

Part 1

 

Sister Christine helped the group to reflect and gave them clear guide-lines in preparation for the next General Chapter which will involve all the Units and all the members.

 

At the beginning she asked the assembly:

                                 What exactly is a General chapter?

 

It is an act of government, and represents the highest authority, and we who are here are an international group in an attitude of discernment:

  1. To evaluate what the members of the Units of the Institute have lived during the past 6 years.
  2. To look for and define where we want to go as a result of the above and where we are (to give guidelines)
  3. To elect a team of Leaders who will encourage the living out of the orientations of the Chapter.

 

In order to facilitate the immediate preparation for the Chapter, Christine put before the Assembly several themes that she had prepared for the pre-chapter commission.  The themes are as follows:

  • Guidelines for the reports of the different Units.
  • Guidelines for the presentation of proposals to the Chapter.
  • Criteria for the election of delegates to the General Chapter.
  • The stages of the Chapter
  • Attitudes necessary for discernment.
  • Criteria for the choice of themes to be dealt with by the Unit Chapters and the General Chapter.

Having finished this first part, the assembly thanked Christine for having completed her task  and expressed its joy on learning that she would be the moderator for the General Chapter.  Christine then bade farewell to the assembly.

 

 

 

Part 2.

 

A double objective:

  1. To look back at the past in truth – at what had been lived during the past six years.
  2. To look to the future with hope.

 

The following are the subjects dealt with during the 2nd  stage,- an evaluation  of all that had been lived concerning:

  • The corporate commitment
  • Vows for Mission
  • Community for mission
  • The apostolate for mission
  • The pastoral care of vocations
  • The protection of vulnerable persons
  • Formation for mission

          Initial formation

                   On-going formation

  • Administration of goods
  • The Congress
  • Leadership
  • Membership
  • Chapter representation.

 

 

The assembly prays, reflects, discerns and shares on all these themes.  They give some idea of the atmosphere of the EGC during which time is allotted  wisely: intense work, long periods of silent reflection, prayer, simple and honest sharing during which the participants are conscious of the action of the Holy Spirit. And as if that were not enough, a huge candle is there in the middle of the hall.  It reminds everyone of the presence of Jesus who is Light.