Days of Retreat . . .
The Visitation Province Administration Team met at Seton Spirituality Centre in Terence Bay, Nova Scotia, September 2nd – 5th for shared days of retreat. Becky McKenna, CND offered short daily reflections that drew us into times of silence as well as deep sharing.
Recalling the wisdom of eco-theologian Thomas Berry, C.P., Becky suggested that we “look to Earth for guidance.” It is the source from which we come and within this web of life we find all the courage, strength and wisdom that we need to live our lives with meaning and integrity. During our days of retreat we were invited to “Come to the Water,” to know the replenishing powers of the ocean and its buoyancy, the capacity to hold us safely despite the storms. This was followed by a day of contemplating the coastal gardens all around us, wondering at the ways in which we too cultivate life, plot resurrection and delight in being part of this amazing life system.
JUBILEE CELEBRATION: Sr. Florence MacKenzie's 50th Anniversary of Religious Life
St. Joseph's Parish, Port Felix will be celebrating Florence MacKenzie's 50th Anniversary on September 21, 2014. Celebration of the Eucharist in the Parish Church at 11:00 a.m. followed by a luncheon in the Parish Hall. Congregation of Notre Dame Sisters and Associates are invited to come and celebrate with Florence and with the Parish.
A QUONNIE CONVERSATION
A beautiful day at Quonnie over the Labor Day weekend became the setting for a conversation in response to the article by Sandra Schneiders that was a suggested “summer read.” Eight of us from six different local communities entered easily and trustingly into a sharing of experiences of transition, challenge, and hope inherent in religious life in the present and in the years since Vatican II. The sharing was personal and rich, the listening was open and deep, the attitude was compassionate and supportive. Also, it served as a link between the summer reflection with Nancy Sylvester and the “Sabbath Sharing’s” that will unfold amongst us in the coming months. Our take-home commitment was two-fold: (1) the need for continued reliance on the Holy Spirit, and (2) focus on being our most pure self. Thus do we hope to meet, survive, and thrive in the ongoing challenge of renewal in contemporary religious life.
