We had five days of assembly in Kiryat-Yearim with Sr.Piluca, our facilitator who helped us to enter into our meeting together asking us how we understood the Chapter Document? In groups of three we shared our reflections. Following this we looked at our place, where we were in the region Jerusalem, Egypt, Gemenos, Tunisia and the Novitiate.
Day by day, we were reflecting together in view of our criteria, a culture of dialogue, interfaith relations, interculturality, solidarity with those living in poverty, concern for our common home and our own reality, our community, our context and our country.
We reflected together as the Novitiate about two points. The first was to reflect on what would we like to say to Fathers Theodore and Alphonse? We thought of their vision, their experience of God and what we admire in them. Secondly we looked for a symbol or an image that represents the congregation. Then we wrote a letter to Fr. Theodore answering the first question and we read this to sisters in the assembly.
In addition, Sr. Genevieve celebrated her 70th anniversary of religious life in Sion. We had a beautiful mass of thanksgiving and a festive dinner together. We thanked God for her life, her family and for her journy in Sion. Genvieve shared with us the story of her life, how she met Sion and all the different countries to which she was called. She is a wonderful woman, a true witness of love and God´s faithfulness in her life.
“Leave your country, your kindred and your father’s house for a country which I shall show you; and I shall make you a great nation, I shall bless you and make your name famous; you are to be a blessing! ”(Gen.12, 1-2)
Both Sr. Mary and Sr. Clare from the CLT joined us for our assembly which was much appreciated. Also we had a presentation about interculturality (one of the criteria) by Sr. Marge, nds and Sr. Clare, nds. Interculturality means to interconnect cultures and it is a mutual exchange between cultures that leads us to a transformation and one important element is dialogue. They gave us important questions. One was to identify some characteristics in our country about interculturality? Also to identify some non-invisible aspects of intercultirality?
We bless God for this time that we could share and reflect together as Congregation. “For the Lord has chosen Sion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, this is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.”(Psalm 132, 13-14
Andrea Chacon Carmona, Novice NDS
Community St. John in Montana
November 14th, 2017.