Thursday, October 23, 2014

Newfoundland Congregations "Widen the Embrace" at October Conference

By:  Maureen O'Keefe, rsm


On October 3-4, 2014, approximately one hundred associates and religious of the Presentation, Redemptorist and Mercy congregations gathered at The Lantern in St. John's Newfoundland for a conference entitled “Called to Relationship - Widening the Embrace.”

Anne Walsh, conference presenter.
Keynote presenter, Anne M. Walsh led the group in the exploration of “Charism – A Diamond With Many Facets.”

Through the lens of Scripture, she explained how the one charism of Jesus Christ is lived out in different ways by the religious and associates of each particular religious congregation.  Participants gained new insights into the richness of the meaning and effectiveness of their own specific facet of the charism of Jesus as they live it for the mission of Christ in the church and in the world.  

The conference offered an excellent opportunity for members of the various congregations to interact, learn from one another and strengthen bonds of friendship and cooperation in ministry.

A few examples of comments made by participants capture the spirit and flavour of the event:

Mercy and Presentation associates share ideas.
The keynote presenter, Anne Walsh was excellent – dynamic, spirit-filled, gospel woman,spoke from her lived experience, beautiful singer, funny, practical and challenging …

The conference was a “breath of fresh air.

It was an opportunity to think about where we are in God’s plan, the evolving world and our role in it, what we as Associates can offer to fulfilling the mandate of our Religious Congregations.

Redemptorist associates during conference proceedings.
The conference was wonderful.  I appreciated the pairing and group interaction.  One can always benefit from the different points of view on the various discussion questions.

It was another call to look deeply at how I am living the charism of our founder. 

I really appreciated looking at our charism in light of the gospel – Emmaus Story – most enlightening.

It was great to have so many together taking time to take a long, loving look at our reality and where we can go from here.

A valuable contribution to the conference was made by Mary Tee-rsm and Dorothy Corrigan-pbvm who spoke to us on congregational initiatives in Ecology, Justice and the Universe Story.
Carmelita  Pittman (left)  and friends raising funds for
Gathering Place. 
Maureen O'Keefe-rsm, polishing "the Diamond".

Ever mindful of outreach to the poor and marginalized, associates from the three congregations created and sold arts and crafts to the tune of $650.00 which they donated to The Gathering Place – centre of hospitality for the needy in the heart of our city.   

The Lantern provided an ideal setting and super hospitality.  That, together with the content and lively interaction of participants, made the conference a great success.

The call for another such conference within the next two years, is a sign of the desire to keep “widening the embrace.”   




Tuesday, October 21, 2014

ARCAN Committee's September Meeting

It just gets stronger !


A spectacular Fall weekend in September accompanied the first meeting of the ARCAN Committee since the very successful conference event in June at Mount Saint Vincent University.

The committee meeting was held September 12 & 13 in the common room of Peggy Gorman's apartment on Novalea Drive in Halifax.  (We're creative when it comes to meeting spaces!)

Front row floor:  Maureen O'Keefe,rsm,  Marjorie Allison-Ross,A-cnd
Seated:  Lorna Burbine A-csm, Margie Gillis sc, Claudette Gallant, csm,
Peg Madigan A-cnd.
Standing:  Regina Shapter A-rsm, Phyllis Gallant cnd, Frances Johnston csm,
Peggy Gorman A-rscj,  Cora Shebib A-sc,  Winnie Odo A-cnd,  
Lauretta White csm, Aline Reid A-csm
Back Row: standing  Janet Irvine (guest), Norma Heffernan, rscj
Missing from Photo:  Liz Murnaghan A-csm, Ruth O'Reilly pvbm, 
Carmelita Pittman A-pbvm.
The 15 committee members in attendance for this meeting reviewed the June conference, welcomed new members to the committee, said good bye to other members, continued work on the strategic plan, and made arrangements for the next meeting in June 2015.  That was the agenda !

There was a recognition that the committee is making great strides and doing this in an atmosphere of deepening mutuality, recognizing both the differences and similarities between sisters and associates while forging a strong commitment for the work of building an Atlantic network of sisters and associates.

The committee said good bye to Frances Johnston, Liz Murnaghan, Peg Madigan, and Phyllis Gallant.

And the committee welcomed Marjorie Allison-Ross, and Aline Reid.  Eileen Clow from PEI will join the committee in June 2015.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Anne Walsh's Power Point Presentation Available Here.

"Widening the Embrace" 2014 Conference Presentation




At the June 2014 Conference Anne Walsh generously offered to email her power point presentation to conference participants.

Many of you signed up to have it emailed to you. Unfortunately, the list of those wishing a copy was misplaced.

However, we are able to post her presentation here.   Simply click on the link below.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzveYt8jE7ICaVRUNkhkU2w1UW5DQmh4RVowOWFFbjgyRDZJ/edit?usp=sharing




Monday, June 16, 2014

ARCAN Conference an Enriching and Transformative Experience

By:  Peggy Gorman, rscj-A


Anne Walsh, an associate and lay missionary of the Redemptorist congregation, challenged us to live in the truth of who we are in our call to relationship as religious and associates and in the wider context as a people of God. 

Participants at ARCAN Conference, June 6-7, 2014,
Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS.
Anne called us to be inclusive in our actions and attitudes and she reminded us that we come to this relationship with our gifts and talents but also with our weaknesses and limitations. 
Each of us forms a part without which there is no whole!

It would be impossible to recreate the conference in a few words so I will attempt to provide you with a few highlights:

We began with an icebreaker that created a clock of appointments and this clock was the resource for partner discussion each time we were given a series of questions.  These proved to be “teaser” discussions given the short time we had.  However, they can form the basis for continued discussion in our daily lives.

Anne reminded us that:

We are a people gathered around the Good News to witness and to participate in the same mission, the journey itself. We need to remember that wherever we go, God is there first.

God calls us in the deepest core of our beings, through our life experiences. We are partners in mission.

Charism is a gift that:
  • gives us a vision to perceive the Gospel from a particular aspect such as love, hospitality, education, response to the poor.
  • is incarnational as we discover how God continues to take flesh in this moment within us and     within others and is birthed as we live that aspect of the Gospel that animates us.
  • is the mission or the journey itself made by walking the path which honors the past and allows us to live into a new and dynamic expression of religious life and spiritual meaning.
  • is fruitful when we build up and nurture the Reign of God through the gifts of the Spirit.

The conference provided an opportunity for us to form new relationships and widen the embrace.  We were truly enriched and transformed by this time together.

On the eve of Pentecost, I found this prayer which for me summed up our time together
Sophia, Wisdom of the ages,
Guide me to the place where I am supposed to be.
To the task that I am supposed to do.
To the person(s) I am supposed to love.
For the gift of Anne’s wisdom, musical talent, sensitivity to others and the sharing of her personal journey, I pray in thanksgiving.


Saturday, June 14, 2014

A Piece of My Heart Remains in Nova Scotia


Note:  Conni Dubick, President of NACAR, attended the ARCAN Conference June 6-7 in Halifax and spoke to conference attendees.  Enroute to her home in Ohio she penned this letter and asked that it be shared with all the conference participants.  
_________________________________


Conni Dubick, OPA,
President, North American Conference of Associates
and Religious (NACAR)
Dear ARCAN Friends,

As I sit in the Halifax airport, I am tying to absorb into my soul the hospitality and visitation that was palpable in my visit to Mount Saint Vincent University and an ARCAN conference.  I am contemplating the Spirit-filled insightful words shared by many and my broadened understanding of the charism in my Gospel Family.  Then, add to that my experience of the amazing granite sculptures by both mother nature and artist William deGarthe at Peggy’s Cove, the sound of Atlantic waves and the lone bagpiper.  It was, to use Ilia Delio’s words, an enormous experience of “God’s unimaginable, unruly, creative, spontaneous and unfolding love”.   The welcoming embrace of Peg and Carl (Madigan), the ARCAN membership and guests and our Anne, the Redemptorist, touched my heart.

As a result, the first announcement I will be making at our NACAR Board conference call this week will be to sing ARCAN praises!  Your regional network of Associates and Religious for the Canadian provinces is a model of regional development.  And with your example and participation in NACAR, you will offer energy to our collaborative efforts in North America.  

So I have a request that you go to www.nacar.org to check out the NACAR website.  The upcoming June issue of THE ASSOCIATE is our latest effort to use our online magazine to both inform and invite the participation of our members.  This June issue describes congregational “corporate stances” as yet another way that Sisters and Associates are speaking out on today’s justice issues.  NACAR would like to hear from you with information on your congregation’s corporate stances to inform our readers as well as any other Associates news and events.

Please check out the website, consider a congregational and/or individual membership.  Because remember the words of Judi, Jane, Ilia and Jesus challenging ARCAN and NACAR to see the power of unity, urgency and imagination!

Blessings for peace,   
Conni Dubick, Dominican Associate of Peace, 
President of NACAR 
and, new best friend of ARCAN

Monday, June 9, 2014

ARCAN Conference Breaks New Ground

Delegates send strong message to committee to forge ahead



ARCAN conference delegates celebrate closing ritual.
Over one hundred enthusiastic delegates attended the ARCAN conference this weekend at Mount Saint Vincent University.   They expressed wholehearted appreciation for the event noting it was a resounding success.

Guest presenter Anne Walsh led the participants in story, song and reflection for the day and a half gathering.   Her insightful presentations captured the imagination of the assembly and united sisters and associates in a common thrust for the future.

At the Saturday morning business meeting there was strong support urging the organizing committee to continue to move forward in the development of the Atlantic network of sisters and associates.

Peggy Gorman, A-rscj and Claire Pottie, A-sc
The conference concluded late Saturday afternoon.


Sunday, June 8, 2014

More Books of Interest !

Note:  The following listing of books was compiled by Peggy Gorman of the ARCAN Committee. The intent was to copy this list and insert in conference folders.   However in the interest of "conserving paper" it was decided to publish this list online.  Happy reading !


Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership: where grace meets power
Edited by Kathy Schaef, Kay Kindall, Kathleen S. Hurtz, PHD Reverend Guo Chien
Skylight Paths Publishing 2012
ISBN 978-1-59473-313-0
This book showcases women’s spiritual leadership and its patterns of transformation.
Remembering the Women

Women's Stories from Scripture for Sundays and Festivals
Compiled by J. Frank Henderson, forward by Marjorie Proctor- Smith 
Essays by Jean Campbell OSH, Ruth Fox OSB, Eileen Schuller OSU
Liturgy Training Publication 1998
ISBN 1-56954-174-0
More than 250 Scripture passages from the old and new testaments, witness to women’s presence in the bible. These women are prophets, queens, warriors, slaves, prostitutes, virgins and heroes.

Praying with Visionary Women
By Bridget Mary Meehan SFCC, art by Doris Klein CSA
Bowman and Littlefield Publisher, Inc. 1999
ISBN 1-58051-063-9
This book summons us to pray with 20 great women of faith through the ages Hildegard of Bingen to Dorothy Day. These women will change your life and enrich your spiritual journey with new possibilities of self- discovery, wisdom, creativity and friendship.


Field of Compassion: How the New Cosmology is Transforming Spiritual Life
By Judy Cannato
Sorin Books 2010
ISBN 10-1-933495-21-9
This book examines the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual worlds.

Radical Amazement
By Judy Cannato
Sorin Books 2006
Twentieth century science completely rewrote the story of our universe. Now this thoughtful, practical guide reveals the harmony of science and spirituality and invites us to explore the connectedness of all of creation.

Jesus in the New Universe Story
By Cletus Wessels
Orbis Books 2013
ISBN 1-57075-465-9
This book is about how to understand the meaning of Jesus Christ in the context of what modern cosmology tells us about the nature of the universe.


The Holy Longing:  the search for a christian spirituality
By Ron Rolheiser
Doubleday 1998
ISBN 0-985-49418-1
Rolheiser grounds his vision of spirituality in hard real life experiences and tells tough truths. In the end it is the hard truths of compassion, forgiveness and action in the world that give us a true and lasting hope.

Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame
By Barbara Bowe rscj
Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Inc. 2003
The author invites the reader to “touch a finger to the flame” of the sacred text of the Bible by offering guidance on what to read, how to read and why to read the Bible as a source of spiritual nourishment. The author saya “our Spirituality is our lived relationship with the Other who is God”

Psalms for Praying
By Nan Merrill
Continuum Publisher 1996
ISBN 0-8264-1045-6
Merrill’s psalms evoke the deep sense of reverence and soul stirring dialogue with the Divine in a loving contemplative manner.

Becoming the Sign:  Sacramental Living in a Post Conciliar Church
By Kathleen Hughes rscj
Paulist Press  2012
ISBN 978-08091-4824-0
This book “is an attempt to open up the mystery of our sacramental life and its intimate relationship with the way we live our lives.”

Our One Great Act of Fidelity:  Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist
By Ron Rolheiser
Doubleday 2011
ISBN 978-0-307-88703-0
This book is a series of reflections on the Eucharist.

The Breath of the Soul: Reflections on Prayer
By Joan Chittister
Novalis 2009
This book helps us to prepare for and engage in prayer and to make prayer an authentic, real, deep, and profound part of our lives.

The Art of Life:  Monastic wisdom for everyday
By Joan Chittister
Novalis 2012
ISBN 978-2-89646-537-8
This is a book of daily reflections using great works of art for inspiration, and is full of wisdom, wit, encouragement and advice.

To Bless the Space Between Us: A work of blessings
By John O’ Donahue
Doubleday 2008
ISBN 978-0-385-52227-4
This book is a beautiful collection of blessings to help readers through both the everyday and extraordinary events of their lives.

The Invisible Embrace  Beauty: Rediscovering the true source of Compassion, Serenity and Hope
By John O’ Donohue
Harper Collins 2005
ISBN 0-06-095726-3
John O’ Donohue opens our minds and hearts to our own relationship with beauty by exposing the infinity and mystery of its breadth.

The Naked Now:  Learning to See as the Mystics See
By Richard Rohr
Crossroad Publishing Company 2011
Rohr says “it is living in the naked now, the sacrament of the present moment that will teach us how to actually experience our experiences, whether good or bad and let them transform us.”

Quest for the Living God:  Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God
By Elizabeth A. Johnson
The Continuum International Publishing Group 2007
ISBN 978-1-4411-7462-8
This book challenges us to glimpse the living God in fresh ways. This God, who dwells in unspeakable light and engages the world with merciful love bringing the mystery of that love ineffably closer.

Prayers to Sophia:  Deepening our relationship with Holy Wisdom
By Joyce Rupp
ISBN 13-978-1-893732-84
This is a deep evocative book of prayers to Divine Wisdom conscious, personal, and reminiscent of Rumi. Joyce Rupp helps open us to the Divine Feminine within us. 

Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John
By John Vanier
Paulist Press 2004
ISBN 0-8091-4296-1
John Vanier shares the music he has heard behind the words and flow of this Gospel. The song has warmed and stirred his heart, given hope, meaning and orientation to his life with all that is beautiful and broken with in him.

Can We Save the Catholic Church
By Hans Kung
William Collins 2013
ISBN 13-978-0007-522026
Hans Kung presents what Catholics have long been yearning for: modern responses to the challenges of a modern world.

New Seeds of Contemplation
By Thomas Merton
New Directions reprint 2007
ISBN 10-97808-112-17248
This book is a revised and expanded version of Merton’s earlier book and offers a guide to contemplative life. Merton describes contemplation as life itself: fully awake, fully active, fully aware. 

Seven Sacred Pauses:  Living mindfully through each day
By Macrina Wiederkehr
Ave Maria Press 2010
ISBN 10-1933-495243
This book invites us to live attuned to living in the present moment and to develop a kindred spirit with the rich tradition of the sacred hours. In this book Macrina uses scripture, poetry, reflection and personal stories.










Monday, March 31, 2014

Registration Now Open for 2014 ARCAN Conference.

Register Early!  Bring a friend!  Register Online!


The 2014 ARCAN conference is fast approaching.  The dates are June 6-7 and the location is Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

To print your copy of the
brochure, click here.
https://www.dropbox.com/
s/k2nq5082uwkr2o6/ARCAN%
20Conference%202014.
Registration%20Form
%20%289%29%20copy.pdf

This conference and its theme "Called to Relationship - Widening the Embrace"  is shaping up to be an exciting, stimulating and must-attend event for associates, sisters, and others interested in this growing movement.

Anne Walsh, Redemptorist associate from Newfoundland, will break open this theme and provide plenty of grist for the conversation mill !   Her style as an intelligent and energetic speaker and facilitator is well known and we are thrilled she will be among us.
Anne Walsh, ARCAN conference
 presenter and facilitator.

The conference will begin at 7pm on Friday evening (June 6th) and end with a closing ritual on Saturday (June 7th) beginning at 4pm.   The event will take place at Rosaria Hall on the MSVU campus. 

Conference participants can book over night accommodations at MSVU but must book directly through Conference Services at MSVU.
Email:  reservations@msvu.ca
Web Form:  www.msvu.ca/stay 

The rate for a single dorm room with shared bath or an apartment share is $45.56 which includes taxes, parking and breakfast. 

Registration brochures are available and can be obtained by contacting:
Cora Shebib:  cora.shebib@gmail.com   (902-794-4679)
Winnie Odo:  twinnieodo@seaside.ns.ca   (902-862-2330)
Claudette Gallant,csm:  claudettebgallant@hotmail.com
Peggy Gorman:  pgorman@gmail.com
Also, you can contact any member of the ARCAN committee for conference information.

If you wish to register online, click the link below.  It's easy !


https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iklYAvw
1akS2v4V2TxqFcTYIE-ttbL8AMSzWC_
3APhU/viewform




To locate the conference site at Rosaria Student Centre at Mount Saint Vincent University visit:  http://www.msvu.ca/site/media/msvu/campusmap.pdf    (the Rosaria Student Centre is #21 on the map).

See you in June !

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Presentation Associate Newsletter Celebrates Strength of Growing Movement

"A new moment of widening our tents" !

___________
Submitted by:  Carmelita Pittman & Ruth O'Reilly, pvbm


The Presentation Sisters of Newfoundland and Labrador recently published their second newsletter bursting with news of their growing associate movement. 

In it, Sister Sharon Fagan, Congregational Leader, writes:

As we come to the end of the year 2013 we look back with gratitude for the blessings we have shared.  In particular, we give thanks for the new associates who were welcomed from across the island during the Fall.   It is a new moment of widening our tents and deepening our relationships with one another for the sake of the whole earth community .
Twenty-five men and women were welcomed as Presentation associates this Fall with celebrations in St John's, Corner Brook and Grand Falls -Windsor.   

To view the complete newsletter, click on the link below
http://www.presentationsisters.ca/announcements/newsdec2013.pdf

Saturday, February 8, 2014

RSCJ Associates Celebrate "Decade of Blessings"

Note:  The Society of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) is an international congregation serving in 41 countries throughout the world.   There are over 2500 women worldwide.  In 2013 the sisters of the United States and Canada combined to form one North American province.  In Canada the RSCJ's live in Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, and Prince George British Columbia.

Peggy Gorman is an associate of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Halifax and submitted this article commemorating their 10th anniversary as associates in Halifax.

________________________________


Submitted by:  Peggy Gorman, RSCJ Associate


Ten years ago, six women felt called to a relationship with the RSCJ's that would deepen our prayer life, allow us to live the richness of the charism of Cor Unum (one heart), and provide us with the opportunity to interact more fully with the Canadian RSCJ's.
L to R standing:  Donna Dolan,rscj; Peggy Gorman,
Colleen Quinn, Norma Heffernan,rscj;
Patricia Donnelly (Associate Candidate), Margaret Boyd.
Front:  Barb Martell, Pauline Scott, Susan Atkinson.
Missing:  Judy Sapp.

The intervening years have allowed us to fulfill our goals, to grow in numbers and to renew our commitment to make known the heart of Christ in our personal and professional lives. 

Today we celebrate the women we have become, the "yes" given wholeheartedly by the provincial team ten years ago, the RSCJ mentors that we have been privileged to journey with especially Mary Finlayson and Maureen Currie who encouraged us to study the constitutions, develop skills in preparing and leading prayer, and to attend to our inner life.  We give thanks for those RSCJ's who have followed them and are most thankful for the relationship we have with all of the Canadian RSCJ's.

We have also been enriched by the opportunity to attend and/or prepare assemblies, to develop our associate brochure which includes an innukshuk of words, to compose our commitment statement, to study the lives of the Mothers’ General, to meet with members of the provincial and international leadership and most importantly to pray with, break bread with and share our lives with our sisters.

Today we remember!
We celebrate!
We give thanks!

We look forward to what is to come! 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

"Carving Tools" Needed for June Associate Conference in Halifax !

Ever wonder what religious life might look like in the future ?  Do you wonder if maybe we are on the cusp of a wildly exciting transformation into something very new ?  Would you like to be part of a conversation with many others from throughout the Atlantic provinces wondering the same thing ?  Then you won't want to miss this upcoming ARCAN conference, June 6-7, 2014, at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax.

Anne Walsh (above) facilitated the Antigonish Diocesan
Congress in October 2013.

We really are carving a unique future !  A new dimension of religious lifestyle is waiting to emerge and we have the exciting privilege and responsibility to be part of its forming.  

Michelangelo said, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."   That's a beautiful image for the newly shaping associate relationship. After several years, its form and fashion is showing strong identifying lines and characteristics as it emerges from the marble of traditional religious life. However, more chiseling and chipping needs to be done.  That's what we'll be doing on June 6-7, 2014, at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. 

The conference will feature the intellect, experience and wit of Anne Walsh, a Redemptorist Associate from Newfoundland, who will facilitate the conference proceedings (for bio see article posted November 30, 2013).  Anne's reputation as a praised speaker and facilitator is spreading and we are thrilled she will be with us.  She, undoubtedly, will present us with some carving tools and invite us to continue to chip away !