We have come to the end of our meetings ….the Congress Assembly, the Assembly of Lay Associates, and the Assembly of Priests Associates.
We have had many visitors to our site and many messages of support and encouragement. Thanks to each and every one!
From next Monday – 1 October – you will no longer be able to send messages but you can still visit the web site.
The participants are now leaving Martillac and the Solitude continues to be a place of life and mission, the community being bearers of life shared in the Spiritual Family of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles.
A number of us collaborated in a simple and sisterly way to ensure that the experience of the Congress assembly and the other assemblies be communicated to all members of the Family.
A simple and fraternal collaboration among a number of us enabled all of us to easily access and follow the webpage -which was set up by Edouard Fattal to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks.
Goodbye and until another time!
The Website Team
Srs Gemma – Lourdes – Bernadette – Pascale – Ana-Maria
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates, Directly from the Congress | 28/09/2012
In the morning the whole group went to Bordeaux, in the footsteps of our Founder, visiting the places where he lived and worked
In the evening
At 4.00 in the afternoon, participants – Lay Associates and Priest Associates – filled the assembly hall once again.
They were invited to share their lived experience during the past few days. Gratitude, commitment, hope, challenge, the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, life of the Family, sense of communion, change, desire to share, energy, awareness of the new emerging worldview, desire to “unlearn” in order to learn, sense of belonging, interdependence, joy – all these feelings and thoughts were expressed.
At the end of this exchange there was a prayer inviting us to make a choice for this new life that was awakening in us.
Regina Ramalingam, in the name of the InterContinental Committee of the Lay Associates, thanked all those who contributed to the smooth running of the Congress.
Margaret, in the name of the General Council thanked all the members of the Family who committed themselves to the preparation and carrying out of the event we have just experienced. She ended by saying: “It is difficult to say goodbye after such powerful experiences lived together. Let us go forward with great hope knowing that there is a new way of being and living Family”
One of the Priest Associates in the name of the Assembly thanked Margaret and presented her with a magnificent shawl in recognition of her leadership in the Family.
We ended with the Closing Mass celebrated on the island around the statue of our Founder.
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 28/09/2012
The main aim of the day was to internalise the story of the Universe and in the light of the new story to determine ways forward.
The Lay and Priest Associates met for Morning Prayer. A slide show on the new creation story was shown. This was viewed in a prayerful, reflective atmosphere. During the presentation there were pauses to reflect and share.
In the evolution of the universe, there had been moments of upheaval so that new life could emerge. Our Family is in the process of evolution and we need to make shifts so that we can give birth to something new.
Often questions such as the following arise: Who am I? Where have I come from? What is the meaning of my life? How can we live and flourish together? One way of answering these questions is to make our own the new story of the universe.
There was some sharing among the participants who expressed attitudes of thanksgiving, hope, and wonder in the face of God’s great love; joy because God’s energy and love have been revealed to us at different times and under many different forms. One participant spoke of his contentment to be a molecule of this great energy and to be able to give and receive.
There were strong desires to live more deeply, aware of the energy of love which has formed us and inhabits us.
After the prayer, the participants were invited to join with one other person and read together the document on the calls and suggestions that came from the Congress Assembly, sharing on a personal level and looking ahead to see how we can make these calls known in our particular contexts.
The guidelines for this work were:
- Dialogue on the orientations of the Congress Assembly
- What are they saying to you? Do they give you energy?
- What questions arise in you?
- Read the suggestions and see:
- What is possible in your context or region?
- What aspects do you wish to develop or promote in you groups and in your own life; in the Family, the local Church….?
- Have you any other suggestions to add?
The Eucharist united us all at midday and once more the Word of God threw light on our reflections. At the Offertory, the Bible and a plant were presented expressing our desire to be rooted in the word of God as the plant is rooted in the earth. We also wish to deepen our charism of communion in the Family.
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs | 28/09/2012
The main aim of the day was to listen to the new story of the Universe and in the light of that, determine ways forward.
The Lay and Priests Associates came together for Morning Prayer. A slide show entitled “The New Creation Story” was shown. This was viewed in an atmosphere of profound contemplation. During the slide show there were pauses to internalize and share our sense of awe and wonder
In the evolution of the universe there were times of breakdown in order to give rise to new life. Our Family too is in a process of evolution and there needs to be a shift so that something new may be born.
Often questions arise in us – questions like: Who am I? Where have I come from? What is the meaning of my life? How can we live and flourish together? One way of answering these questions is to make our own the new story of the Universe.
After the prayer each vocation worked in their respective groups.
To begin with the group was invited to reflect on the experience of the past few days in the light of the new story of the Universe. After some moments of reflection, there was a rich fraternal sharing during which feelings of admiration; gratitude and love of life were shared. There were very great desires to opt for life and defend it especially in those situations where life is being threatened.
Then the participants turned their attention to the principal important points raised in the previous assembly and to the calls heard in the Congress assembly. Once again there was great similarity between the two documents.
In the afternoon three important points were raised and discussed:
- Mutual help
- Communication
- The organisation of the group
After dialogue specific means were chosen to give valid responses to these three important aspects.
A letter, the final document of this General Assembly would be written to transmit the experience of the Congress, communicate the important points addressed and the decisions taken.
The celebration of the Eucharistconnected us with the realities of our world:
- The cries of those who suffer, the poor, the situations where we wish to be a consoling and hope-filled presence
- The young people and we prayed that in the midst of the challenges they face they might be helped by Jesus to “choose life”
- The fruits of the Assembly which will enable us to grow as a Family and to be faithful to the charism received from Pierre Bienvenu Noailles.
Catégories: Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 27/09/2012
The aim of the day was to continue to share the experience and the fruits of the Congress Assembly.
“In the universe family everything is gift; each being is a unique gift, different and intimately related to everything else….We are different but not superior or separated from the rest of creation. Everything moves us to challenge our belief that only the human being is made in the image of God.”
A slide show “The Gift we are” invited us to thank God for all the gifts of creation.
“Believe that this is the very first day
Everything completely new
Believe that the sun is your own lucky star
And then you’ll understand the kind of gift you are”
Separately the two vocations dedicated the morning to reading the summaries of the reflection made by the Lay Associates and the Priests in preparation for their respective assemblies.
After a prolonged time of personal reflection, the participants met in groups to respond to the following questions:
- 1. What do we consider important and helpful to us as we move forward in our vocation in the heart of the Family?
- 2. In the light of the experience of the Congress Assembly, what aspects would we like to emphasise, deepen and move forward?
Some aspects that the Priest Associates found important:
- Belonging to the Holy Family with its international dimension
- Spreading the charism of communion beyond the Family and sharing its richness and values
- The challenge to live communion at all levels: brother priests, families and with the five vocations
- Listening to and accompanying the youth
- Accompaniment of families
- Promote the family spirit with all, enlightened by the new emerging spirituality
- Forms of prayer, sharing the word of God and the Eucharist
- Communication among the Priest Associates and with the whole Family
After sharing these aspects there was an open, frank, simple and fraternal discussion in the assembly.
It was surprising to see how much similarity there was with the calls that were heard during the Congress Assembly – surely a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The day ended with a sharing of the Word of God and the Eucharist.
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 27/09/2012
Groupe 1 – français
Leonard MBEMBE
Yves NDOUKOUA
Renaud POULIN
Monique RATTIER
Anne-Marie SIBILLE
Grupo 2 – español
Eduardo DURO
João MARINHO de OLIVEIRA
Luis Guillermo QUISPE
Marina QUINTANA
Quique SILVESTRE
Brunilda TOLEDO
Group 3 – English
Benjamín ALANGARAM
Carol COLLINS
Marie DUNNE
Tessie ESTEVES
Kathy HOWES
Saundarie PIETERZ
Marilyn SUTEMIRE
Group 4 – English
Jo DOHERTY
Habel MASIH
Matali Mary MOHLOMI
ReginaRAMALINGAM
Veronica RODWELL
Rose SULLIVAN
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 26/09/2012
Priests Group 1 – English
Benedict ANELIN
Benet Shantha FERNANDO
Benny FURO
Nicholas JACOB
Jerosin KATTAR
Groupe 2 – french
Jean Louis DESPEAUX
Paul MATAKON
Pierre MEUNIER
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 26/09/2012
ASSEMBLIES OF LAY ASSOCIATES AND PRIESTS ASSOCIATES
Martillac 25-28 September 2012.
Today saw the beginning of two assemblies which continued and deepened the experience of the second phase of the Congress.
The aim of these assemblies was:
- To share the experience and the fruits of the second phase of the Congress
- To look for ways of moving forward so as to give impetus to our Holy Family gift as Lay Associates and Priest Associates
- To dialogue, reflect and work together, looking for more efficacious ways of living and working as Holy Family Lay Associates or Priest Associates
OPENING PRAYER
After the experience of our unity as a Family, we came together, aware of the richness of our diversity as two vocations within the Holy Family.
“Awaken us to your presence, O Breath of God, O God of Life”
“From the very beginning the Spirit hovered over chaos…the Energy within the gift of creation”
All things remain when we base our lives on God because “in God we live, move and exist” (Acts 17, 28)
The Spirit is always “here” and “among” all things.
The participants presented different symbols – a flowering plant, water, fire, oil, the globe, the Word of God…all expressions of the Spirit.
OPENING OF THE ASSEMBLY (Margaret)
Here we give some extracts from Margaret’s opening address:
“…. The Congress Assembly was a good experience of journeying together as one Family, experiencing ONENESS in our diversity. Now living out of that awareness of the Whole, you will be reflecting more directly on your particular vocation as a priest or lay associate always remembering that you are part of a bigger whole and that what you do here has an impact not only on your specific vocation but on the Family, the Church, society and the whole of life…
In the light of what we have lived during these days it may be good to recall that in the time of our Founder all were associates; se we had lay, priests, apostolic, secular, contemplative associates – today we might say members, and that the Association, as it was called then, was, in the mind of our Founder, ONE before it was DIVERSE.
In order to live effectively our mission as Family, each part, each vocation, must become more active, responsible and vibrant while always remaining interconnected involved and committed to mission as one Family.”
Margaret continued by reminding us that we are celebrating 50 years of Vatican II and she quoted some passages from the document “Lumen Gentium” (39-42) which affirm us in the calls received.
She finished her opening address by saying the following:
“We can say that holiness is that deep attachment to Christ through the Spirit which enables God’s love, gentleness and compassion to be visible in the world. It is that desire to seek always God’s will in all things. We, Holy Family, speak of this as “loving, seeking, desiring God in everything”. All the different vocations in life are a means to holiness and one is not higher than the other.
In today’s Gospel Jesus enlarges and widens the concept of Family well beyond that of family of origin, our own relatives…when he says:”My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8,21). Let us enter into this experience with open ears and hearts to “hear the word of God and do it”.
There followed a time of personal reflection on these opening words.
The Eucharist was then celebrated in thanksgiving for this meeting of two vocations of the Family.
During the entry procession four candles were carried; these represented the four continents where we are present as Family.
The evening was dedicated to sharing the experience and the fruits of the Congress.
There was a time of sharing in language groups and later sharing in the bigger group.
Then four members who had participated in the Congress assembly shared the main ideas explored around the new story of the Universe and the three fundamental principles – diversity, subjectivity and communion.
After a brief moment of silence so as to internalise what had been shared the following questions were posed:
What calls do we hear after having listened to the sharing? How can we be gift for the world?
After some spontaneous sharing on these questions, the participants received the document outlining the calls heard in the Congress assembly and they were asked to note similarities between the calls that came up for them and the calls heard in the Congress assembly.
The day ended with a short time of silence and spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving.
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 26/09/2012
I pray, that this spiritual activity we have come to participate in will help re-capture something of the courage and energy of the first Christian Missionaries in addressing the troubling loss of the sense of the sacred in today’s world.
To re-discover the joy and hope of God in all things and to have the enthusiasm to communicate the results to all our Priest and Lay Associates back home.
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates | 25/09/2012
Living the reality of being ONE FAMILY, so strongly stressed during the Congress, we will continue to send you information on the Assembly of the Lay Associates and that of the Priest Associates – from 25th to 28th inst. – so that the inter-relationship between the different vocations will continue.
To accompany us enter the web-site:
http://congres2012.saintefamille.fr
Catégories: En direct de l'Assemblée - Associés Laïcs, Direcrtly from the Assembly - Priest associates, Directly from the Congress | 24/09/2012
