Morning Prayer invited us to return to our roots and at the same time to go forward allowing nothing to impede our progress. On this last day we felt the presence of our Founder as we read the story of his dream.
“I dreamt that the centre of a vast Association would be better situated in the countryside rather in a town. In the city, the noise, the bustle, visitors, trivialities of all type would distract from the contemplation of God. In my dream, the Holy Family appeared as a large tree, like an oak, and on it were flowers and fruits of all seasons; there were birds of different colours from every country; each species had its own characteristic song but at one moment all sang with a single voice in perfect harmony and they seemed to sing Glory to God! Glory to God Alone all through Mary! In order for this tree to grow and develop, it needed air and space and I spontaneously situated it here”
After prayer five members of the Council of the Family, one from each vocation, spoke in the name of the Council expressing their gratitude for the messages of support and assurance of prayer which came from our members worldwide.
The reflections of members during the first stage of the Congress were vital for this second stage. We can say in all truth that these have been fruitful days thanks to the reflections of the whole Family in their different vocations and countries. The first stage was compared to the earth that was being tilled before the sowing of the seed. Now follows the harvest and gathering in of the fruits of the Congress.
We are here because we have been sent by the members of our Family, present in four continents. We, in the name of the assembly, are responsible for the transmission of all that we have experienced. Let us do this creatively and let us communicate the calls that we have received so that we can renew our lives
The assembly was informed that a letter from the Council of the Family would be sent out. This letter would communicate the decisions of the Congress which will be presented as a document and sent out as soon as possible.
Margaret then presented the document to the Assembly for the approval of all. The assembly responded by giving unanimous approval.
ALLELUIA! (only by clicking the mouse)
EUCHARIST ON THE ISLAND
CELEBRATION (only by clicking the mouse)
Participants, friends, sisters from neighbouring communities all gathered together for the celebration of the Eucharist which had a marked intercultural dimension. During the celebration we keenly felt the presence of our Founder and rejoiced in how his dream was being realised.
This experience of Eucharist was prolonged during an informal lunch on the lawn.
In the evening the groups met in order to think of ways in which the experience of the Congress could be shared in the different contexts.
After sharing the fruits of this reflection, Margaret thanked all those who had contributed to the Congress.
CLOSING
A moment of silence invited us to recall all that we had lived and to express our gratitude to God, our Founder and all those who had gone before us.
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me
I am stronger for their courage; I am wiser for their words
I am lifted by their longing for a fair and brighter future
I am grateful for their vision, for their toiling on this Earth
Joyce Johnson Rouse
Then each group presented a symbol expressive of their experience during the Congress.
The final document of the calls heard during the Congress was read in the three languages as participants extended their hands as a sign of their commitment to implement the calls.
A loud and joyful ALLELUIA marked the end of this second stage of the Congress.
GO FORWARD!
Standing on the shoulders – Joice Johnson Rouse
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me I am stronger for their courage; I am wiser for their words. I am lifted by their longing for a fair and brighter future. I am grateful for their vision for their toiling on this earth.
We are standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before us, they are saints and they are humans, they are angels, they are friends. We can see beyond the struggles and the troubles and the challenge when we know that by our efforts things will be better in the end.
They lift me higher than I could ever fly carrying my burdens away I imagine a world if they hadn’t tried, we wouldn’t be here celebrating today
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me, I am honoured by their passion for our liberty I will stand a little taller I will work a little longer and my shoulders will be there to hold the ones who follow me.
They lift me higher than I could ever fly carrying my burdens away. I imagine a world if they hadn’t tried we wouldn’t be so very blessed today.
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me I am honoured by their passion for our liberty …
And my shoulders will be there to hold the ones who follow me.
“In this second stage of the Congress, we feel responsible for the gift which we have received. Therefore, in the complementarity of our vocations, we want to the visible witnesses of our Family identity, going forward together to make an impact in the various situations of our changing world.”
This introduction to the prayer expressed the unanimous feeling of the group and served as a backdrop to the work of the assembly.
In the morning there was much interaction among small intervocational groups followed by an assembly leading up to the first draft of the document which would gather together the calls received during these days.
The participants expressed their feelings and made some suggestions with regard to changes to the content of the document. Step by step, with group interaction and assemblies, a common thought began to emerge.
After an hour and a half, a direction for the next step became clear.
Each participant was invited to reflect on the following proposal in an atmosphere of prayer: The Family will become a significant gift in the world only insofar as each person becomes a more enthusiastic member.
After the Eucharist, supper in the open air and a social drew the day to a close in an atmosphere of festivity.
Group work…assemblies…sharing…dialogue…all this is possible thanks to the support of those working behind the scenes for the smooth running of the congress:
Translators and secretaries, The Sisters from the Apostolic Community The personnel in the Solitude.
Thanks also to Edouard Fattal, who has made himself available in setting up the web page and has looked after the technical aspects of it.
Thanks to the Contemplative community whose discreet and prayerful presence has supported our listening to the Holy Spirit, enabling us to move forward together as Family on mission, gift in a changing world.
Called to be Family on mission,
gift for a changing world.
Morning Prayer which centred on the one thing necessary – God Alone – invited us to free ourselves from al that prevents us from listening to God’s calls.
“Let nothing disturb you, nothing affright you. Everything passes; God alone remains. Who possesses God lacks nothing. God alone is sufficient”
After a brief look back at what we had worked on and experienced, a question was posed:
In the light of what we have heard from the Family and the different interventions, what are the calls that we now hear as a Family on mission, gift in a changing world?
Participants were invited to spend some personal time and then share in international and intervocational groups and bring their reflections to the assembly.
At three in the afternoon, the members of the groups shared the fruits of their reflections.
It was a rich sharing with a good deal of convergence and little by little a common thought, reminiscent of the experience of the first Christian communities, was built up.
After an hour and a half of listening and discernment during which the most important calls were expressed, the assembly gave the task of drafting the calls to a small team. The copy of the calls would be translated and brought to the assembly the following day.
There followed a period of free time during which the participants were encouraged to continue to reflect on this important stage of the work.
Today as on preceding days, the sharing of the Word took place in small groups and this was followed by the Eucharist in the big chapel.
Don’t hesitate to continue your “participation”…
Your messages encourage us!
You are with us…
You journey with us!
Thanks to each of you!
BE QUIET…
There is too much noise in you….
Listen to the depth of your being.
There are too many “worries” in your mind…
Too much “weight” in your heart…
Listen to the depth of your being…
Remain on your own…
Listen to the depth of your being.
Get into your room…
listen to the depth of your being.
Your Creator is here and he “is calling” you…
He loves you; he is waiting for you…
Listen to him in the depths of your being.
Be quiet before your Creator…
Forget all your words,
forget your memories, your requests, your plans,
look at him. Listen to him;
do not let other words within disturb you….
Be in peace before him,
leave in him every worry, everything…
forget all your problems…
forget all…
Get rid of all your ties, of all your longings,
be as poor as the dead trees in winter,
empty yourself of all that is not God.
Alone, with nothing else in your heart.
Without letting any creature to stand in the way …
Ger rid of every complain, every burden,
get rid of strangers,
seek nothing but God alone.
Be wholly, thinking only of him
do not seek human comfort,
bury’ yourself with God, in God…
Disappear in order to become a gift in his heart.
Do not stick to sadness, to bitterness, to pride,
to false images of yourself
Listen carefully to his Word,
become his Word and his Will.
Get rid of powers, of privileges,
of honours, of idols…
Let your God be God in you.
Bow your being in deep adoration,
may nothing disturb your attention,
no sorrows, no pleasures hinder your surrender.
Be quiet
before your Creator,
try to disappear,
may He be the One in you.
“Be quiet before your Creator”
Before your Creator…
