Discernment

Today was a rest day for all of us gathered here in Rome for the General Chapter. Most of our group went on a day long bus trip to the Rieti Valley, visiting places that are connected with the life and prayer of St. Francis: Poggio Bustone, Fontecolombo, Greccio, and La Foresta. A few of us stayed in Rome and spent the day visiting various destinations.

Yesterday, on Saturday morning, we worked in a plenary session and in our small sacred conversation circles as we reviewed the items on the agenda that are proposed as changes to the general statutes and as Chapter Decisions. It appears that most delegates are esssentially in agreement on the spirit of these proposals. Some requests for re-writing have gone to those who presented proposals and we will be looking at these items again in the coming week.

Saturday afternoon began with a sacred conversation within the whole group during which each delegate was invited to speak to her experience of the Chapter up to this point. It was powerful and deeply moving to hear each sister speak from her heart about the way in which this Chapter has unfolded for her.

Following the sacred conversation with the whole group, S. Colette addressed our assembly once again as we move into a more formal discernment of candidates for leadership on the General Council. She reminded us that the future of religious life was uncertain in 1835 when Mother Magdalen and the first group of sisters began our congregation and in 2009, the future of religious life is again uncertain. She asked us, "Can we surrender our immediate and projected future to the Holy Spirit?" She then reminded us that, "The greatest resource we have is God; God WILL provide. The next greatest resource we have is each other." We then had the remainder of the afternoon until cena (7:00 PM) for quiet reflection and prayer.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of our third week of Chapter and we will consider the first draft of the 2009 Chapter Direction Statment that has been prepared by the international writing group, which is composed of 6 delegates. Tomorrow evening we will hear from those whose names were raised in the second round about their discernment thus far. We know that everyone at home is holding our gathering in prayer as we listen for the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

Pace e Bene,

Margie