July 17, 2006
Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse

Following are summaries, highlights, quotes and photos from Monday, July 17, of the Gathering.

To the strains of “There is a Longing in Our Hearts…for justice, for freedom…” we opened our Monday morning prayer to celebrate our almsgiving from the simple supper of Sunday evening. S. Georgia Kitt announced that we had given a total of $5344 to be used for food for the hungry. Our gift was matched with Congregational funds to bring the total to $10688. Prior to the Gathering, members were invited to apply for a share of these funds to be used in specific ministries that provide food for the poor. Our gift will be used to feed the hungry in Cincinnati, Dayton, Albuquerque, Pueblo and Colorado Springs.

Quotes:

“I am happy that when we get together we do think of the poor and do something about it.” (S. Helen Therese Scasny)

“The morning prayer was very simple and reverent and quiet. I really appreciated that.” (S. Mary Dolores Schneider)

“I liked being included in the dancing (through jestures) that was part of the prayer service.” (Associate Patrice Harty)

The morning reflection prayfully led into a presentation by S. Carmelita Murphy and by S. Barbara Hagedorn. S. Carmelita dealt with "Leadership of the Whole." How do we author the life of charity. She gave a quote, "Life is about eternal becoming." Leadership of the whole means

• participation by every member in whatever way we are able
• calls for active participation
• it calls us as sisters and associates to express in their individual ways our charism
• to listen to the Wisdom (Sophia) that is present in each and every one of us.

The Community of Charity already has in place ways to do this. Based on documents of Vatican II we experience collegiality, the practice of authority which binds us by our religious vocation, and this includes both the burdens and the joys. Some burdens demand deep learning. Our Constitution also gives us ways to practice the "leadership of the whole."

• Chapter gives us a vehicle to have the courage to be a prophetic voice.
• We have a leadership council that overseas and coordinates.
• Network leaders are vital to link individual members to leadership council.
• Corporate voice about out mission of Charity.
• Congregational offices - key implements of furthering mission, charism, vision.
• Small groups -essential to surface issues and call for specific actions by the above.

S. Carmelita finished by saying that she sees the community as a very circular world view model and striving to eliminate the hierarchal model.

S. Barbara gave a short presentation on how this material from the Gathering would be implemented. Some of the material may not relate to chapter, but the input will certainly help the Chapter planning committee in setting the process and agenda. They will also receive clues from the Future Planning Committee, our financial report (our capacity for the future) and Leadership’s Four Year Report. The key to all of this will become much clearer at the Fall Congregational meetings. Words of thanks were a part of every presentation and no one was left out. A special thanks to the Gathering Planning Committee who made all of this happen was expressed. Barb ended by saying that all the work and all the planning and all the events would have been wasted except for the willingness of the sisters, those present, those in Mother Margaret Hall, and Bedford to participate to the fullness of their ability.

The closing ritual of song was appropriate that it ended with the giving of thanks to our God who was present in every aspect of listening, sharing, meeting new people, renewing our friendships, having fun. God was certainly present in allowing us to "Meet our Grace" in all these experiences.

Our recommitment Litany was taken from the words of our Constitution & we responded, "May what we have said together, be what we live together." The chapel was filled with as many facial expressions and reactions as there were people, huge smiles, tears, a desire to "get on with it.", and promises to make an individual commitment to take responsibility for what had come from the five focus areas.

Quotes:

"We have to stop thinking about AGE. My mother was 103 when she died and so each day I say to myself, Paula, what are you going to do with the next 30 years of your life?" (S. Paula Gonzales)

I feel my "embers" graced, glowing and hopeful in the SC Spirit. (S. Mary Lee Krall)

“To achieve the vision of the future of our Charity family we should each take personal initiative to encourage each other to help keep the vision, mission, charism moving, even though probably someone else will reap the fruit.”(S. Rose Patrice Beck)

“I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the Gathering. How different from the old Chapters (no Gatherings)! How spontaneous and beautiful the speakers were. I remember at one Chapter when S. Isabella challenged the Archbishop and got her head taken off. Now they ask for challenges and get them! I can't help thinking of the contrast when we were afraid to say even a few words. It's wonderful.” (S. Eleanor Marie Salm)

“The General Session was a prelude to Chapter and gave us a prayerful beginning of Leadership of the Whole.” (S. Agnes Schaumleffel)

‘Making God’s love visible’ with all its joys and burdens that bring us life”. May the Author of Life – God, grace us to author our lives in community and mission. May we listen to everyone’s piece of truth.

“They drew a circle that shut us out.
Heretic, rebel thing to flout,
But LOVE and we had the wit to win,
We drew a circle that took them in.”
I can’t remember whose quote. (S. Judith Ansberry)

“I feel that I am participating in the artwork of creating a yet unknown transformation of the prophetic role of SC Community life. My heart has experienced both thrill and fear as I ponder the future. Can we, together, participate in the understanding, the healing so needed among us to both envision and move into an all-inclusive global service to the world in need?” (S. Mary Jean Fields)

“I liked the suggestion that we not continue to use model of the corporate world but rather of family.” (S. Barbara Huber)

"I feel energized exhaustion!" (S. Barbara Hagedorn)

"I long for the time to really reflect and pray over these past few days in order to be invigorated to take risks and be a visible sign of our mission, charism and vision in whatever way God sees fit." (S. Ruth Hunt)

Miscellaneous quotes:

“It’s wonderful to be back after so many years and to see the joy and the spirit that I remember as alive and well.” (Linda Hungling Curtoys, former member)

“It was truly an altogether lovely brunch with the addition of wonderful company!”
(S. Louise Akers)

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Photos from the Closing Ritual

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