Pilgrims On The Journey

CONVERSATIONS ALONG THE WAY (Lk 24:13-33)                   

During the past two years, all the Provinces tried to live the Calls of the 2007 Collegial Assembly. For this Council of the Institute, they expressed the desire to deepen these Calls. So our journey to Japan had begun in our own countries. We gathered in the name of all the Sisters in the Institute at Nicolas Barré House, Tokyo. Our conversations plunged us into the realities of our Provinces and the world we live in. At this time of global crisis and great upheaval, suffering has intensified. “The current crisis obliges us to re-plan our journey and to discover new forms of commitment, to build on positive experiences … crisis thus becomes an opportunity for discernment, helping us to shape a new vision for the future.” (CV #21)  It is in this context we feel called to rediscover who we are, alongside people who have a different commitment in life. This challenges us as apostolic religious in today’s world. Our search for common points of reference centered on:

• Our experience of God
• Understanding of our vows today
• Sense of Community
• Collaborative leadership

We responded to the invitation ‘to resolutely set our eyes on the road ahead’ (CI 09 Opening Address) … we hope to deepen this with our Sisters in our Provinces.

Our relationship with God at all levels is a gift of the Spirit. We felt the need to recommit ourselves to be nourished by the Word of God … the `Spring of Living Water`. We were re-awakened to an ever greater desire to integrate our prayer with life.

Deepening the meaning of our vows in line with the Orientations for Formation will help us “to dedicate ourselves joyfully and fully to the following of Christ”. (Listening to the Movement of the Spirit – C 16)

“As companions on the road”, we journey everyday in faith, welcoming diversities in our community living. Challenged by a world marked by individualism and exclusion, we want to live authentic relationships … thus, community living is itself mission – a sign of unity, reconciliation and hope.

`Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life` (Jn 14:5) inspires us to live collaborative responsibility at all levels:

• …  Jesus the WAY, we walk humbly with others;
• …  Jesus the TRUTH that we speak in love;
• …  Jesus the LIFE we share

In our conversations around the journey with lay people, we welcome the many steps being taken in all our Provinces … we are experiencing the richness and energy they bring. We feel the need to allow the new to grow and to continue to share this part of our story.

At the end of our conversations, we focused again on the realities of our world and looked “for creative and concrete responses” (Colegial Assembly 07):

• The stark realities of migrants in all our countries challenge us to support and raise greater awareness and to work in collaboration with others to bring about change.
• The widening gap between the rich and the poor calls us to continual discernment on our lifestyle - to be with people most affected and to share hope and courage with them.
• We were made aware of the importance of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults - a policy will be developed at Institute/Province level.