“Along the way we want to
become sisters to one another and to commit ourselves to a new society in which
human being will be recognized as sisters and brothers (cf. Rev 21, 1-5;
Constitutions p. 23, 5)”
“Community is the heart of the Trinity, and it is the
heart of our vocation, as religious…”
To revitalize community life, we must want to do the
work and recommit ourselves to the Gospel mandate to love one another. And we
must increase our awareness and sensitivity to the challenges of our current
reality, particularly of being older and having a different life style.
Community life is the same, in that it is still based on the Gospel. But it is
also different, because WE are different.”
Here, we are invited to reaffirm our commitment to
community; to stay in the game when it gets tough and demands self-giving(cf.
Constitutions of SOL pp.23 – 25)
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Learn to forgive easily and ask for it often
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Become a blessing elder, a person of gratitude and
generosity
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Find ways to make communities intergenerational, be willing
to work together
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Reach out to the lonely or troubled, with a listening heart
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Pursue new ways of relating, inviting people into our life;
become lighter in heart
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Remember; we admire smart people, fear powerful people and
really love the playful ones!
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Take responsibility for our part in building up, or tearing
down, community
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Get involved in healthy behaviors: exercise or nutrition
groups, discussion or book clubs, and, when needed, seek professional guidance
And most of all, ask for help in prayer; for wherever two or three
are gathered, God has guaranteed His presence. (Source: material retreat of Sr.
Mary Kelly, SNDdeNamur)
During the period of
training, the living of community life is concretely practiced through the
daily activity of life within 6 months.
The participants deepen
and enrich one another to build their healthy community life through:
Personal prayer
To experience a source of
strength and to deepen personal spiritual life in concrete situation.
Recollection day/personal deepening
To internalize the whole
process of the program by finding God deeper within the inner core.
Community talks
To discuss the concrete
aspects of the daily life in community in order to examine where and how our
life in community can more closely approximate God’s purpose (Const. pp. 29 –
31)
Community/personal evaluation
To review and evaluate
the activities those have been done.
Relaxation/Sport
To give balance to the
physical, mental, spiritual, and psychological processing of body and mind
Outing day
To enhance a growing
critical appreciation by open ourselves to other cultures and religions and
letting ourselves be enriched by them
(Constitutions p.25)
Bulletin and media communication:
To create room for sharing vision, inspiring thoughts
in a creative and effective way.
Weekend
To create time for
personal activity in a constructive way.
