from the General Council

A Visit to the Northern European Province:

Cosmic Moments of Grace* or
A Meeting Place for Grace to Unfold

*According to Thomas Berry: Cosmic moments of grace are events crucial to the development of a universe which supports life and intelligent life often happens at zero impossibility.

During the month of June, we visited the Northern European Province, traveling to England, France, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – sharing something of the life and mission of our sisters in the diverse geographical regions of this province.

Tabernacle - Lisburn Chapel

Two Assemblies were held, one in Dublin, Ireland (All Hallows) and the second in Birmingham, England (Paragon Hotel) where we reflected with our sisters on insights from our study of cosmology as mandated by the 2007 General Chapter. We wanted to integrate these learnings about crisis and transformation into a reflection related to the journey of the province since our first foundation in Lisburn in 1870 up to the present. For us, the Assemblies were moments of grace, life, energy and hope for our common future as RSHM.

Mary in Noddfa

In our various visits to communities, we were invited to participate in community prayer, to celebrate Eucharist with local parish communities, to visit ministries – here we were able to see how life is being “received and given”, a desire which the sisters strongly affirmed in their 2006 provincial chapter statement.

We want to thank Barbara Bailey and the members of her provincial council, Patrice Power, Marie André Dullaghan, Patsy Butler and Philippa O’Sullivan as well as Margôt Gaitskell, secretary,and Mary Jo Martin, treasurer, for all their work in organizing the multiplicity of tasks required during a visit of the general council. They were tireless in responding to our needs – designing travel schedules, purchasing tickets for trains and planes (no boats, however!), organizing the practical details of the Assembly – lodging, food, meeting spaces, equipment and technological support. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Madeleine Fitzpatrick who generously coordinated our work in All Hallows, Dublin for the Assembly.

We say to all of you, our sisters in the Northern European Province: “merci”, “thank you” and “go raibh maith agut”!

Patsy, Marie André, Philippa, Barbara, Mary Jo, Patrice, Margôt

NEP Picasa Album

10th International Conference
RSHM Network of Schools

Following the NEP Visit, Terezinha participated in the 10th Implementation Conference of the International RSHM Network of Schools in Porto, Portugal. The theme of this year's gathering was "Give Yourself to Challenge" and Terezinha was invited to share her reflections on "Assuring Continuity to the RSHM Founding Spirit and Mission". Congratulations to Anne Marie Hill for organizing this annual event that ensures the RSHM tradition of quality education "so that all may have life, life in abundance". João Trigo, headmaster, and the faculty and staff at Colegio do Rosario were generous and gracious hosts in welcoming delegates and 30 students from 15 schools. For more information, see RSHM Network of Schools.

Catherine and Marie France
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You will declare the fifieth year sacred...
Leviticus 25:11