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Our Prophetic Mission as Marianist Sisters
by
Sr. Eileen Cehyra,
FMI
believe our mission
as Marianist Sisters is a prophetic vocation, for in the Old Testament when
Yahweh called prophets, it was always to send them on a mission. The prophets
proclaimed in the social and economic life of their times. We, too, are
challenged to proclaim according to the "signs of our times" in a prophetic
community which is the Church.
To be a prophet is to proclaim the wonders of the Kingdom; to be able to read
the signs of the times; to call to conversion from the depths of the Gospel.
The "signs of the times" which challenge us as Marianist Apostolic Women
Religious today are questions of justice and peace; consumer society and
materialism; social injustice and situations of oppression; a thirst for the
spiritual; and a call to collaboration with the laity.
To facilitate our understanding of mission today, we have our Rule, our recent
General Chapter Document, and, here in North America, our Province Mission
Statement.
Our Rule states, "Faithful to the vision of our Founders we choose preferably
those ministries which favor 'the multiplication of Christians,' awaken faith,
allow us to form communities of Christians and apostles, and are more
particularly concerned with youth and the poor."
Our General Chapter Document highlighted three aspects of our mission: "the
vocation and mission of lay people in the Church, work for justice and peace,
and commitment to the poor."
Our Province Mission Statement expresses very succinctly our mission here in
North America while, at the same time, it responds to the call of the Church
today when it states, "We commit to ourselves 1) to assist the laity with whom
we are associated; 2) to develop lay faith communities; and 3) to move toward
the economically poor."
In pursuing these three directions, "our province intends to manifest Mary's
rootedness in the mysteries of life and her risk-taking faith, hospitality to
God and people, and prophetic sensitivity toward God's actions among all people
in need." At a recent Province Assembly we made this very concrete by
interspersing our discussion with time for prayer and discernment uniting
ourselves with Mary.
All these documents chart our course for us, but we are mindful that in order to
proclaim the wonders of the Kingdom we must witness to the experience of God in
our lives. The call to conversion will demand of us change. And change only
comes about if we are willing to "let go."
We are most fortunate to have Mary as our model, and Adele, who wanted us to
"burn with a holy zeal to make Jesus Christ known and loved," as our Foundress.
We Marianist Sisters work at being women of hope, women of promise. I firmly
believe that "God will walk with each one of us who quietly reaches out, mindful
of intimate devotion and courage ... for there are whispered promises between
us... mindful of the intimate devotion and courage in knowing God, we walk in
caring with all the people, all creation..."(Magnificat of Prophecy from
Miryam of Nazareth by Ann Johnson). |