Monday, June 8, 2015

JOY IN JUNE: 2015












On June 1, Charles, Bob and John celebrated the birthday of Edmund Rice with dinner at “Ignatius” on Magazine Street. 
 
On June 2 John joined other members of the executive committee of the Burning Bush group that supports programs working for a more peaceful city through Burning Bush members’ prayer, personal involvement and advocacy.  This was the final meeting for John and Sr. Regina Petersen; she leaves for Ethiopia this month.

John, Regina Peterson MSC , Kitty Bethea OP, Claire Regan, SC, Maura O'Donovan CHF
On Thursday the 4th the Touro-Bouligny Neighborhood Association Meeting was held in the Blessed Pauline Center. 

Sr. Pauline O'Reilly CHF and Br. Charles
On Saturday, June 6th the Sisters of Holy Faith celebrated Sr. Pauline O’Reilly’s Golden Jubilee.  The Congregation of Sisters of the Holy Faith was founded in Waterford, Ireland by Margaret Aylward.  There were over 30 guests celebrating Sr. Pauline’s 50 years of religious life.  Her joyful spirit, commitment to the poor, and gracious presence were celebrated by fellow religious, co-workers and friends.  Sr. Pauline lives in community with Sr. Nancy Hale whose brother Mike, and sister-in-law, Betsy attended; Sr. Pauline’s family lives in Ireland.  Sr. Pauline and Sr. Nancy were joined by the two other Holy Faith Sisters, Sr. Maura O’Donovan and Sr. Teresa Rooney, in renewing their vows.  The joyous commitment of people who give their lives to God and the People of God in a particular religious family and who have persevered is an interesting phenomenon is our current individualistic age when promises are so lightly broken if discomfort or suffering is entailed.  One author wrote: “Integrity is keeping a commitment even after circumstances have changed.”  Certainly on Saturday, June 6, the Jubilee was one of Joy on the Journey that Pauline, her Sisters and fellow religious are embarked upon.

Sr. Nancy:  'What a big house you have."  Br. John: "The better for big parties, my dear."  


Vow Renewal:  Sr. Maura O'Donovan, Sr. Pauline O'Reilly, Sr. Nancy Hale and Sr. Teresa Rooney

 





   
















 

 




 
Mike and Betty Hale
















 
T J Wain, John Petrullo, Sr. Monica Gundler, SC

REFLECTION:  A selection from the letter to all consecrated people on the Year of Consecrated Life
APOSTOLIC LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE FRANCIS
TO ALL CONSECRATED PEOPLE
ON THE OCCASION OF THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

II. EXPECTATIONS FOR THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE
What in particular do I expect from this Year of grace for consecrated life?

1.       That the old saying will always be true: “Where there are religious, there is joy”. We are called to know and show that God is able to fill our hearts to the brim with happiness; that we need not seek our happiness elsewhere; that the authentic sorority found in our communities increases our joy; and that our total self -giving in service to the Church, to families and young people, to the elderly and the poor, brings us life-long personal fulfilment.

None of us should be dour, discontented and dissatisfied, for “a gloomy disciple is a disciple of gloom”. Like everyone else, we have our troubles, our dark nights of the soul, our disappointments and infirmities, our experience of slowing down as we grow older. But in all these things we should be able to discover “perfect joy”. For it is here that we learn to recognize the face of Christ, who became like us in all things, and to rejoice in the knowledge that we are being conformed to him who, out of love of us, did not refuse the sufferings of the cross.

 In a society which exalts the cult of efficiency, fitness and success, one which ignores the poor and dismisses “losers”, we can witness by our lives to the truth of the words of Scripture: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor12:10).

 We can apply to the consecrated life the words of Benedict XVI which I cited in the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium : “It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but by attraction” (No. 14). The consecrated life will not flourish as a result of brilliant vocation programs, but because the young people we meet find us attractive, because they see us as men and women who are happy! Similarly, the apostolic effectiveness of consecrated life does not depend on the efficiency of its methods. It depends on the eloquence of your lives, lives which radiate the joy and beauty of living the Gospel and following Christ to the full.

From the Vatican, 21 November 2014, Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary


BLOG 06.08.15