GENERAL PROGRAMMATION. In the gift of communion We live and announce the mercy of the Father. for a renewed presence in the Church

Transcription

1 SISTERS OF JESUS GOOD SHEPHERD - PASTORELLE GENERAL PROGRAMMATION In the gift of communion We live and announce the mercy of the Father for a renewed presence in the Church

2 General Programmation

3 General Programmation Presentation We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. - It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace - the condition of our salvation - the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity... - the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us - the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life - the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness. (cf. MV 2) Dear Sisters, In continuation to the last phase of the sexennial, you will find in this General Programmation, the itinerary of 2016 and the first six months of 2017, when we will celebrate our 9 th General Chapter and for which, as of now, we are called to pray and participate actively in the preparation. In 2011 when we drew up the Programmation of the sexennial, we could not have imagined the ecclesial and social events, in which we would have been involved in this complex and delicate period of human history: the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI; the turning point that Pope Francis is giving to the ecclesial itinerary with his witness of life and his teaching; the global instability with the spread of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism; a Synod of Bishops on the Family which has placed in serious reflection the entire Church; the declaration of a year dedicated to Consecrated Life which is now almost at its conclusion 1 and the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy 2 that will thrust us to further reflect together, through the gift of communion, on how to find new ways of expressing the compassion of Jesus Good Shepherd to the people of God. The theme we have chosen for : In the gift of communion we live and proclaim the Mercy of the Father... for a renewed presence in the Church is formulated in accordance with the journey of the entire Congregation and with the directives of Pope Francis, associated to the Holy year which we shall live. From the Icon of John 15 that is accompanying us these years, we wish to highlight verse 4: Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, in the knowledge that remaining, persevering despite the trials, in the life in Christ, the true Vine, gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us who through the Church remain in him and without him we can do nothing. For this we continue to focus on the Eucharist, inspired by St. Augustine when speaking of the Eucharist, he says: Be what you see and receive what you are 3 ; at St. Leo the Great when he reminds us that Our participation in the body and blood of Christ aims at this: enabling us to become what we eat ; and at Blessed James Alberione when he invites us to take: As companion of our life the Eucharist 4 and exhorts us to unity: You are all feed by the same Eucharistic Bread, thus be well united! 5. Faced with the challenges of our world, of humanity ever more in need of security and peace, let us not forget that our vocation asks us to go to the essential, to be living memory, that the path of humanity is oriented to the final banquet, to full communion with Him who created us for love and wants to give us Life forever. 1 2 February December Discourse I Novissimi, 194, PrP I, 1940, p. 90.

4 General Programmation In 2016 we will conclude the Canonical visit of the sexennial that will take place in the Province BR SP-GA and in the Delegation of K and there are also some finalized visits. Since it was not possible to hold the meeting of bursars in 2014, a conference for bursars has been scheduled in different continents: for Latin America in Sao Paulo (Brazil); for Asia in Manila (Philippines) and for Europe in Rome. In the Programmation you will find listed, in addition to the commitments of the General Government, the dates of the scheduled meetings for the Preparatory Commission of the 9GC, a Chapter which we would like to live in the same spirit emphasized by the Encyclical Laudato Sì: when our hearts are authentically open to universal communion, this sense of fraternity excludes nothing and no one. ( ) Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth 6. Furthermore, together, we want to remember every day that: heaven begins right in this communion with Jesus 7 in the eucharist, whereby we invite you, in the moments of communal meals, to use the prayer before and after meals, indicated in the Prayer Booklet of the Pauline Family 8, which we believe is most appropriate for the journey that lies ahead. You will find it printed on the final page of this Programmation, so consider replacing the usual prayer. We have included in the appendix an explanation of the symbol of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and under in Communion of prayer we ask each Circumscription to indicate, in the month assigned to each, motivations for asking forgiveness regarding the ecclesial and social reality of the nations that composed it:... having been created by the same Father, we are all beings of the universe, we are united by invisible links and form a sort of universal family, a sublime communion that compels us to a sacred, loving and humble respect 9. From 26 to 31 July, 2016 the XXXI World Youth Day will be held in Krakow (Poland), so we want to assure our prayer for the many young people from our parishes around the world who will be participating. May the Mother of Mercy accompany us on the journey and the Mercy received and given within our communities flows through the ministry of pastoral care to the Christian communities in which we minister. Sr Marta Finotelli and Sisters of the General Government Rome, 8 December 2015 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Opening of the Holy Year of Mercy The Objective of the 8GC We live the compassion of Jesus the Good Shepherd who lays down his life, rooted in the Word in communion and in pastoral conversion for a renewed presence in the Church open to interculturality. 6 Number Pope Francis, Angelus of 16 August In the Italian version, p Laudato sì, 89.

5 Council Meeting General Programmation The grace of God must act in a way that your work bear fruit. It is necessary that we be united to Jesus. The branch must remain united to the vine. If we are united to Jesus, behold, the living sap will be in us and we shall bear flowers and fruits... " (PrP IV, 1949, p. 231) During these sessions the Council will consider the verbatims and other requests from the Circumscriptions, received at least one week before each session of the Council, thus enabling a real discernment on the issues January February 08-10* April 07-09* May June July January February 20-28* March April May 15-17* June September Ocotber 10-13* November Dicember NB. Please refrain from sending the verbatims with urgent decisions at the last minute. NB. The dates with the * (asterisk) foresee some time dedicated to the preparation of the 9GC.

6 Programmation of the General Government January Beginning of the new government BR SP - GA General Programmation January Beginning consultation for the new government ICS - AL January Meeting of Under 50 in the Generalate January Meeting of GG of the PF at Ariccia January Meeting of the Preparative Commission for 9GC 28 gen Feb. World Week on Consecrated Life in Rome February Publication of Lenten Lectio Leaflet 1 February Beginning of new government CI - PE - CU February Assembly UCESM in Rome (sr Marta) 07 February- 23 March Canonical Visit BR SP - GA (in Brazil 23 February - 23 March) (in Gabon February) February Spiritual Exercises for formators USMI (sr Marta) March Publication of the Novena to Jesus Good Shepherd 30 March - 1 April National Assembly of USMI April Beginning of the preparative itinerary for the 9GC April Publication of CTN April Meeting of the Preparative Commission for 9GC 18 April Visit of the students of the PF Charism Course May Plenary Assembly of UISG in Rome (sr Marta) May Finalized Visit to Cuba May Bursars Conference for LATIN AMERICA in San Paolo (Brazil) May Finalized Visit to BR CdS 31 May 6 June Finalized Visit to CO - VE - ME June Publication Novena of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul 08 June Beginning of the new government ICS - AL Meeting of the new government ICS - AL (date to be established) June National Council meeting USMI (sr Marta)

7 General Programmation June Indiction 9th General Chapter July Pastoral Conference at Assisi July Meeting of Preparatative Commission 9GC August Publication Novena to Mary Mother of the good Shepherd 1-25 August Canonical Visit to K August Missionary Conference at Assisi August Bursars Conference for ASIA in Manila (Philippines) September Publication CTN 2 25 Sept. 1 Oct. Spiritual Exercises (as GG group)) November (date to be established) Bursar Conference for EUROPA in Rome November Publication of the Advent Lectio Leaflet 20 November Closure of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. December Publication CTN January January (date to be established) February February Beginning of consultation for new Government ICN - MZ (time to be established) Meeting of GG of PF Publication of Lenten Lectio Leaflet Finalized Visit to Pemba (Mozambique) March Meeting of Preparative Commission 9GC April National Assembly - USMI (sr Marta) April Publication Novena to Jesus good Shepherd and CTN 1 May (date to be established) June (time to be established) Spiritual Exercises (GG as group) Beginning consultation for the new government BR CdS 29 June Celebration of the 9th General Chapter

8 In communion of prayer General Programmation ( ) Open wide your heart, love much, because the Lord has been good, so good! he did not take into account our unworthiness nor our sins, but exceeded in his mercy ( ). (AAP 1959, 99) During the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, we cross the "Door" 10 together invoking forgiveness on our Congregation, on the Pauline Family and on all those social and ecclesial situations in the countries where we are present, asking for Divine Mercy January February March April May June July August September October November December General Government and Generalate Community Chile-Perù - Cuba Brazil- San Paolo - Gabon Colombia - Venezuela - Mexico Brazil Caxias do Sul Italy Centre South- Albania Argentina - Bolivia Korea Philippines - Australia - Saipan - Taiwan Italy Centre North - Mozambique Communities dependent on the General Government: Study- Charism (Rome); Paysandù (Uruguay) Pauline Family and in particular the Pauline Co-operators NB. Every Government, fifteen days before the month dedicated to its Circumscription, will send to the Secretary General a request of forgiveness regarding the social and ecclesial reality of every nation that forms its Circumscription. NB. For 2017 we shall use the prayer expected for the 9GC. 10 From Misericordiae Vultus n. 3: a Door of Mercy, where whoever enters will be able to experience the love of God that consoles, forgives and bestows hope.

9 General Programmation MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER The logo of the Jubilee of Mercy The logo and the motto together provide a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year is all about. The motto Merciful Like the Father (taken from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure (cfr. Lk 6:37-38). The logo the work of Jesuit Father Marko I. Rupnik presents a small summa theologiae of the theme of mercy. In fact, it represents an image quite important to the early Church: that of the Son having taken upon his shoulders the lost soul demonstrating that it is the love of Christ that brings to completion the mystery of his incarnation culminating in redemption. The logo has been designed in such a way so as to express the profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and does so with a love with the power to change one s life. One particular feature worthy of note is that while the Good Shepherd, in his great mercy, takes humanity upon himself, his eyes are merged with those of man. Christ sees with the eyes of Adam, and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Every person discovers in Christ, the new Adam, one s own humanity and the future that lies ahead, contemplating, in his gaze, the love of the Father. The scene is captured within the so called mandorla (the shape of an almond), a figure quite important in early and medieval iconography, for it calls to mind the two natures of Christ, divine and human. The three concentric ovals, with colours progressively lighter as we move outward, suggest the movement of Christ who carries humanity out of the night of sin and death. Conversely, the depth of the darker colour suggests the impenetrability of the love of the Father who forgives all. (From Before Meals Jesus, bread broken in the Eucharist, nourish us spiritually with your very life and grant that very day we may be able in charity to break the bread which your providence gives us. After Meals We thank you, God our Father, for this fraternal meal, sign of our communion in fulfilling the work to which you have called us. Rome Generalate House December 2015