Tomorrow nine RSCJ will make their perpetual professions in Rome, after almost 5 months preparation. According to a Society tradition started by our foundress, a few days before profession each group receives a name and devise (motto) from the Superior General, which will accompany them individually and as a group. As far as possible, both name and devise reflect the group's experience, process and insights, their growth and deepened knowledge of God's love and call.
This group has been named Loved from the depths to be for others God's transforming love, with the devise God's mercy and faithfulness shine forth. You can read some extracts from the closing conference here.
If we believe we "become what we are called" then our probation names are effectively a personal and group vocation. But each name, centred on an aspect of God's love and desires, isn't a private call for that group; the call and challenge are there for all of us.
To be God's transforming love... as Kathy says in her conference, this is a challenging call, one we can only live out of the depths of our own experience of being loved, and of being transformed by that love. It is a love which believes, as it says right at the beginning of our Constitutions, that God's mercy and faithfulness shine forth in a world wounded by sin... which believes that however dark and hopeless things may seem, there is always potential for growth and transformation... that God's enduring love will always shine through.
This group has been named Loved from the depths to be for others God's transforming love, with the devise God's mercy and faithfulness shine forth. You can read some extracts from the closing conference here.
If we believe we "become what we are called" then our probation names are effectively a personal and group vocation. But each name, centred on an aspect of God's love and desires, isn't a private call for that group; the call and challenge are there for all of us.
Thank you Silvana, that was a lovely blog. I am inspired by the idea of being "God's transforming love" in a world of darkness and lovelessness. What a call! To put love at the heart of the church (and the world) as Therese would say. Real love is transformative, it is so attractive and irresistable. Prayers for those who will make perpetual profession tomorrow. God bless them, and may they irradiate the world with their love. Brenda SMG
ReplyDeleteThank you Brenda. I see you've recently joined the blogging world: I hope you're enjoying it, and that you continue being able to reveal the love of God through what you write.
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