September 2023
In May 2023 there was a meeting of the members of “International Union of Superiors General” in Rome, Italy in which our Sister Aurora Torres participated.
Dr. Ted Dunn spoke to the assembly on “Embracing Our Vulnerability: A gesture of humility or a call to transformation”. In reviewing the demographics of religious communities today, it is readily apparent that we are much more vulnerable than we once were.
Dr. Dunn believes that the world has arrived at a crossroads, and we can choose to respond in fear by closing in on ourselves or we can listen to the deeper invitation and partner with others to birth a new way of being.
Part of listening to the deeper invitation is to open oneself to transformation. We all know change – it is an external event that takes place daily in our lives. Each of us experiences change constantly.
However, transformation is an internal process in which we look at the meaning and purpose of our lives and perhaps experience some shift in both meaning and purpose.
Our Congregational Leadership invited all of us to engage in a transformation process which began on December 8, 2021, and is still in process. Given technology, with the possibility of Zoom along with skilled translators who can simultaneously translate from one language to another, many of our members have participated in several different sessions.
Sisters were invited to share their personal original commitment stories as well as what has sustained them in living this commitment through the years. This past June, many sisters shared the painful experiences of realizing that SMR is several geographical areas is coming to completion unless some unexpected phenomena alter the course of events.
Our foundress. Emilie d’Oultremont d’Hooghvorst, was gifted with a profound awareness of God’s tender love for us and all of creation. We remain very firm in believing we are invited to share this gift with our brothers and sisters today. Please pray with us that the transformation process strengthens that awareness in our minds and hearts.
Margaret Hoey