Provincial Chapter 2021, first virtual meeting
Initially scheduled to take place in Rome at the end of April, our Provincial Chapter has also been modified and rethought, in order to adapt to the health restrictions in force. This major event for our congregation was therefore divided into two sessions. The first one started remotely on 23 April, via Zoom. It brought together 70 participants, sisters and lay people, for three days. The second session will be held in Rome from 25 September to 4 October 2021.
How do the challenges facing the Church affect us?
This was the theme of our first session. Over the last few months, all the members of the large “Cenacle family”, divided into 9 language groups, have been reflecting, praying and sharing on this topic.
In the first part of our meeting we received the contributions of these groups, listened to our spontaneous reactions, perceived what was emerging for us, the challenges, etc.
The next day, Saturday 24 April, Father Stefano, a friend of the Cenacle in Italy, introduced us to another dimension of the theme, drawing our attention to the “revolution of tenderness” to be lived in every relationship, in every situation. Listening to our feelings for a path of discernment and clarification, to recognise and adhere to life in an appropriate way, to always be open to seeing new possibilities.
Faces of the Church to be revealed, to be lived
Enriched by this input, we worked in groups on the six themes that emerged from our discussions:
- The Church, people of God
- The Church that nourishes the life of faith
- The Church, women with men
- The Church, one and plural
- The Church, immersed in the challenges of the world
- The Church, on the move
What is at stake? What is our aim? What concrete ways could we imagine to meet the challenges? We formed working groups and then reported back on the exchanges and reflections in order to discuss them in the plenary session, scheduled for the afternoon session.
Prayer and discernment
The third morning of this session was marked by a time of personal prayer and discernment: what was the priority call received from the Spirit for our Cenacle body for the future.
The call received for the future
As Cenacle in Europe-Togo, with audacity and inventiveness, we welcomed on the third afternoon the call to contribute as a priority to a Church that is going out and a Church that nourishes the life of faith. These were the two themes that resonated most strongly in the heart of our assembly. A new path is opening up before us, to be explored together.
By Sister Marie Jamet, London community
Would you like to know more about the challenges of a Provincial Chapter? Read our dedicated article here.
