Associates at the Spirituality Forum

Associates at the Spirituality Forum
July 7 - 11, 2010


Drawings and photos are by Albany Associate Kathy Kernan

Hearts Broken Open
Associates' Reflection at the Conference: Sacred Heart Spirituality in a Globalized World
With approximately 250 RSCJ, Associates, Network colleagues, collaborators and friends of the Society gathered at Stone Ridge for the forum, the energy for our shared mission was tangible --- so much so that many of us felt as if our hearts were broken wide open! How could we contain all the legacies of Sophie, Philippine, and Janet Stuart, all of the zeal for Haiti, all the possibilities of making Sophie's message of love for the world possible today? We were filled to the top, brimming over.
Members of theiNational Committee (ANC-USA) were thrilled to have lunch with the provincial team. Our face-to-face discussion about the Associates movement was a wonderful chance to establish the beginning of a new relationship.
Suzanne Cooke unfolded Janet Erskine Stuart's life with God, her portrait of a wonderfully whole person who vibrant message about educating young children is available for us in the Goals and Criteria of the Network Schools.
Lyn Osiek shared a portion of her recent research into the life of Philippine through Philippine's own writings and letters. In words and images we came to know Philippine more deeply.
Cecile Meijer shared the realities of world issues through her work at the UN. she challenged us to "do a little thing--like writing a letter."
We were so fortunate to hear Paul Farmer's own story of his passion for the people of Haiti, of he weaves the Goals and Criteria into his work. When the electrical power went out in the room, we sat in semi-darkness wondering how we could respond for his call to perform the corporal works of mercy.
Associates shared their experiences of JPIC through engaging stories of work with women, juveniles, and children and the justice system, of education and immigrants, of direct evangelization in Taiwan, of mission outreach in Houston, and of helping underserved populations in El Salvador and Haiti.
Clare Pratt did an invaluable service in tying the threads of the forum together. She reminded us of our sacred sources who continue to help us to find the "the heartbeat of God in the reality of our world." There was no doubt that we left renewed and informed, energized to transform our own realities in large and small ways.
written by: Catherine Kinabrew, Marianne Basila, Jane Steinfels, Fran Dickey, Associates

Videos of the presentations at the forum can be seen at: http://www.rscj.org/