Communion, trust and freedom...

It’s the first time I’ve taken part in a General Chapter, and I feel enormous gratitude; the atmosphere of communion, trust and freedom is palpable. We feel that we are sisters, and at the same time our countries have become one family, rejoicing in all that we gain from belonging to an international community.

The dynamics of the Chapter are those of openness, listening, prayer and discernment; if anything connected with organisation or method has to be changed, it is done without disrupting or slowing down the process.

I’m in admiration of how closely we agreed when choosing the five centres of interest. They made it easier for us to work on the aspects of the Chapter that we want to share with the Society.

At a short prayer-meeting, the 5 groups put the result of our work at St Madeleine Sophie’s feet. That meant a great deal to me.

This week we are working in different groups on the way of organising ourselves, and this is giving us some ideas about implementing the new ways of strengthening regions and networks.

I thank all our sisters throughout the world, who with their prayer, love and emails are keeping in touch with us day by day. I thank the facilitators skillfully guiding the Chapter; those on the liturgy commission, who with their deep thought and creativity give direction to our day; the translators, the secretaries, and our sisters on the web-page, creatively keeping us up to date on what’s happening in the Chapter.