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Volume 10, Issue 3 December, 2001
Volume 10, Issue 3 December, 2001
| The Spirit of the Cenacle is the official Newsletter of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. It is published three times during the year in conjunction with the liturgical seasons of Advent, Lent/Easter, and Ordinary Time. The deadline for the next issue is February 15, 2002. Please submit materials for the newsletter to Smittie Bolner, 460 Bancroft Way, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. E-mail: sbolner@lsu.edu. |
From Our General Custodian
UNITED WE STAND TALL, DIVIDED GOD AWAITS ANOTHER GENERATION!
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
(Ephesians 4:11-13)
It has been my observation that the most quoted part of this brief, yet
amazingly comprehensive summary of the nature and purpose of church leadership,
is the first section, detailing specific leadership rolls. While we recognize
and experience the “gifts,” the rest of the passage seems unattainable
within our human experience and understanding. Training the people to do the
work? Wishful thinking! Unity in the faith? Working in co-operation with my
neighborhood ministers, missionaries or organizations! Attaining the fullness of
Christ? An impossible dream! Yet this is our calling.
As leaders, our first step towards fulfilling these clear but seemingly
unattainable requirements of God is genuinely to repent of both our unbelief and
for allowing divisions to grow amongst us. Yes, the application of this huge
conversion in our thinking and actions must be laid upon a spiritual foundation,
as it is just too big a change for us to make by our human strength. We surely
need God to help us!
We really do need to seek God’s
forgiveness for our ungodly attitudes and behavior. Then we must put our hurts
and suspicions to one side and take the practical step of working with our
neighbors in ministry.
The world-wide environment of vulnerability resulting from the terrorist attacks
of 2 months ago, has created the ideal situation in which to further this
process of co-operation in godly love. It is a very special opportunity being
offered to us. If we forego it, God will wait upon another generation to fulfill
His Word. The choice is ours. In the words of Scripture:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14)
Josie Morales, MCA
General Custodian
From our International Spiritual Guide
November 13, 2001
My dear Friends:
May the grace and peace of the Holy Spirit be with us forever!
Among the many beautiful exhortations given to us regarding our prayer life, our founder would always insist on his conviction that our prayer should be the echo of the human situation and circumstances in which we live. Father Judge would warn us to avoid the “narrow type” of prayer, one which centers only on personal needs, disconnected from the broken world and the angst of those suffering around us.
Undoubtedly, we will celebrate Christmas this year as never before. Not only do we continue smarting under the impact of our wounded memories after the September 11th catastrophe, but also we continue to hurt as we become more aware of people being unemployed, displaced, disenchanted and downright affected by the worsening reality of the nation. Fear seems to roam freely in the hearts and minds of so many.
Prompted by the assurance of God’s love, and consoled by the vivid celebration of the Word made flesh during these holy days, we strive to make our prayer inclusive and all encompassing of the pain and sorrow we all experience.
No, it is not about being morbid and pessimistic during Christmas. It is about being realistic... in touch with the true meaning of the Incarnation. Jesus the Lord embraced and enfleshed humanity in its vulnerability and delicate precariousness. His birth is definitely the herald of unabated hope!
May our prayer continue to reflect the needs and wounds of those we so generously help in our apostolate!
With my love and prayers,
In the Most Holy Trinity,
Father Domingo Rodríguez, S.T.
International Spiritual Guide
MCA HIGHLIGHTS - From Our General Custodian
A. ELECTIONS
The MCA elections for Regional Custodians and Regional Custodian Assistants have concluded. Yesenia Aguilar, Costa Rica's elected Regional Custodian, has resigned. Maria Enriqueta Quiroz Castro, the elected Regional Custodian Assistant is filling the position.
B. REGIONAL DIVISION INTO AREAS
Because of the growth we are experiencing, it has become necessary to divide the regions into more manageable areas/sub-regions. Each area will have an Area Custodian who will be responsible for the Cenacles and membership in his/her area. This change will provide the MCA growth and development in the area of leadership and will move us closer towards the fulfillment of one of the goals that came out of the Leadership Assembly in 1998.
C. STEWARDSHIP PROJECT
1. The stewardship system of obtaining contributions is here to stay. It gives a spiritual meaning to our efforts in funding the MCA. However, the contributions have diminished considerably this year. I will be able to provide a report and comparison by the end of the year. I have asked the Regional custodians to please contact the individuals in their regions in charge of Stewardship to keep this project alive.
2. The MSBTs have donated monies to the MCA as part of the stewardship program and the STs have also continued to make contributions towards leadership development. Just recently a grant was received from the STs to fund the position of International Formation Director filled by Martha Vega.
3. Pat Regan will no longer be able to work on the Stewardship Project. Another person is being recruited to replace her. Pat has agreed to supervise the project and provide input.
D. INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF FORMATION (Martha Vega)
Under the title of International Director of Formation, Martha Vega's job description was published in the July newsletter. Martha began her assignment in July 2001 by participating in the Spanish speaking retreat at Holy Trinity with Fr. Valdomino and the Cenacles from Florida. Martha completed her first assignment successfully in October.
E. VOCATION OUTREACH
MCA members of the Holy Spirit Region and the MCA General Custodian have begun to meet with Fr. Ray Riding, ST, to discuss the possibility of having the MCF branches join efforts to provide vocational outreach. The first vocation outreach provided by the MCF in Spanish is scheduled to take place October 20, 2001, in Compton, CA. (See Father Ray’s letter on this activity in this newsletter.) A vocation outreach in English is being planned for the Spring, 2002, in California.
F. MCA SPIRITUAL GUIDES
Fr. Domingo, General Spiritual Guide, has been meeting with the MCA Regional Spiritual Guides twice a year. They are in the process of putting together a basic formation manual for religious and lay spiritual guides. The MCA is experiencing a shortage of spiritual guides and we are in the process of recruiting and forming lay spiritual guides as well as religious.
G. REVISION OF THE RULE OF LIFE AND CONSTITUTION
The meeting originally scheduled for September 6th was cancelled due to lack of accommodations. The next meeting will be held in January at Holy Trinity. It is hoped that after the meeting in January, the revision will be made available to the MCA members and MCF Councils for input.
H. REGIONAL MCF MISSION DISCERNMENT
Where there is more than one branch in a given region, I see a need to discern our mission as members of the Missionary Cenacle Family. I will be requesting that this discernment take place in those areas or regions where the possibility exists for two or more branches engaging in the same mission. My recommendation will be that such discernment takes place with the help of a facilitator/s.
I. VISIT TO TRINITY REGION
I visited Trinity Region from September 27 through October 4, 2001.
J. BASIC MCA FORMATION
The basic MCA formation goal which came out of our meeting in Puerto Rico has not gotten off the ground. It seems our original approach has not been successful, mostly due to the fact that each region is so different form the others. Therefore, I am requesting that each Region carry out the task of putting together a basic formation method for its own region. When this is achieved, key persons from each Region will meet to put together a basic formation method for the whole MCA. At our next meeting the Council will discuss this project further.
K. NEXT MCA COUNCIL MEETING
Our MCA Council meetings used to "piggy-back" to the MCFC meetings to save on traveling costs. Now that every Regional Custodian will not need to travel twice a year for MCFC meetings, we can schedule at least one of our MCA Council meetings at different locations/Regions and for this we will need to change some dates that were previously set. The whole MCFC will meet in September 2002, and we will hold our MCA Council meeting also at that time. Once I have a clear schedule of the MCFC meeting, I can come up with the specific day that the MCA Council will be able to meet.
I am asking input from Council members as to where to hold the next meeting.
L. COMMUNICATIONS
Jim Bolner, Sr., Assistant General Custodian, maintains the website for the MCA and the Missionary Cenacle Family ( http://mcenacle.org/mca/ and (http://mcenacle.org, respectively). We have an e-mail bulletin service which is used for MCA-related announcements (in English and Spanish) and for requests for prayers.
The Providence of Everyday Life: A Reflection by Pat Regan, MCA,
Divine Providence Cenacle, Maryland
The Missionary Cenacle Apostolate is blessed indeed! The Holy Spirit has provided each of us with the power and gifts we need to be missionaries -- to be, as Father Judge called us, apostles in the providence of everyday life.
In our particular spirituality, that of the Cenacle, we are aware that God dwells within the world. God is not just Aup there” somewhere, but present in everyday life. The vocation of all Christians, and ours in a particular way, is one of actively participating in the world as a means of sharing divine life. To do that, though, we have to be tuned in to the ways God is working in the people and circumstances of our lives. Father Judge calls this our Adaily providence.” In a 1922 letter, he writes that, “the circumstances of our daily life make manifest the Will of God, that is what is known as His Providence over us.”
At the heart of our vocation as lay apostles is an understanding that God is calling each of us to be missionary in our given situation. In an article published in 1928 in Holy Ghost Messenger, the early magazine published by the priests and brothers, Father Judge writes: AWe will find the field of sanctity in the circumstances of our everyday providence.”
It sounds good, doesn’t it? It sounds easy. In Father Judge’s day, there wasn’t much opportunity for Catholics to live out their apostolic vocation any way other than their everyday lives. The ministries that are available to us in the Church now weren’t a reality in his day. It was in their everyday lives that Awork-a-day Catholics,” as he called us, could be missionaries.
Today as lay men and women in the Church, we have a multitude of possibilities to serve in formalized ministries. We can be lectors, eucharistic ministers, catechists. We can serve on parish councils and on numerous committees on parish life. Most Catholic parishes have ample opportunities to volunteer in outreach ministries. I’ve been involved in one for the past six years through my church, and I love it.
Once a month, I go with two other women from my parish to Shalom House at the corner of 4th and T in northeast Washington, D.C.. It’s a transitional residence for formerly homeless men and women. We bring a home-cooked meal to share with the people, and then we give away small gifts we buy at the Dollar Store by playing Bingo.
I get a lot of satisfaction from this apostolate, and I look forward to it every month even though it is lots of work. I don’t usually cook for 30 people! Since the residents are usually there for a few years, I get to know their names and have learned some of their stories. I always come home tired but happy.
When I’m at Shalom House, I really feel like a missionary. I’m reaching out to the poor, the outcast. I’m doing something constructive to show God=s love for them. But my outreach ministry to Shalom House is only a very small part of how I am a missionary. How can I rely on those few hours every month as a way of fulfilling my missionary calling? A few years ago, I really began looking at my missionary calling in a different way, in a way that focused on my everyday life.
The reality of my everyday life centers largely on my workplace. I work at Trinity Missions, the fundraising office for the S.T.s. I’ve been there for nearly 13 years. For much of that time, I resisted the notion that I was to live out my missionary calling there. Oh, I felt like a missionary often enough at work -- when I wrote an inspiring magazine article, an emotional appeal letter or a beautiful thank you letter for the benefactors. I felt like a missionary when I visited the priests and brothers out in the field, in exotic places like Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and even Cleveland, Ohio. I was certainly acting like a missionary when I answered the phone after hours and consoled an elderly widow who called for prayers. I didn’t have any difficulty thinking of myself as a missionary in those settings -- in that Aprovidence” of my life.
But, and here is the hard part, I don’t always feel like a missionary with my co-workers! I don’t always go home “tired but happy” after spending my day with them. For years, when I thought about the providence of my everyday life, I looked everywhere but right under my nose. I resisted thinking of them as my Amission.” I simply didn’t want to look at them in that way.
A few years ago I gradually began to lower my resistance to the idea that I could be a missionary in that office, with the people with whom I spend 40 or more hours a week. And do you know what? As my own attitude changed, I began to see opportunities to be a missionary. I began to see that I could affect change in people -- and in myself! I could bring God=s light into that workplace simply by viewing them through a different lens and acting differently.
Still, I don’t always get the Afeel good” high after a long day’s work that I get from being at Shalom House. I have to make decisions that affect others, sometimes not to their liking. I regularly get frustrated with my co-workers, and I presume they with me. I sometimes want to scream when someone messes up and I have to pick up the pieces. But my “new eyes” help me to keep focused on my workplace as a vehicle for my missionary vocation, and my reactions to the ordinary stresses of the job are much different than they were before I began viewing my everyday work as an apostolate. I’ve come to believe that the way I go about my work day in and day out is a powerful witness to the Gospel, which is the ultimate goal of any missionary activity.
There are plenty of other examples of being a missionary in the providence of my everyday life. There are my neighbors, the grocery store clerks, friends – all those people who cross my path in any given day. For most lay people, we don’t have to look any further than our own families to find the opportunity to be missionary. Living alone as I do, I often wonder what could be more challenging an apostolate than sharing daily life with a spouse and children?!
Each of us, then, has opportunity every day to be an instrument of God’s grace. And, on the flip side, the people in our lives provide us with the chance to be the recipient of God’s grace. And isn’t that what is at the heart of the missionary life? Not only are we called to uncover for others the ways God is at work in their lives, but also to allow others to uncover God for us!
The challenge constantly before each of us, I think, is to examine the providence of our daily lives with the eyes and heart of the missionaries we are. How do we understand daily providence? What gifts do we bring to the providence of our lives? Which gifts do we have to grow in? I urge you to think beyond the more formalized ministries and apostolates you might be involved in. Go to your everyday life. Who are the people God puts in your path? What circumstances are you in that can uncover God’s action in your little piece of the world?
MCA in Compton, CA, Lauded for Vocation Efforts
Thank you!
That is the only way I can describe what I feel in my heart for the very special help of the MCA in our vocation efforts. THANK YOU! We have been working with our MCA brothers and sisters in the California region during the last year to set up a program that would make more alive our vocation efforts in that part of God’s Vineyard. There were various meetings where we dreamed, shared our visions of the Missionary Cenacle Family and how we can offer that very special calling to more and more young people. These meetings led to concrete plans for different activities. The enthusiasm, the joy, and, yes, the passion of the love of the Spirit was very evident when we were together in these meetings. I felt the reality of the word Cenacle when we shared our love for our Missionary Cenacle Charism and our desire and willingness to give of ourselves so that that love will be opened to more and more young people. And that love and passion was seen in such a special way in our vocation retreat that we had for about 30 young adults in our mission in Compton. For many months we had been planning a vocation retreat for young adults in Sta. Ana, California. The MCA was just participating in this retreat, not leading it. Well, the people helping me organize the retreat had to drop out and I thought that we would have to cancel the retreat. In fact, that is what I did. And then I received a phone call from the regional custodian, José Castro, and he said: “Father, don’t cancel the retreat. We can do it. We can pull it off. We can offer something special to the young people about our missionary spirit and family.” And so my heart was touched in a special way by the passion, the love, the dedication of that part of my missionary family. And instead of having an empty week-end, we had 30 young people learning about, celebrating and growing in our missionary spirit. And so I say that the only way to express my heart is to say: THANK YOU! Thank you for your open heart to see that our vocation effort is not just the vocation director’s job, but that it is the very life of all our Missionary Cenacle Family. THANK YOU! Our future is bright because our love is strong!
By Fr. Ray Riding, S.T., Vocation Director for the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in the USA.
Saint John the Baptist Region—Puerto Rico
I want to share with you all the emotions, experiences and situations with which we in Puerto Rico have been blessed in recent months. God has been good to us!
In May we had our annual retreat under the direction of Father Francisco Conckle, ST. The topic was "Jesus’ Missionary Call to Action." From the outset we felt that Jesus was in our hearts in a special way. Virgenmina Lugo, who has served as our Regional Custodian with such missionary zeal, has been responsible for spreading the Cenacle spirit to Santo Domingo. In Santo Domingo the love of God is alive among the laity as they embrace the apostolic spirit and charism of the MCA.
How wonderful it is to visit each one of our Cenacles and to receive the smiles of welcome and the embrace of members of this family! We feel united in being apostles as we try to think and live as apostles! This is a wonderful grace that we share!
In August Father Dennis Berry, ST, and Father Ray Riding, ST, joined in leading us in a three-day retreat on the theme of “The Family of God.” This was a great help in guiding us to contemplate on the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. We were all together at God’s table as family--priests, brothers, sisters, and members of the MCA. We all were responding to one call of the Spirit.
In September I attended my first meeting of the Missionary Cenacle Family Council; it was held near Baltimore, MD. I knew José Castro, the Regional Custodian of the Holy Spirit Region and Josie Morales our General Custodian. They gave me a warm welcome and embraced me with hospitality. At the meeting I soon began to share the vision of the Missionary Cenacle Family—a Family which embraces all of us. Two days after arriving in Maryland we experienced the terrorist attack. I could not stop thinking of how our motto, “Every Catholic an Apostle,” gives real expression to our lives. We do not have to go looking for our mission. Our mission chooses us. The Holy Spirit needs us!
This month (November) we of the MCA will be participating along with our brothers and sisters in another retreat. It will be led by Father Domingo Rodriguez, ST, and will be an occasion for us to listen to and respond to the call to experience the Cenacle Family. United in this family spirit, we say goodbye to Brother Gerardo Ramírez, ST, and we welcome Brother Dante, ST. Brother Gerardo returns to the United States and Brother Dante comes to us from Mexico.
As you read this note we will celebrate the anniversary of the Founders in Ponce and in December we will be in Coamo for a regional gathering. Lizette Fortuño the Assistant Regional Custodian and I know that we will be welcomed by all.
What a privilege for me to give the testimony of an Apostle! What a privilege to be of service!
— Alma Robles de Perfecto, MCA
Regional Custodian
Four Days: The Third Journey
to Santo Domingo
[Last April Linda Landin, MCA,
reported on the third journey of a group of missionaries from Puerto Rico to
Santa Domingo. Accounts of Journeys one and two were published in earlier
editions of the newsletter. We regret that due to the lack of space we were
unable to publish Linda’s full account of the “Third Journey.”] Those
making this journey were Virgenmina Lugo, MCA (formerly Regional Custodian), Dr.
Roberto Ferris, M.D., MCA; Linda Landin, MCA; and Brother Gerardo Ramirez, ST.
Linda detailed the “joy, some sorrow, some frustration, headaches, some lower
back pains, but mostly love” those making the trip encountered. The group was
welcomed to Caleta Valliente by Nilda Reyes, the director of a school that was
built in part with assistance from the MCF. Although there is no electricity,
the light shines through Nilda, who devotedly and wholeheartedly gives of
herself to the 94 children who attend the school. Dr. Ferris took medicines and
provided health care for the mothers and children. Others on the team assisted
him. In addition to ministering to the physical needs, the team also provided
spiritual needs—joining the children and their families in prayer and
instructing them in God’s love. Although there is much pain and suffering,
there is also hope. A new schoolhouse is now being built, for which funds and
labor are needed. Your prayers and assistance to continue this wonderful work of
God are requested. Each of the team members was deeply touched by the mission.
Brother Ramirez, in admiring the spirit of the MCA from Puerto Rico in its
commitment to the people of Santo Domingo, vowed to return to continue this
work. He quoted the line from a wise man who left hishis footprints on many of
our lives: “If it is God’s doing, it will triumph.” Linda’s words were:
“If out of mission I could pick one moment and keep it shining, always new,
…I’d pick the four days I visited Caleta Valiente in Santo Domingo.”
Incarnation Region--Northeastern
United States
Thirty five MCA members from the Incarnation Region gathered for a retreat at
Centro de Guadalupe in Union City, NJ, on October 19-21, 2001. Most of the
participants were from the New York/ New Jersey area, but a car full of hardy
souls from Maryland also made it to the retreat. Father Dennis Berry, ST, led
the retreat. Rosa Tirado of the BTMI, the regional spiritual guide, was able to
join us for most of the retreat as well.
Our theme was "Walking in the Light of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of America." Fr. Dennis spoke about the symbolism of the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the significance of the title, Patroness of America. The pope's insistence on our continents being called by one name was part of the reflection on Ecclesia en America, the Pope's encyclical on the Church in America, which was the subject of several of our conferences. We concluded with a discussion on the Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, put together by the US Catholic Bishops in 1998.
How to give you a sense of this wonderful retreat in one little article? We invoked the Holy Spirit to guide us in our reflections. We broke into small groups (Cenacles) and in this way each of us was able to meet new people. Most of the Cenacles had both Spanish and English speakers, requiring translations in most instances. The variety and depth of the faith of our members is incredible and very humbling. "I am a grandmother, and take care of two of the grandchildren, so I can only help with the Baptismal classes at our parish, see the sick at the hospital and bring the Eucharist to those in the hospital and those homebound." Only! In talking about our apostolic work, the recurring theme was allowing ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit in the providence of our everyday lives. We help immigrants, visit the sick, work in catechetical programs, study for the diaconate, take food to homebound with AIDS, and just answer the phone at work with compassion—finding and hearing the Lord's voice in all that we do and see. Though we are men and women from six or seven different Cenacles, come from a number of different countries (even Ohio some born there think of it as a country, not just a state), and speak different languages, the Spirit speaks to each of us and through each of us and the message is the same: “Be good, do good, be a power for good.”
Fr. Dennis’ conference on the Pope's “New Evangelization and Communio” with the Ten Principles of a "Communio Mind" was particularly challenging. Our discussions were lively and exciting as each told how he/she was moved by a particular principle. We all agreed that Fr. Judge was ahead of his time, and that his views were reflected beautifully by the Pope in these documents. For example, principle 10—calling often on the Holy Spirit awakens and strengthens community.
The next concept we struggled to understand was that of Solidarity. When we accept Jesus, we accept all of creation, even our enemies, because we become one with the Trinity through the Eucharist; and all who accept, accept not just the Trinity, but all who are in union with the Trinity.
The icons depicting the washing of the feet and the Holy Trinity were great resources for our reflections. Earlier Fr. Dennis had shared some of the meaning in the icon with us. Very powerful! We are like Peter, wanting Jesus to wash our whole selves; we ask everything, make novenas, promises—we have a deal, yes? Through the Cenacle we learn to say “Senor, que tu quieres? What do you want from me?”
At our closing Mass on Sunday, Fr. Dennis asked Luis Carlos Lorza and Eleanor Kleman, who were our lectors for the day, to share with us what the retreat meant to them, and then invited others to share as well. Luis spoke about the appropriateness of the theme, especially in this post 9/11 time, when there is terrorism not just here, but in Israel, Colombia, and all over the world. Conversion, Communio and Solidarity are the things that will bring us through these times. Eleanor said she was honored to be here, to hear the faith sharing and the variety of works of the Hispanic people, and to learn of all they do to help the church and our communities. Several others expressed how they had been touched by the Spirit through the wisdom, patience, and love shared by all at this retreat, especially Fr. Dennis!
We accepted the candidacy of two of the retreatants during the Eucharist.
Regional Meeting
In our Saturday night Regional Cenacle meeting, Marie Boin, the Regional Custodian, reminded us of several upcoming events: The Feast of Christ the King will be celebrated this year at Stirling. The young adults are coordinating and hope to make this a real family event. November 25, Sunday at the Shrine, Mass at 11:30 am followed by lunch and a fiesta. On April 13, 2002, there will be a Grand Convocation at St. Elizabeth's College, an annual event to be held at Convent Station, NJ, near Stirling. This year there will be two conferences in Spanish which will be led by Fr. Domingo and Fr. Dennis. Luis Carlos Lorza and Maria Castillo, are handling Spanish registration. They can be reached at 908 352 4349. Next year's retreat dates are set, October. 18, 19 and 20, 2002, and we will be led by Fr. Domingo Rodriguez, ST, at the Mother Boniface Center in Philadelphia. Eleanor Kleman and Holy Trinity Cenacle of Maryland volunteered to coordinate the retreat. Margaret Flanagan and Holy Redeemer Cenacle will help with the prayer services.
—Margaret A. Flanagan, Holy Redeemer Cenacle, Manhattan (born in Ohio)
Trinity Region--Southeastern United States
Trinity Region Custodians, Assistant Custodians and Spiritual Guides met for a
Regional leadership workshop at Holy Trinity on Sept 28-30, 2001. It was a
wonderful response with most Cenacles having representatives present. (Those
unable to attend will be receiving the Cenacle Booklet of notes/work from the
meeting along with notes from last year’s Council meeting). The Holy Spirit
was most truly present and leading us for the weekend under the guidance of Fr.
John Seymour, ST, with translation provided by our own General Custodian, Josie
Morales. (It was our first bi-lingual experience with our newest Custodian and
Assistant Custodian and their Secretary from Manantial de Aqua Viva, Quincy, FL
in attendance). Thank you coming all the way from California, Fr. John and
Josie!
Thanks also for the hard work of many participants in sharing their gifts during the weekend.
“Be persuaded what helps the growth of the Cenacle will help the growth of the work of God” (Father Judge). With these watchwords Father John presented a workshop on “Taking Counsel in the Cenacle.” A handout from Fr. John outlined his own guidelines for taking counsel. The remainder of the weekend was devoted to using counsel to arrive at some important Regional decisions.
The first matter of business was the creation of five areas/sub-regions in Trinity Region. The representatives from the five areas then met to reflect and take counsel on selecting a leader (Area Representative) on the Regional Council for Trinity Region. The Areas and their respective leaders are:
Area #1—North Carolina and South Carolina; Virginia Lacina, Representative, (or Jackie Wright)
Area #2—Gorgia; Ann Stout, Representative
Area #3—Florida from Bonify east and south; Angelica Otero, Representative
Area #4—Northern Alabama—Eufaula north; Joanne Harrison, Representative
Area #5 Florida Panhandle, Dothan/South Alabama and west, Louisiana; Jan Shiplett, Representative.
A special word of thanks to all who agreed to serve, despite having no job descriptions yet. Top priority will be writing such a description. The term of the office is for two years, with option for two more.Attendees were asked to give counsel regarding a draft for formation of a new Cenacle and then its life cycle. Custodians are encouraged to review the proposal, take counsel within their Cenacles, and then send the Cenacle’s response to the Area Representative who will be asked to collate them and forward them on to Regional Custodian. February 1, 2002, is the proposed deadline to submit ideas, with February 28 for the consolidation to reach the Regional Custodian. The recommendations will be compiled and given back in finished format at our Pentecost retreats.
Part of this life cycle provides for an “Apostolate of Prayer” which would provide a particular missionary apostolate to those not able to actively participate in local meetings as often as they would like to still remain connected to and support the MCA/MCF. Please send any particular ideas for this to Harriet Sabatini at the Spirit of Annunciation Candidate Cenacle Decatur, AL.
Many other areas of service were identified during the presentation on stewardship as needs of service for the MCA in our Region as well as at the national level. All were asked to think of their own gifts and to ask members in their Cenacles to offer to serve.
Fr. John and Sr. Mary Ann, Regional Spiritual Guide, met with the Region’s Spiritual Guides to first let them meet one another and begin to form a network of support for one another and to answer any questions and address initial and on-going formation for lay Spiritual Guides. They discussed upcoming changes from the work of the General and Regional Spiritual Guides meetings. A new publication to assist Spiritual Guides is forthcoming. There is a concerted effort by the MCF to build up and support the work of Spiritual Guides for local Cenacles. It is the need and desire that each Cenacle have a Spiritual Guide, a fact that is not currently a reality. Training lay MCA to be Spiritual Guides has become a necessity. It is no longer in our future, it is NOW. Sunday’s presentation included clarification on the role of Spiritual Guide and the duties of the Custodian—who has which responsibilities—and instructions for choosing and requesting permission for a new Spiritual Guide.
RETREATS: It will be necessary to increase the fees for retreats at Holy Trinity effective, spring 2002. MCA Retreat cost is on a sliding scale $99-$125. The (actual cost to Holy Trinity is close to $150) Please pay what you can start saving now.
DIRECTORY: Please review your entry in the Directory and notify Theresa Searcy of any changes. She can be reached at P.O. Box 515 Eulaula, AL, 36027-0515, TEL. 334-687-8216. Her e-mail address is jondxtr@earthlink.net
—Joanne Jones, Regional Custodian
Please notify Jim Bolner, who maintains the mailing list for the newsletter, by e-mail or regular mail of any changes in your mailing address. It is also important that he be given the names of new Candidates and Associates who wish to receive the newsletter. Jim is also in the process of updating the MCA Directory. Please notify him of any changes in your Cenacle’s officers and Spiritual Guide. Jim’s mailing address is the same as the newsletter editor’s; his e-mail address is poboln@lsu.edu.
Don’t forget to visit the MCA
website at http://mcenacle.org/mca/. There, among other things, you’ll find
back issues of The Spirit of the Cenacle.
Need Missionary Cenacle Press Publications? Do you need a subscription to the Ordo? Write to Sr. Terry Ahern, MSBT Mother house, 3501 Solly Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19136 or email her at archive288@aol.com.
Sr. Joseph Miriam Blackwell, M.S.B.T., Ecclesial People: A Study in the Life and Times of Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M. ,1984.
Fr. Joachim V. Benson, S.T., Father Judge: Man on Fire, 1984.
Fr. Dennis Berry, S.T., God's Valiant Warrior, 1994.
Sr. Josepha McNutt, M.S.B.T., Margaret: Called and Chosen, 1989.
Fr. James P. O'Bryan, S.T. Awake the Giant: A History of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate., 1986.
Sr. Josepha M. Cordero Vera, M.S.B.T., Padre Tomás Augustin Judge, C.M.: La Fe que Transforma , 1996.
Sr. Josepha M. Cordero Vera, M.S.B.T., Madre Bonifacia Keasey: Mujer Extraordinaria, 1997.