Vita Consecrata: Consecrated Life: Bringing fuller life to others

VITA CONSECRATA: CONSECRATED LIFE

The tagline of my religious community is “to bring fuller life to others.” In 2012, October 7-28, a group of us Sisters met in Rome, Italy for a General Assembly to address a related theme to “bring fuller life to others.”  At that Assembly, the following Mission Statement was adopted: 

The Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother participate in the mission of Jesus to bring fuller life to others by revealing the love of God for all, especially the poor.

All of our Sisters strive to carry out that mission statement. I would like to feature the Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development. This ministry was developed by the Caribbean Sisters in 2001 as a corporate iteninerant ministry that serves several islands. For example, from July 2010 to February 2014 26 parishes, 40+ schools in Trinidad alone participated in Common Sense Parenting Courses  and 37 schools participating in "Parenting for Literacy" programs.  The Common Sense Parenting program along with other courses in self-esteem building, anger management and communication skills have also been taught in schools on several islands. These courses are offered to parents, students and teachers in all participating schools, not just to the students.

The director of the program is Sister Julie Marie Peters, a Family and Marriage Therapist.

  

VITA CONSCRATA--THE CONSECRATED LIFE

VITA CONSECRATA—CONSECRATED LIFE

REFLECTION VII

Religious life is a gift to the Church.  Every person called to consecrate her life to the Lord comes with a variety of God-given gifts. The gifts we each receive from the Spirit are given for the purpose of bearing fruit on the “tree” of the religious community planted in the Church’s vineyard.  The community and the mission of that community grow stronger through the ministries of each person called to that community of faith.  Over the next months, I will reiterate the gifts God has given to the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother in its membership. 

Let’s begin with Sister Thomasina Gebhard, who has a doctorate in social work. She is Director of Partnership for Social Services Family Center in Franklin, NJ.  The mission of this organization is to provide social services that address the needs of individuals, families and groups, especially the poor, to advocate for justice and to convene other persons to do the same. Each year more than 36,000 individuals and families take advantage of it clinical, educational and community service and action programs.   The agency offers special services to emotionally troubled children, adults, aging persons, unmarried parents, residents of urban housing development and non-English speaking persons.

Her work in collaboration with a lay staff furthers the mission of Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, who “participate in the mission of Jesus to bring fuller life to others by revealing the love of God to all, especially the poor.”  We have been doing this since 1883!