Commissioning ~ Sent Out to Serve

Greetings,

Our summer Monastic Chapter concluded with a prayer of commissioning.  Within the prayer, called each sister forward and was blessed by Sister Penny, our prioress.  Each year the prioress chooses a theme to send us out in service to the community and Church.  This year she reflected Pope Francis call to religious:

"I am counting on you “to wake up the world”, since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy. As I told the Superiors General: “Radical evangelical living is not only for religious: it is demanded of everyone. But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way”
(Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter to All Consecrated People).

After reading and reflecting on our Holy Father's call to "to wake up the world", Sr. Penny called forward the two newly elected members of our Monastic Council.  These sisters were reminded of their role as members of the council in advising the prioress and listening to the monastic community, and then she offered a prayer of blessing over them while the whole community offered their silent prayers.

The commissioning began as each sister was called forward by name to be blessed by Sister Penny, prioress.  Her blessings were all based in Pope Francis' call to "Go Out and Wake Up the World!" but were individualized to each sisters' current ministry or service for the Church.  It was a reminder to us that while some of our sisters serve the needs of the monastery in care for our home and gardens, others reach out to the local needs of others, and still other sisters serve the needs of God's people while living away from home in other towns and cities...we can all wake up the world to the presence of Christ and love of God in their lives.

After receiving the blessing of the prioress, Sr. Jeanne, sub-prioress, gave each sister a commissioning card with the logo for the Year for Consecrated Life as designed by the National Religious Vocations Conference.  This little card calls out to us "Go Out and Wake Up the World!" a reminder for our personal prayer.  We encourage you to remember your call to live in God's service as well, your call to share the message of Christ...your call to wake up the world.

Blessings to you,