how we pray together(missing reports from: Sec. #6, 18, 24)
- How do we honor diversity in our community?
Sec. # / Response
1 / With welcoming acceptance even despite difficulties.
2 / One of our Associates attended a multicultural prayer “Peace Ripples” program which she valued.
Sisters especially those working at Nazareth were mindful of their relationships with workers at Nazareth. Many are Bosnian, Jewish, Muslim. Others have taken some courses about various religions.
3 / We have our opening ritual at assembly which is a beautiful community lead ritual of sights, sounds, and movement that expresses our prayer together. We also have Mass which is another beautiful ritual from our tradition.
4 / By leading prayer services; having other ministers present
Openness to different rituals; different types of retreats/shared homily
Allow diversity—like a plant, spirituality grows in me and blossoms
5 / Seems we do not honor diversity at times, but we are improving in these times.
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7 / Diversity is honored by: unique prayer services (mid-day prayer); speakers: ex Michael Morwood, S. Jeanine G., musicians with instruments such as drums, Irish singers (2 brothers) 2014
Listening to everyone.
Done a good job with racial diversity.
Slow to embrace LGBT community. This is changing. Want people to feel safe to be who they are.
Honor diversity with sharing that is done, by listening non judgmentally and holding in our heart.
Community is embracing, not closed and rigid.
8 / Being open to new prayer forms; adjusting to others when needed
By having contemplative prayer being offered at Carondelet
Knowing the state/status of my own relationship with God, then being able to go forward from this space inviting others to pray with me.
Having Eucharistic celebration together
What is my willingness to pray whatever you plan?
Ministries can determine our prayer.
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10 / Let us be who we are—ex. Jean Miller is encouraged to do Indian prayer
Allow for different experiences of prayer
11 / What is “diversity”? When does diversity become subversive?
Non-traditional and traditional Eucharist at the WOW Weekend.
12 / Respect and listening
Openness to each other
Habit—living arrangements, community, budget, theologies
We need to acknowledge our diversity because we are in different places; for some joyous; for some painful.
Allowing various rituals, other faith traditions
We tolerate diversity with younger vowed (Clare & Sarah)
LGBTQ-has any CSJ “come out”?
Willingness to honor different styles of prayer.
Willingness to honor people who choose Eucharistic Prayer and others who choose para liturgies.
13 / Nazareth and Carondelet have culturally diverse employees. For the most part, we have diversity in prayer. Chapter prayer/rituals from different areas of province honored diversity, Eucharistic liturgy at assemblies/chapter followed “formula” ofhaving an “outside presider”
WOW Weekend celebrated a liturgy without clergy but allowed for others to attend mas, if desired.
We have come a long way but we need to listen to each other.
14 / Not answered
15 / Respect
16 / Have already for a long time!
By our ministries and by our associate program
By allowing each of us to pursue our individual dreams and develop our talents to serve in so many ways.
17 / Easier to honor diversity in ministry than liturgy. Incorporate all in ritual as equal participants.
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19 / What group are we talking about? So many of us live alone. We are very diverse and we respect one another. We need to be kind and respectful.
20 / We value and support diverse expressions of prayer by participating and allowing others to participate in “new” or unfamiliar modes of prayer. We support individuals in their communion with God.
21 / Listen to the other, respect where person is, allow/encourage different expressions of value.
22 / Have diversity in our prayer forms.
Acknowledgement to not face your prayer theology and use respect in your prayer expression
23 / Meet each person where they are.
Recognized that we are different cultures and have different customs.
We have 64 diverse ministries which involve many different experiences. In these experiences we have learned to accept and respect diversity. In our CSJ community, we need to do the same. Despite all these differences we are united in community.
We are glad we are not all alike. This gives us many gifts to share with each other.
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25 / We are developing more respect for one another.
Participating in surveys. All parts of our province and purpose of meetings have to be included in prayer.
26 / We have a difficult time honoring diversity. We want to be in communion with our community of St. Joseph. If we are willing not to be judgmental about Mass and those who value attending Mass, we request the same opportunities and respect.
We honor diversity by having different styles of prayer at different times.
We want everyone presentat both Mass and other prayer rituals. Presence of all at various styles of ritual can further communion.
- If I am willing to be at Mass, I want you to be present at a different prayer style that I prefer.
27 / We don’t have much diversity in our prayer services or Eucharist but do have diversity in how we minister, how we live; in our committees and Task forces; in our attempts to establish processes to facilitate and discuss differences.
We are tolerant of diversity in our lifestyles and ministries but do we honor it? We try to be diverse by music/ritual from various cultures but this can be tokenism; need to ask to what should this experience lead us. We need relationship to really honor diversity.
Honest communication will happen when we deal with what it is about each other that stops us from listening to one another.
28 / Willingness to enter into the sacred space of one another. It expresses who we are together. Can we do consensus around Liturgy? What am I willing to give up? We try to please everyone.
- What has been your most meaningful experience of ritual?
Sec. # / Response
1 / Our group embraces rituals—between family members, coworkers, dear neighbors by allowing what’s inside of each to show thru expressions, using communication thru words, water, oil and hugs.
2 / Those of us who served in the African American community shared the delight in liturgies where Gospel choirs are/were present.
One sister shared the impact a Good Friday celebration at a Newman enter was—the young people mimed the Passion. There was not a dry eye in the whole place she said.
3 / A chapel packed with rich and poor, sisters and lay, and the bagpipes opening the celebration. Blending rich and poor, traditional and progressive, moving our eyes and our hearts to a new place and into sacred space.
4 / This experience is different for each one of us; sisters form other provinces/regional lead prayer; people gave different examples: Knights & Ladies of St. Peter Claver—different cultural liturgy.
5 / Eucharist is best experience
Other forms of rituals
Being aware of other’s manner of rituals
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7 / Feast of Christ the King in our early days at Carondelet (1950s)
Selection process for new provincial leadership (2014)
World Days of Prayer Service at Nazareth (2011)
8 / Sharing of the heart deepens relationship
Ritual alone will not deepen relationship
Noticing another’s suffering and being with them in their suffering
Will levels of vulnerability matter?
9 / Full community celebrations; sharing of the heart; Jubilee, Associate Ceremonies; large groups gathering for Mass and meal afterward, Eucharistic celebration outside of a church.
10 / Jubilee Masses—need to understand meaning of ritual/like word celebrations better—funeral liturgy sharing is important
11 / Congregational affirmation ceremony; Jean Meier’s celebration of life; Clare’s vow ceremony.
12 / Walking in nature, biking, candle symbols, Constitution
Small group experiences
Creative rituals unique to a situation
Family experiences
Vespers in Westminster Abby: history, shared
13 / Chapter prayers and rituals—alternative liturgy is meaningful for some, but not for others
Catholic Mass does not meet everyone’s need for communion.
14 / Celebrations!
15 / Labyrinth
Dominicans House of Prayer
Watching sunsets
Christmas novena
Sharing is transparency
Listening—poverty because you drain yourself.
Water—life, all are one
16 / Mass because it is more than the priest! It is the Eucharist…Jesus…the Core Person!
Our 50th Jubilee celebration at Carondelet…essence is coming together when all isn’t going well.
17 / Communal-ritual being woman led inviting participation shared equally.
Individual exp –drumming ceremony, cosmic walk, Hispanic sisters’ joy in music they introduced in larger ritual.
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19 / Experiences at assembly are fine.
20 / The most meaningful experience were when we prepared the prayer experience and lifted our hearts together
21 / A few weeks ago, a mass where a different choir director filled in and made music special.
When we have planned it ourselves for ourselves
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23 / Circle prayer at an Earth Plunge
Community celebrations of Eucharist when we are gathered in joy and gratitude.
Table Eucharist when we all pray together and bread is broken.
Liturgies—especially one celebrated after Vatican II with the new changes. Other examples, funerals and memorial Masses
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25 / Sisters from different regions of our Province developing prayer for assemblies, retreats.
We don’t want prayer detached from purpose of meeting, assembly
26 / Affirmation Ceremony, June 29, 2014
Other memorable rituals: Cosmic Walk at Assembly (several years ago); Liz Peplow’s funeral
27 / In the community, celebrating those who are celebrating Jubilees and the recent province leadership affirmation ceremony
Many of our family rituals connect and continue to connect members with one another.
28 / Parish 25th Jubilee, “Prepare the Way” ritual at Naz. Blessing for Gulu, 10-minute meditation
Eucharist and meal, “Healing Hoop” Year of Reconciliation; sharing of the heart, silence during Chapter voting. Transfer of Leadership 2002-07
- How does our expression of prayer/ritual further our communion with each other?
Sec. # / Response
1 / By calling attention to the sanctity of the present moment.
2 / When we pray together we are challenged to be more trusting of each other; to hold in confidence and with reverence what any sister/associate shares during prayer. This kind of trust builds and encourages communion
3 / When we are there and assent to the ritual together.
4 / Should draw us closer together; should show respect for each other’s experience.
Sectional thought this agenda item was “filler” for time so as to have a topic to share with Associates.
5 / The more we do and share with each other, the more we learn to trust and to give all peoples a chance.
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7 / As we plan prayer and ritual together it causes us to share our thoughts, prayers, ideas, etc., which in turn, allow us to get to know one another on a deeper level.
8 / Our expression prayer/ritual furthers our communion because God unites all his children.
Where two or three are gathered, relationship and ritual go hand in hand.
Each person has a piece of the truth
Lighting a candle
Celebration of life found at our funerals
Having a different or sacred place to celebrate Eucharist around a table together
Make sure the ritual is well planned and flows well.
Silent time needed
Blessing each other through some sort of church.
9 / Sharing of the heart can further communion.
10 / Share life experiences—it’s a way to e united
Need to be more specific on kinds of rituals. Can worship in many different ways.
11 / We appreciate and applaud Mary Kay Christian’s wonderful liturgical leadership for the Province.
12 / When it is connected to the meaningfulness of what we are about.
Ritualize significant events, happenings that involve some or all of us, e.g., blessing of the discernment participants. Need a variety of rituals.
GENERAL COMMENTS:
- We prefer rituals that celebrate common bond, deepen relationships, accept other traditions and each others’ differences, good variety, full participation, table eucharists, those rituals that are connected to meaningfulness.
- We fully desire continued Contemplative Prayer as the basis of our prayer together, and we see Sharing of the Heart as the ultimate need to deepen our bond together—we wish to build communion and acceptance of each other
- We wish to be open, challenged, and stretched.
13 / We have two suggestions to further our communion
1)Have two liturgies at Assembly/Chapter at different times so that participants can attend both. Otherwise, the group would be divided and not in communion.
2)Form an advisory committee to work with Mary Kay Christian on diverse traditions in liturgy/prayer to broaden our sense of beauty, truth, vision, etc., and to make liturgy more inclusive of other traditions.
14 / Everyone shared. There is no consensus on how we celebrate Eucharist at assemblies.
15 / Listening/sharing
16 / Sharing our togetherness, oneness in our deepest relationship with God—(A family sense of belonging)
We do not want to have to make choice between Mass or other ritual
17 / Communion furthered through respect of each other participating in prayer/ritual.
Prayer/ritual should reflect life and be life-giving.
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19 / Sharing of the heart furthers community because we share who we are and respect one another.
Only rituals are the Carondelet experiences.
20 / Sharing in the spiritual experience unifies us.
21 / When we came together with openness and acceptance of what each values we experience the deeper bond among us.
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23 / Practice love and trust among our sisters
Grow in our loved as we try to experience the Spirit in each other.
We are all in this together
Simply gathering a group to share an apple pie (another type of ritual sharing)
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25 / Being willing to participate in something that would not be our preference. It takes work to arrive at integration. We don’t want prayer detached from them of meeting.
26 / Communion is furthered by our presence and participation in all forms of prayer/ritual.
Communion is furthered in direct proportion to the respect we have for each other and for other forms of prayer.
27 / It creates memories, relationships, and connections. Sacred rituals, church rituals, connect us with something very sacred. At Eucharist, when that connection isn’t made, we lose something.
Ritual furthers community with one another and helps us to be more comfortable with each other.
28 / Ritual builds history. Some rituals need to be maintained, our motivation moves us to respecting differences…moving us to Divine Love.
Page 1 HOW WE PRAY TOGETHER, 2014 Fall Sectionals