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  "title":"Associates to Association ",
  "description":"evolution of a movement"

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Associates to Association

the evolution of a movement

Universal Calls to Holiness and Mission

  • Scripture:
    • Created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26), God who is Love (1 Jn 4:8), God's love is holy and missionary.
    • Be holy as God is holy in all manner of living. (1 Peter 1:15)
    • Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)
  • Vatican II
    • Lumen Gentium - …all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; …They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor. LG#40
    • Redemptoris Missio - The universal call to holiness is closely linked to the universal call to mission. RM#90
  • Renewal
    • “Throw open the windows of the church and let the fresh air of the Spirit blow through.” John XXIII 10/11/62
    • Evolution in the Church's self-understanding as the People of God, a community of faith, called to be a holy people and a people on mission
    • Evolution in the self-understanding of religious life
      • from the holy people and the people on mission within the community of faith
      • to a holy people and a people on mission for the community of faith
      • to be church for the Church
    • Evolution of the Associate movement
      • rediscovering the calls to holiness and to mission
      • within parishes and with religious communities
      • renewed interest in spirituality, spiritual practices, prayer
      • renewed interest in mission and service
      • renewal occurs within the community of faith and beyond it
      • rich interchange between communities of faith and communities of service
      • also occuring in the wider society
    • “Throw open the windows of the church and let the fresh air of the Spirit blow through.” John XXIII 10/11/62
      • Spirit infuses the Church, the community of faith
      • The Church infuses the wider society
      • The Spirit at work in the hearts and lives of all peoples finds communion with the Spirit at work in the community of faith.

Birth of Associates

  • 70s-80s
    • Individuals inquired and communities invited them
      • A forum for formation and spiritual development
      • Prayer & Spirituality
      • Mission & Service
      • Share in charism of communities and their celebrations
      • Commitment to sprituality and mission in a charism family
    • Individuals in association
      • Initial numbers small
      • Relationships meaningful
      • Participation in events of the community

Growth of the Associate Movement

  • 90s-00s
    • Increasing numbers of Associates
    • Decreasing numbers of Sisters
    • Questions regarding participation
    • Questions about nature of association
    • Questions about the future of religious life
    • Varying understandings and practices among sisters and among associates
      • Prayer group
      • Relation to a sister or ministry
      • Future or successor to sisters
      • Greater involvement in sisters' community and governance
      • Deeper personal commitment to mission and charism
      • Desire by sisters for greater or lesser internal autonomy
      • Emerging sense of “autonomy in relationship”
    • Canonical concerns:
      • Autonomy of the community,
      • Rights of the sisters to have discussions
      • Issues of voting and 'second class' participants in community meetings
      • Differing understandings of appropriate boundaries

Emergence of Association

  • 10s-20s…
    • Emerging notion of an Association
      • Individuals become members of an association
      • The Association develops it's own leadership and governance
      • The Association develops it's own identity and vocation
      • The Association develops it's own sustainability and infrastructure
    • Relation to sisters
      • The two have their own 'center of gravity'.
        • Congregation has it's own evolutionary journey
        • Association has it's own evolutionary journey
      • The two come into relationship and collaborate
        • Joint committee for celebration of Patronal Feast
        • Joint committee for a mission project
        • Representives at each others' major meetings (chapter)

Evolution

  • A place at the table
  • Equity at the table
  • A table of our own with shared and distinct responsbilities for mission and charism
/users/ahereford.org/htdocs/canonlaw/data/attic/association.1636062476.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/06/30 15:17 (external edit)