(Scala, Italy): The first meeting of the Redemptoristine Sisters who took solemn or first profession in the last six years took place in the proto-monastery of Scala, from July 27 to August 3 and was organised by the Service Board of the Redemptoristines, hosted generously by the OSsR Community of Scala.
18 Sisters from 10 communities in various countries in five continents took part in this meeting.
Father General Michael Brehl was present and had a presentation on the present situation on the Order. Fr. João Pedro Fernandes, general consultor and Fr. Piotr Chyla, Director of the Spirituality Centre, Rome, helped with the translations.
The subject of the meeting was related to pope Francis’ words from the letter to the consecrated for the year dedicated to them: looking to the past with gratitude, living the present with passion and looking into the future with hope.
The sisters presented power point presentations on the history of their communities and on how they live our charism today. Fr. Alfonso Amarante, a professor of the Alphonsian Accademy in Rome had a concluding lecture on the hope in the consecrated life today; Sr. Imma De Stefano, the prioress of Scala Community and the member of the Service Board and Sr. Ewa Dobrzelecka, a member of the Service Board, presented some points of M. Celeste’s Crostarosa’s spirituality.
Also the pilgrimages to the places of our origins as Saint Agatha of the Goths and Foggia were inspiring and enhanced the gratitude for the past and the hope for the future, especially in the context of the beatification of M. Celeste Crostarosa that, as we hope will take place in the near future. Father General presided Mass on August 1, on the feast of Saint Alphonsus in the Grotto at Scala where our Saint used to contemplate the presence of Our Lady.
The lovely celebrations in various languages, well prepared homilies, the prayers with Community of Scala and some joyful recreations also helped the sisters to love and know one another better, to share and exchange ideas. The meeting made all of them more aware of the belonging to the great Redemptorist Family and to understand that the future of the Order depends on them, on the younger sisters who have to carry the charism into the future.
Sr. Ewa Dobrzelecka, OSsR
