Chapter Circle 2

Our Circle feels that the Spirit of God is moving us to appreciate our charism of giving joyful witness to love and inviting us to draw upon this gift to make a positive response to the people and events that impact our lives.  We need to acknowledge that change is constant and we are called to be open to change.  The seismic shifts we are experiencing can be overwhelming.  It is awareness, openness, faith, prayer and trust in God that can lead us to know how to respond with Love.  We believe that our thoughts, prayers and actions – big or small – have power to substantially change our world. We are grateful for our charism and for one another.

Issues today, like the Amazon Rain forest, can seem so overwhelming and lead to a sense of powerlessness. Yet, the gift so needed today is that of kindness – in great and small ways – that we can each do, in a counter-cultural way.

Contemplation gives us the eyes to see what needs to be done right in front of us, because it matters and the will to act in communion with others. 

We were very conscious of the seismic shifts and there was a deep sense of feeling the weight of these shifts.  There was a desire to respond by being attentive to the needs around in concrete ways such a prayer, supporting others in our midst, helping to relieve stress and knowing that our local actions affect the larger reality.  We acknowledged our connectedness with the federation and other organizations that enable change at a larger scale.  By allowing a new consciousness we allow evolution to influence our action.  

We are alive and well.  There is an eagerness to be powerful agents of transformation. 

Our core mission of the gospel and love of God has not changed in light of the 4 seismic shifts.  The seismic shifts have become other lenses through which we observe that age-old mission.

Every individual act no matter how small has a cosmic resonance.

The world needs now just what we have to offer.

Our group felt that a quote from Charles Eisenstein expressed it well.  “The enormity of the shifts stretches our minds and enhances our mission to pray expansively.” Reflecting on our past, we realize that the conversion of heart that has happened with mission and the way we live didn’t happen overnight. It has happened over time with trust,  a deep contemplative stance and a continued deepening of who we are and what we are about together. Our expression of this in small and bigger ways can create a field of change as we live now and into the future together and as we live in our world.  

After sharing on meaningful experiences of mission, we realized how important encounters with people are each day.  We have hearts that care and must respond.  Our virtues humility, simplicity and charity frame our response to the needs before us.  We realized that making choices for the common good move us in a positive direction. Our heart encounters lead us to our true self and  authentic expression of our charism. 

Having reflected upon the enormity of the seismic shifts and their impact upon our mission as Sisters of Charity, we believe that it is very important for us to have our feet firmly planted in the reality of our world at this time.  As we continue to move forward, we do so being open to the Spirit, trusting in our journey, open to growth and learning from each other by doing our possible to give joyful witness to love.

With climate change and mass migration as the two seismic shifts as our points of focus, we shared how they had personally impacted our lives and mission in recent years.  Some examples follow: 

• with climate change we see land loss in many places-  New Orleans,  Belize, Cape Cod, coastal areas to name a few; significant warming of the ocean noted in Bar Harbor, Maine;
• migrants who work in our retirement centers carry heavy burdens of worry and anxiety for their loved ones struggling to join them in safety; inclusion of migrants are in our schools, work places and neighborhoods, where we can advocate on their behalf;

Some shared beliefs:

• We are well served as with others we take steps to change systems in dire need of overhaul  (health care, immigration laws, affordable housing options)
• It is key to focus on positives, and help others to do the same (i.e. see immigrants as the blessing they are; know that young people are very committed to creating a better world; realize that seemingly small actions  (signing petitions, making immigrants feel welcome) can be transformative.
• Just as we are all connected, made of the same stardust, so are the seismic shifts all intertwined.  Overwhelmed though we may feel in the face of these realities, we are moved by Charles Eisenstein’s encouragement to keep our thoughts positive, recognizing their power, rather than giving in to anger and rage, which can be so destructive, as every act has cosmic significance.
• The mission of SC’s in next 10 years is two-told: to care of our aging sisters while continuing our involvement in larger issues facing our planet and its people. 
• We are blessed as Sisters of Charity to be able to gently share our hopes, challenges and dreams with like-minded people in a contemplative way.

Do what is before you. It contributes positively to the change in the world around us (creates morphic resonance).

Our mission of “joyful witness” calls us to remember the love of God resident in all things, and so to respect and appreciate what each one has to offer. We have the responsibility to become aware of the situations of tragedy in the world, and to reach out in whatever way we can, remembering that small actions matter, and each of us in her own way can be an agent of transformation. We need to believe that each act has cosmic significance.

We send a word of appreciation to the committee for their work in preparing these materials for our preparation for the Assembly.

We are challenged to believe that “the world needs just what we have to offer” as our Chapter prayer says. This will enable us to become “agents of hope.” Our mission is life-long; our experience of mission at the present time calls us to live joyful lives for as long as we live. Rather than grieving over the big things we (individually or corporately) may have done in the past, we are called to a new way of thinking about mission to include all the small actions that have the power to heal  and transform the world.

We feel tender toward the earth.

We must be witnesses to great love – see it; be it; bring it.

Mission is a part of every person – in the now and where you are.

We are funnels of the Holy Spirit.

We bring the charism of charity into our lives.

We are pieces of a puzzle – a brick in a wall – without us there is a “hole”.

We are where we should be, living in the right place and time – where God wants us.

We need to find a way to make a small change – climate action – reduce carbon footprint – ex eat chicken sandwich instead of a burger; use a regular cup and wash it.

We are grateful for the technology that allows us to connect internationally being in many places and meet together.