REPORTS AND DISCERNMENT


How do we live our lives? As we commemorate the lives of our Carmelite brothers and sisters who have passed away, Fr. Miguel Angel posed this question to encourage reflection. He reminded us that our lives must be born on mercy and compassion, not indifference. Love is action.

We continued in a spirit of prayer and trust to welcome the reports on the pastoral-JPIC-Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and economic fields presented by Sr. Xaverine Nyirabarera and Sr. Ma. Teresa Garcia respectively. With each report, we took a moment of silence for our personal reflection. We are grateful for their boldness, clarity, and sincerity.

After personal reflection, we shared in the community of discernment and then in plenary, seeking glimpses of God’s calls to our religious family, and our concerns, as well as horizons to continue to flourish and bear fruit now and in due time. The councilors enlightened us by answering the questions that shed light on our doubts and sorrows with confidence and promptness.

The afternoon session was the time for questions and clarifications on the various reports. After an intense day full of emotions, joy, suffering, commitment, and renewal, we concluded with a prayer. We lived a spiritual pilgrimage with six spaces for prayer: a house of communion, a space for reconciliation, a space to restore the beauty of the Church, a space for relief and freedom, a space to contemplate the beauty of the Church. Felicísimo Martínez OP and Arantza Yubero, psychologist, accompanied us in this experience. Everyone could pray in the one that best suited to their needs. This moment allowed us to be reborn in communion and walk together once more towards the Church that awaits us.