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UISG Plenary
Sunday, May 9, 2004 |
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Nearly 800 UISG members from 68 countries arrived to open the UISG plenary which centered on the theme, Women Disciples of Jesus Christ: Bearers of Reconciliation in Our World. They were welcomed in a beautiful ritual of prayer which included an address by UISG president Sister Barbara O'Dea, FDLS, where she noted the importance of this theme for the world today. | |
| Participants introduce one another at the opening of the plenary |
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| The participants had an opportunity to share with one another symbols representing their own experiences as bearers of reconciliation which led to personal reflection and discussion on the participants' views on the situations of violence and discord in the world and the potential of women religious to be bearers of reconciliations. |  |
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| Participants shared with one another the symbols they had brought of reconciliation. | ||
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To close the day, representatives of the UISG constellations, in a prayer ritual, brought forth symbols of reconciliation from their geographic areas. | |
| The first day was set in a spirit of contemplation and sharing. | ||
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| UISG members discuss the contemporary contexts of violence where their sisters minister. | ||
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Monday, May 10, 2004
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Each constellation has contributed a symbol of |
The first full-day of the plenary opened with prayer, followed by the President’s Report by Sister Barbara O’Dea, FDLS and the Justice and Peace Report by Sister Catherine Dolan, RSCM. The remainder of the day was dedicated to reflection on and discussion of stories of reconciliation shared by three UISG members who have been involved in bringing about reconciliation in very challenging circumstances. The moving stories of the three presenters, Sister Una O’Neill , RSC (Ireland) ; Sister Marie Jose Baranyanka , FMJ (Burundi) ; and Sister Camilla Burns , SND de N (United States) led to powerful sharing among the participants on their own perspectives on the role of women religious as bearers of reconciliation. The day, which included a celebration of Eucharist, closed with prayer. |
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Sister Catherine Dolan, RSCM |
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Sister Barbara O'Dea, FDLS
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Prayer has included use of instruments native to the participants' cultures. |
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Sister Marie Jose Baranyanka , FMJ |
Sister Una O'Neill, RSC |
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The participants extended a special welcome to the sisters who work in Iraq. |
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| Sister Camilla Burns, SNDdeN | ||
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| Simultaneous translation of all plenary events takes place in five languages. |
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Tuesday, May 11, 2004
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Today’s session of the UISG plenary opened with Eucharist at which Archbishop Franc Rode, the new prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL), presided. The day also provided an opportunity for the UISG members to dialogue with Archbishop Rode. | |
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Archbishop Franc Rode and Sister Barbara O'Dea, FDLS
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| Biblical theologian Sister Dianne Bergant, CSA spoke to the participants on ‘Bearers of Reconciliation in Our World.’ Her address examined several biblical narratives in order to show the values at the heart of their message and the influence these values might exert on the lives of contemporary believers. She challenged the UISG members to be reconciled to God and to those from whom they might be estranged and to take a stand as agents of reconciliation in their own lives. She also noted that the challenges facing some of the leaders are monumental. ‘Where this is the case,’ she said, ‘the rest of us must stand in solidarity with you and take specific steps to be of aid where we can.’ Further dialogue took place with Sister Dianne and the UISG members. |  |
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Sister Dianne Bergeant, CSA
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The participants next worked together through a process on ‘Where is God leading us ?’ and on a plan of action in which the women religious of the world can engage. |
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| Participants piece together parts of the globe to form a united world. | ||
Former UISG president, Sister Rita Burley, addressed the plenary.
Some of the African sisters presented the offertory gifts during the liturgy. |
The ritual center for May 11. |
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Wednesday, May 12, 2004
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| Today the UISG members had the opportunity to attend a papal audience in the morning in St. Peter’s Square. The rest of the day provided opportunities for discussion on the proposed action plan and meetings by constellations to determine appropriate actions for carrying out the plan. |  |
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Thursday, May 13, 2004
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| On this final day of the plenary, the UISG members further discussed the action plan and engaged in a business session. |  |
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Members listened to a draft of the 2004 declaration.
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By the end of the day, the members approved a commitment statement that calls for all leaders of Catholic women religious and the members of their institutes to live in a spirituality of reconciliation, proclaim publicly their commitment to be bearers of reconciliation, share with one another their resources on and experiences of reconciliation and continue their commitment to the 2001 UISG declaration. |
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Some of the constellation symbols
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| The plenary members were sent forth as bearers of reconciliation by UISG president Sister Barbara O’Dea, FDLS in a moving closing ritual that was followed by a Eucharistic celebration. |
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