San Alfonso Retreat Center, Long Branch, New Jersey
"Intimate presence with the earth-our home"
A second Brothers’ retreat on the origins of the universe based on recent scientific discoveries was held July 2-7, 2023 at San Alfonso Retreat Center, Long Branch, NJ. The retreat director, Ms. Niamh Brennan PhD, told the universe story while unpacking the effects that this story has on theology and spirituality as we continue to evolve on the journey through life. Through wonderful presentations and her own sincere and open spirit, she opened a new world for us to explore individually and as a congregation of religious in the 21st century. Those present were, Sean Whitty, Jim Fagan, Michael Colasuonno, Kevin Griffith, Ben McDonough, Bob Koppes, Bill Stevens, and Steve Hale. It was a wonderful and challenging experience. Below are some personal comments from the Brothers who were present at the retreat.
L-R: Brothers Steve Hale, Sean Whitty, Jim Fagan, Bill Stevens, Ms. Niahm Brennan, Brothers Ben McDonough, Kevin Griffith, and Michael Colasuonno.
I had an awesome experience this week. For me it has reset my personal goals from this point until I draw my last breath. Neve’s passion, knowledge, and wisdom touched me deeply. Her courage in challenging us to embrace the deep meaning of the New Story not only for ourselves but our world is something I will not take lightly. Thanks Sean for inviting such a dynamic woman into our midst.” - Bill Stevens
“I was very skeptical of the whole idea of cosmology. The presenter, Niamh, was absolutely brilliant and made the whole topic easier to understand and I am no longer fearful of where this is leading. It was a wonderful week! Thanks!” - Ben McDonough
12th Annual Ecology Retreat
Jericho House, Port Colbourne, Ontario
Participants in the 12th Annual Ecology Retreat. Note the background tapestries.
The 12th Annual Ecology Retreat held at Jericho House and sponsored by Jericho House and the Office of Province Life a & Renewal was held between July 1-7, 2023 and was facilitated by Sr. Gail Worcelo, Sister of the Earth. The 12 retreatants that journeyed together through the week unpacked the retreat’s theme, “Were I to say how much I love the Earth” through presentations, experience, process, reflection, and music. This was an enriching sequel to the 2022 Ecology Retreat which was brilliantly guided by Niamh Brennan.
Gail invited the retreatants in a seamless fashion from one movement to the other and introduced them to greater knowledge and appreciation for the entire earth community, their living in a multispecies world, and the envisioning of the Kardiasphere. A special feature of the week was the construction of the Confluent of Beings, see attached picture, by hanging painted tapestries through which retreatants moved as they entered their gathering space. The retreat was an experience of, in Thomas Berry’s words, “a recovery of our sense of the sacred”. Everyone who participated in the retreat felt privileged to have had Gail as a retreat guide of the week, and left Jericho House renewed and inspired to continue the journey towards greater wholeness with our planet, all it contains, and beyond.
Conference of Major Superiors of Men National Assembly 2023 - Kansas City, Missouri
We are the Body of Christ: Charism & Community.
The annual National Assembly of CMSM was held August 1-3, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Province Leadership Team gathered to experience fraternity with over one hundred participants from around the United States. Guest included representatives from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), The Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR), National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), The Religious Formation Conference (RFC), the Religious Brothers Conference (RBC) and the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC).
L-R: Executive Director of CMSM, Father Frank Donio SAC, CMSM President Father Jeffrey Kirch, CPPS, Fr. Larry Ford OFM and Brother Peter Zawot, CFC.
Brother Peter Zawot was part of a panel discussion with Fr. Jeffrey Kirch, CPPS Provincial and President of CMSM, and Father Larry Ford, OFM, addressing the topic: Managing Communal Commitments – Models and Mergers. He reviewed the processes of restructuring, sharing reflections on our experience of restructuring in 2005 which brought together the Canadian, Western, and Eastern Provinces and later the Latin American Region to form the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North American Province and Latin American Mission Area. The session also included round table discussion and questions and answers. Attendees were primarily from congregations contemplating or in the process of restructuring provinces.
Brother Sean Moffett was on a panel with the Very Reverend James Herring, O. Praem (Norbertines), and Abbot Marion Nguyen, OSB, (an alum of O’Dea HS, the Edmund Rice Network School in Seattle). Their topic was Intergenerationaliy. Sean offered a psychological perspective on the successive and cyclic processes of group belonging from initial acceptance to participation, to engagement, and on to ownership. Artwork from All Hallows senior Jorge Pogue and Brother Kenneth Chapman, CFC, bookended the presentation.
Belonging in a group ever emerging and ever in transition.
Habit Day 1961.