Good Shepherd Contemplatives from
the four communities in the Province of Philippines-Japan participated in the Contemplative
Assembly held at Villa Maria in Cebu City, October 7-12.
“Offer the Best of Yourself,” the theme taken
from the Congregational Assembly of Contemplative Sisters (CACS) 2020, was
reflected on by the sisters.
Sixteen contemplative professed
sisters, one novice and Province Leader Sr. Regina Kuizon attended the assembly.
Two contemplative sisters were in the Maria Droste Wellness Center in Quezon
City while another from Cebu community was brought to the hospital on October 5
because of pneumonia.
The delegates were from the four
contemplative communities in the Philippines: Tagaytay, Cebu, Butuan and Virac.
Sr. Rebecca Jameiro, formerly apostolic sister, and now member of Puso ng Carmelo
Community (Heart of Carmel), a
contemplative group facilitated this assembly. She facilitated inner journey
retreats for all the contemplatives of the province in 2007.
The objectives of the assembly were:
1. To share the joys, challenges,
hopes and dreams as Contemplatives in the Province for the past five years;
2. To revisit the Contemplative
Sister’s Ways and Practices and share reflections on the CACS 2020 document;
3. To celebrate with gratitude and
joy the coming together as Contemplative Sisters in the Province.
During her welcome message, Sr.
Regina also gave a short history of the journey of the Contemplatives from the
time of St. Mary Euphrasia, to the different changes including the name changes
(from Magdalen Sisters, Sisters of the Cross, Contemplative Sisters of the Good
Shepherd), to the approval of Article One during the 2003 General Chapter that
described the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, as one
congregation with two lifestyles—apostolic or contemplative, the approval of one Integrated Constitutions, and
the participation of the sisters in the
journey of unification with the Our Lady of Charity that resulted in the merger
of the two congregations on June 27, 2014. The journey of unification with
Japan that began after the Province
Chapter 2014and with three year consultations in the different communities in
the Philippine Province and the Sector of Japan, a request for unification was
granted by Sr. Ellen Kelly, Congregational Leader on April 24, 2017.
Touching powerpoint presentations on
the reflection and life of the
contemplatives were shared .
The Contemplative Assembly will be
followed by the Cluster of Conversation of apostolic sisters, contemplative
sisters and lay mission partners from Cebu. The Contemplatives of Butuan opted
to join the Cluster of Conversations in Cebu. The other contemplatives in
Tagaytay joined the Calabarzon cluster while Virac Community joined the Bicol
Cluster of Conversations. The Cluster of Conversations is one of the activities
lined up by the Preparatory Committee that will lead us to the 2020 Province
Chapter which will draw sisters from both the Philippines and Japan.
The Province of Philippines-Japan Chapter will be held March 18-27 in Maryridge, Tagaytay. During the Chapter, the
delegates will reflect and evaluate the past six years and prioritize the
issues that need to be addressed by the province during the next six years. The
Province Chapter will also elect delegates to the Intercontinental Assembly
2020, the Congregational Assembly of Contemplative Sisters (CACS) in 2020 and the Congregational Chapter
in 2021.
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