March 2016 Visitation East Associate Newsletter
2016 CND General Chapter
Rooted in Jesus Christ, Let us Cultivate Love and Compassion
General Chapter Associate Preparation
Submitted by Marjorie Allison-Ross
All associates are now being asked to read and reflect prayerfully upon the six associate and six sisters letters from the six areas of the Congregation (Canada, France, US, Japan, Central America and Cameroon) that we received in January.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Welcome CND associates and friends. My name is Dolores Libby, future associate who lives in Hayesville North Carolina and attends Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.
John invites us in the March 13, 2016 Gospel, the fifth Sunday of Lent, to examine the words and actions of Jesus as He, Jesus, confronts the old law with the new. He teaches us that humankind should never judge or condemn for we all are sinners, and only God is without sin. He refused to mock, scold, ridicule or cast a sentence upon the woman caught in adultery because he was and is the essence of forgiveness and compassion. The only penance Jesus gave her was to go and sin no more.
Talk by Professor Tor Iorapuu, St. Thomas Chaplaincy & Diocesan Council of Dev&Peace
On March 8th, St. Thomas Chaplaincy and the Diocesan Council of Development and Peace hosted a talk by Professor Tor Iorapuu, Executive Director of Youth Adolescent Reflection and Action Centre (YARAC) in North-Central Nigeria. A Development and Peace partner, YARAC is actively involved in peace building among and between Christians and Muslims in a country with a decades-long history of violence between ethnic and religious groups. They also have programs to empower women, to encourage entrepreneurs, and to promote the need for ecological and social justice in their country. Professor Iorapuu credits much of YARAC's success, particularly in "planting trees of social cohesion" among a new generation of young Nigerians, to the aid of Development and Peace and its generous supporters. I appreciated being there for the presentation and found him to be one of the best speaker-visitors. Also enjoyed the discussion after the formal talk! More info about D&P is available at www.devp.org
