The JPIC committee met November 23-25 at the mother house in Montreal. A discussion with the Province Leadership Team took place on Saturday afternoon. Sister Becky McKenna was at the table, and Sisters Eileen McQuaid and Maureen MacIsaac joined by conference call from Bedford
This year’s program is so different from last year’s. I would say that it is very much of a “hands on” year where the novice, during her second year, gets to practice her skills in light of what she has learned about religious life. The three fundamental areas of concentration include prayer, community life and ministry. More specifically, as part of the second year novitiate the goals are:
To offer space for integration of all that one learned during her canonical year.
To provide the novice with a positive environment that will nurture her discernment.
To offer a positive experience that will help deepen the novice’s sense of belonging to the Congrégation de Notre-Dame.
We invited some of the women of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for tea and an Advent prayer service. This morning of prayer had refreshments, a much requested tour of the house, followed by a reflection and personal quiet time, leading to mass at church next door. It was a lovely day, full of interculturality, joy of the season, and prayerful reflection.
