August promises to be quite the month for the Assumption Sisters in the USA!
The month begins with our Province Assembly, August 5-8, at Daylesford Abbey in Paoli, Pennsylvania. Along with the Sisters of the Province, we will welcome Sr. Sandra Duran of our General Council and several lay friends from Philadelphia and Worcester. Their presence will enrich our discussions and reflections as we continue to discern how we are called to be and act in these challenging times. Please pray with us that we may follow the Spirit’s lead.
During the Assembly, we will also celebrate God’s faithfulness in the lives of several Sisters marking jubilees this year: Sr. Anne Christopher and Sr. Maria Teresa, 60 years; Sr. Delphine, 25 years; Sr. Phuong, 15 years; and Sr. Akeneta, 10 years. Together, these five Sisters represent 170 years of religious life. Alleluia! Thanks be to God!
RETREAT: HEARING GOD’S CALL
Many Sisters of the Province make their annual retreat in August. It’s a blessed time of deep listening to God and of becoming more attentive to God’s action in our lives, his calls and invitations.
Summer can also be a time when Sisters help others enter into the grace of retreat, as Sr. Nuala did with a group of the Assumptionist Lay-Religious Alliance of Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Patricia Morin Haggerty, shares the group’s experience below.
“THE VOICE”: A Retreat for the Lay-Religious Alliance of Sturbridge, MA
A retreat is a means of deepening one’s spiritual life, taking a break from the daily routine, and having some guided reflection opportunities. The Lay Assumptionists from Fiskdale, Massachusetts, were fortunate to have Sr. Nuala Cotter, R.A., as their retreat leader. The one-day retreat took place on the campus of Assumption University on a beautiful recent day in early July.
Sr. Nuala offered the group a well-paced program that included two presentations, opportunities for small-group sharing, personal reflection, and times of quiet prayer. Her emphasis was on two texts from the gospel of John (1:35-39 and 20:11-18). To many, her presentations were like rich, expanded versions of a Lectio Divina. The group was encouraged to “be in the moment” as they rested in the calm of the retreat and the gentle guidance of Sr. Nuala.
Just as in the gospel of John (1:35-39) when Jesus asked the two disciples, “What are you looking for?”, the participants reflected on that same question. At the end of the day, they found that they had discovered peace and a clearer understanding of themselves and their spiritual journeys
AMAs IN SERVICE
Maura Jebb, our Worcester AMA (Associate Missionary of the Assumption), concluded her time of service this summer. Her reflection on volunteering at St. Peter’s Church Food Pantry offers a beautiful witness to the transformative nature of the AMA experience.
Maura (on the left) with other Worcester AMAs
Three Times at the Food Pantry
The First Time: A petite young woman, probably in her thirties, carrying three bags of food. Each may be about 40 pounds. One is heavy, three are painful, about 120 pounds total. She stands off to the side by the pantry front door. I ask her if she needs help. She doesn’t speak English. She tells me no. She shares something about her husband, and when I come back out again, she’s gone.
The Second Time: She comes another day, and she’s alone. She asks for my help carrying the bags. I’m 5’3”, and she’s smaller than me. She carries two bags. I carry one. She leads the way, and I follow her skeptically. We’re both nervous to talk to each other. “Where’s your house?” “Not far.” It’s close, nearby. We climb the stairs, and she tells me to leave the bags outside the front door. She’s shy and sweet, calm, pragmatic, and strong.
The Third Time: My friend flags me down inside, “Maura! Can you help us carry bags?” There are three of us. We each carry one. We make the short trip to her house again. We climb the steep porch stairs. This time, the door is left open. We follow her all the way up to the third floor. When we get to the top, there are little sneakers and shoes outside the door.
I’m deeply aware of the vulnerable pieces of her life she has entrusted to me – where she sleeps, whom she loves, and the realities she carries each day. I feel protective of her and of the quiet trust we have built together. At the same time, I feel grateful, humbled, and grounded by the mutual recognition we share.
The relationship we have formed is beautiful and true because it is rooted in seeing each other. Through our consistent meetings, I recognize the power of acknowledging each other’s presence and dignity.
I have come to see this as one of the most powerful aspects of the Worcester AMA program: the sense of community and genuine encounter it fosters. I have not experienced this anywhere else. There is nothing flashy about it; rather, it grows slowly and naturally as we continue being with and taking care of each other.
