Sessions "Picpus 2007": July 18-21

Info Sessions "Picpus 2007 "

 July 18-21, 2007

 
    Wednesday, 18^th July, after contemplating the way of the Gospel opened by our Founders, we continued our pilgrimage coming closer to the sources and documents of our SS.CC. history and spirituality.

    We had an specialist in this realm, André Mark sscc, who was General Archivist of the Congregation for ten years in Rome. He is one of those who best know these sources. He showed us this interesting ambit: documents, personages and bibliographic notes.
   
    Later on, a Benedictine, Hugues Lena, submerged us into the apostolic zeal in the Rule of Saint Benedict that inspired the Good Father and Good Mother. He spoke about monastic asceticism and transformation through the brother, where Christ is present. He also reminded us of religious life having in itself the function of “innovation and of prophetic critic” in front of the institutional Church.

    Bernard offered us the small book entitled “Not to prefer anything but Christ’s love”, which developed the Benedictine roots of the Congregation.

    Afternoon was free. It seems that people took advantage of the opportunity to visit several places: Louvre, the Abby of Saint Denis, Notre Dame… and to walk calmly through Paris, to be together and relax as well.


    Thursday 19^th July, we started with a prayer keeping in mind and heart all the countries where we have our mission today. During this day we were to “revisit” some of great themes of our spirituality. The first one: “Devotion to the Sacred Hearts”, guided by Felipe Félix Lazcano sscc, General Councillor. In the morning, our speaker offered us a terminology and orientation of the work as well as the history of the devotion. After that, in groups there was a time for interiorization and to share on some questions suggested by Felipe.

    In the afternoon our brother, took up some of the most important points of the work in groups and continued his exposition around the devotion to the SS.CC. today.

    Meanwhile, the members of Picpus Center had a meeting with the Superior General, Javier Álvarez-Ossorio sscc. Javier also addressed the participants of the 2007 Session at dinner, thanking this initiative of the Picpus Center, highlighting that this is a grace for each one of the brothers and sister who are making this pilgrimage, but also it is a place of communion with the whole Congregation.

   After dinner we had an interesting reflection from Eduardo Pérez-Cotapos sscc, General Councillor, about his participation in the V General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and Caribbean.

    On Friday, 20^th July, we began the day with a prayer where different symbols regarding “reparation” were used.  The Superior General departed heading for Poland. With Mercedes Bayo sscc, Superior Provincial of Spain, we stopped to deepen the theme of adoration as a way of living our consecration to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

    Mercedes presented this central theme offering some aspects that needs to be taken care of if we want to grow in living the Eucharist and the SS.CC. adoration. She also proposed an epilogue about adoration and vocational ministry. A rich dialogue took place at the end of her exposition, with contributions about adoration from different areas where the Congregation is present. 

    During these days we remembered in our prayers brothers and sisters who have died recently: Manuel Marañón sscc, Santiago López sscc and Carmen Duque sscc. We also prayed for the new team of leadership of the brothers in Africa.

    Saturday, 21^st July, we delved into two key words of our charism, zeal and reparation, having the experience of Julio García sscc, of the Province of Andalusia. After his two presentations, during the afternoon session, we had meetings in groups with some questions suggested by Julio. The dialogue in the plenary become very rich again, sharing experiences form different countries. Julio presided at the Eucharist, texts from the Sacred Heart were read, and some paragraphs of Benedict XVI were used in his homily.

    We ended this day, the Belgian national day, with a feast in the garden where we enjoyed songs and dances from different continents.

07/18/2007