Decade of Days ~ 2019

LEGACY is about life and living.

It's about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future.

It is about the JOURNEY…and our willingness to be open to GRACE.

Where do you think it's best to plant a young tree: a clearing in an old-growth forest or an open field? Ecologists tell us that a young tree grows better when it's planted in an area

with older trees. The reason, it seems, is that the roots of the young tree are able to follow the pathways created by former trees and implant themselves more deeply. Over time, the

roots of many trees may actually graft themselves to one another, creating an intricate, interdependent foundation hidden under the ground. In this way, stronger trees share

resources with weaker ones so that the whole forest becomes healthier. That's legacy: an interconnection across time, with a need for those who have come before us and

a responsibility to those who come after us. Adapted from WHAT IS LEGACY? by Susan V. Bosak

In these days of prayer we will discover the values of our FOUNDER

and our call for TODAY.

Let us hold each other in prayer that we may be graced during our Decade of Days.

Take time during these days to pray alone and to share with others how we are being called to embrace change and capture hope.

Father Moreau was convinced of God’s constant presence and activity in our world, of God’s fidelity to us.

I am convinced that Providence, which has in the past done everything necessary for the development and perfection of its work, will continue to bestow on it most abundant

blessings. To ensure this, we must be constantly animated by the spirit of zeal and generosity which so holy an undertaking requires.

(Circular Letter 9)

Our presence in the world is real and efficacious to the extent that we meet and are met by God

in moments of contemplation and prayer. (MSC Constitutions #1)

The unforseen happenings of our lives seem to be experiences we remember

most vividly, most fondly, most accurately. These unintended journeys

can be transformational.

Am I open to transformation in my life? Do I take time for quiet and contemplation?

How have I experienced Providence?

According to Father Moreau, our presence and activity are to be characterized by a passion, an inner fire, which urges us to serve God’s people in holiness.

By zeal is understood that flame of burning desire which one feels to make God known, loved, and served and thus save souls. Apostolic activity is therefore the essential character of this

virtue, and all (ministers) who are animated by it will fulfill the duties of their state with eagerness, affection, courage, and perseverance. (Christian Education I: 1)

Reflect on the ways Zeal has been part of your life.

As Marianites of Holy Cross, we commit ourselves to live the gospel in the service of God and God’s people. We accept the way of a pilgrim who lives on this earth with things unfinished and we participate actively in the building of a Kingdom which will be fully

realized only in the world to come. Through our prayer and our action, we contribute to the internal holiness of the Mystical Body of Christ and fulfill our duty to evangelize. What we are, more than what we do, reveals to humanity God’s love and God’s gifts of salvation.

(MSC Constitutions #4)

Hope is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced, and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the conviction that something is moral and right and just and therefore you fight regardless of the consequences. (Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel)

How am I called to be zealous today? What are those areas that call me to take a stand?

Let the Gospel be your guide as you pray!

According to Father Moreau, fidelity is fundamental in responding to God’s call. It constitutes the appropriate

response to God’s constant fidelity to us.

There is one condition which is essential for the future of our Congregation, a condition without which not even Providence will act. This condition is your own generous

cooperation and your faithful correspondence with the grace of vocation. (Circular Letter 79)

Fidelity calls for courage and strength.

A vowed religious is one who has been called by Christ to follow him more closely and has

answered “YES” to this call. She has chosen Christ for his own sake and has consecrated herself to him in his Church through the vows of celibate chastity, poverty and obedience. As Marianites of Holy Cross, we choose to live concretely this total gift of ourselves to the

Lord in an apostolic religious congregation. (MSC Constitutions #18)

Being faithful involves the capacity for change! The Word of God helps us

to distinguish between the two “faces” of change: the first is trust,

hope, openness to the new; the second is the difficulty of leaving

certainties to head for the unknown. Indeed, it makes us feel calmer to

stay in our enclosure, to conserve, to repeat the usual words and gestures

– this makes us feel more secure – rather than to go out, to depart and to

start up new processes. (Pope Francis)

Reflect upon faithful correspondence with the grace of vocation!

Write down your experience of God’s faithfulness.

The example of the compassionate Jesus, for Father Moreau, is the basic model and foundation for our life as ministers.

Jesus had compassion for those who suffered all kinds of afflictions and he comforted those who were sad ... he shows compassion for the widow of Naim ... with great tenderness he

encounters the Samaritan woman ... he weeps with Lazarus’ sisters and calls him back to life ... he embraces little children with fatherly care ... in love he prays on the cross

for his most malicious enemies. (Exercises)

Our world is crying for Compassion.

In following the example of Mother Mary of the Seven Dolors, our first superior general, we unite with Mary who stood at the foot of the cross and we imitate her in her union with

her crucified Son. We participate in the redemptive mission of Christ by accepting the crosses in our own lives and by demonstrating a true spirit of compassion for all those

who suffer. (MSC Constitutions #3)

We can reject everything else: religion, ideology, all received wisdom. But we cannot escape the

necessity of love and compassion.... This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith. In this sense,

there is no need for temple or church, for mosque or synagogue, no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine or dogma. Our own heart,

our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their

rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we need. So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are learned or

unlearned or follow some other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of

responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happy. (Dalai Lama XIV)

Where am I called to be more compassionate? How do I stand for the rights of others?

Father Moreau understands community to be a powerful and prophetic force shaping our life and ministry.

The one aim of the glory of God and the salvation of souls inspires almost all the members and gives rise to a oneness of effort which tends toward that more perfect union of hearts

which is the foundation of the unity and strength of Holy Cross. ... ... Union, then, is a powerful lever with which we could move, direct, and sanctify

the whole world. (Circular Letter 14)Bu

Energized by our life in community!

The sisters manifest their love for one another by mutual respect and support, a spirit of openness and availability, a sharing of joys and sorrows. They are instruments of peace

who accept one another’s humanity and who are willing to forgive and be forgiven.

(MSC Constitutions #13b)

Through legacy, "me" becomes "we" (and the irony is that "me" actually becomes more in

the process). "We" encompasses past and future, old and young, and the society we

create and perpetuate. "Society is indeed a contract," said Edmund Burke, a British writer

and member of Parliament. "It becomes a partnership not only between those who are

living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born."

(Susan V. Bosak)

How is my local community energized? How am I contributing to the world community?

How do I wish to be remembered?

In founding Holy Cross, Father Moreau formed a family of three societies, men and women, lay and ordained, to be a sign of love

and unity in a world of division. Today, that family comprises four congregations of Holy Cross.

The members of the Association are to form but one same family, united by the sweet bonds of fraternal charity and the three vows of religion. In this way, Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix [Our Lady of Holy Cross] will grow like a stately tree and constantly shoot forth new limbs

and branches, which will be nourished by the same life-giving sap. If this is to be so, however, all the members must cultivate the spirit of mutual love and cooperation, and have at heart

the welfare and success of the Association as a whole rather than the private interests of egoism and self-love. (Circular Letter 65)

“Families are like branches on a tree, we grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.”

(Anonymous)

Our Founder, Blessed Basil Moreau, wished that the Congregation of Holy Cross be characterized by its witness to the world of authentic Christian community. We strive for

a congregational sense that encompasses not only our local communities but all our sisters throughout the world. Our spirit of unity likewise extends to all the members of

the Family of Holy Cross and to our brothers and sisters in the Church. The strength that results from such unity enables us to accomplish together our common mission of love

and service. (MSC Constitutions #2)

Today, the women of Holy Cross form three distinct congregations: Marianites of Holy Cross, Sisters of the Holy Cross, and Sisters of Holy

Cross. The men and women religious of Holy Cross minister in Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia! They are engaged in a variety

of ministries fulfilling their commitment to continue the mission of Jesus in the spirit of Fr. Moreau.

What would Blessed Moreau say to us today concerning tomorrow?

Father Moreau’s vision for the family of Holy Cross includes interdependence as a quality and a way of life, marking all our

relationships in community and in ministry.

There will not be a single member of our Association who will not make his own personal contribution to its progress, according to his strength, intellectual ability and particular

aptitudes. One will do intellectual work, and another, manual labor; this one will teach, that one will administer the Sacraments; and all the while this activity of the individual will help the community, and the activity of the community will, in turn, help each individual. Joys and

sorrows will be mutual. (Circular Letter 65)

Let us take time to reflect on the many people who are impacted by our life in community and our ministry.

We love our congregation as being the work of God and accept responsibility for its welfare. We remain united with one another by our commitment to the mission of Holy

Cross in fidelity to the Church. We give ourselves generously according to the gifts which God has given us and the values we hold sacred, thus bringing a diversity of ages,

ministries, cultures, experiences, and responses to the Spirit that will enrich our unity. In a true congregational sense, we foster interpersonal relationships at the local and

congregational levels. We welcome both the support and the challenge that this implies, remembering always that wherever there is a Marianite, there is the Congregation.

(MSC Constitutions #10)

As long as there is poverty in the world I can never be rich, even if I have a billion dollars. As long as diseases are rampant and

millions of people in this world cannot expect to live more than twenty-eight or thirty years, I can never be totally healthy even if I just got a good checkup at Mayo Clinic. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way

our world is made. No individual or nation can stand out boasting of being independent. We are interdependent.

(Martin Luther King, Jr.)

How well am I in asking for help?

Do I offer help? What is my connectedness to God?

Father Moreau regularly emphasizes the importance of remaining faithful in religious life and professional in ministry.

This important work which has been entrusted to us is not yet completed. It still calls for

many sacrifices and much labor. I am well aware of all that still remains to be done to form our [members] to the religious life, to afford them an intellectual formation in keeping with

the needs of the times, and to establish [continuity] in their conduct and their teaching methods. (Circular Letter 14)

Reflect on your own On-Going Formation.

Initial formation is only one phase of a continuous process of personal growth. Each of us works to strengthen her union with Christ, her commitment to community and to Holy

Cross, and her professional and apostolic service at all stages of life. The necessity of effectively witnessing to Christ in the modern world demands of us as women religious

the theological, social and cultural updating which facilitates adjustments to rapid changes in the Church and society. (MSC Constitutions #31)

Most of today's most influential thinkers believe that wisdom accumulates with age. And while research

indicates that some mental functioning like memory may decline with advanced age, wisdom can still

flourish apart from other mental functions. Research also confirms that most wise individuals don't think of

themselves as possessing any special powers of wisdom. The more they learn, the less they know for

certain. But wisdom isn't something that happens automatically as the result of age. Hard-won self-

knowledge is an essential source of wisdom. Wisdom grows only through accepting your life as the life that had to be and is the product of resolve – resolving the issues of the past

combined with tolerance toward your own family past and your choices. It combines an emotional integration of the past, a philosophical attitude toward life, and acceptance of

your own mortality without despair. (Legacy Project)

How am I continuing to develop?

Are there areas of life I wish to explore?

Father Moreau insists that the members of the family of Holy Cross be open to and accepting of all cultures and countries and

religious of Holy Cross.

Let us not limit our interests to the narrow confines of a particular house, a Province, or our own country. This would be egoism and self-seeking. Rather let us be one with all our houses,

and regard none as a stranger to the one in which we dwell. (Circular Letter 174)

How do you demonstrate that you value hospitality?

By straightforward and sincere interpersonal relationships, we witness to the spirit of love, joy and peace dwelling within us. True to the hospitality that has always been a part of our heritage as Marianites of Holy Cross, our welcome for all persons is one of gracious

courtesy. (MSC Constitutions #12)

Those of us, who seek to follow Christ, in particular, face a challenge in sorting through the rhetoric to understand how we can reflect God’s justice as well as his love and compassion in designing a national immigration policy, and in the ways we relate individually to the immigrants in our communities. On first glance at the issue, we recognize that immigrants are people made in God’s image who should be treated with

respect; at the same time, we believe God has instituted the government and the laws that it puts into place for a reason, and that as Christians we are generally bound to submit to the rule of law. (Welcoming the Stranger)

What am I called to do in addressing the crisis of Immigration?

Who are the strangers in my life?

Father Moreau challenges us to be people of hope, convinced by our way of life that God is ever present and active in our world,

that God has not abandoned the people. This same hope must be communicated through our ministries.

Let us, then, continue, with noble courage, my dear sons and daughters in Jesus Christ, on the difficult path which we have chosen. We should rely confidently on Him who has called us to so glorious a task, find encouragement in the hope of a better life, and keep our eyes fixed on that changeless eternity where no longer there will be succession of days, weeks, months, and

years. (Circular Letter 23)

Is Active Hope alive within you?

By the joy which this commitment radiates and by the quality of our presence and sensitivity to others, we become a dynamic source of Christ’s love in this world and we

announce what will be our resurrected state in the kingdom to come. (MSC Constitutions #20)

Living simply is not primarily about changing anyone else or anything ‘outside’ of ourselves. It is to discover that I am indeed made in the image of God, I am sustained by God, I need nothing else. This awareness will mean that I make different choices about what I need, what matters, what I commit myself to. I will become more committed to relationships that contribute to the fullness of life – for me and others. I

will delight more in the beauty of creation, music and art. It will lead me to new poets, mystics, prophets, Scripture passages and conversations… (Susan V. Bosak)

How will I channel Active Hope?

There is always hope for a tree:

when felled, it can start

its life again:

its shoots continue to sprout.

Its roots may be decayed

in the earth,

its stump withering in the soil,

but let it scent the water,

and it buds,

and puts out branches

like a plant new set. Job 14: 7 - 9

Thoughts: Action items for myself: Action items for Region/Congregation: Questions: