International Meeting 2018

“Called to… Sent for…”
lay people and sisters together to deepen the sharing of the charism
Rome 24-29 July 2018

The General Council in the person of Sr. Christine Walczak and of the Promoting Group of the friends of Saint Jeanne-Antide have summoned to this Second international meeting, some lay members with the AJA referring Sisters from territorial realities of the whole Congregation.

There were 38 participants and 2 translating nuns, from 10 nationalities (Italy, Malta, Central Africa, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Latin America, Romania, France and the Orient).

Friends immediately came into contact with each other: sharing rich experiences but in an atmosphere of great simplicity, supported by presentations from various groups.

The opening celebration allowed each group to present its geographical reality through a symbol. Father Valerio of Trapani, CM, Lazarist set the tone for the encounter with the biblical light of Mt 25.31-46. The mystical dimension of the Charism (beyond appearances to see the Son of God in the poor).

The intervention of Sister Nunzia De Gori, our Superior General on the deepening of the charism, says: “The charism is not a package of ideas, teachings, form, habit … the charism is an experience of grace destined, for its very nature, to grow, to develop, passing from the founding person to the person-disciple, therefore lay AJA. ” For the linguistic group we worked on the identity of the AJA Lays starting from two basic documents prepared by the International Promoting Group. Sharing was facilitated by a simple and dynamic way of working.

We concluded this meeting with the Eucharistic celebration on the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican.