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By PAT HENNESSY
Fairfield County Catholic, December 17, 2005
There's a new spirit in the Office for
Christian Formation in the Diocese of Bridgeport. Four members
of a religious society known as the Marian Community of Reconciliation
have joined the Diocese of Bridgeport, bringing from their Motherhouse
in Peru a commitment to evangelization. "I
am delighted to welcome this community to our diocese,"
says Bishop William E. Lori. "They bring a joyful spirit
and a deep commitment to the dynamic beauty and power of our
faith. With their help, we will develop a pastoral plan for
evangelization and catechesis in our parishes."
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THE
MARIAN COMMUNITY OF RECONCILIATION,
an order of consecrated lay women, have joined the catechetical
efforts of the Diocese of Bridgeport: (l-r) Sisters Ana Lucia
Montoya, Alejandra Keen, Ivette Calle, and Florencia Silva.
They will assist in the evangelization of youth and families
in this diocese. (PHOTO BY JOHN GLOVER) |
Evangelize the Culture
The Sisters (technically called
Fraternas) come from Spain, Colombia, and Peru; they are members
of a community of consecrated women founded in 1991 in Peru.
They are consecrated laywomen who take vows of celibacy, obedience,
and detachment from temporal goods in order to be fully available
for the apostolate. The society is currently working in several
countries in the Americas and in Europe. "Our
charism is to evangelize the culture and bring the Gospel
to the people," says Sister Alejandra Keen, 33, the superior
of the community. "Our apostolic mission includes ministry
with youth and families, and service to the poor. In each
case, our apostolate depends on the specific needs of the
people we serve."
Sister Alejandra has become the director
of the Office for Christian Formation; Sister Ana Lucia Montoya,
27, is assistant director.
"During this important time of transition,
I have been familiarizing the Sisters with the diocese and
with the services currently offered through our office,"
says Betty Anne Casaretti, director of young adult ministry.
"They are preparing to spend time in the different vicariates
and parishes to discern their needs."
Sister Florencia Silva, 26, has been
assigned to assist at Saint Joseph High School in Trumbull,
where she has become the director of campus ministry, working
closely with the school's Spiritual Director, Father Joseph
Marcello. Sister Ivette Calle, 28, who has a degree in business
administration, will be studying at Sacred Heart University
to improve her mastery of English. She will assist in youth
ministry.
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| Faith into Life
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| Their Society encourages its members
to continue a career and pursue their education in order to
transmit the faith in today's culture. Many of the Sisters in
the Society continue in their original field. "Architects
use their skill to build chapels, and a lawyer might work with
the poor to help them secure their rights," explains Sister
Alejandra. "In all cases, we work to transform faith into
life."
"Our zeal is to witness the
Lord," says Sister Ana, who studied philosophy in Rome
and worked in parish ministry there. She has already begun
to help Dr. Margaret Dames, superintendent of Catholic schools,
with the task of curriculum mapping for the religious education
program.
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Witness of Love
"Culture is an expression of the human
heart, human needs," Sister Ana explains. "For all
lay men and women, their work can be a witness of life, of
love. It's linked to a calling of holiness that's not just
for Sunday."
It is in that sense, evangelization as
a witness of love, that they approach their apostolate.
"We'll start by going to the ordinary
activities happening around the diocese," says Sister
Alejandra. "We'll work with parishes, directors of religious
education, and catechists. They are the ones who evangelize.
Our goal is to assist them."
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