Community Days

Corporate body

Community Days

1988-2004

The “Community Days”, unlike the “Assembly” days, were not a necessary part of the congregation’s government. These gatherings had a non-formal nature and were meant for coming together for reflection. A Community Day lasted for one day, during which the Sisters met for conversations, mealtimes, and pleasant evenings. There were no formal reports about meetings or discussions. The series includes several years of Community Days records which differ by topics discussed.

During the Community Days of 1988-1990, the following topics were discussed: principles for understanding power, types of formal power, impact of experience on decision making, modes of religious life, and the ability to reflect critically on one’s own experience. The details and statements of a professional caretaker are provided, including such discussions as the nature and meaning of depressions, the sensitivity to the needs of others, and the origins of emotional difficulties that one may carry throughout the life. The Community Days of 1993-1994 included the following topics: communal graced history which is important “ so a person or a community can decide with the movement towards the Trinity and resist the self-centred movement”; steps towards selecting a leadership; understanding of the nature, aspects and models of church; reflections on charisms; and reflections on the nature and identity of religious life in Canada. The Community Days of 1999 discussed the experience of Chapter meeting; and training to understand the stages of community development. The Community Days of 2000 included morning prayer; a case study about child poverty; and reports on activities, including an article on destructive cycles in organizations.

London, Ont.

Final

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