A meeting of the AHF Sister Directors and the AHF Representatives was held at the Generalate in Rome on 16-21.06.2022. This was the first meeting in which representatives of the Association also participated. Mother General Angela Marie Mazzeo, welcoming all participants, greatly emphasized the historicity of this meeting.
In communication and in the spirit of the synodal Church, we set out together on the journey…
Meeting topic: the CSFN and the AHF on the synodal path of the Church with the Holy Family.
Meeting method: encounter, listening, discernment
Image for contemplation: The Holy Family on the way to Jerusalem – finding Jesus in the Temple – returning to Nazareth (Luke 2:41-52)
Purpose of the meeting: What steps does the Holy Spirit invite us to take in order to grow in our “walking together: CSFN and AHF”?
The meeting was attended by: 11 sisters, 16 adults and 9 children, who had their own very rich program. Participants came from the USA, France, two Polish provinces: Warsaw and Krakow, Australia, the Philippines and from Belarus. We used Polish and English. Two sisters helped us with translations.
During the meetings we were accompanied by:
- Sr. Maria Teresa Marcinik, who introduced us to the charism, spirituality and missions of the Congregation, reflecting on the topic: How can Nazareth Sisters and the AHF walk together, drinking from the same source?
- Sr. Barbara Gromada, who in two meetings spoke to us about Mother Foundress and Servant of God Małgorzata Banaś.
- Fr. James Grummer SI who introduced us to the topic combined with a workshop on communal discernment.
Participants presented responses collected from the provinces on how we walk together from the perspective of sisters and members. We shared about formation in the AHF. A couple from the Warsaw province presented us with an evaluated 8-year formation program, which includes rich handouts for each meeting. We decided together to translate the program into English and introduce it throughout the AHF.
Together we participated in the Angelus at St. Peter’s Square and visited the house at via Machiavelli. Daily Mass always had the same intention: for the intentions entrusted through the intercession of Blessed Francis Siedliska. We can say that the Nazareth Sisters, the AHF and all those close to us were present with us in prayer.
It was a very intensive time. Each day ended with a recreation prepared by each group of the AHF. Due to various constraints, we were not able to carry out our program in full, but I thank God for what there was, for the gift of the meeting, for the gift of diversity, for the joy of being in the larger Nazareth family, for the love of the Holy Family with which God fills the hearts of those He wants, and for the constant protection of Blessed Francis Siedliska. Thank you to all who contributed to making this meeting happen.
Sr. Speranza Grzebielec
