Spiritual Development Communique #2

Submitted by: Marianna Caldwell

Merry Christmas!
May the baby Jesus bless you and your family with peace and joy as you welcome him into your home and into your heart.

We have begun Year C and we are well into Advent and Christmas is upon us. I would like to share with you some information that I have received from Cecile Miller, National Chairperson of Spiritual Development:

New theme: Love One Another
Beginning January 2007, the League will launch its new theme Love One Another. How can members bring this theme to life? I encourage each of you to reflect on ways the members in your province can respond to this question. Please let us share with one another any ideas which you give/receive. Here are some of mine:

• Study and reflect on Pope Benedict’s XVI encyclical letter Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), especially part two which is entitled Caritas: The Practice of Love by the Church as a “Community of Love.” How can we respond to the invitation extended by the Holy Father in his letter, “To experience love and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world…”? What are we doing now? What more can we do?
• Reflect on scripture passages which call us to Love One Another.” Some of these are: 1 John 4:7; John 15:12; and, Matthew 22:36-40. How can we extend the sharing we do at Christmas time to those who are in need at
• Say “Merry Christmas!” Share your joy wherever you are: whether at home, at work, or during recreation; while shopping, baking, decorating or doing any of the other activities which need to be done at this time.

The Ark of the New Covenant
The itinerary of The Ark of the New Covenant is posted on the Congress website. The Ark will be in Quebec until January 14, 2007, and will begin its tour in Ontario on January 15th. Encourage all members to do all they can to make this tour the best success it can be.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held January 21-28, 2007. The theme is Be Opened. School and parish materials can be obtained from: Novalis, 10 Lower Spadina Ave., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5V 2Z2 ; tel: (800) 387-7164; facsimile: (800) 204-4140; or, visit the website www.novalis.ca.

Important dates
January 1 – Feast of Mary, Mother of God, World Day for Peace
January 21-28 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
February 4 – World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
February 11 – Commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes , World Day of the Sick,

World Marriage Day
February 21 – Ash Wednesday

Annual Reports
You have all receive the newly revised annual report forms. Hopefully, Parish Spiritual Chairpersons will find them user friendly. You are encouraged to contact parishes that do not send in their annual report to see if they are having problems with the report form.

A reminder that Diocesan reports to Provincial are due by February 15th, if there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask..

Wishing you a Happy New Year

May 2007 be filled with new hope, new joy, new beginnings and many blessings.

Marianna C…….