Are You Considering
a Life in Community?
Inquirers always want to know why they
should
choose Community
life. Here's what we say to them.
There is a synergy about life in community. Together
we are
better than all of us individually.
We define "community" as a group of people who have left their
own milieu
to live with others under the same roof, and to work from a mutually
accepted
vision of human beings and their relationships with each other and with
God.
Two essential elements of life in community are:
1) inter-personal
relationships,
a sense of belonging, and
2) an orientation of life
to a common goal and a common witness.
For us, this witness is in the Ascended Christ. In the
Ascension
all of humanity is lifted into God. Our relationships with each other
in
our Community and with all of creation strive to reflect this belief
and
are expressed in how we live and the work we do.
Steps to becoming a Sister.
When a woman's application is accepted, she enters the Novitiate, a 6-
to 12- month discernment period. During this time she lives in
the
Community and participates fully in its daily life. This is also a time
of formal study in subjects such as church history, scripture, liturgy,
prayer, etc.
At the end of this time, if it mutually agreeable between the
Community
and the Novice, she makes a commitment to live as a Sister for one
year.
This commitment may be renewed annually for two additional years. After
approximately four years, a Sister makes life vows.
The Vows
The traditional religious vows are poverty, obedience, and chastity or
celibacy. Our wording for these is:
1) poverty and simplicity
2) unity
3) holiness of life.
Let's Communicate
The Sisters in the Community of the Ascension are happy to communicate
with any woman who wants to know more about us, or simply more about
life
in Community.
You can e-mail
us, phone us
at 410-621-0709, or write to:
Sister Mary Winifred, C.A.
27548 Fairmount Road
PO Box 143
Upper Fairmount, MD 21867
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