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Profile of the SPIRITUALITY of
the Little Sisters of the Assumption
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"One day, the call of the God of
Jesus Christ seduced us and we let ourselves be seduced,
as the prophet Jeremiah says" (cf. Jer 20:7)
"One day, Etienne Pernet, discovering
the misery and destitution of the people, under the movement
of the Spirit, humbly received the call that was to involve
his whole life. "
"He and Antoinette Fage, receptive
to the will of God, found the strength and the joy of a
fragile and daring community response. "
"Led by the Spirit, we receive the joy of the unique love of the Father through Jesus Christ who impels us each day to offer up our life, filled with passion for the Reign of God."
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JESUS CHRIST, SERVANT AND SAVIOUR
Christ is the first accent of our spirituality :
"May Our Lord be everything for you"
"May Jesus Christ be our centre." ..says
Fr Pernet
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And the recommendation
he gave to the Little Sisters:
"Let us contemplate Jesus Christ in his intimate life. He is the ray that gives light at the same time as being the coal that sets ablaze."
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Christ, figure of the Servant:
obediant
• humble and poor
• who came to
serve
And three forms of mediation :
The word •
The Eucharist • Others, especially the poor
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In our heart there is a single passion,
having two poles of reference :
A Passion
for Christ
And a Passion for his people who are impoverished and
relegated to the last place.
A God who is TRINITY,
that is, a God who is LOVE
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Another directive
from Father Pernet :
"Go straight to God"
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The Glory of
God by the Salvation
of the poor and those of least account.
"'A Little
Sister who didn't have a passion for all that concerns the
Glory of God would not be a Little Sister. " (Fr Pernet)
The Reign of God - this is the common Assumptionist
trunk : the reign of God in us and around us.
"It is very important that you work first of all for the Reign of God in yourself… And may this reign extend around us because the task God has confided to the Little Sisters is the extension of his Kingdom among the poor and the working class." (Fr Pernet)
My God, grant that this Fire which
is You may
transform us, and make each of us a glowing coal.
You have taught us the marvels of your Wisdom,
you have communicated to su the flame of your Love.
Our life should be that of Christ,
what emanates from us, his Charity.
We shall communicate from one to another
the warmth that we receive
And it will come about that we
may transform those
around us under the action of the Holy Spirit.
Of ourselves we are nothing,
but with the humble sentiment of our weakness
we shall become strong and powerful,
glowing coals setting fire to all they touch
bearers of the love of God."
Etienne Pernet
The spirituality of an APOSTLE
In order to be an Apostle, a Prophet, a Martyr, we must
link contemplation and action, prayer and mission.
"Have the ability
to go from prayer to dedicated action.
Prayer and action / Action
and prayer should be one and the same thing"
(Etienne Pernet)
In order to evangelise the poor one must be poor oneself
:
"The poorer you are, the
more you will be real religious apostles."
"'For the one who is truly
poor, God is enough." (Fr Pernet)
An apostolic life that is lived out
in COMMUNITY
"Our community
life, the sign and proclamation of the gathering together
of humanity in God, takes its inspiration from the life of
the first Christian communities and from the Augustinian tradition:
"Be of one mind and heart in God" (Rule of life nº 22) 
"Living in community is something prophetic if we welcome the strength of this gift in order to grow together and reveal, through tenderness and compassion, the maternal face of God.
It is the moment to proclaim by our life that it is possible to change human relations: the announcement of a new world."
"The Eucharist we celebrate
invites us to follow Jesus in the offering of his life, to
live out actions of reconciliation, to reject isolation, in
a word, to be sisters, being quite sure of the One who brings
us together."
"We believe that God has given us the
gift of communion; the certainty that we are loved is a source
of our joy." (Council of Congregation 2001)
THE EUCHARIST
"The Eucharist is at the centre of our
lives and our communities. It is the sacrament of the Covenant,
where the limitless love of the Lord is revealed and communicated…..
The breaking of bread carries with it an
obligation to share with all who hunger for bread and for
justice… There is a very close link between our mission, our
community life and the Eucharist." (Rule of
life nº 11)
The Eucharist is the action of Christ in
us; it is an invitation to offer oneself with Christ.
And, finally, the Eucharist brings the fruit
of unity, it makes our lives a single heart and soul.
"Our Lord's
blood vivifies us in such a way that, having the one life
with him, loving with him and like him, our minds and our
hearts are united in truth and charity" was to
say Fr Pernet.
THE CHURCH
"Our prayer
should never be isolated. It can be solitary, but not isolated.
Our prayer should be always inspired by the Spirit of the
Church. May it be always inspired, supported and guided by
that of the Church"
"Never isolate yourself. Pray
with the whole Church in the name of Jesus Christ." (Fr Pernet)
"We have a deep love for the Church,
the Body of Christ and the Sacrament of Salvation. As members
of God's People we are at its service, working as women, religious
and apostles to announce the Gospel. By living our charism
to the full we contribute to the vitality of the Church"
We Search with others for ways to create
an environment where each one is called by name, invited to
be creative and gradually to take part in building up the
world..
…."We want to work making it possible
for those who are not heard to take their place in society,
and enabling all to recognize that they are one people, so
that the scattered children of God may be gathered together"
(Rule of Life)
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MARY
Is the third love after Our Lord and the
Church. Fr Pernet invites
us to imitate her, love her and make her known.
Imitate her in her humility, poverty, purity, compassion,
obedience.
Two occasions in Mary's life are given a special place by
the Little Sisters of the Assumption :
The Visitation : "Remember
that the Most Blessed Virgin, is, in her Visitation, the model
you should copy; remember also that you should be ready to
bear all possible weariness so as to ease the sufferings of
the sick and above all, to bring them Our Lord…" (Fr
Pernet)
Mary at the foot of the Cross. By giving
us his mother on the Cross, Jesus situated her as mother of
the whole human race. Mary at the foot of the Cross has an
essential place in the spirituality of the Little Sisters.
"In Mary we contemplate a perfect response
to the call of God. Unconditionally accepting His Word in
faith, she gives us the Saviour..
Like her we consent to His will through simple
daily realities, even to the Cross. Like her, the woman of
her people, we are often present at the humble beginnings
of the Church.
Her Assumption gives us the certainty that
a new world is being prepared; she sustains our hope and gives
us the courage to dedicate ourselves with our brothers and
sisters in work for the transformation of humanity. (Rule of life)
"Don't have a petty, sentimental,
personal devotion towards the Blessed Virgin. Broaden out
your heart and meditate on the great mysteries that have been
accomplished in her." (Fr Etienne Pernet)
In the Rule of Life we read:
"Our personal and community prayer is
the prayer of the poor. It is learned slowly and is familiar
with the nights of all who are searching. We make this journey
of faith with Mary who bears the hope of her People, and with
her we receive Salvation and celebrate the marvels of God
who "has filled the hungry with good things and has sent
the rich away empty".
more information
archivespsa@hotmail.com
tél:
+33(0) 1 44 37 34 70
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