mother helene marie, assumption
I read a bit of history last night and this is what I found out. When I was in Assumption we were made to learn at the very least 3 lines in French so that we can greet the Mother General, Mother Helene Marie, in her own tongue, during her visit to the school. Until now my French never went beyond these three lines.
I mentioned her at the start of this reflection because it was during her term as Superior General that Mother Marie Eugenie was beatified 37 years ago in 1975 by Pope Paul VI. Reflecting in retrospect I believe that was something timely. Timely because there was a rethinking in the church with Vatican II just recently concluded. With rethinking comes change, and with change comes turmoil - turmoil in the church and also in the congregation. Encouraged by Vatican II’s dialogue and opening up with the world so many congregations begun to rethink their life and mission in the world - and some even questioned not just their significance but also their existence. In part, because of this the Church itself lost so many priests, and I believe it was also at this point when the congregation experienced the loss so many sisters. Mother Helene Marie was in the forefront of all these upheavals in the church and in the congregation, and the visit here most probably must have tackled this grave internal issues. But thanks to the beatification of Mother Marie Eugenie the rethinking led to a re-appreciation of her vision, which eventually led to the renewal of the religious life.
I took note of this because it is in this particular era I believe that the soil was prepared to receive later with the next superior general Mother Clare the seeds of lay collaboration and partnership which in our time continues to grow. The pattern of the paschal mystery is very clear in this regard. The seed can only grow if it dies. The turmoil of Vatican II in the mandate or term of Mother Helene Marie has laid the ground work for active lay involvement in the mission of Assumption. Isn’t it that most often it is our darkest past that propels us to the good, making it ever clearer that it is God who is in control of our lives and not us?
Today as you gather to recommit yourself to the ideals of St. Marie Eugenie, I invite you to look at the gospel and glean from it the virtue of persistence, the persistence of the canaanite woman. In reality persistence is there in every virtue because a virtue can only be a virtue when done persistently. A good cannot become a virtue kon gin-abot ka lang subong nga adlaw.
Persistence means the capacity to move on despite obstructions, despite the difficulties and despite the rejection encountered. This is what the woman experienced from Jesus. Jesus seemingly tried to discourage her from asking such miracle or cure for after all she is not even a Jew, she is not a member of the chosen people and she is just a a small dog. And yet this woman persisted. She pushed herself harder. She swallowed her pride. She probably felt ashamed and embarrassed in front of the crowd but nevertheless she continued to ask Jesus, until Jesus cannot but give it to her.
May your recommitment today to the ideals and vision of St. Marie Eugenie help you in living the call to holiness and the extension of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
I mentioned her at the start of this reflection because it was during her term as Superior General that Mother Marie Eugenie was beatified 37 years ago in 1975 by Pope Paul VI. Reflecting in retrospect I believe that was something timely. Timely because there was a rethinking in the church with Vatican II just recently concluded. With rethinking comes change, and with change comes turmoil - turmoil in the church and also in the congregation. Encouraged by Vatican II’s dialogue and opening up with the world so many congregations begun to rethink their life and mission in the world - and some even questioned not just their significance but also their existence. In part, because of this the Church itself lost so many priests, and I believe it was also at this point when the congregation experienced the loss so many sisters. Mother Helene Marie was in the forefront of all these upheavals in the church and in the congregation, and the visit here most probably must have tackled this grave internal issues. But thanks to the beatification of Mother Marie Eugenie the rethinking led to a re-appreciation of her vision, which eventually led to the renewal of the religious life.
I took note of this because it is in this particular era I believe that the soil was prepared to receive later with the next superior general Mother Clare the seeds of lay collaboration and partnership which in our time continues to grow. The pattern of the paschal mystery is very clear in this regard. The seed can only grow if it dies. The turmoil of Vatican II in the mandate or term of Mother Helene Marie has laid the ground work for active lay involvement in the mission of Assumption. Isn’t it that most often it is our darkest past that propels us to the good, making it ever clearer that it is God who is in control of our lives and not us?
Today as you gather to recommit yourself to the ideals of St. Marie Eugenie, I invite you to look at the gospel and glean from it the virtue of persistence, the persistence of the canaanite woman. In reality persistence is there in every virtue because a virtue can only be a virtue when done persistently. A good cannot become a virtue kon gin-abot ka lang subong nga adlaw.
Persistence means the capacity to move on despite obstructions, despite the difficulties and despite the rejection encountered. This is what the woman experienced from Jesus. Jesus seemingly tried to discourage her from asking such miracle or cure for after all she is not even a Jew, she is not a member of the chosen people and she is just a a small dog. And yet this woman persisted. She pushed herself harder. She swallowed her pride. She probably felt ashamed and embarrassed in front of the crowd but nevertheless she continued to ask Jesus, until Jesus cannot but give it to her.
May your recommitment today to the ideals and vision of St. Marie Eugenie help you in living the call to holiness and the extension of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
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