Objective B:
Set up a sharing of both personal
and Province ERN experience so
as to be able to draw out the wisdom and learnings
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| The day began around the shimmering blue-green waters, shells of the island-countries of Oceania. Their representatives led us in a prayer ritual that connected us with prayer-wishes sent and gifted to us by ERN people in Oceania. We accepted their gifts gratefully. |
Andy Kuppe took us through some organisational logistics to make an already comfortable stay even more comfortable. He then put before us the Munnar Chapter recommendations re. ERN and the aims and objectives of this ERN meeting, before involving us all in a getting-to-know-you-better game of Eddie Rice Bingo that was effective, fun and put his class-control skills to the test. |
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Peter Dowling spoke on behalf of the CLT. Their message to us included:
- if one part of the body is affected, the whole body is affected. This is the experience of being a network.
- to grow in Edmund Rice Spirituality is to grow in new consciousness.
- to live as daring disciples is to live with a new experience of humanity (our own and others).
- Networking is about connecting, deepening, bonding, developing relationships. Perhaps it is the most important work we engage in as we develop our spirituality.
- Holding the vision/message of Jesus is to embrace inclusively, to be about the poor and marginalized, to worship in spirit and truth, to gather to share stories, and always being open to the mystery we call God.
- Edmund’s vision attracted and still attracts people because his was the vision of Jesus. When you live the vision of Jesus things take off. He quoted today’s gospel from The Message Bible to illustrate this:
When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard a teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying - quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had never heard. Peter reminded us of Philip’s question about our straying from the compassionate vision of Edmund in his letter about the Ryan report. He concluded by encouraging the Spirit active in the group to take the ERN vision forward. |
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| A short quiet reflection and buzz group sharing followed before we were introduced to an activity to name places, people and times in our personal Edmund Rice stories. |
Next we had the Province Edmund Rice stories starting with India before the break.
(Noel deSa and Neville MacNamara) |
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Then North America
(Dan Casey, Sean Whitty and Bob Koppes)
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and Africa presented their story before lunch.
(Donal Kirk, Evona Rebelo, Johnfisher Ondigo and Martin Binyenya) |
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| After lunch we started with right brain activity of describing the qualities and properties of Edmund Rice Network if it could be put in a bottle. The results were creative, insightful and varied yet all were true. |
Andy introduced the principles of the Wisdom/Listening Circle where both words and silence were to be listened to.
We gathered in hallowed silence of the airy Chapel to participate in one such circle where those who had been at Munnar Chapter told of their experiences of God there and we all explored what the treasure of Edmund Rice Network was for us.
After supper, we left in two groups, to walk the Edmund Rice trail through the streets of Waterford as privileged pilgrims on a pleasant mid-summer evening. |
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| Greetings were also received from the Gerard Ellul, Frank O'Shea and Paul Follas in Lake Naivasha (Kenya), who passed on the news that it was Martin Binyenya's happy birthday. |
Josephine Farrell was also thanked for her work for the Edmund Rice Network in Ireland and presented with a gift by Kevin Barry. |
