19 March 2022 · 2022-03 newsletter
Over two weekends in February, the Women in NSW and the Melbourne Schoenstatt Family spent time on Zoom reflecting on what it means to be an “Authentic Witness to Holiness” as a means of evangelising. Altogether, close to forty people participated and were motivated to recognise that the call to holiness is universal and that striving for holiness belongs to our everyday lives. It is rooted in our Baptismal Covenant and through our Schoenstatt Covenant of Love we open ourselves to the help of the Blessed Mother as we seek to live out this Covenant each day.
Apart from two major inputs looking at “Evangelisation and Witnessing to Holiness” and “Leadership in the light of Schoenstatt’s Way, Authentic Witness to Holiness”, all were enriched by short presentations of ten members of our Schoenstatt Family reflecting on how they see holiness in their everyday lives. An activity challenged every participant to reflect on what they understand under the word ‘holiness’. Some of the results of this activity may inspire you to reflect on what authentic holiness means to you.
HOLINESS IN ACTIVITY
Or have you ever let your imagination pull as many meanings as you can from one reality like
Holiness is……starting anew each day
and Holiness is………reflecting on the day
and Holiness is… having a positive attitude
but it can also be…offering our challenges to God and leaving them in God’s hands; trusting in God.
and sometimes it can mean…accepting suffering
because Holiness…is a life’s journey and task.
and many times it involves…trusting in God’s providence and guidance; sacrifice.
so that Holiness…requires constant striving…requires selfless service…a constant effort.
and it also………demands courage and perseverance
for Holiness…is the mission and task of the Christian person… it is love.
Holiness is … Personal relationship with God; a reflection of God’s love
And holiness is … Relationship with your neighbour; a way of life
And holiness is … Positively living the faith; the fullness of Christian life; living out our baptismal covenant; being united in prayer; having a childlike relationship; leadership
But it can also be … Your behaviour; living out the demands of the Gospel
And sometimes …. Challenging; It hurts; is time consuming
Because holiness is …. Having an open mind,
And many times …. We come to crossroads
So that holiness…. Is a way of life
And it also …Makes us live an authentic life
For holiness is …. A gift
A few echoes from participants:
- Many thanks for a beautiful and meaningful Retreat. We appreciate all the hard work and contribution to make it successful.
- Thank you very much for a very reflective retreat and for all the work put into the organisation and presentation of the topics. It was very much enjoyed by all.
- Thank you and the team for a beautiful retreat. Zoom poses its own challenges. However, the strategy worked well. Breakout groups were a great way of recapping what was covered. Contributions from participants indicated everyone was learning more about Schoenstatt. Participants are always willing to contribute to a discussion and ask questions in small groups. Bringing the information back to the main room was helpful for everyone. Thanks once again.
- One of the focal points that came out of the discussions was the realisation of the participants that we should all strive for holiness in our everyday lives. It is something that we can all achieve, it is not something for just a few, because through our Baptism we are all called to be saints (everyday saints) in the way we witness to God’s love in our lives.
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