To the members of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, 3 February 1822 is more than a mere historical date; it is an event of enduring fruitfulness, a singular blessing calling forth unceasing praise and joyful thanksgiving, for “The Lord has done great things for us; indeed we are glad.”(Ps 126: 3)
BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING To the members of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, 3 February 1822 is more than a mere historical date; it is an event of enduring fruitfulness, a singular blessing calling forth unceasing praise and joyful thanksgiving, for “The Lord has done great things for us; indeed we are glad.”(Ps 126: 3) We know well the context of such a grace.  The nascent Foundation of Fr. Pierre Bienvenu Noailles was being tossed mercilessly by a storm of opposition and criticism; poverty of material resources and of human support was deeply hurting the vulnerable ‘little flock’ of the Founder.  In their distress, in the spirit of the ‘poor of Yahweh’, they turned with trustful abandonment to the One whom they knew ‘would never scorn the poverty of the poor and who, from them would never hide his face’ (Ps 22: 24). How true these words proved to be, for the little group assembled for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament that particular afternoon! The Lord let them behold his face full of loving kindness. The Eucharistic blessing of 3 February 1822 is like a multi-faceted jewel refracting the light in varying hues and shades, inviting us to contemplate the inexhaustible Mystery of Love from different angles, in its multiple manifestations. Today, let us look at the Miraculous Benediction as a moving revelation of our God who is pure compassion.  This means, first of all, that our God is a God who has freely chosen to be God-with-us, a God who enters deeply into human lives and is profoundly moved by human distress.   In Jesus of Nazareth, this divine solidarity became visible to us clear as day light.  The Gospels are full of the radiation of God’s compassion in the words, deeds and the presence of Jesus. It is this same Jesus who walked the streets of Galilee, who came down to Mazarin Street on 3 February to tell us that he is with us and will always be with us.  We know that no gift, no grace is given just for the good of one person or group.  Each celebration of 3 February reminds us vividly that being blessed by the Lord in a singular manner, we are called in our turn to be a blessing to our brothers and sisters.  As we contemplate the grace of 1822 as a loving gesture of our God, the God of compassion  ‘who sees the affliction of his people, who hears their cry, who knows their suffering and who comes to deliver them’ (cf. Ex. 3:7-8), we feel urged to be a compassionate presence in our competitive world today.  Compassion needs to be not simply a virtue among others, but a style of life, a way of being. We are called to take on Jesus’ own way of life, a life of loving solidarity with our brothers and sisters in their vulnerability, poverty, suffering, alienation and misery in its many forms. Compassionate solidarity asks us to go where it hurts to enter, into the pain of the other to share in the brokenness and anguish of the other. Jesus’ radical call to a compassionate existence is embodied in his words: “Be compassionate as your Father in heaven is compassionate.” (Lk 6:36) The God who becomes visible in Jesus is also the source of our own compassion. We have a privileged means of imbibing God’s own compassion in and through the Eucharist.  Jesus’ appearing to our first Sisters during the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament has a special significance.  It emphasises Jesus’ presence with us, his being- with- us, his being-there-for-us.  Perhaps this is one important way of expressing of compassion: being-with-the other, being-there-for-the other. Perhaps all that we can do in many instances is just to be-with, to be a presence to, a presence with and among our poor and suffering brothers and sisters. When we are deeply present, our hearts too remain there in true solidarity and communion. Each time we choose to be compassionately present to another we are sharing in the very heart of Jesus. May the Eucharistic Blessing of Jesus the memory of which we celebrate once again on 3 February 2011, impel us to be bearers of his own compassionate love to our brothers and sisters and to our suffering Earth! Blessed by Jesus, may we thus become a blessing to others! Sr. Claire Fernando – Nagoda    

The Amazon is a region with very particular characteristics. Rich in biodiversity, it is home to many different peoples with varied cultural and religious traditions whose lives are under threat from capitalism.
AMAZONIA The Amazon is a region with very particular characteristics.  Rich in biodiversity, it is home to many different peoples with varied cultural and religious traditions whose lives are under threat from capitalism.   Amazonia, also referred to as Pan Amazonia, is bordered by the basin of the River Amazon which has its source in the Andes in Peru.  The river covers a distance of 6.800 kilometres as it makes is way to the Atlantic Ocean.   It has 17% of the fresh water existing on earth.  It passes through 8 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela and French Guyana.  More than 3.000 varieties of fish swim in its waters.  The Amazon has more than 1.100 principal tributaries and an immense number of streams.  It is the most extensive river network in the world with 25.000 kilometres that are navigable. The Amazon region has a surface area of 7.500.000 square miles and comprises 43% of the surface of South America.   A large part of the region is in Brazil and comprises 49% of the whole of Brazilian territory.   The Amazon rainforest is one of the largest on the planet and it absorbs 80 to 120 million tons of carbon per year.  Therefore the conservation of the rainforest is of vital importance for our climate and for the health of the planet, and the health of humanity as a whole.  The Amazon basin was designated the Patrimony of Humankind by UNESCO in the year 2000. The present population of Pan-Amazonia is estimated to be around 40 million and the population can be divided in the following way:There are 3 million indigenous people belonging to 400 different ethnic groups with 250 different languages.  The deterioration of the rainforest directly affects these original inhabitants.  It is thought that at the beginning of the colonial period there were more than 5 million indigenous people from 900 different ethnic groups.   There are numerous communities of African origin and in Brazil there is about 1.000 of these. There are many communities living on the coast, communities of farmers, immigrants, mixed race groups and people inhabiting the large cities of the Amazon. Since the arrival of the colonizers, the population of the Amazon has gone through different periods: The Colonial period: The Jesuit missionaries arrived and began evangelisation among the native populations.  The rubber period: This lasted right up to the beginnings of the XX century.  The development of the automobile industry and industries dependent on rubber led to the advent of national and international companies who were set up to extract rubber from the rainforest.  This industry attracted migrant workers from many regions, especially people from the North West who were fleeing drought.  This period ended when rubber from Asia proved to be cheaper to produce. Second rubber period:  During the Second World War, the United States of America needed Brazilian rubber.  Treaties were signed in Washington and once more workers from the North West migrated to Amazonia.   Development Projects:  Several years ago the Brazilian government introduced a series of initiatives such as experiences in agriculture and the free zone of Manaos was set up.  This was much criticised.   There was also an initiative to create reservations such as Acre and “Terra Media” but the forests have been under constant attack from logging companies, paper manufacturers, pharmaceutical, agro industrial and hydro electrical companies.   At the present moment there is a project called the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America.  This project was approved by the presidents of the Latin American countries and agreements were signed in Brasilia in the year 2000. This project, based on international economic interests, has been put in place to extract the wealth of the region (land, subsoil, biodiversity, water etc) and export it easily by sea.  This requires the building of roads and waterways.  This type of programme will bring about significant changes in the geography of the Amazon and the loss of natural resources; it will also lead to movements of peoples in search of work and will have an impact on indigenous peoples who will be ever more confined to reduced areas and their vision of the world and their relationship with Mother Earth will be violated. These programmes show clearly how the political system is subject to economic interests.  The Amazonia continues to be geared towards foreign interests and the interests of the people are ignored. The Amazon rainforest, with its massive trees measuring 30 to 50 metres in height, was virgin forest until the beginnings of the XX century.  Today deforestation is putting ecological balance in jeopardy. It was not by chance that the Latin American Bishops in Aparecida recognised the wisdom of indigenous peoples in their teaching. “The Church esteems the values highlighted especially by indigenous peoples: respect for nature, love of Mother Earth as the source of sustenance and as the common home and altar where we humans learn to share”.  The Bishops pledge to “raise awareness in the Americas about the importance of Amazonia for the whole of humankind”.  Not only in the Americas but people all over the world must be made aware of the importance of the Amazonia for the balance of ecosystems on the planet.   In this context it is worth mentioning the prize received by Mr. D.Erwin Kraulter, one of the four winners of the Right Livelihood Prize 2010, the alternative Nobel Prize, which honours those who commit to working for change at grassroots level.  D. Erwin received this prize “for a life dedicated to working for human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples and for the tireless efforts made to save the Amazonia from destruction.” (Declaration on presentation of the award).The reception of this prize was a great joy for D Erwin, who, because of his commitment, has been threatened with death on many occasions. “I am happy to receive this prize, not for my own sake but for the sake of the Amazonia and the indigenous peoples who deserve this recognition”. _____________________________________SOURCESPan-Amazônica: De “quintal” a “praça central do planeta” – Revista Convergência – Nov. 2010.Jornal Porantin n. 328 – Set. 2010Documento Missão na Amazônia – CNBB 2010.Amazônia – Enciclopédia WikipediaLeer fonéticamente  

Our community is made up of 4 sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, three of whom are retired. We have been living in this town in Almeria since March 2008. Since the arrival of many immigrants to the town, we as a Province saw the need to share our lives with them.
OUR EXPERIENCE IN CAMPOHERMOSO Our community is made up of 4 sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, three of whom are retired.  We have been living in this town in Almeria since March 2008.  Since the arrival of many immigrants to the town, we as a Province saw the need to share our lives with them.   Campohermoso belongs to the Nijar district in Almeria.  The population of the town has increased in the last 8 years from 2.000 inhabitants to 10.000.  It is a town that has no roots in the past.    Our short experience here has shown us that this is a town where the population consists mainly of immigrants who are without work.  There are also Spanish born people who are also unemployed.  Before coming here immigrants have a very difficult time, especially those who come from Africa.  The culture is different; they have no money; they don’t know where to go to seek help and worst of all they are considered illegal immigrants by the authorities.  It causes them great distress not to be able to send money back to their families.   They come from many different palaces: Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Algeria, Senegal, Lithuania, Ukraine, Rumania, Santo Domingo, Ecuador, Morocco… Another great difficulty that they experience is the distress caused by the fact that they are not given permission to stay in the country even after being here for five years and more.  Securing a contract to work is another huge obstacle – sometimes the company that employs them is not legal or it is not solvent and some employers demand money from workers -1.000 to 1200 € just for the right to work.    Another cause for concern is housing. Many cannot afford rent and so they move to abandoned, ruined dwellings in the country.  They try to repair these dwellings themselves.  They have no light or sometimes they hook up to the electric grid and the authorities turn a blind eye.  They have no water or sanitary facilities and their houses are damp and letting in the rain.  Too many people are living in such inhumane conditions.  Through Caritas, representation has been made to the town Council and it is through Caritas that we are made more aware of this harsh reality that is the lot of so many people.     The crisis is affecting everyone.  Farmers are suffering a lowering of prices for their produce and as a result they cannot afford to hire people for the harvest and even in some cases their houses and lands are mortgaged.   In this context, the best help we can offer is teaching Spanish in the parishes of Campohermoso and San Isidro.  In San Isidro we collaborate with a project run by Caritas, which consists of a workshop that supplies jobs and food to a number of immigrants.  This brings them a small wage.   A sister does pastoral work in prison where there are immigrants.  We receive more from the Spanish classes that what we give.  After their work the immigrants come to the classes.  As well as learning the language, the participants share their culture and the values of their respective countries; they share the suffering they have experienced as a result of having to leave their country, their families, their possessions and all they hold dear in order to carve out a new life for themselves.   We are challenged by such injustice and we often feel quite powerless when faced with situations that we can do nothing about except accompany those who are in distress. Hope alone sustains us. We see that in order to maintain hope and create a more equal and just world where there is food and dignity for all, we must try to live trust and abandonment of which our Founder spoke so often.  The community of Campohermoso      

On the 7th January, the general house welcomed members from the wider Family:
Lay Associates
Priest Associates
Consecrated Seculars
Contemplative and
Apostolic Sisters
The Council of the Family in Rome 13 – 18 January 2011On the 7th January, the general house welcomed members from the wider Family: Lay AssociatesPriest AssociatesConsecrated Seculars Contemplativeand Apostolic Sisters      They have come from the 4 continentals to participate in the Council of the Family. The house rang with the cheerful greetings in all the languages. Sadly some members were not able to be present because of difficulties with visas. Click on the titles to read more…   Photos –  1,   2,   3,   4,   5,  Participants OPENING ADDRESS COUNCIL OF THE FAMILY     

I take this opportunity also to remind you that the Council of the Family will meet from 13-18 January 2011. As you know, the Council of the Family is composed of the three Councils of Consecrated Life and the Inter-Continental Committee of Lay Associates.
Family on missionWe would like to remind you that Sr. Margaret Muldoon has said in her letter on 30 November 2010 – to the entire family…   I take this opportunity also to remind you that the Council of the Family will meet from 13-18 January 2011. As you know, the Council of the Family is composed of the three Councils of Consecrated Life and the Inter-Continental Committee of Lay Associates. A representative group of Priest Associates will also participate. This Council meets every four years to reflect on issues relevant to the Family, to maintain and deepen our spirit and to promote communion between the different vocations so as to enable us to keep offering this gift to the world in new ways.  The theme for this forthcoming meeting is A FAMILY ON MISSION – “New Forms, New Means” (Intro.Gen Rules 1844 & 51). Let us remember this important meeting in prayer and let us be united with all who are participating on our behalf.Inter-continental Committee of Lay Associates will meet the General Councillors who are responsible for the Lay Associates, from 10 to 12 January. On the 12 afternoon, some members of the General Council will meet the Priests Associates to share some issues of life and will prepare them for the immediate participation of the Council of Family.  

The Province of Poland is in existence since 25 October 1969. Prior to that, the sisters who were present in Poland from May 1934, formed one community directly dependent on the General Administration. Then, from 26 March 1960 they became a regional district.
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PROVINCIAL HOUSE IN WARSAW 8 JANUARY 2011 The Province of Poland is in existence since 25 October 1969. Prior to that, the sisters who were present in Poland from May 1934, formed one community directly dependent on the General Administration. Then, from 26 March 1960 they became a regional district. The first provincial house was located in Lodz-Arturowek,ul. Zucza 38, a house that also served as a novitiate.   As the years passed and more communities were founded it was deemed necessary to have a central and administrative house. A decision was taken to have a presence in the capital city which would also simplify any administrative matters with the church and state. So it came about that in 1984 a house was bought in a quiet suburb of Warsaw, but one with a rich social and cultural tradition. From 8 January 1986 it began to function as a Provincial House. It continues in this role while also being the centre for the sisters’ ministry in the area. They are involved in several services: religious instruction in the parish and schools, home visits to the sick and elderly, helping the poor both in the neighbourhood and in conjunction with Caritas. Over this period the sisters of the Holy Family have become well-known to the people in the neighbourhood. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the house is to give thanks to the Lord who enabled us to life and b e in communion with the local Church, with the people of this area, those who are well-off and educated and with those who are poor and live from hand-to-mouth. All need our witness that the human person is called to aim higher than this earthly, material reality, that we are all thirsting for God and God’s presence in us and among us, that we wish to live in communion. By our simple and humble presence, by our small services during these 25 years we wish to show that communion following the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is possible and can make us happy. To celebrate this Jubilee is to give thanks and open ourselves to the future. We do not walk alone but with others, all those who surround us. This is also open to the activities of the Province, to retreats for the young sisters and meetings of various kinds. It is a central house that, by its very nature, must always be open.We hope that the festive celebration of this event, which we hope to have on Trinity Sunday, will be a real act of thanksgiving and of a new opening out towards the future.  

My thoughts turn in a special way to the beloved country of Iraq, which continues to be a theatre of violence and strife as it makes its way towards a future of stability and reconciliation. Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops encouraged the Catholic communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East to live in communion and to continue to offer a courageous witness of faith in those lands.
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESSPOPE BENEDICT XVIFOR THE CELEBRATION OF THEWORLD DAY OF PEACE1 JANUARY 2011 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THE PATH TO PEACE The year 2011 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened in Assisi in 1986 by Pope John Paul II. On that occasion the leaders of the great world religions testified to the fact that religion is a factor of union and peace, and not of division and conflict. The memory of that experience gives reason to hope for a future in which all believers will see themselves, and will actually be, agents of justice and peace. My thoughts turn in a special way to the beloved country of Iraq, which continues to be a theatre of violence and strife as it makes its way towards a future of stability and reconciliation. Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops encouraged the Catholic communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East to live in communion and to continue to offer a courageous witness of faith in those lands. I offer heartfelt thanks to those Governments which are working to alleviate the sufferings of these, our brothers and sisters in the human family, and I ask all Catholics for their prayers and support for their brethren in the faith who are victims of violence and intolerance.  In this context, I have felt it particularly appropriate to share some reflections on religious freedom as the path to peace. Religious freedom expresses what is unique about the human person, for it allows us to direct our personal and social life to God, in whose light the identity, meaning and purpose of the person are fully understood. To deny or arbitrarily restrict this freedom is to foster a reductive vision of the human person; to eclipse the public role of religion is to create a society which is unjust, inasmuch as it fails to take account of the true nature of the human person; it is to stifle the growth of the authentic and lasting peace of the whole human family. For this reason, I implore all men and women of good will to renew their commitment to building a world where all are free to profess their religion or faith, and to express their love of God with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their mind (cf. Mt 22:37). This is the sentiment which inspires and directs this Message for the XLIV World Day of Peace, devoted to the theme: Religious Freedom, the Path to Peace. A sacred right to life and to a spiritual lifeThe right to religious freedom is rooted in the very dignity of the human person Religious freedom and mutual respectReligious freedom is at the origin of moral freedom. The family, the school of freedom and peaceIf religious freedom is the path to peace, religious education is the highway which leads new generations to see others as their brothers and sisters, with whom they are called to journey and work together so that all will feel that they are living members of the one human family, from which no one is to be excluded. A common patrimonyReligious freedom is not the exclusive patrimony of believers, but of the whole family of the earth’s peoples. The public dimension of religionReligious freedom, like every freedom, proceeds from the personal sphere and is achieved in relationship with others. Freedom without relationship is not full freedom. Religious freedom, a force for freedom and civilization: dangers arising from its exploitationThe exploitation of religious freedom to disguise hidden interests, such as the subversion of the established order, the hoarding of resources or the grip on power of a single group, can cause enormous harm to societies. An issue of justice and civility: fundamentalism and hostility to believerscompromise the positive secularity of states. Dialogue between civil and religious institutionsA healthy dialogue between civil and religious institutions is fundamental for the integral development of the human person and social harmony. Living in love and in truthIn a globalized world marked by increasingly multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies, the great religions can serve as an important factor of unity and peace for the human family. Dialogue as a shared pursuit Moral truth in politics and diplomacy Beyond hatred and prejudice Religious freedom in the world Religious freedom, the path to peaceThe world needs God. It needs universal, shared ethical and spiritual values, and religion can offer a precious contribution to their pursuit, for the building of a just and peaceful social order at the national and international levels. Peace is a gift of God and at the same time a task which is never fully completed. May all men and women, and societies at every level and in every part of the earth, soon be able to experience religious freedom, the path to peace! Visit – http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20101208_xliv-world-day-peace_en.html 

The name of HOLY FAMILY was given to the Association in order to remind all who form part of it that Jesus, Mary and Joseph are set before them as models, in the virtues of the hidden life as well as in the works of the active life.
Christmas and Feast of the Holy Family  The name of HOLY FAMILY was given to the Association in order to remind all who form part of it that Jesus, Mary and Joseph are set before them as models, in the virtues of the hidden life as well as in the works of the active life. Though the Holy Family seemed no different from the other families of Israel, it had nevertheless the mission of bringing back, or guiding others on the road to Heaven. Members of the Association too must work for the relief of their brothers and sisters, without any need to depart from the way open to all disciples of Jesus Christ, whatever the degree of perfection they may be aiming at themselves. (General Rules, NO: 39 Spiritual Guide for today) A Merry Christmas and A very Happy Feast of the Holy Family   May the spirit of Christmas that forever and ever endures Leave its richest blessings to you. May this Christmas inspire each one of us To promote life, To struggle for Peace and  To enhance Human dignity at all cost.  Brothers and sisters:Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.And be thankful.  (Col 3:12-15)  

The Lord himself will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”.
4th Sunday in AdventThe Lord himself will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”.Before Christmas we may be caught up in the whirlwind of preparations and forget what is essential. Let us take the time to welcome the Emmanuel, this God who is near, who comes to overturn our images of an all-powerful, stifling God. “We are approaching the adorable mystery of Christmas; we must walk in this light. ‘The Lord is near, he is coming… he will not delay and he will illuminate the depths of our darkness’. Yes, that is it. Jesus will illuminate our darkness but he reveals to us that in this darkness there is a beginning of light because, ultimately, there is in us an immense aspiration towards greatness and that is good, very good. It is to greatness that we are called and true greatness is to go beyond ourselves, to be free of ourselves.”   Maurice Zundel: Ta Parole comme une source    

What does it mean for me to renew my vows each year?
What does it mean for me to renew my vows each year? This question is quite important in that it makes me think and helps me to clarify my thoughts and experiences for myself and for others.  Thanks for asking the question!   The yearly renewal of vows by the members of the whole Institute on a particular date brings us all together.  It means celebrating COMMUNION as a Family in the Family – a communion that is made up of the fidelity of each member.  It signifies not only personal fidelity but also the fidelity of the Institute   to a charism, to a history…fidelity that is translated into responses that are diverse, as diverse as the many individuals that make up our Family, living and working in the many situations and countries where we exist as a Family. In these different situations and countries, we show forth by our lives who we are and to what we are called to be and to live, as sisters of the Holy Family.   For me the renewal of vows means to celebrate the newness of consecrated life.  Each year it is new and fresh …new times, new lights, new calls, new documents, new community project, new situations experienced by our brothers and sisters, by society, the Church, the world…and a new call to remain open to the “new vision” which will lead us to live our “vows for mission and to choose life”.    And this year, once again in the newness of today, I feel ready to renew, celebrate, to welcome, to give thanks for, to share…my desire and that of all my sisters to “give myself totally and unreservedly to God.  Only God deserves this gift of ourselves and only God can make us happy. And thus we “will receive lights that will illuminate our whole life” (Selected Texts 162).Sabina Riaño Martínez Holy Family of BordeauxCommunity of Pinto – Madrid – Spain __________________________________________________________________“There is nothing now that can check your course”The celebration of the 18th of December has a great significant for me; as I renew my Vows on this day, according to the constitution of the Institute. The reason is; I am convinced of “The reason of my being is for mission” from the time I made my vows. Therefore renewal of vows for me, is renewal of life for mission; In faith I accept the demands of the constitution and Recommit myself to live my vocation and mission with the new awareness’ of our new cosmic vision, in deep communion (interconnectedness) with God, with humanity and with the whole of the cosmic Family. In remembering, my FIAT the first “Yes” to the living God who loved me first. This is how I love, seek and desire God Alone in every thing and in always and live the charism; (in short), the rule of life is for me a specific way of living the Gospel, which I freely accept in faith as mediation of God’s will for me.  Our Venerable Founder Pierre Bienvenu Noailles speaks the importance of the Rule of life which I like very much; He is my spiritual director, that is how I see him and read His writings “My dear daughter if then your desire that all your actions even the smallest should be pleasing to Jesus and meritorious for heaven be sure that they are done according to rule, which will sanctify and direct them in the way that God wants. And another motive for committing yourself to following your rule is the peace that is to be found in obedience”.(S.T.no,31) Therefore the constitution is a Golden rule of life for me, which I love and try to live. In my daily life, it shows the path to Holiness, and leads me to go forward with persevering fidelity towards the common Goal of our common mission; in the religious family. Therefore this day is a day of Joy and thanksgiving to God for His innumerable Blessing and his faithfulness towards me and our Family of P.B.N. Sr. Elizabeth Sebastian Monasterio Sagrada Familia – Posadas, Argentina____________________________________________________________________  Vows for me, is the sacred covenant that I have made freely to follow Jesus and be available to His mission by living faithfully the Evangelical Counsels. It is appropriate or rather it is a must that I set aside quality time to reflect on my sacred commitment and renew myself of my motivations, attitudes and my inner disposition to live my commitment through the Vows more convincingly and with more fervor. Renewal of Vows in the Holy Family has very special and significant meaning to me. Through the Vows, I am bound to the PBN Family and commit myself to live my Vowed Life in the Holy Family way of life. It flows through the rich heritage that had been handed down to us from our Founder’s time to express publicly my membership in the Association of the Holy Family and in particular as an Apostolic Religious in the Institute. Renewal of Vows in the Holy Family is a grace and a golden opportunity to re-live my inter-connectedness and inter-relatedness to the Whole and thus renew my sense of belongingness to the Holy Family. It enables me to focus on what is specific and indispensable to live my Vowed Life according to the Constitutions, Charism and Spirituality of the Holy Family with renewed fervor and zeal. It enables me to focus on the most important aspect of the Holy Family Mission which is Communion. Vowed life for mission beckons me to renew myself in the light of the Signs of the Times to recognize the movements of the Spirit to understand the new and deeper meaning of Vowed Life as “In the Service of All Life.” In this sense, renewal of Vows is no more a routine act but a conscious effort on my part to enter into the depth of the reality of living my Vowed Life to the full in embracing All Life, and to become aware of my responsibility to respect, nurture and preserve life and be accountable for All Life. Hence, Renewal of Vows becomes a means of energizing myself in the Spirit and in the spirit of the Holy Family, evaluating my own life and its directions and re-route and align myself to all that contributes towards the fullness of life that Christ came to give. Sr. Ida JosephPhilippines__________________________________________________________________  The renewal of my vows means that I desire to continue to follow Jesus, poor, chaste and obedient and participate fully in his mission. It expresses my commitment to the Family of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles and to his spirit : the spirit of God alone following in the footsteps of Jesus Mary and Joseph who loved, sought and desired God alone in all things. The renewal of vows is also a sign of communion with all the sisters of the Institute throughout the world.  I like to keep in mind the sisters of the different countries who are renewing their vows at the same time as us or perhaps a little earlier or later depending on where they live in the world.  Here in our own country we have a celebration uniting the sisters from nearby communities.  This is an opportunity for joyous celebration and renewal of their commitment and their belonging to the same Family. The festive aspect of the renewal of vows is important.  We recognise that it is the Lord who has accompanied us faithfully with his grace and this what we celebrate – our belonging to God.  The date 18 December is significant.  It was on that date that our first and last constitutions were approved and we renew our vows according to the Constitutions.            In some countries, on this day the feast of our Lady of Hope is celebrated – she who carried in her womb he whom the whole world could not contain ; he who created this immense and beautiful world, the entire cosmos.  This is what comes to my mind when i think of this event.  Madeleine Blais __________________________________________________________________   T   It is a time of grace to enter into my own inner self, evaluate my life and ministry through which I come to know my own strength and limitations. T   It is a time of deepening my relationship with the Lord and journey towards my personal vocation. Convinced of the love and compassion of Jesus in the past and look to the future with hope by modelling my life like that of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in my day today life.  T   It is a time to renew my personal commitment to the Lord. I gratefully remember and renew my covenant with the Lord. It leads me to conversion. Faith in the resurrection of Christ Jesus helps me to accept my own weaknesses and follow Jesus in spite of it. T   Each renewal of vows confirms me in my vocation in the Holy Family. Through each renewal I am given a chance to choose the Vowed Life and freely recommit myself to the Lord and for His mission with more enthusiasm and fervour. T   It is a time to live the Pascal mystery of Christ. In each renewal I die to myself (year by year write and rewrite my discernment with the help of my accompanier) that enables me to sharpen my vision and reset my goal. T   Though I am weak and fragile, by believing in his word and guidance, I am able to say yes to his will at all moments. It leads me to renounce everything for the sack of Christ that gives me the inner peace and joy in my commitment. Finally I can say it leads everyday to T     R – RenounceT     E – EvaluateT     N – Never say “No”T     E – Equip T     W – Walk with the LordT     A – AcceptT     L –  learn to live Reservations: T   Even though there are many Spiritual connotations for the ‘Renewal of Vows’At times it is carried out as a routine practice.    India