Dom Donald's Blog: Comunita Cenacolo

Monday, 16 March 2009

Comunita Cenacolo

Golden Jubilee of Priest

It was a joy joining in the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of a friend, Fr. John Caffrey OFM. In his Homily he made an extremely moving reference to an experience from meetings of the Eucharistic Priest of Cenacolo group.

It leads me to learn something about Cenacle and this very Lent morning's Mass meditation is from Mother Elvira Petrozzi below.

Being "Prophetic" Regarding Our Life
MEDITATION OF THE DAY March 16^th 2009 (Magnificat Monthly)

Our life is not an invention, but rather the invention of God, who had the courage to have so much faith in us to give us this gift to put into our hands life, existence, with all the "tools" to be able to live it well. Maybe we have not yet taken into consideration this initiative of God and many times we think we are simply born because our parents wanted us or, in any case, for natural or human motives. This is confirmed by the fact that there are people who do not want to live, who stop at the exterior and never taste the fruit of life ... Overall, we must convince ourselves that God wanted to give to you, to me, to everyone the gift of life. It is a gift to discover, to receive, to protect, and to love. If we do not discover this in ourselves, we do not even know how to welcome or defend the life of others, of our children, or of those whom we say we love ...

It is a big lie to believe that life is just an accident or even that it is ours! Life is a gift from God, born from his heart, which is Love. It is a gift that we must begin to unwrap like when we receive a package and out of curiosity we desire to know what is inside. We want to know the reason for this gift that will surely make us happy. No one can enter into the heart of our life for us. It is a personal journey ... Everyone loves the life that we can see, feel, and touch, but life is not only that which belongs to us. It is Someone else. We are from Someone who takes care of us and wants us to discover the flavor of life, because he knows that only in this way we can be truly happy.

MOTHER ELVIRA PETROZZI
Mother Elvira Petrozzi is foundress of Comunita Cenacolo, welcoming the lost and desperate in forty fraternities in thirteen countries.

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Bernard 900 at Citeaux

O.C.S.O. Order of Cistercians
of the the Strict Observance

Vocations Year 2012-2013

The ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entry into the Abbey of Cîteaux

Monday, 06 August 2012

On the occasion of the ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entry into the Abbey of Cîteaux, Dom Olivier, abbot of Cîteaux, has asked us to pass on the following invitation to all the members of the Order:

Our community is going to celebrate the ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entering Cîteaux (1112 or 1113?). To mark the event, we are setting up a campaign of prayer for vocations, from 20^th August 2012 to 20^th August 2013. We invite you to join us with this prayer:

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Most gracious Father,
in setting up the New Monasteryour fathers followed the poor Christ into the desert.
Thus they lived the Gospel
by rediscovering the Rule of Saint Benedict in its purity.

You gave Bernard of Fontaine
the ability to make this new life attractive and appealing to others,
in the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Grant that we today, after their example,
may live our charism deeply
in a spirit of peace, unity, humility,
and above all, in the charity which surpasses all other gifts.
May men and women of our time
be newly called to follow the Gospel in monastic life,
in the service of the Church’s mission,
and in a world forgetful of You.

Remember Lord, Cîteaux,

where Bernard arrived with his companions.
May the brothers there
continue to live in the enthusiastic and generative spirit of the founders.

Remember all who live the Cistercian charism.

Remember all Cistercian communities,
those which are aging and those newly-born,
in all parts of the world, north and south, east and west.

Let them not lose courage in times of trial,
but turn to her whom Bernard called the Star of the Sea.

Holy Father,
from whom we have already received so much,
grant us again your blessing
that our communities may grow in numbers,
but above all in grace and in wisdom,
to your glory,
who are blessed for ever and ever.

Amen.

900 years, anniversary

Bernard arrived 1112-1113

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fra_bartolomeo_02_Vision_of_St_Bernard_with_Sts_Benedict_and_John_the_Evangelist.jpg