Spirituality

(posted: May 2022)

2021 Spirituality Committee Annual Report

ONRC Spirituality Committee Members:
  Deacon John Girolami – Chair
Deacon Gord Jenkinson
Carolyn Boerboom

A new Spirituality Committee was formed in fall of 2021. It is our hope that the Covid-19 restrictions will be fully lifted soon and allow us to be more active in our initiatives. We hope to make ourselves available in the near future for face-to-face visits to conferences/councils.      

In the mean time we are using the benefits of online meetings to do some of our work. In early March 2022, as part of Lent, the committee ran an online morning of reflection for members who wished to participate. All members of the committee shared equally in the presentation. We hope to hold another spirituality morning in December for the season of Advent.  
 
We continue to encourage the distribution and use of the Spiritual Advisor’s handbook that was prepared by the previous committees. We want to further encourage all members and in particular the spiritual advisors the importance of spending time in daily prayer. We also want to see some time at each meeting reflecting on what God has called us to.

Our first reflection day however showed something that seemed to be missing in Vincentians understanding of their spirituality. Most understood that we are like Christ when we reach out to the poor. However, many did not see that the poor, those in need, also represent Christ. We are reaching out to Christ in the poor. This will be one of goals to increase the knowledge and appreciation of this to all members.

 

The committee has four goals.

  1. Increase the spirituality of members by encouraging a better more devote prayer life and participation in Mass and the sacraments.
  2. Encourage the works of mercy driving social action of conferences as an extension of our faith life. “Go and announce the Gospel with your lives”.
  3. Encourage the celebration of feast days of patron saints of the Society including some of the newer Saints and Blesseds.
  4. Encourage better communications with conferences to find what spiritual needs may be provided to them through this committee.

This may include online courses on discipleship and social teachings, reading materials and retreat facilities in the province.

 

Financial Information
Our budget for this year we like to set for $500. This would include any supplies and printing for items that can be distributed. I would like to see $500 for committee members to participate in online courses such as those recommended by the Hamilton Diocese on discipleship.
For 2023, we hope to be going out to 2 areas for training for spiritual advisors, probably in the Ottawa area and in the Toronto area. Also, we would like to send at lest one member to the regional or national meetings when they are again available. For that we are budgeting $1000.

 

ONRC Spirituality Chair

Deacon John Girolami








Chair Spirituality Committee
John Girolami (Stoney Creek)
john@ssvp.on.ca