Presentation Sisters Union North East Ireland Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The WORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE – February 2nd, 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul declaring the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple as World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. On this day in St. Peter’s Basilica at 5.30 pm (Rome Time) there will a service of celebration of Consecrated Life. In addition, the Congregation for Consecrated Life issued a letter to all consecrated persons see Letter on Consecrated Life 2021.
It opens with the greeting:
“We draw close to you on the eve of a day dear to us, and to all consecrated men and women. A day dedicated to our wonderful vocation that makes God’s love for men, women and the entire universe shine forth in various ways.
With this letter we want to lessen the physical distance imposed on us for so many months by the pandemic and express to each of you and to every community our closeness … For months we have been following the news coming from the communities in various nations : they speak of bewilderment, the spread of infection, deaths, of human and economic difficulties, institutes that are decreasing in number, fears … but they also speak of a fidelity tested through suffering, courage, a serene witness even in the midst of pain and uncertainty, sharing every affliction and every wound, caring for and being close to the most needy, charity and service at the cost of one’s life (cf: Fratelli Tutti ch 2)”.
It continues:
In Fratelli Tutti Pope Francis asks us to act together, to bring about a rebirth in everyone “a universal aspiration to fraternity” (n.8) to dream together (n.9) so that “in the face of present day attempts to eliminate or ignore others, we may prove capable of responding with a new vision of fraternity and social friendship …” (n. 6).
“ .. we ask all of you to place this encyclical at the centre of your life, formation and mission. We cannot disregard this truth anymore: we are all brothers and sisters, as in fact, we pray, not necessarily conscious of it, in the Our Father, that “without an openness to the Father of all, there will be no solid and stable reasons for an appeal to fraternity” (n.22).
An invitation
Pope Francis invites us to be architects of universal brotherhood, custodians of the common home: of the common home and of every creature (cf. Encyclical Laudato Si ).
Therefore, in the light of this dream that is entrusted to our hands, to our passion and to our perseverance, this coming 2nd February will once again be a beautiful feast to praise and thank the Lord for the gift of our vocation and mission!
To Our Lady, Our Mother and Mother of the Church, faithful woman, and in this year dedicated to St. Joseph, her spouse, we entrust all of you. May you be strengthened in your living and loving faith, certain and joyful hope, humble and active charity.
See also: Fratelli tutti … | Presentation Sisters Union North East Ireland (presentationsistersne.ie)
And Day for Consecrated Life | Presentation Sisters Union North East Ireland (presentationsistersne.ie)