We Are All IPA!

During this past week or so (18 to 24 June 2023) to all intents and purposes, our world continued to rotate on its axis and life to evolve and progress with all its wonder, challenges, catastrophes, sufferings, and joys, much as usual!

However, with the 8th International Presentation Assembly taking place in St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador during this period it seems that as we oriented ourselves North, South, East and West in the Opening Ceremony of this Assembly, the internal compass of our hearts (or is it single Heart?) was opened wide, and then  wider still, as the week progressed, and we managed to live and share and pray with the proceedings and programme for these days of serious work and discernment at a distance (but at the same time sensing no distance at all) with our Presentation delegates drawn from  the Presentation Society, Union and Conference around the world.

In the generosity of engagement, alignments and partnerships appeared to blossom as cultural and experiential diversity expressed itself as ‘one live flame’ beckoned by the God of the Universe, a spark from the lantern of Nano Nagle providing enough light to see to the ends of the Earth and beyond.

 

The programme seemed vast, full and demanding of head and heart, and yet the heart of this ‘body’ seemed to expand over the days and to become so large as to take in all of us, who could not be there, and all of those who hope, dream and suffer for an authentic realisation  of  justice expressed through Presentation mission, ministry and effective advocacy, taking in those ‘furthest behind’.

It was a tangible experience too of technology at the service of humanity for those at a distance, so immediate and accessible was the communication and sharing of material, place and content. We honestly felt we were right there!

The beauty and power afterwards will be the continued scattering of this authentic light, joy and action in all its diversity of expression, to the four corners of the Earth, forever an expression of the boundless desire of the God of the Universe to be with us.

The end of this period of gathering and discernment is only the beginning of the realisation of the work of the Spirit, of the authentic evolution and expression of the legacy of Venerable Nano Nagle (our founder).   A charism seeking expression precisely for our times, for all times, and for all peoples.

“With the Spirit of Nano beckoning us, we gather to strengthen bonds and deepen our commitment to act justly, conscious of the urgency of our times”.  (From the 8^th IPA Assembly Booklet).

We are ALL IPA! God is indeed beckoning each one of us to be prophets of our time.

We continue our prayer for all involved, as the recommendations arising from this 8th IPA Assembly form part of the final deliberations from which will come the new IPA Commitments.

~~~~~

It would be impossible to share any one element of these days, but you can access  a sense of the momentous value of this time by visiting the International Presentation Association (IPA) website at https://globalpres.org/8th-ipa-assembly/  alongside the various media postings shared on our various communications platforms during these days.  The images speak for themselves.

Heartfelt gratitude to all who worked so hard to make all material so immediately available.

~~~~~

Main Page Banner Image: The 8th IPA Assembly- (l to r) Joy Peterson, PBVM (IPA Director), Dr. Jessie Rogers, Dean of Theology St. Patrick’s Pontifical College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare (Ireland), Sharon Fagan, PBVM (IPA Director), Gabrielle Morgan, PBVM (IPA Director) and Ann Marie Quinn, PBVM (IPA Executive Director)

~~~~~

Note:  There was much appreciation and thanks to so many that committed to the organisation of this Assembly beginning with the hospitality of the Sisters in Newfoundland who as Union, hosted this Assembly. The Directors began by thanking Sr. Anne Marie Quinn and the UN Team for all the work in IPA. They were also extremely grateful to the Steering Committee and also to the many many volunteers who worked to ensure that all were catered for.  Ashling Moran  and Trish Groves were very much behind much of the super communications for this week, and special thanks were offered for their recording of our work. Sharon gave thanks for the skill of Judith King and Anne Lane, PBVM who led and facilitated faithfully in a contemplative way, to discern what might be the next steps – beginning with the next right step.

Huge thanks to Brian O’Toole (Director of Presentation Sisters Interprovincial Justice Desk for Ireland and England) whose presence on the ground and ‘hot of the press’  capturing of images and sharing of material day by day, helped bring it all ‘live and immediate’ to our doors/desktops etc.).  See Justice Desk link below.

 

See also  https://presentationsistersne.ie/global-work-for-justice/  and  https://presentationsistersne.ie/justice-desk-ireland-england/