SU
VALUES
| "Tradition tells us that
Anne de Xainctonge asked her superior and friend, Claudine de Boisset,
to burn her personal writings after her death. As a result, the only writings
that have been passed down to us are those that concern the entire group.
These writings insist on discussions among the members of the group. And
so it is, that the only written words of Anne de Xainctonge that we have
today tell us to speak, to communicate with one another, and pass on the
message."
Marie-Amelie le Bourgeois,
SU
Go Out To Serve: The Company
of Saint Ursula of Anne de Xainctonge
"Conversation As We Walk
Along", a work on formation in preparation for the General Congregation
2000, springs from Anne de Xainctonge's desire for conversation among her
sisters. From many conversations, several core values surfaced as shared
by all the sisters. These values, gathered from our lived experiences in
Africa, Europe and North America, are presented here. They form the basis
of the spirituality of Anne de Xainctonge as it is lived in 2003. |
Our
Spiritual Rootedness
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
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Our SU spirituality is both
Incarnational and Trinitarian. It is deeply rooted in our relationship
with Jesus Christ who reveals himself to us through the Eucharist, Scripture
and one another. We grow in our knowledge and love of Christ by contemplating
him in his humanity, walking on the roads of our world. It is through the
witness of our lives consecrated to Jesus Christ that we desire to make
him known and loved. |
Non-Cloister
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
| For Anne there was a spirit
of openness, a readiness to move into fields afar. "By nature my birthplace
is Dijon, by grace I belong to the church which is one throughout the world.
The whole world is my home." (Binet) "Fields afar" for us is our work with
and among people, especially the poor. It is the ever-present call to move
beyond, to break down walls of exclusion and alienation through our persistent
work for justice and peace. We are called to promote reverence and respect
for all creation. It is our way of participating in God's boundless creativity.
Fundamental values are not static. Non-cloister is our stance toward life. |
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Communion
Drawing by Mary Walsh,
SU |
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Our lives are centered in
the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the privileged place of Communion where
the many become one. As Ursules, we receive the gift of internationality.
We find in the Eucharist our source of unity and strength as we are sent
forth. It is the body and blood of Christ that creates the bond of our
solidarity with one another in the midst of the diversity of our cultures
and place. All other ways of sharing, of celebrating, of community life
are means to enter into this communion beyond borders. |
Community
Life
Drawing by Jacqueline
Mwenya, SU |
| Each sister, as a full member
of the Society, shares in the responsibility for the quality of our life
together in whatever form it may be. Our lives are marked by simplicity:
lifestyle, celebrations, leisure, and mutual sharing. In a world imbued
with consumerism, we must be discerning in our choices. Anne thought of
life in community as a life always at the service of the apostolic vocation.
(Constitutions 47) Community makes possible apostolic spirituality and
service but not merely in a functional or practical sense. It is apostolic
in the deeper sense that the common sharing of our apostolic commitment
forms and interiorly energizes the community. |
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Our
Way of Being
Drawing by Maureen Steeley,
SU |
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Recognizing the uniqueness
of every person, we desire to accept and respect each one. This requires
being attentive to meet people where they are and to be respectful of their
own rhythm. A spirit of hospitality permeating the quality of our presence
invites the other to feel "at home." Human warmth and a confidence in others,
which helps them to grow, are a part of our heritage as Sisters of St.
Ursula. |
Education
Drawing by Ellen Marie
Donnelly, SU |
| We see education as vital,
dynamic, and a significant part of our charism. We will not be sisters
of Anne de Xainctonge without it. Our manner of educating enables a person
to appreciate and desire the deep values of life. We want to educate to
freedom, to interior liberty, and to greater responsibility. We educate
ourselves in order to educate others and thus carry on the charism of Anne.
"You cannot enter the debate unless you have the language." |
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The
Word in Art
Drawing by Mary Callaghan,
SU |
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The arts (literature, music,
painting, dance, sculpture, photography, etc.) are primary transmitters
of culture. It is the Word perceived in the eye and the ear reaching the
heart that transforms us. Artistic creations express the depth and the
oneness of our humanity. While art is ethnic by definition, when real it
transcends all boundaries. The creations of the artistic imagination bring
joy to life and evoke a deep spiritual authenticity. The Word is indeed
made flesh. |
Church
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
| Attachment to the church
is one of the gifts of our charism. We care for and love the church for
we recognize that "The Church is today the sacrament of salvation." (Constitutions
41) We also recognize that, as women, we must continue to strive to find
our authentic voice in the church. |
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In
The Path of Anne
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
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We are called to live lives
of discernment, we are called to find God in all things, we are called
to manifest the "magis" in every aspect of our lives. Ignatius did not
want to be a model, Anne did not want to be a model but she feminized Ignatian
spirituality for us. We live an ongoing commitment to wanting what God
wants, to welcome God's will with confidence each day of our lives. |
Love
of Mary
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
| Mary always held a special
place in the hearts of the sisters of Anne de Xainctonge. We look to Mary,
as Anne did, with filial confidence and trust. |
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Conclusion
Banner by SU Novices
- D.R. Congo |
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And so the
message has been passed on! The old oak of our Society, which took root
in the heart of a young woman in Dole, has grown and spread its branches
across time, across continents and cultures. It is the same oak that has
weathered the scars of age and is now sprouting leaves of hope and renewal
into the third millennium. |
Jesus
Christ is my life,
To extend his reign is
my only ambition.
Drawing by Daniele Meyer,
SU |
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