A Reflection on This Year with LCWR
by Jayne Helmlinger, CSJ -- LCWR President-Elect
As I reflect on this past year as president-elect for LCWR, I’m filled with gratitude. Clearly, as religious life leaders, we live in a time that provides numerous opportunities for deep transformation of ourselves and our institutes. As I reflect on this year, some key words surface: listening, engaging, energizing, expansive, communion, letting go, and leaning in.
This year was a time of listening and engaging. For example, as we interacted with many individuals, bishops, and survivors around the topic of sexual abuse. Seeing how our member congregations are revising processes and procedures in order to listen well and respond compassionately and actively to survivors of abuse reminds us that this tender work is ongoing and critical.
This year was energizing. Having the opportunity to work collaboratively with the members of the LCWR board and the national office ministers, as well as with Sharlet Wagner, CSC (president), Tere Maya, CCVI (past president) and Carol Zinn, SSJ (executive director) is life-giving, stimulating, and energizing. The wealth of experience, wisdom, and creativity that arises when we work together is priceless. (Download PDF document below to continue reading)
