September Gave Us Much Information for Reflection

September has been a time of gatherings and information flooding in.  It is invigorating, but in many ways overwhelming. This will be a short report on what we did with more to come after reflection.

On September 5, we had the Associate Annual Gathering where Associates were able to give the Associate Team feedback and their marching orders for the coming year.  They approved the work the Team had done on revising the Associate Handbook.  Lupita Vital provided an opportunity for us to reflect on Lk.5: 1-11 and apply it to living out our Associate vocation.   Gerry Fagoaga led us in our afternoon celebration of 20 years of Associate membership for Rosalie Cabrera and Bobbie Evans, our recommitment as Associates, and the signing of our Covenant for 2020-21.  We blessed each other and left with the following call: Nano calls us to light our lantern and to be women with lighted lantern who bring freedom and light into our world.  Let us go forth with our lanterns in Nano’s name.

On September 12, a group of us met with the Sisters as they discerned about the future of Coordinators in the Community. The Associates present formed two Breakout groups and reflected on the possibility of having a similar role in the Associate Program. The feedback from the two groups indicated that the idea was worth exploring more.  Another task for the future.

On September 13, we joined with the Sisters for the Commissioning Ceremony for the coming year.  

On September 24-26, Julie Merrill, Pamela Manick, Tina Panelli, Nanette Miller, Loretta Nekota, Cathy Pickerel, Rochelle Ramirez, Yolanda Santillan, Kay Sweeney, Kathey Valenzuela, Olga Barerra, Pat Diaz, Earlene Dutton, Gerry Fagoaga, Jane Hetherington, and Jean Holsten attended the Virtual Gathering of Presentation People.  It was a wonderful gathering of the daughters and sons of Nano.  We are looking forward to forming a stronger connection to other Presentation People through this link.

The Associate Team will be spending October integrating all the feedback we have received and giving a more in depth report in November.  We are in one way feeling overwhelmed, but in another excited by all the contributions. Thank you! 

Spiritual Reading Circle Update from Gerry Fagoaga.

In September, we began to reflect on Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis. We shared a short video Connecting Voices, Connecting Laudato Si-Action 2021 @  https://youtube/cZPcQ3HRYao  as an introduction.  Olga Barerra and Nanette Miller have joined Kay Sweeney, Kathey Valenzuela, May Barisone, Gerry Fagoaga, Pat Diaz, and Yolanda Santillan for the monthly gatherings to reflect together on what we are reading.  We all had much to share from our reflection and from the many other resources, we have encountered on the topic.  We look forward to enriching ourselves as we gain more awareness of how to care for our common home.     Contact Gerry at gfagoaga@yahoo.com if you wish to join us.

Join Us On October 3 to Share your Sacred Space.

Olga Barerra and Nanette Miller will be hosts of our October Coffee.  They are calling us to share our Sacred Spaces with each other.  Send them a picture of your sacred place at nanette-olga@msn.com.  Date: Saturday, October 3, 2020, Time 10 AM to 12 Noon.  Pleases attend even if you cannot send a picture.  

RSVP: associates@pbvmsf.org.

Bay Area Conference of Associates and Religious, “BACAR”

On Wednesday, October 7, BACAR is sponsoring a Discussion Forum on Voting.  Join to prepare for the upcoming election. Their website has more information and many resources to help with your decisions:  https://bacar2.org/2020/06/12/articles-videos-prayers/  learn more about candidates and issues. 

We end with a prayer: May we be filled with loving kindness.  May we be peaceful and at ease. May we be well.  May we be happy. We ask you, Lord. Amen

Until Next Month.  The Associate Team: Rosalie, Tina, Kay, Pamela, & Sr. Anita 

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