Monday 2 February 2015

A fraternal schedule.

Last month the members of the English section of the St John Vianney Society met for a few days of fraternity. During that time we ear-marked a date each month, at least until high summer, for our monthly fraternity sessions.
There was something very uplifting about putting these dates in our diaries, since in doing such a simple thing, the reality of our fraternity was set in relief. The SJMV is not a 'talking shop' or a nice idea, but is a real, living fraternity. I remember the Moderator of the Society saying to us, when I joined some years ago, that "when priests come together, the charisms come together." In saying this, he gave me a whole new sense of my priesthood, and in light of his encouragement I am able to invest much more of myself in this Society than I had at first sensed.
My life as a priest is now marked by these monthly fraternity sessions, when we spend 24 hours together, celebrating the Mass, in a hour's Adoration, in Gospel sharing, in life sharing, in praying together and for one another. Our sessions include a lot of relaxation together, since making time for one another is at the heart of the SJMV. 
May God bless the Society and give it increase, and may it do His will.

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