Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen
  • Home
    • Consecrated to Christ >
      • Within the Church
    • Women of Prayer
    • Franciscan Spirituality >
      • Prayers
    • Members of a Congregation
    • Our History >
      • Psalm of God's Providence
    • Meet Sister...
  • About Us
    • Community Life
    • Horarium
    • Serving Christ in... >
      • Retreats / Spiritual Direction
      • St. Anne's Living Center
      • St. Gerard's Community of Care
      • Youth Work
    • Q & A >
      • How did you discover your vocation?
      • ​Why wear a habit?
      • How often to you get to visit your family?
  • Explore your vocation
    • General Introduction
    • Vocation Events
    • Stages of Formation
  • Connect with us
    • Contact Information
    • Podcast
    • Blog: Our Franciscan Fiat >
      • Read the Blog
      • About our Fiat
    • Franciscan Associates
  • Donate
Our Franciscan Fiat

Student Leadership Summit Reflection

1/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
“Jesus is the soul of our apostolate” and we are “made for mission” are some messages ringing in my mind after participating in the Student Leadership Summit (SLS20) sponsored by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students).  Held in Phoenix, AZ, with around 8,000 participants, including numerous clergy and consecrated religious as well as college students, campus ministers, high-caliber speakers, parish youth ministers, and families, SLS20 provided an opportunity to get a glimpse of the Church, the Body of Christ.  There were speakers, activities, liturgies, exhibits, and more! 
 
As often happens with large conferences, it was not humanly possible for one person to take in all that was offered; this is a good reminder that the Lord does not call us to do everything but has something particular in mind for us among all the choices of life.  The somewhat overwhelming schedule/program of SLS20 was a reminder of, and an opportunity to practice, the personal discernment necessary in life, which presents us more options than we can possibly embrace.  That aspect of modeling the message was evident at several layers throughout SLS20.   There was the constant discernment necessary to navigate each day but the daily structure was also a model for our lives in that each day started with worship, an opportunity for Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Mass, before the other activities began. 
 
Further, participants were encouraged to attend various sessions and then come together in the afternoon for “Power Sessions” to teach each other/share what they learned.  This structure not only promotes the development of Christian friendship (a topic addressed in several sessions), the basis of incarnational evangelization (another topic addressed in various sessions), it also provides another level of processing the material being received so individuals are prepared to apply it to their lives in a very tangible way, if they so choose.  In addition, this structure enabled persons to gather information from sessions they were physically unable to attend while providing encouragement and a safe space for God-talk to flourish.  I was blessed to learn from and enjoy the encouragement of women from the University of Idaho for the Power Sessions.  Campus ministers were encouraged to kick off the 2020 with a retreat day, and I took the opportunity to join them.  This again modeled the ministry all ministers are called to…staying firmly rooted in Christ amidst the busyness of life – taking time to pray even when there are six things to be done at any given moment.  If our ministry is to be fruitful, we must be Christian Mystics living the Mystery; through contemplative encounter(s) with Christ, who meets us individually where we are, we are transformed by that Mystery and sent forth in mission.
 
This conference has been a reminder that the active life will not see us through and that the interior life is the root of all ministry.  This was reinforced by the conversations I had with individuals in “Mission Way,” at our display about the Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen.  When students would stop by and ask, “What is your apostolate?” I found myself giving various answers: sometimes I would tell them that I work at a school and we have sisters at a nursing home and at a basic care facility as well as a retreat center but other times I would simply tell them we pray and live together in community.
 
All in all, SLS20 was a remarkable way to wrap up 2019 and begin 2020.  Now for the challenge of carrying out those resolutions.  Nunc Coepi!  Or, as St. Francis said, “Let us begin to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little or nothing.”

~ Sister Mary Ruth Huhn, OSF
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

      Subscribe to Our Franciscan Fiat

      [object Object]
    Submit

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019

    Categories

    All
    Dignity Of Life
    Happenings
    Liturgical Year
    Liturgy
    Prayer
    Religious Life
    Sacraments
    Saints
    Scripture
    Spirituality
    Stories From Our Vocation

    RSS Feed

PO Box 447 ~ Hankinson, ND 58041-0447
​(701) 242-7195
  • Home
    • Consecrated to Christ >
      • Within the Church
    • Women of Prayer
    • Franciscan Spirituality >
      • Prayers
    • Members of a Congregation
    • Our History >
      • Psalm of God's Providence
    • Meet Sister...
  • About Us
    • Community Life
    • Horarium
    • Serving Christ in... >
      • Retreats / Spiritual Direction
      • St. Anne's Living Center
      • St. Gerard's Community of Care
      • Youth Work
    • Q & A >
      • How did you discover your vocation?
      • ​Why wear a habit?
      • How often to you get to visit your family?
  • Explore your vocation
    • General Introduction
    • Vocation Events
    • Stages of Formation
  • Connect with us
    • Contact Information
    • Podcast
    • Blog: Our Franciscan Fiat >
      • Read the Blog
      • About our Fiat
    • Franciscan Associates
  • Donate