Tertianship – Sisters of Notre Dame

Tertiate Experience

I would like to share with you some of the highlights of our wonderful experiences as tertians. Our journey to the tertiate began with a four months certificate course in theology, at St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bangalore. Among several other topics, the course included study of the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Prophets, Christology, Pastoral Theology, Theology of the Sacraments, Eucharist and Liturgical Year and Liturgy of Hours. The chosen courses were very helpful in strengthening our faith and developing a great taste forthe Word of God and for our call to consecrated life and mission.

After the theology course, in response to the repeated call of Pope Francis to “Go to the Peripheries,” we had a month of “Periphery” experience. We were divided into three groups and each group had a unique periphery experience. The three groups of the needy with whom we shared our lives and service were: the elderly and the abandoned people, the physically and mentally challenged children and the ex-women prisoners undergoing rehabilitation.

Soon after the periphery experience, we were delighted to receive the letter of approval for our tertiate from dear Sr.Mary Ann. On December 8th, in the presence of Sr.M.Chetana and the provincial house community, during a very meaningful and beautiful prayer service prepared by Sr. M.Sujita, we officially began our tertiate in Bangalore. At the end of the prayer service, each one of us had the joy of pairing with our chosen “Wisdom Sister’ who would be our special companion during our tertiate. Our tertiate is filled with many challenging and transforming classes and experiences.

The next exciting program on our list was the in-depth study of the Constitutions and the History of the Congregation. As Sr.M.Sujita began to break open to us each article in our Constitutions, we were amazed at the richness and depth of our Constitutions. We are challenged anew to live our charism, spirituality and mission and the evangelical counsels with renewed commitment. Each article in the Constitutions invites us to become the goodness and providence of God for others through our daily life and ministries.

Sr. M. Kripa’s classes on the History of our Congregation filled us with great love and deep appreciation for the rich heritage and legacy of our congregation. Like St.julie who challengesus to have “hearts wide as the world” and Sr.Maria Aloysia who inspires us to take“the next step needed’’ and our first Sisters who were so faithful to reading and responding to the signs of the times, we too are filled with enthusiasm and eagerness to respond to our call with joyful availability and creative fidelity.

Another exciting and life-giving experience was staying with our Sisters in the Shalom Bhavan community in Mysore for a week-long study of Laudato Si. As we studied and reflected on the encyclical Laudato Si, we also spent quality time in caring for our Mother Earth and bringing much joy to our elderly and sick sisters.

The course on A New Way of Being Religious helped us to be aware of our core identity, enabled us to look into our inner journey, to become a good community member and the importance of the examine of consciousness. The topic on ‘The Mission of Jesus’ helped us to understand Jesus’ mission and our purpose of our being called, appointed and sent.Counselling and spiritual direction helped us to gather fruit from the Emmaus walk-breaking the human word, breaking the Divine word, breaking of the bread. Through this session we are helped to grow in deeper knowledge of self awareness, to discern in our life, to know the will of God, to acknowledge the depth of our spirituality, to allow oneself to grow in the way God wants. We had two months of inter- congregational tertiate program at Jesuit Spirituality Centre in Bangalore, followed by the one month Ignatius retreat.

I take this opportunity to thank you dear Sr. Mary, Ann and the council members, Sr. Mary Chetana, Sr. Mary Alice and their team and Sr. Mary Sujita and all my dear Sisters for playing a great role during our tertionship placing your trust and providing everything and giving us the chance to make use of this one year with all the experience to nourish our spiritual life and to be rooted in God’slove.

Sr. Mary Roja SND