PLENARY 1 | PLENARY 2 | PLENARY 3 | PLENARY 4
MAY 27 | MAY 28 | MAY 29 | MAY 30
Documentation and tools
MAY 30 (business meeting)
May 30 Prayer
MAY 29 (plenary 7)
May 29 Prayer
MAY 28 (plenary 6)
May 28 Prayer
MAY 27 (plenary 5)
Affirmations and confirmations (PDF)
Exercise to Confirm the Priorities (PDF)
May 27 Prayer
PLENARY 4
Plenary #4 (April 9, 2021)
Reflection exercice for step 4 (PDF)
PLENARY 3
Plenary #3 (March 12, 2021)
Reflection exercice for step 3 (PDF)
PLENARY 2
Plenary #2 (February 12, 2021)
Plenary session #2 presentation (PDF)
Reading the Signs of the Times (PDF)
Reflection exercice for step 2 (PDF)
Conference of Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, entitled
“Fratelli Tutti: To See What Really Matters”
(the video starts at 20:57 for the needs of the process)
PLENARY 1
Plenary #1 (January 15, 2021)
Reflection on the historical dimension of the CRC
by Anne-Marie Savoie, RHSJ
Reflection on the prophetic dimension of the CRC
by Joyce Murray, CSJ, and Alain Rodrigue, CMM
Reflection on the spiritual dimension of the CRC
by Margo Ritchie, CSJ
Plenary session #1 presentation (PDF)
Spiritual roots of the CRC: A Grace and a Call (PDF)
Prayer sheet for the first step of the process (PDF)
PRE-ASSEMBLY
Online Spiritual Conversation (PDF)
Training session for the animation
of spiritual conversation in sub-groups
Online Spiritual Conversation (video below)
Presentation of the Process (PDF)
Presentation
In the context of COVID-19, the 2021 General Assembly of the Canadian Religious Conference took place for the first time in a virtual format on May 27-30, 2021. In order to do so, a process adapted to the exceptional health situation has been proposed to the CRC members and took place over several months from January to May 2021. Monthly meetings (plenary sessions and and subgroups discussion) took place from January to April 2021. The days in May have been the high points of this process.
The chosen theme is:
“A Present Hope: Reading the Signs of the Times”
Process
Context
- Rapidly evolving situation of religious communities in Canada and in the world
- New CRC leadership and staff
- Regional consultations
- COVID-19 pandemic
Approach
- Reading the signs of the times —> Revisiting CRC’s spiritual roots —> Expectations expressed in regional consultations
- Communal discernment process
- Renewed understanding of identity, mission and priorities for CRC
Objectives
- Engage membership:
– in articulating a renewed and shared understanding of CRC’s purpose and mission,
– in setting priorities for CRC leadership and staff; - Strengthen communion and mutual support among members;
- Strengthen presence and voice of religious life in Canada.
Monthly Sequence (from January to April)
- Plenary session: Input [Fruits of previous step] and Orientations for next step
- Personal prayer
- Spiritual conversation in small groups
- Fruits of spiritual conversation
- Compilation of small groups’ contributions by facilitation team
Dates
- Plenary 1: Friday, January 15, 2021, “Spiritual foundations”
- Plenary 2: Friday, February 12, 2021, “Reading the signs of the times”
- Plenary 3: Friday, March 12, 2021, “Going deeper”
- Plenary 4: Friday, April 9, 2021, “Outcomes of regional consultations”
- General Assembly: May 27-30, 2021, “Renewed vision and priorities”
Schedule for each of the plenary sessions (after the time change in March)
- Newfoundland Daylight Time (NDT): from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.
- Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT): from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
- Eastern Daylight Time (EDT): from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Central Daylight Time (CDT): from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
- Mountain Daylight Time (MDT): from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
- Pacific Daylight Time (PDT): from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
Assembly days program at the end of May 2021
| Thursday, May 27 | Friday, May 28 |
Saturday, May 29 | Sunday, May 30 | |
| 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT | • Prayer
• Restitution of the fruits of step 4 • Priorities identified by the groups • Presentation of the work to be done in small groups |
• Prayer
• Restitution of the groups’ work • Presentation of the work to be done in small groups |
• Prayer
• Restitution of the groups’ work • Online exchange with all participants |
• Prayer
• Business Meeting • End of the 2021 GA |
| Between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. EDT | • Time for personal prayer
• Conversation in small groups |
• Time for personal prayer
• Conversation in small groups |
Free afternoon | |
| Before 6:00 p.m. EDT |
Submission of the small groups contrbutions to the Facilitation team | Submission of the small groups contrbutions to the Facilitation team |
Facilitation Team
Sister Laurence Loubières, XMCJ (lloubieres@jesuits.org)
- Joined the Xaviere sisters in 1999
- Background in business and management
- General councillor since 2017
- Since 2019, Director of the Service for Discernment in Common (Jesuits in Canada)
Father Gilles Mongeau, SJ (CANsocius@jesuits.org)
- Joined the Jesuits in 1985
- PhD in theology from Regis College (University of Toronto)
- From 2003 to 2018 taught medieval theology and pastoral ministry at Regis College and at the Facultés Jésuites de Paris (Centre Sèvres)
- Research on communal discernment
- Facilitation of several processes including chapters of religious congregations.
- Spiritual director since 1993
- Assistant to the Superior of the Jesuits of Canada
About the General Assembly
The CRC’s General Assembly is held every two years. The participants are the members of the CRC. It is an opportunity for the leaders of Catholic religious congregations of women and men religious in Canada to meet and share their experience, to reflect on important issues and to celebrate together. At the end of the Assembly, the members will elect a new Administrative Council for the next two years.