I got some great questions about the IHM charism, our ministries, our geographic locations and a little bit about our newer members. Let me share my answers with you.
As for the IHM charism? Actually the charism of a congregation can be hard to pin down because it’s so much more than words. It’s the spirit of the congregation and can be known/experienced most fully when the community gathers together. However, since one needs words, let me say our charism is to live the liberating mission of Jesus in our life and works. For a long time in the community the charism was most visible in our work as educators. Since the renewal of Vatican II we have become ever more challenged by the Scripture taken from Isaiah 4 that Jesus chose to proclaim at the beginning of his ministry:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
therefore God has anointed me.
God has sent me
to bring glad tidings to the poor;
to proclaim liberty to captives,
recovery of sight to the blind,
and release to prisoners;
to announce a year of favor
from our God.”
In our Constitutions we say:
“With Jesus, we share the joys and hopes,
the griefs and anguish
of all our sisters and brothers
in the human family.
With him
we hear the cry of all God’s people,
especially of the poor and abandoned,
and, with the power of the Spirit,
we respond to their cry
through a variety of ministries.”
Over the past ten or fifteen years we have become more aware that our earth is part of the abandoned poor. Each time we lose another species we lose a revelation of God. When we in the Western world consume such a disproportionate percentage of the world’s resources, it is the poor who suffer from our indulgence. We share the same planet. As we view the Hubble telescope image of earth from space it’s obvious we’re all connected. As teachers we have always been voracious learners, so we have educated ourselves on the needs and strategies of caring for our planet.
Our ministries and their locations? Some of our sisters are involved in education as teachers and principals at the elementary, high school and college levels. Some work in direct justice advocacy. Many do parish work as associate pastors or directors of religious education. Some do chaplaincy in hospitals and nursing homes. There are a few lawyers, and many who are therapists or spiritual directors.
And where are we? I’m tempted to say all over the place! We have sisters in South Africa, Uganda, and Puerto Rico. In the United States, these are just a few of the states where our sisters minister: California, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, and, of course, Michigan .
Our newer members tend to be in their mid to late twenties or early thirties. Most have done college work and some, post-graduate studies. However, some have concentrated on their careers. They tend to be women who are seeking community, deeper prayer lives and opportunity to serve God’s people. Often they are drawn to justice and environmental issues. But, having said that, there are considerable differences in their gifts, spiritual practice, and social concerns. As one of our newer members, Sr. Katherine Collard, IHM says on our website, “There’s room for everyone here.”
“You don’t want to hear my thoughts on Advent. I’ve hardly had a chance to think about your questions.” I just sat expectantly so she continued, “Oh well I guess this is real. I started out well, relishing the consoling Scriptures, but then found my self caught up in the ‘messiness’ of so much to be done. I guess the question for me is how to bridge the gap between the deepest part of me, which is in the longing of Advent and the other part that is sometimes pretty consumed in my responsibilities, like planning liturgies.
