Missionary Cenacle Family Council

Newsletter

The Missionary Cenacle Family Council met September 13-15 in Philadelphia. The Council has been discussing our unique mission as a Missionary Cenacle Family during the last meetings. A final version of that mission statement was adopted at this meeting.

The Missionary Cenacle Family exists to glorify the Triune God
by participating in the mission of Jesus as an apostolic family
which is missionary in the providence of daily life.

This is the statement that represents for us the gift we are to the Church as a family. You will see this statement often on our future communications.

Time was spent addressing the need for a family response to peace and justice initiatives. We began our reflection by taking counsel with each other about the pressing needs of the time; the "faith shocks" that we encounter in the daily providence of our lives. Our collective responses included a new generation of fear because of the threat of terrorism; ministering to a different type of church i.e.. non-traditional family units, multi-culturalism, growing prison population and rebuilding our integrity as an institution after the church scandals. Many other local concerns were raised as well.

The Council identified the need to improve our awareness as a family to justice issues. Many good things were happening at local mission sites regarding the concern for the poor, immigrants, abuse issues but we were not in communication with each other supporting, learning and praying for one another as we are about justice.

Therefore the Missionary Cenacle Family asks you through the four Custodians to take time at your next house council or regional day to reflect

"What are the pressing needs, the "faith shocks" that we encounter on a daily basis that requires a justice response? What is it we are trying to do about these needs?

Each councilor will collect the information for our next meeting so as to have a grass roots experience of justice issues in the family. The Council is also creating a Cenacle Family e-mail list for communicating justice issues to members of the family.

September 2002