From 17 to 21 April we held the third module of the Berceau School, the theme of which was “Biblical foundations of Vincentian spirituality”. On this occasion we met at the Nazareth Retreat House of the Daughters of Charity, which is located in the city of Luján, Buenos Aires.
In this formative itinerary, initiated by thirty-three members of the Vincentian Family from Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Uruguay, we are developing different themes according to a previously elaborated plan which is unfolding as each one of the different modules passes. The methodology is expository with various workshops that seek to deepen the topics covered each day, with practical work that the participants of the school must develop between modules and send for reading, evaluation and feedback.
The themes were animated by different people who collaborated to make the objective set by the School a reality: “To offer a space of formation on the Vincentian charism to the lay people with whom we carry out the task of evangelisation in our communities and other members of the Vincentian Family, to provide tools that will lead them to become dynamic actors in the updating of the charism, promoting its irradiation in their respective environments”.
On Monday we were accompanied by Brother Nicolás Trotta, CM, who shared with us the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Verbum Domini, of Pope Benedict XVI, on the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church, helping us to see that the Word has a face, a voice, a home and a way; therefore we are invited to discover it, to listen to it, to build it and to walk it. On Tuesday we had the presence of Mrs. Claudia Mendoza, laywoman, biblical scholar, teacher, who shared with us a biblical and pastoral exegesis on two central texts of our charism: Lk. 4, 14-30 and Mt. 25, 31-46. In the afternoon, in spite of the cold day that accompanied the whole week and the wind that blew through everything, there was free time to visit the Basilica of Luján, the crypt, the museum, etc.
Carlos Javier González, CM, who helped us to reflect on the encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, by Pope Francis, on fraternity and social friendship, with particular emphasis on the second chapter of the letter, which immerses us in the beautiful text of the Good Samaritan and its implications for our spirituality.
On Thursday and Friday we accepted the Lord’s invitation: “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, to a deserted place, to rest a while” (Mk. 6.31). The proposal was to reflect on the itinerary of holiness proposed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the Christian Identity Card and the Great Protocol as proposed by Pope Francis in Gaudete et Exsultate, an apostolic exhortation on the call to holiness in today’s world, which was shared with us by Fr Gustavo González, CM.
Clearly there was no lack of spaces for prayer, celebration of the Eucharist, reconciliation, community and recreational spaces that strengthen the bonds and the community that is being formed over time.
In addition to the speakers, we were accompanied by the Visitors, Fr. Juan Carlos Gatti, CM. and Sister María Elisa Ortíz, HC. Sisters Juana Araujo and Natalia Romero were also part of the team organising and animating the liturgy. In the house were Sisters Lilian, Clementina, Andrea, Stella Maris, etc. collaborating in everything so that we could only dedicate ourselves to deepen what was planned. Finally, Fathers José Luis DeFina, Daniel Bogliolo and Hugo Aguayo also accompanied us to celebrate the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation.
“The Lord has done great things for us and we are overjoyed” (Psalm 126,3); the words of the psalmist are our own because of what we have experienced during these days and when we hear the testimonies of the participants.
We can see that the objective set by the Berceau School is becoming a reality when we ask them what has been the most important thing I have learned during these days:
o “To go deeper into the Gospel, through an interpretation that goes beyond the literal”.
o “All of them. The themes that were given were very important both personally and as a community”.
o “That St. Vincent always based himself on the texts of the Gospel.
o “The approach and the analysis of the different encyclicals from the point of view of the charism”.
o “To analyse and understand the Bible and to put it into practice in everyday life”.
o “The importance of deepening the Word of God in order to illuminate my life in Christ”.
o “The fraternisation, the exchange of experiences from the same charism”.
o “The contact with the Word.
o “I have learnt that I have to read the Bible more, enjoy it, analyse it and go deeper into it.”
o “The importance of the Word of God in my life and the need to reflect critically on the situations raised, seeing beyond a few simple words.”
o “Some things were real shocks. “Slaps in the face”.
o “I would like to go deeper into the exegesis part, I was passionate about it. It was a mobilising module.
o “The best thing that happened to me was the Retreat part. I find it very difficult to be silent, to listen to myself. For me it was very positive.
There is one more module ahead of us in which we will work on the updating of the charism. For this, in addition to the topics that will be given, the participants will have to work in groups to draw up a plan which they will then have to present in October.
According to what has been discussed with the Visitors, it has been agreed to start the Berceau III School next year. Later on, Fr. Juan Carlos will send information and requirements regarding this subject.
From the memoirs of Brother Ducourneau I have taken these texts on the importance of the Congregation taking up the words of St. Vincent de Paul; I believe that they are of fundamental importance for the Berceau School, because we cannot leave the treasure of spirituality that our Founder bequeathed to us buried:
“Certainly, the centuries to come, who will have reason to admire what he has done, will be surprised to see nothing of what he said, and will rightly complain of those who heard him, for not having communicated to them the words of wisdom which came from his mouth….
It is important that the talks of Father Vincent be perpetuated in the company, so that, if God wills to maintain it, they will discover at all times and to all nations what is the spirit of this apostolic man, who will be all the more appreciated the more he resembles the evangelical spirit, and this esteem, necessary for the founders of communities, will contribute notably to multiply and sanctify ours”. (at Saint Lazarus, on the glorious day of the Assumption of Our Lady, 1657).
