On this occasion we would also like to especially thank the Church for the support it gives to our form of life, in particular through the document of the CIVCSVA: “The art of seeking the face of God”. Guidelines for the formation of contemplatives, published on November 21, 2019 and that arrived to us recently. A programmatic document, of great importance for the future of our monastic communities and very rich in content. It is the first Ratio Formationis for the women’s contemplative life, it presents the principles and standards of formation which will have to be assumed by the Carmelite Formationis ratio and of course, animate the concrete action of our federation in matters of formation and in the elaboration of the federal formationis ratio (cf. n 74).

From the definition of the term “art”, we can deduce that whoever begins this formative journey must be open to begin a continuous process … The art is always creative, which leads to the contemplation of the beauty of life in God. It is a text that repeatedly calls on our personal and community formative responsibility, it is a plan of community holiness, to move from common life to communion of life. We quote a few paragraphs: Personally called by Jesus to be with him and with the other sisters, the contemplatives live inside the monastery, “the mystique of the encounter” (cf. n 77), place of formation of the spirit, space privileged of communion with Christ, expression of the Church. The constant relationship with the Lord makes them attentive to the sisters of the community, because “fraternal communion is a theological place” (cf. n 78)

According to their monastic charism, they not only share the roof, the liturgy and the work, but they share the deeply human life which passes from faith and prayer, from the gift of oneself like Jesus, from communication and interpersonal dialogue, of the confrontation on the common project and its evaluation and, sometimes by the hospitality and the acceptance of the poor not only material, but also existential (cf. nn 39-41)

There are three words that we could highlight throughout the document: awareness – integration – gratuitousness. It is also an invitation to be present in our history. In short, a concrete way to live the ecclesiology of communion, because the will of God for us is that we are together, interconnected, as Pope Francis said in TED : my existence is linked to yours … Responsible for each other.

Let us ask for the grace of the contemplative, the grace of the gaze, the gaze which makes us see the holiness of others, of those who are close by (cf. GE, 7). The gaze is selective. Let’s choose to look with mercy and from there will come the merciful action that creates communion. This is holiness, light and hope for our world ..

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TED is an annual event to which some of the most important thinkers and entrepreneurs in the world are invited, to share what they are most passionate about. “TED” means technology, entertainment and design, three important areas that, together, shape our future.