December 8th in Martinez

On December 8th Holy Mass was celebrated in the school Chapel. The sisters renewed their vows and at the end, the lay associates renewed their commitment. After that they all shared breakfast

December 8th in Montevideo.

Lay Associates together with the Sisters attended Holy Mass and then had a get together for a drink.

Some of the students´ grandmothers made blankets which were then given to the needy at a party prepared for them by the Paulinas from Montevideo in November. There were 82 in total attending the party, where they had hot chocolate, plenty to eat, a cake with candles (Happy Birthday was sung to them). Each person left with their arms full of presents, (a basket with food, candy, clothes and different prizes).

CHRISTMAS FAIR

Lay people from Martinez have been working all year round preparing handicraft to sell at the Christmas fair.

Nativity scenes, baby Jesus statues and different christmas decorations are sold at the fair which takes place from November 23rd to 29th, 2010.

All proceeds go to our mission in Bolivia.

First International Associate Meeting

The First International Associate Meeting was held in Italy and Germany from Febryuary 22nd to March 7th, 2010.

We were invited by the General Superior, Sister Adalberta Mette. Sister María Graciela Nuñez was the coordinator and Mrs Claudia Mura went as a delegate from Argentina.

The universality of Blessed Pauline´s charisma enriched the lives of all those present, sisters and lay people from countries such as Germany, Italy, The Philipines, United States, Chile Uruguay and Argentina. We pondered over the feeling of belonging to shring this charisma in three dimensions:

Eucharistic Dimension. In 1840, Blessed Pauline stated: "What is crucial to my hapiness is reciving, either sacramentally or spiritually the Holy Eucharist (the sacrament of life). Without this Bread from heaven, life is worthless. We live the Eucharist committed to being Bread shared and Wine poured over the world. Both sisters and lay people follow in the steps set by our Foundress. Many communities of sisters have , as well as daily Holy mass, a Holy Hour Adoration with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. Lay people follow this example at their regular meetings. They draw their strength and insight for their apostolate.

Missionary Dimension. Each sister, lay person, priest who shares the charisma of Blessed Pauline undertakes the mission of bearing witness of Christ through their lives. We are summoned to spread the Good News to the world and to became instruments of love, justice and peace. Lay associates and non associates work hand in hand with the apostolate which the sisters of the Congregation carry out in their countries. Together with Blessed Pauline,we all agree that "it is a great grace to be called by Our Lord to work for the building of the Kingdom" (B.P. in 1877)

Marian Dimension. The same as the Blessed Virgin Mary who, in haste, went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, so we are invited to take her to wounded world reconciled in Christ. This can be clerly seen in the many apostolates in our congrgation. In education, homes for the elderly, hospitals, mission homes and in a very special way in the work in The Philippines with blind women.

During our stay in Rome we visited places related to the history of the Chrch. Four Basilicas (St Peter, St Paul, St John of Letran and Santa Maria). In Germany we visited cities related to Blessed Mother Pauline´s life and spirituality: Paderborn, Borchen, Minden and Böeddeken. By visiting these sites we were able to be imbued in Blessed Pauline´s love for the Church and the Pope. We were engaged inintense activities. Holy Mass and Holy Hours of Adoration nourished our meetings of reflection and communion with each other.

Our delegation from Uruguay/Argentina has lay associates in various cities. In Uruguay, in the cities of Montevideo, Santa Lucia, Salto and Durazno. In Argentina in Buenos Aires, Martínez and Chilecito. Sister María del socorro Medina is the coordinator for lay people in Uruguay and Argentina.

Our group in Martínez meets twice a month. We start with Adoration in the Blessed Sacrament, then have tea while we reflect on some aspect of Mother Pauline´s life. Once a month we host a gathering for the elderly where we share Sunday's Gospel, play games, give out prizes and have delicious tea. Once a year we sell "empanadas" (meat rolls) in our national holiday festivity. In November/December a Christmas Fair takes place in wich we sell handicraft made throughout the year. All proceeds go to charity. "God does all that is good, to Him we owe our praise and blessings at all time, going our ways with joy, Aleluya" (B.M.P.)

MISSION OF THE LAY ASSOCIATE

"The term laity is here understood to mean all the faithful except those in holy orders and those in the state of religious life specially approved by the Church. These faithful are by baptism made one body with Christ and are constituted among the People of God; they are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ; and they carry out for their own part the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world.

What specifically characterizes the laity is their secular nature. It is true that those in holy orders can at times be engaged in secular activities, and even have a secular profession. But they are by reason of their particular vocation especially and professedly ordained to the sacred ministry. Similary, by their state in life, religious give splendid and striking testimony that the world cannot be transformed andoffered to God without the spirit of the beatitudes. But the laity, by their very vocation, seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God. They live in the world, that is, in each and all of secular professions and occupations. They live in the ordinary circumstances of family and social life, from which the very web of their existence is woven. They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven. In this way they may make Christ known to others, especially by the testimony of a life resplendent in faith, hope and charity. Therefore, since they are tightly bound up in all types of temporal affairs it is their special task to order and to throw light nupon these affairs in such a way that they may come into being and then continually increase according to Christ to the praise of the Creator and Redeemer." (Lumen Gentium 31)

Lay Associates Pauline von Mallinckrodt