On Sunday, May 12 we enjoyed our free day to the full.  Some went to visit San Sebastian while the rest relaxed in Loyola.  At 5pm we choose the sisters who will draw up the final Chapter document based on the drafts created by all the capitulants.  We selected two for each language who have an understanding of at least one language other than their own.  Several sisters volunteered to prepare the liturgy during the election process.  Three others were chosen by their continental groups to create a reconciliation ritual.

In Uganda, a coffee bean is traditionally used as a symbol of hospitality. So, our African sisters, who prepared the prayer for May 13^th, gave us each a coffee bean to welcome us into a wedding feast, the wedding feast of Cana.

Piluca moved us from Cana into the fire!  A fire which was symbolically ready to bake the bread we have been kneading during the past days of the Chapter.  We could certainly say that the fire of the Spirit has been burning in our hearts during the days past baking our bread in ways we can hardly imagine.

Our day, already rich in images, was about to become even richer!  Back we went to the language groups of some days ago.  Our task was to express graphically how we see the congregation as an organic whole.  Six more images emerged.  We had time to share two of these in plenary before lunch.

Among the processes that Piluca uses with us, is one that brings us to a certain point on an issue only to leave for another.  Though this may seem to be disruptive, instead it gives a pause to reflect on what was just done so that we can bring to it a greater depth with broader perspective. 

Given this way of proceeding, we did not continue to share our designs in the afternoon.  Instead, at 3:30 we entered into a beautiful moment of prayer in memory of Antonett’s father who died last Friday in Kenya.

After this, in plenary, we critiqued the first drafts of our work on vocation ministry, Associate life and collaboration with lay volunteers.  Afterwards we dialogued about the first draft on formation-education.  We ended the day by asking ourselves where we feel the Spirit blowing or, to return to the first image of our day, where is fire of the Spirit burns within and among us.