“Let grace be the beginning, grace the consummation, grace the crown.”
(St. Bede the Venerable)
I am lost for words as I do this editorial, for in front of me is a small red-bordered octagonal clock ticking its second hand hurriedly and untiringly as if fleeing away from danger. I am jealous of the fact that time runs! The end of events, especially good ones, come with an illusion that time flies (tempus fugit) very fast and one would be left nursing the past nostalgic memories.
Just like a minute ago events, the beginning of our year of novitiate is still fresh in my mind- the superior’s exhortation in Bl. Allamano’s mantra: first saints then missionaries; then the vicissitudes along the way flowered this era, and now… the year is gone, never to come back again!
We had a prime purpose, which was bequeathed by the Consolata Novitiate Sagana. This was to integrate the Consolata Missionary’s charism and the spirit of Bl. Joseph Allamano and identify with the IMC family.
Initially, this was not meant to be my page, instead the novice master’s ex officio. However, the lot fell on me, and unlike Ken, Ann and Lucy who wait for tomorrow to act, I had to fill this ‘big shoe’ no matter how confused I was. Nonetheless, as it is in the book, Encounters from Africa, a man must live!
We, novices, live and celebrate the faith that we implanted in the yester years; years of correspondence with the vocation’s promoter, Propaedeutic and philosophical seminary training.
We celebrate a year that has brought a definitive impact in our lives. A year that has seen us interacts with many indelible experiences both human and spiritual, which beautified our discernment and decision to commit ourselves for the missions.
As we celebrate, we still have a duty ahead of us: to be witnesses. This duty of witnessing this faith as consecrated persons, wherever we are heading to for the theological seminary training and thereafter, has its impetus in this year’s graceful celebration. Please, join us in this celebration.
One of the many souvenirs of this special year of grace is this CN magazine. I sincerely do not promise you it’s continuity in the years to come, for that is at the discretion of the novices in those times, I rather promise to keep in touch via this magazine with some of the events that marked our Novitiate year. My only wish is that you go beyond this page to find out what it holds. Have a graceful day, will you?
The Editorial, CN Magazine, the Consolata Novitiate magazine, issue year: 2008/2009
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