CCAM Discernment Weekend

On July 14 through 16, 2006, eleven Dominican sisters from four Alliance congregations (Akron, Grand Rapids, Great Bend, Sinsinawa) met at the Priory Campus of Dominican University, Chicago, to attend a workshop to begin planning for the possibility of an inter-congregational Alliance community that would be life-giving and respond to a local need for ministry . Also present were the facilitator, Sr. Joan Scanlon, OP (Kentucky) and three members of CCAM (Committee on Collaborative Apostolic Community and Ministry), Sue Brodeur (Sinsinawa), Liz Dunn (Sinsinawa), and Peggy Sause (Columbus).

During the weekend the participants shared prayer and their reflections and hopes on life-giving community and ministry. They also discussed and considered ministry as an expression of identity and of Gospel values, the “culture creators” which helped form each congregational culture and, and possible ministry and geographical options for an Alliance Community.

On the last day participants “brainstormed” and generated various ideas and concrete suggestions for living and ministering together in an inter-congregational Alliance Community. One scenario started with a former rectory with a couple of itinerant sister-preachers, a pastoral administrator, a pastoral minister…. Another was set in an area of great need for ministry to Hispanics.

Participants are investigating specific places for possible community and ministry, sending what they find to the Alliance “network”, where it can be picked up for congregational listservs and newsletters in the near future. Stay tuned!