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Closing Ritual of the 20th General Chapter

The document outlines the closing ritual of the 20th Ordinary General Chapter of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, emphasizing gratitude, unity, and the shared mission among the Sisters. It includes prayers, songs, and blessings, highlighting the importance of collaboration and the light of Christ in their service. The ritual culminates in a closing song, 'Magnificat,' celebrating their faith and commitment to their congregation and community.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
30 views5 pages

Closing Ritual of the 20th General Chapter

The document outlines the closing ritual of the 20th Ordinary General Chapter of the Religious of the Virgin Mary, emphasizing gratitude, unity, and the shared mission among the Sisters. It includes prayers, songs, and blessings, highlighting the importance of collaboration and the light of Christ in their service. The ritual culminates in a closing song, 'Magnificat,' celebrating their faith and commitment to their congregation and community.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Religious of the

Virgin Mary
20 th
Ordinary
General Chapter

CLOSING
RITUAL
(Sisters form a Circle, Paschal Candle in the middle surrounded by candles in capiz shells: 1 for Luzon, 1 for
Generalate, 1 for Visayas, 1 for Northern Mindanao, 1 for Southern Mindanao, 1 for the US, 1 for
Italy, 1 for Indonesia, 1 for Ghana) – Instrumental of We Give You thanks by David Haas)

Seedlings for each region and district will also surround the Paschal Candle

Prayer Leader: Dear Sisters, the past couple of weeks have


been replete with graces as we had come together
working hand in hand, in humble availability, united in our
love for the Beloved amidst the challenges and occasional
differences. Each one of us has taken to heart the sacred
responsibility entrusted to us by the Congregation. our
Sisters as guided by the Holy Spirit, we mapped out the
paths we are to take.
We had commenced our coming together with prayer,
now, we too shall wrap up our hours of seed sowing in this
hall in prayerful gratitude for the graces and prayerful
trust that the Lord of the Harvest shall bless our
collaborative efforts with Him with abundant fruit.

Prayer Leader: In the name of the Creator


All: Let God’s name be praised
Prayer Leader: In the name of Resurrected Jesus Christ
All: Let God’s name be praised
Prayer Leader: In the name of the Holy Spirit
All: Let God’s name be praised
Prayer Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit who has called us and commissioned us to
take part in this Sacred act of Service to our
Congregation
All: Let God’s name be praised
Prayer Leader: Drawing once more from the Light of the Paschal
candle, let us light our candles from each other,
reminding ourselves that it is Jesus who is the true
source of light. May we also be reminded of our
responsibility as prophets of hope, we are to help kindle
the Light of Christ for others as we sing once more,
Christ be our Light

Candles are distributed

Song: Christ, Be Our Light (Bernadette Farrel)

THANKSGIVING

Prayer Leader: Heavenly Father, we offer to you our prayer of


gratitude for the numerous blessings You have generously
showered upon us, for every intention, we echo the words of
our Blessed Mother Mary and say:

CLOSING RITUAL Page 2


My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Rev. Mother Maria Corazon: For the gift of our Mother


Foundress, and all our Sisters who have gone ahead of us
whose faithful response of remaining in Your service have
been beacons of inspiration, we pray:

S. Maria Rosalia: For the leadership that was and the


leadership that is and will be, thank you, Lord, for our Sisters’
generosity and openness to Your will that we may be
continued to be led by You through them, bringing hope, joy
and most especially Your compassionate love to many more,
we pray:

S. Maria Anicia: For the grace of being called by You, Heavenly


Father, to share our gifts and talents for the good of our
Congregation and Your Church, we pray:

S. Maria Marissa: For all the messengers You have sent,


Heavenly Father – the people, events, spoken or written
words, images – that came to us just at the right time that we
may discern better, we pray:

S. Maria Gilda: For the grace of bonding, openness, and


commitment among the Capitulants and working committees
for the 20th General Chapter, may our providential Lord of the
Harvest see to the bountiful fruit we hope to be born from the
seeds we have sown during our stay here, we pray:

S. Maria Rosabella: For the gift of all our Sisters, lay-partners


and collaborators we shall be returning to, through whom You
continue to make Your presence felt through joys and
challenges we face with them, we pray:

S. Maria Teresita: For all other graces and gifts You have
bestowed upon us, which are unsaid but have been gratefully
etched in our hearts (silently, the Sisters recall and
acknowledge these gifts), we pray:

Prayer Leader: As we have thanked the Lord, let us also thank


our companions. Please lay your right hand on the shoulder of
the Sister next to you and say to her:

Dear Sister, your presence here has been both a gift and
a blessing. Thank you for all your efforts, thank you for
the graces you have shared with us by your very
presence. May the Lord’s light and love remain with you.

CLOSING RITUAL Page 3


…..together…… “Dear Sister…..”

Let us turn to the Sister on our other side and laying our on
her shoulder, we say our greeting of thanks

CONCLUDING PRAYER and BLESSING:

All together, let us pray…..

Prayer Leader: Faithful God, you have lavished us with


love. Keep us ever mindful that You keep your promises. As
we return to our ministries and communities bearing Your
light and love, help us remember on our difficult days that You
are a refuge for those who need shelter, a comfort for those
who feel empty and are poor in spirit. On our joyful days fill us
with a deep sense of thanksgiving as we experience your
everlasting love, that with You we may set forth and put to
action the mandates and plans You have guided us to make
these past days, that together with all of our Sisters, we may
remain true in being humble servants called to be prophetic
witnesses of hope in today’s world. Amen.

BLESSING (by: Rev. Mother Maria Corazon):

Eternal God, source of every gift and talent,


through Your Son, Jesus Christ, You grant us Your blessings
that the Church might be nourished and strengthened.

Bless all of us today, and bestow on us the gifts of Your Spirit


that we may remain humble in heart
as we serve Your household Church.

Bring us all into the peace of Your kingdom,


Where all honor and glory are Yours, Lord our God,
Forever and ever. Amen.

May our Almighty God bless us In the name of the Father


And of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Amen.

Ever mindful of all the graces our good Lord has given us
throughout the 20th Ordinary General Chapter, let us move forward
in gratitude and full of hope as we sing the song of praise of our
Blessed Mother Mary:

CLOSING RITUAL Page 4


CLOSING SONG: Magnificat (from Light from Light) (show video
with lyrics and pictures of the assembly)

CLOSING RITUAL Page 5

Common questions

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The closing rituals address discernment and decision-making by acknowledging divine guidance and the role of the Holy Spirit in mapping out future paths . Prayers acknowledge 'all the messengers' – 'people, events, spoken or written words, images' – that provided timely guidance, highlighting reliance on discernment for effective leadership and decision-making . This theme is reinforced by blessings that pray for continued openness to divine will, emphasizing the importance of integrating spiritual discernment in strategizing their communal efforts and personal commitments .

Vocalizing prayers and thanks in the closing ritual emphasizes communal engagement and spiritual solidarity. By explicitly articulating gratitude, the Sisters reinforce communal bonds and strengthen their collective spiritual consciousness . This public expression of thanks serves to acknowledge the shared experiences and divine blessings received, reinforcing the communal aspect of their faith practice. Additionally, vocal prayers create a participatory environment that envisions a collaborative effort in spiritual growth and mission fulfillment, aligning with their role as a unified congregation .

Physical and communal actions are integral to reinforcing spiritual themes in the ritual. Actions such as lighting candles from the Paschal Candle and each other symbolize spreading the light of Jesus, emphasizing shared responsibility in their spiritual mission . The act of placing hands on each other's shoulders while expressing gratitude underscores community unity and mutual support, vital for communal spiritual growth . These actions serve as tangible manifestations of their spiritual commitments, fostering a deeper communal experience that aligns with their religious purpose and mission.

The ritual expresses a commitment to prophetic witness by positioning the Sisters as 'prophetic witnesses of hope' who are called to foster the light of Christ in today’s world . The prayers emphasize their role as servants who will act as 'prophetic witnesses,' indicating a mission to embody and spread hope, joy, and love in their ministries and communities . Moreover, the blessings focus on instilling humility and ensuring their service reflects divine guidance, which aligns with being a prophetic voice amid contemporary challenges, embodying the values and teachings of Jesus .

Gratitude is a central theme in the closing rituals and prayers, manifesting through expressions of thankfulness for various blessings. The prayer leader offers thanks for 'the numerous blessings generously showered' upon the Sisters, reflecting an acknowledgment of divine providence . Additionally, expressions of gratitude are directed towards the leadership, past and present, for their open and generous response to God's call, further emphasizing a collective appreciation for the community's guidance . This notion of gratitude is reiterated as the Sisters are encouraged to thank each other for the 'graces shared by your very presence,' reinforcing communal bonds through mutual appreciation .

The blessings given by Rev. Mother Maria Corazon serve to reinforce the spiritual authority and guidance provided by the leadership within the religious community. By calling upon 'Eternal God, source of every gift and talent,' she places emphasis on divine endowment of abilities and the responsibilities these confer upon the Sisters . Her blessing praying for humility of heart as the Sisters serve the Church links their duties directly to spiritual service and divine mission . This underscores the integration of religious leadership with divine blessings, positioning the leader as a conduit for divine grace to the community, thus strengthening her role within the ritual context.

Commencing and concluding the chapter with prayers highlights the theological foundation of the Sisters’ activities, framing their communal and organizational efforts within the context of divine guidance and intervention. Beginning with prayer establishes a reliance on the Holy Spirit's guidance in mapping out their paths, denoting a spiritual readiness to undertake their responsibilities . Concluding with prayers of gratitude and commitment signifies their recognition of God's role in their achievements and their continued dependence on divine support, ensuring that their service remains rooted in theological principles and in alignment with their spiritual mission .

Symbols in the ritual, such as the Paschal Candle surrounded by candles in capiz shells, represent the presence and guidance of Jesus as the 'true source of light' . Additionally, the distribution of candles among the Sisters reinforces their role as 'prophets of hope,' tasked with spreading this divine light . The use of seedlings for each region and district surrounding the Paschal Candle signifies growth and the potential for fruitful harvests from their spiritual and communal efforts . These symbols collectively reinforce themes of unity, divine light, and spiritual growth within the community.

The ritual strengthens the sense of collective responsibility by involving all the Sisters in shared symbolic actions, such as lighting candles from each other as a reminder that "it is Jesus who is the true source of light" . This act symbolizes their collective role in kindling the Light of Christ for others, emphasizing their united mission. As the prayer leader expresses gratitude for their 'humble availability' and their collaborative efforts, it also underscores their shared responsibility in the service to their Congregation .

The closing ritual reflects a commitment to spiritual and communal growth through the inclusion of prayers for 'numerous blessings' and 'inspiration' drawn from past leadership, encouraging the Sisters to continue in service . The distribution of seedlings around the Paschal Candle symbolizes the potential for future growth and creation stemming from the 'seeds sown' during the chapter . The ritual also includes prayers focused on gratitude for the 'leadership that is and will be,' fostering a future-oriented perspective of ongoing growth and development within the community .

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