Shifting Sands and Solid Rock

Pope Francis writing a Letter to all Consecrated People, 'as a brother who, like yourselves, is consecrated to God', proclaimed the Year of Consecrated Life and outlined three main aims and five expectations have been reflected upon and woven into the text with their graces, invitations and challenges. First, in looking to the past with gratitude, Sr Patricia draws our attention to the last fifty years in particular. With her emphasis on Jubilee, she emphasises gratitude and joy for the journey that she has taken us to where we are now. In so doing, remembering and recounting our history 'preserves our identity, for strengthening our unity as a family and our common sense of belonging'. 

The call 'to live the present with passion' is presented by the author as the greatest challenge because it is the perennial challenge if the Gospel. As Pope Francis says: 'The Gospel is demanding: it demands to be lived radically and sincerely.' This is a twofold challenge to a personal and passionate love for Jesus and a reaching out to others with the love of His heart. Therefore the call to mysticism and prophecy is emphasised. Finally, to embrace the future with hope, invites us to allow the Holy Spirit to 'spur us on so that he can do great things with us'. This book will ask questions, pose challenges and invite us to 'constantly set out anew, with trust in the Lord' so that 'we may wake up the world' and be witnesses to the joy of the Gospel.