Consecrated Life in Unity – International Meeting for the closing of the Year of Consecrated Life

“Consecrated Life in Unity – International Meeting”
for the closing of the Year of Consecrated Life
28^th January – 2^nd February 2016

 Five thousand people participated in this Meeting. Members came from the Order of Virgins, Cloistered Nuns and Monks, Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life, Secular Institutes and New Institutes.

I was privileged to be invited by the PRO INSTITUTIS VITAE CONSECRATAE at the Vatican as the president of the Catholic Religious Conference of Myanmar and as representative of the Religious Conference of Myanmar.

During these days I followed the programme for Religious Institutes of Apostolic Life which consisted of presentations, prayer and at the end of the day, Eucharist for English speakers. On the 2^nd of February the Eucharist was celebrated by Pope Francis, thus bringing the Year to an end. Our Meetings and prayer times took place in the Pope Paul VI Hall, in the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the adjoining University.

On the 1^st of February there was an audience with Pope Francis for all the participants and in the evening there was a special event presented by the “Orchestra della Diocesi Roma” directed by Msgr. Marco Frisina. For me this was very moving and uplifting.

On the 2^nd of February a pilgrimage walk was organized and I was sent to St. Paul’s outside the Wall. It was remarkable that the majority of those gathered were cloistered nuns and monks. We were led into the Basilica through the Holy Door, with prayer, singing of Psalms and the Litany. The clarion call within me was the importance of the three aspects of Contemplation, Communion and Mission, which I need to live out in my day to day life.

I take this opportunity to thank the Generalate Community who supported me while I was in Rome for this occasion and the British Isles and Ireland Province for the warm hospitality given me before going to Rome.

On the whole my experience of participating in this International Meeting for the close of the Year of Consecrated Life, has empowered me to be truly a happy religious missionary, broadened my vision of Religious Life and deepened my missionary call as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions.

Margaret Maung RNDM
Myanmar