Young Sisters Session
At the end of September, 14 young Dominican nuns gathered for an intensive 10-day session. Among them, two trainers are responsible for organizing these sessions for the Federation of Our Lady of Preachers which has 13 monasteries (11 in France, 1 in Switzerland, 1 in Norway). Sr. Ingeborg-Marie answers our questions
protection caps (if present).Q: Sr. Ingeborg-Marie, you are participating in this session as a trainer. Can you briefly introduce us to what it is?
<g id="1">Sr/I:</g>-M. : This session is part of a 6-year cycle, 10 days per year each year in September. The cycle is designed for nuns in formation, from the time of the postulate, to their arrival at the monastery. It is therefore an inter-novitiate theological formation for our Dominican federation. A challenge of these sessions, in addition to intellectual training, is to promote mutual knowledge between the sisters in formation and to get to know the different monasteries. Sessions always take place in one of our monasteries, even if this community has no sisters in formation. The bonds woven are important to establish fraternal communion between sisters and more broadly between communities.
Q: How are sessions structured and who are the speakers?
<g id="1">Sr/I:</g>-M. : The cycle lasts 6 years, but the sisters start it when they arrive at the monastery, so not always at the beginning of the cycle. For example this year we are studying the Trinity which is the last year, but several postulants are starting the cycle. The first session deals with Revelation, followed by Christology, then the Church, the sacraments, anthropology and the Trinity. Each year we choose speakers who are specialists in the theme. There are always several to cover different approaches (Scripture, Church Fathers, Theology). They are often religious, Dominican or not (a Carmelite this year) but also nuns.
Q: What are the challenges for the success of these sessions?
<g id="1">Sr/I:</g>-M. : The professional training as well as the theological background of each are very variable, as well as the maturity of the sisters according to their more or less recent arrival in monastic life. It is necessary to be able to address everyone, from the most beginners to the most advanced, and to make unity. But the questions of some are also stimulating for others. The challenge is to deepen his faith, his theological knowledge. These are the foundations that will sustain their monastic life in the long term. It is also important that classes take place in a community setting, in one of our monasteries. The link between theology, the theological research of God and contemplation, becomes more obvious and helps the sisters to integrate into their lives the dimension of study so dear to our Dominican vocation. The sessions are also prepared upstream by readings and continue thanks to the work tracks and bibliographies provided by the speakers.
Q: Do you already see the fruits?
<g id="1">Sr/I:</g>-M. : Of course, and I can tell from my experience in my own training. The theological discoveries made during the sessions push us to dig ever deeper. And we also discover that we are all united in the same vocation: the search for God in unanimity. This unity is much deeper than the differences between our communities, which we appreciate as riches thanks to these stays in 6 different monasteries over the years of formation. The contacts made in this stage where we lay the foundations remain solid friendships and supports throughout our monastic life.
