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Premonstratensians - Norbertine Sisters | ENGLISH | DEUTSCH| ESPAÑOL | SLOVENSKI | MAGYAR

COMMUNIO
The life of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Man, unique in his representation of the meaning of being in the image of God, forms the very foundation of the Christian faith. His disciples followed Him and this is what the Sisters of the Norbertine community want to do as well. The words from the Acts of the Apostles that St. Augustine took as the origin for his Rule actually says everything there is to say about their community: sharing the gifts of head, heart and hands, sharing as members of the community, establishing community by accepting each other day after day as Sister and Brother, by giving respect and love to one another.

STABILITAS LOCI (The vow of stability)
Fixed abode: When the Sisters set out to build a house they chose to build it on the estate of the priory De Essenburgh where they plan to stay there for years to come. But stabilitas locus is more than that. They wish to seek and find their home with the Eternal, within themselves and with each other. In Jesus they have their roots. From their Motherhouse they are able to offer a place to others, enabling them to leave behind for a while the worries of every day and regain or preserve their own peace of mind.

ACTIO
The Sisters all have part-time jobs outside the house; a deliberate choice, because they want to stand in the middle of society as well, so as to experience it personally. However, there is a more practical need as well. In order to pursue the life they live they need an income. Their jobs are varied, as arethey. From their community they wish to contribute to the process of sharing their faith by a modest programme of courses on various religious subjects, held in the facilities they have and also occasionally in the parishes. Together with their confreres and a small number of volunteers they succeed in maintaining both their houses and the attached beautiful estate .

CONTEMPLATION
The Sisters say that their faith also requires maintenance. They gather three times daily with their confreres in the chapel for prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist. Every day they make time for personal prayer and meditation. During Advent and Lent they and their confreres have a weekly meditation on what is occupying them liturgically during those periods of the year. Approximately six times a year they hold a reflective chapter with their confreres of the Priory, followed by a penitential liturgy on two of these occasions. They frequently invite someone from outside the community to join them on their spiritual path.

PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE
History
The Norbertine community in Mariengaard was founded as an association of women wanting to live a religious life, sharing prayer, life and possessions. They live according to the Rule of St. Augustine, summarized in: "living together in unity of heart and soul, directed to God, to St. Augustine and to our founder St. Norbert of Gennep". This sentence (taken from the Acts of the Apostles) offers them the most precious words to live by. It teaches them the evangelical equality of all men and women, held by mutual love.

Present
Their community was founded on June 6th 1992. It stands within the Norbertine tradition which to them means: How they are affected and moved by what they see in society, and how they can answer to those things in obedience of their spiritual life? This is the very essence and motivation of Sister and Brotherhood. Their part-time jobs keep them engaged in the society. At home they consider it important to be hospitable, to serve the community (the local church and the area they live in) by providing means of sharing faith, education and spiritual guidance and training.

Future
(A reflection and prediction) "We`re not living on an island. Our society with its tendency towards ongoing individualism asks us to reflect on our charism and to give meaning to the word Community in our society as well as in our Church."

Coaching
Every 4 or 5 weeks the sisters have an afternoon with their 'coach', a Franciscan priest. Together they read a book on spirituality and the priest works with the sisters around the themes from the book.

Their Work
One Sister is a spiritual coach to men and women who are preparing themselves to work in their Diocese as pastoral workers Another is a church musician in the parish of Harderwijk, work for the 'Workgroup for Liturgy' from the Abbey of Berne. Another Sister is a teacher at primary school and together with their brothers offer a diverse program of courses.

Web: abdijvanberne.nl/communiteit-mariengaard-hierden

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