Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Sister Jacqueline Spaniola, Sister Mariadele Jacobs, Sister Mary Ann Spanjers and Sister Julie Ann Sheahan attended the recent Congregation of Major Superiors of Women Religious Formators’ Workshop held at Augustine Institute, Florissant, MO. The Formators Workshop provides a forum for vocation and formation directresses of member communities to dialogue and learn from one another. The 2026 workshop, The Religious Woman as Sister and Mother: Formation for Community Life and the Apostolate, focused on two of the essential elements: community life and the apostolate.
Presentations by speakers offered the Sisters a chance to gain new insights and pose questions relevant to the formative process of religious life. Presenters included Mother Mary Christa Nutt, R.S.M., Sister Mary Madeline Todd, O.P., Sister Megan Mary Thibodeau, S.O.L.T., Sister Margaret Mary Waldron, C.K., Sister Mara Lester, R.S.M., MD and Sister Regina Marie Foley, A.C.J.. Executive Director Sister Mary Bendyna, O.P. and Jenny Poudrier facilitated and organized the days.
“I appreciated the focus of the meeting being on the “Essential Elements of Religious Life” The emphasis on the identity of each congregation, which does not change, the call of God to be consecrated to Him and the stable form of community life keep us close to the Sisters who have gone before us, grounded in the present and moving into the future with hope and a clear presence in the Church. It is good to reflect that each essential element is embodied in a unique way by each congregation and in each Sister. This is a reassuring way for young women to be able to see themselves through the lives of the Sisters they meet. When a young woman identifies with the way a congregation lives the essential elements it reassures her that God is calling her to share in that spirit!”-Sister Mary Ann Spanjers
“Our Formators’ Workshop, April 20-24, was held at the Augustin Institute a few miles north of St. Louis. It was great! We had very good speakers, wonderful accommodations and delicious meals.There were also lively interactions with some of the other 130 sisters who attended the workshop. We were reminded that one of the essential elements of religious life is conversion and conformity to Christ. This conversion to Christ is manifested as the sister grows and deepens the Charism of the particular Community.” – Sister Mariadele Jacobs
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