Glossary
Adoration-
This is the name given to the prayer which we carry out before Jesus
present in the Blessed Sacrament who is visible in the monstrance. It is
also called ‘Eucharistic Adoration’. People come to Eucharistic
Adoration with a variety of motives and methods of prayer. Many come to
simply sit or kneel in His presence, to find a moment of peace with God
in the midst of a busy life.
Convent- It may refer to one of two things.
Some people will use it intending the actual building where the sisters
live. It’s their home. Others may use it to indicate a determined way of
life e.g ‘she joined the convent’, that is to say, ‘she became a sister’.
Community- Like any kind of social community, a religious
community consists of a group of people with similar ideals and
inspirations living a form of life which encapsulates what they believe
in. Together they form a network of prayer and support for each other.
Disciples of the Divine
Master- The name given to our Congregation all over the world. The
title also indicates our identity as disciples and that we are following
Jesus as a Teacher who shows us the way though prayer, especially
through the Scriptures and the Eucharist. Our main mission is
Eucharistic Adoration where we become still points in the midst of a swirling world.
James Alberione- the
priest whose dream lead to the foundation of the Pauline Family- a
small man in stature but with a big vision that Jesus be brought into
the lives of all people through the means of social communications. We
refer to him as our founder and in 2003 he became Blessed Alberione
after being beatified by Pope John Paul II.
Legion of Mary-
Founded in Dublin, Ireland on 7 September
1921 by Frank Duff, it is a lay Catholic organisation whose members give
service to the Church on a voluntary basis in almost every country. The
object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of
its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and
the Church’s work.
Mary/
Our Lady- As Catholics we honour Mary who is the Mother of God and
brought Jesus into the world by the work of the Holy Spirit. At the time
of religious profession as Disciples of the Divine Master, we each
receive the name ‘Mary’ before our baptismal or profession name to
remind us that we are to live with the humility and simplicity with Mary
our Mother did, and be for priests what she was for her Son Jesus.
Missionary- Those who
leave their country of origin to go to other countries to give their
service there are known as missionaries. Sometimes the Congregation may
not have a community there so the missionaries who go there to begin one.
This is called a foundation. Other times, there are already established
communities so they become part of these communities.
Mother Scholastica Rivata-
Mother Scholastica is the first Mother and Disciple in our Congregation.
She was set aside by Fr. Alberione as his faithful collaborator and
entrusted with the task of helping the new Congregation of the Disciples
of the Divine Master come to life and grow steadily.
Pauline Family-
A combination of ten
Institutes both religious and secular which have a place for every
person, religious men and women, priests, consecrated single men and
women, co-operators and families. We all live the same mission of
‘living and giving Jesus Master to the world’. Prayer, study, work and
poverty are the four wheels that would keep us moving towards Christ and
make us instruments of salvation.
Profession- Marks the
moment where the young woman takes on the religious life and its vows of
chastity, poverty and obedience in a community way of life. When you
make your vows for the first time, you are ‘temporary professed’. You
renew these vows each year for 6 years though before Vatican II it was
for 5 years. After this you make Final or Perpetual Profession where you
are consecrated to God and incorporated into the Congregation for life.
Religious life-
Since Vatican II, the term religious/consecrated life
has been used for this call to give oneself totally to God and His
people because it embraces all forms of this vocation.
Retreat-
is an aspect of spirituality which emphasizes time
away with God. Just as Jesus needed time "in a deserted place" to think
and pray, every human needs time away from daily routine in which to
talk with God in a more silent and quiet place. Many see it as a moment
of ‘time-out’.
Sister/ nun-
A sister/nun is a lay person who commits herself to
Christ and to the Church by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
She lives in a religious community that follows a constantly renewed
tradition, patterned on the life and teaching of the founder / foundress
of the community. The work she generally does will depend upon the
ministries of that community as influenced by the needs of the Church
and its people. Prayer and work are part of the tradition of all
communities but they are accented differently so that some communities
are primarily contemplative while others are more active.
Vocation- All
the baptized are called to a particular vocation. A vocation is simply
the state of life in which we are called to live out our baptismal call.
There are three basic vocations – married life; committed single life;
priesthood/religious life. Within these, of course, are innumerable
ways to express our baptismal commitment which are suited to each
person’s gifts and talents.When
priests and religious speak of “having a vocation” they are usually
referring to a specific call to the priesthood or religious life.
