On the 11th of September, joyfully we had our intercongregational meeting with the communities who participate in the Community Centre Jesus, the Teacher. (Sisters of the St. Teresa of Jesus, Sisters of Nazareth, Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Daughters of Jesus). It was the space to share the advantages that we have found in working together in a network. The short experience we have had until now, reveals some of our searching and wishes to get to know other religious communities who would like to be part of this project.
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We enlightened this moment of reflection using a text from the review Testimonio No 247, year 2011 entitled “Intercongregation relationships and network spirituality in Religious Life”, also using the Gospel text of Mathew 7,24-29, the house built on rock.

Jesus insists that we build our house upon solid rock, a strong house which no one or anything can destroy; nor the adversity in a post modern society, nor the rains of counter values of the neo liberal society, nor the winds of political systems, nor the economic and financial torments. We are invited to keep in mind that if our institutions have their foundation in God, they will survive, CLAR review, No 4, year 2010.

Let us live joyfully and in confidence, knowing for sure that the house built upon rock will always be a place which speaks of life, when its centre is God´s word which enlightens, reproaches and sends the religious forward to the frontiers to encounter those who clamor for a more full and dignified life. (CLAR review No 4, year 2010).

In this shared experience, we have been able to identify the wealth of the charisms and become conscious that when we work within a network around our option for the poor, in popular environments, we are ratifying in a new way how Religious life puts its personal and congregation talents to the common good.

For us, this intercongregation experience means a bid for networks centered around spiritual and humanistic causes which answer to a fundamental element and is an alternative antidote in our individualistic world faced with oppressive pressures.

As Religious life present where we are, we are called today to take a step forward.

We ask of the Lord the grace to shed the securities and commodities that our institutions offer us, in order to go out and encounter others, different form ourselves, foreigners, who will help us to understand that the key to the correct building of our lives is to listen to his Word and put it into practice in the everyday situations of our life.
Some advantages which we have found in our intercongregation mission:

• • Collaboration and interdependence are stimulated.

• • Social perspectives are widened

• • It helps us to break through isolation and realize that we have similar situations

• • New topics in favor of the poor are created, common goals.

• • Personal talents are shared and knowledge accumulated.

• • It is an antidote to individualism and to personal and community protagonism.

• • A spiritual wealth for all concerned.

• • It generates fraternal life and promotes a corporate spirit.

• • It is a constant invitation to forgiveness.

• • It creates identity and purifies our charisms.

• • Our common objective is the God´s Kingdom.

• Our starting point is the Gospel.

Some steps to be followed up which we feel can help us in our intercongregation journey:

• • Popularize the project” Community Centre, Jesus, the Teacher”.
• • Generate remunerated work.
• • Offer different forms of voluntary work (presence, from the community).
• • Permanent formation.
• • Use of the website of our congregations.

Martha Graciela Rodríguez h.j. et Dora Ramos h.j.