We chose La Cartuja as a retreat center for couples and families to host our latest CANA International team meeting. For some, it was a joy to return to this place, which holds such significance in their journey as a community. For others, it was a blessing to discover this place for the first time.
We were warmly welcomed by the brothers and sisters there. The Cartuja was quiet, as many were away for the Thirty Days. We were happy to pray together and run into one another in the hallways.
For this third meeting, we decided to wrap up the committees from our previous meetings in Rome and Berlin and see each committee’s projects through to completion: the CANA annual guide; the annual training program; a general flyer about the CANA Mission, etc. We’ve really found our rhythm with this committee work: it’s allowed us to work—quite effectively!—with different people each time and to have more flexibility regarding the language of each committee (English, French).
At the end of the meeting, we made a list of the many tasks ahead of us:
- Update to the 2015 CANA Week Guide…
- Update on Christian Marriage Week
- Work on thematic fellowship kits: Bible fellowship; Ignatian spirituality fellowship; theology fellowship…
- Discernment regarding our presence in the 49 countries and criteria for establishing a presence in a country
- CANA’s presence in the digital realm
- CANA sharing, etc.
I also took the time to report on the important points discussed during my visit to the Council in late March. Many people brought them up again, emphasizing the need to receive guidance from the Council—perhaps especially at the beginning of the year—so that we feel empowered to carry out this mission while having a clear direction.
The couples appreciated the emphasis on prayer, fellowship, and relaxation during these team sessions, especially given the heavy workload we face. The two couple sessions were once again foundational moments, providing an opportunity to give thanks for the way CANA supports couples in their community commitment. The final couples’ session focused on defining their CANA Year for the coming year, based on the four dimensions. This session was deeply enriching for them and led them to affirm that the CANA Year must first be lived out by the couples within the Community before being shared with couples outside the Community. This raises the question for us: how can we help the couples in the Community live out the CANA Year?
Once again, we enjoyed a truly meaningful time of fellowship, as each of us shared the joys and challenges of this past year serving the CANA Mission within our community. In short, it was a wonderful gathering that has inspired us to continue serving the Lord and this beautiful CANA Mission!
