Delegates to the Vocation Conference, Te Ara Wairua, were invited to send feedback on the conference experience; here are a few of those reflections:

Deeper Commitment...

I felt the conference "Called to a Deeper Journey" not only asked vowed members and associates of the Brothers to look at the reality of brotherhood and the challenges of seeking new brothers, it also called each of us to look deeply into the challenges of our world and our own commitments and life's journey.
 
The conference called me to a deeper commitment to:
·         My vowed life as a Catholic married woman.
·         The mission of Edmund Rice.
·         The ministry of Harmony, Hope & Healing which provides a creative music program offering dignity and spiritual healing to the homeless and underserved in the Chicago area.   
·         The Brothers and the Edmund Rice Network as together we seek to serve those in need in our world.
·         Know and trust that God is with us.

Sadness to Joy...

Before  I left for New Zealand I was very very sceptical about what lay ahead. I was unaware of the manner in which Christian and Presentation Bros. led their lives so, I suppose you could say, I was a typical first world young lay adult.
 
When I arrived in St. John's School and went to my room I felt lonely, upset and confused - lttle did I know that over the next week-and-a half my emotions would change from sadness to joy ; a joy unlike any other I had felt before.
 
I think the atmosphere which existed among all who attended the conference was one of harmony, contentment and respect. This atmosphere provided me with a sense of belonging, joy and inner peace. I really felt welcome and happy to have made the journey.
 
I supppose the conference opened my eyes to the way in which people in the first world live their lives: the feeling of materialism, isolation ( through lack of community connection ), insecurity and greed appeared as obstacles and I could begin to see the way in which people value the different avenues life offers. This was where I realised how rewarding and satisfying the life of a Brother must be. They posessed an inner peace and sense of spirituality which, in one place, I had never experienced so much of.
 
I began to enjoy each day. I found it tiring yet extremely enjoyable. I made friends. Good friends. These were people I could truly relate to. They opened my eyes and elevated my soul. I felt the weight of life within which society has programmed each of us into, lift and evaporate.
 
I left Auckland with a great respect for the Brothers, their vocation and the charism of Blessed Edmund.
 

Passion...

As a member of the Edmund Rice Network for nearly seven years now I have been all to aware of the aging and diminishing population of Brothers. In light of this I found that the conference relignited the passion within me to actively seek to be apart of the new drive to "Seek New Brothers".  It was wonderful to be apart of a group that was so passionate about the Brothers and also to realise the global, generational and cultural reach that the story of Edmund Rice has had for so long and will continue to have as the congregations grow.

Witness...

Although I have always held your congregation in high esteem, I was especially impressed not only with the quality of people in attendance, but also with your extensive outreach to young adults through the Edmund Rice Network. With the vocation plan that was developed at the conference, I hope and pray that you will be able to build upon these strengths so as to ensure that their will be new followers of Edmund Rice in the future.
I believe that the witness and value of “brother” in the Church is too valuable to lose; therefore, please be assured of my own personal commitment to assist you in your vocation efforts in any way possible.

Concrete Steps...

My impression of the conference was that it was great to get such a collection of people together who were interested in looking at the vocation of Brother in today's reality. I felt that the conference gave concrete steps from a European perspective as to what needs to be put in place to actively pursue new life membership in the province. The conference said to me that membership in the form of a Brothers vocation was worth pursuing with vigor, it also said to me that other forms of commitment by people committed to the charism of Edmund Rice needs to be formally recognised, it is a form of vocation that is strong in the '1st world context'. The Conference left me with a grounded reality as regards the serious challenges that face us in the European context. It also left me with a vigor to pursue all aspects of vocation to the brothers and to be 'open' to new forms of vocation and commitment into the future.
If you attended the conference and would like to give feedback, please email it to Br. Dominic. Thank you.