Associés
De congregatie van het heilig Sacrament kent zoiets als een derde orde: associés. Dat zijn mannen en vrouwen, gehuwd of ongehuwd, die niet intreden, dus geen sacramentijn worden, maar zich wel met de eucharistische spiritualiteit van de congregatie verbinden door het uitspreken van een belofte. Dat kan na een periode van voorbereiding. Bij de communiteit in Amsterdam hebben zich meer dan tien associés aangesloten, en dat aantal neemt toe. Zij geven uitdrukking aan hun verbondenheid door drie thema's: samen bidden, samen werken en samen leven.
Associates of the Blessed Sacrament
“Following in the footsteps of Father Eymard, we invite all those whom the Spirit directs to the Eucharist, both priests and lay people, to become associated with our family and share in its mission. We offer them our continuing support so that they may find in the Eucharist the inspiration for their whole life and commitments.” Rule of Life, 43
Blessed Sacrament Associates are lay Catholic women and men―single and married―who share in the charism of Saint Peter Julian Eymard by centering their lives on the presence of Christ in the Eucharist as lived and modeled by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Associates commit themselves to be disciples and apostles of the Eucharist, supporting each other through the sharing of prayer and faith in regular meetings. They participate fully in the liturgy of the Eucharist, in personal prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and engage in a variety of ministries, to manifest the fruit of worship and prayer.
Associates partner with the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in proclaiming the riches of God’s love in the Eucharist.
After a period of formation and discernment, they make a public covenant with a promise to place the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s self-giving in the Eucharist at the center of their life. To grow as covenanted people, the associates gather often to pray together, encourage one another, and grow in their understanding of the Eucharist and its demands.
Steun de congregatie
Wilt u de congregatie in stand houden, steun ons door middel van een donatie op NL63ABNA0615824102 t.v.v. Congregatie van het heilig Sacrament.
De associés in Amsterdam
Maandelijks komen zij met enkele paters bijeen om zich te verdiepen in bijvoorbeeld de stichter van de congregatie: pater Eymard, de eucharistie, aanbidding en Bijbelse onderwerpen. Associés komen naar de kapel voor vieringen en aanbidding. Ze eten af en toe een hapje mee. Ze doen iets voor de congregatie, de communiteit en/of de kapel.
Heb je interesse? Stuur dan een mailtje naar de overste van de communiteit, Aad van Ruiten: sss.aadvanruiten@gmail.com
Saint Peter Julian Eymard believed that it was essential to share the eucharistic charism of the two religious congregations he founded with the laity. In order to achieve this, he formed the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament, which was approved by Pope Pius IX in 1875.
The call to be an Associate of the Blessed Sacrament is a true vocation. Associates enter more deeply into the mystery of the Eucharist and share its riches with others through a life of prayer and ministry. Number 2 of the Rule of Life for Associates states:
“Our ideal is to live the mystery of the Eucharist fully and to make known its meaning so that Christ’s reign may come and the glory of God may be revealed to the world. In response to our baptismal vocation, we seek to witness to Christ’s presence at the crossroads of society and, starting from the Eucharist, we strive to influence our world in the light of this mystery, source and summit of all evangelizing.”
If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Associate of the Blessed Sacrament, please contact Fr. Aad van Ruiten, superior of the Blessed Sacrament community in Amsterdam, at sss.aadvanruiten@gmail.com
