Aggregation Initial Formation
Aggregation of the Province of Saint Ann (USA)
Interested persons who would like to learn more about the Aggregation can download this information flyer to view:
-Our ideal – The Eucharist as the Center of our Lives
-Our Eymardian Charism and Formation
-Our Sharing in the Mission of the Church
To learn more about the Aggregation, kindly contact:
Mona Grigsby-Suarez: + 1 (440) 442-6311
mgrigsby-suarez@blessedsacrament.com
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
Historical Background
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 a member of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament is a true vocation. Members 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 Project of Life 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. Answering our vocation received in baptism, we give witness to Christ in the midst of our human society, starting from the Eucharist, ‘source and summit’ of all evangelizing, to permeate all human realities.”
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament, contact us at:
Center for Eucharistic Evangelizing
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
5384 Wilson Mills Road
Highland Heights, OH 44143
Telephone: (440) 442-6311
E-mail: cee@blessedsacrament.com
Initial Formation Series
Initial formation is a process of introduction to the vision and mission of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, who saw the Eucharist as a powerful means for the transformation of individuals and society, and who collaborated closely with lay persons and others in propagating this vision.
This formation takes place through small group meetings, using the initial formation series generally occurring monthly over a year. The small groups focus on:
• Communities of friendship and faith, to learn, pray together and share experiences.
• A spirit of collegiality and commitment to a shared vocation of Eucharistic evangelizing in the spirit of Saint Peter Julian Eymard.
• A willingness to help each other grow in understanding and living the charism of Saint Peter Julian Eymard.
Click here to download the Initial Formation pdf booklet.
Table of Contents
1. Inaugural Formation Gathering • An opportunity to meet one another, pray and clarify the purposes and overview of the Aggregation initial formation program, the Project of Life, and the Support for Living the Commitment of an Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament Member.
2. Saint Peter Julian Eymard: His Life and Mission • God led Peter Julian Eymard on a journey of faith: first as a diocesan priest, then a religious of the Society of Mary; then to found a religious community dedicated to the Eucharist.
3. Historical Development of the Congregations and the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament • Understanding the origins and recent history of the Congregations and the Aggregation offers us a sense of who we are and where God is leading us today.
4. The Vocational Call of the Aggregation in Service to the Church • Our baptism calls us to live an authentically eucharistic spirituality.
5. The Eucharist as the Center of our Life • Following the example of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, we place the Eucharist at the center of our lives and witness to the love of Christ offered in this sacrament for the transformation of the world.
6. Saint Peter Julian Eymard: Apostle of the Eucharist • God inspired Saint Peter Julian Eymard to establish within the church a new way of living the Christian life as disciples and apostles of the Eucharist.
7. Table of the Word • When received in faith, the word of God resonates in our innermost being and reveals the meaning of our lives. We pay careful attention to the texts of the Mass and internalize them in prayer.
8. Liturgy of the Eucharist • The celebration of the Eucharist proclaims the paschal mystery of Jesus, the source of our salvation, and invites our full, active and conscious participation. By doing so, our lives become what we celebrate.
9. Saint Peter Julian Eymard and Prayer in the Presence of the Eucharist • Prayer holds an important place in our lives and is part of our mission. By it, we hope to become adorers in spirit and in truth. Eucharistic adoration extends the celebration of the Eucharist and leads to service in daily life.
10. Liturgy of the Hours • This “prayer of the church” is prayed by clergy, religious communities, and a growing number of lay persons and parishes. It is offered for the whole church and is encouraged in the Project of Life.
11. Evangelizing and Mission • We all share in Christ’s mission to bring the love of God and the hope that is ours to others.
12. The Promise Commitment • In studying and reflecting on these themes and the Project of Life, we prepare ourselves for our Promise Commitment as members of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament.
Appendix A: Support for Living the Commitment of an Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament Member • A guide to membership in the reformulation of the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament for the Province of Saint Ann. Laity, clergy and professed religious are invited to form associations that center their lives in the Eucharist.
Appendix B: Our Historical Milestones
Appendix C: Prayers & Rituals
Appendix D: Glossary