Presentation Associate Gathering 2024

On Saturday, July 20, Presentation associates convened in the beautiful chapel gathering space at Mount Loretto for the 2024 Community Days. The morning began by acknowledging and honoring the associates who passed into eternal life in the last year. Following that beautiful remembrance ceremony, the newest associates were introduced, as well as those who will begin the associate orientation process this fall.

Led by Associate Partnership co-director, Sister Rita Waters, RSM, the group then explored the theme of graced transformation. Sister Rita unpacked the meaning of “trance” formation and “trans” formation explaining that because change is hard, people try to control it. Instead they need to identify negative patterns that prevent change. Associates met in small groups to share patterns or “trances” recognized in themselves. They came back to the large group to consider graced transformation, which gives the power to bypass fear when surrounded by the hug of grace.

As the gathering closed, associates discussed how it felt to create deeper relationships with fellow associates while doing small group sharing. Associate Janet Leonard states, “I was able to share something very personal with two people I have never met, but they are Presentation associates so there was already a level of trust and love.”

Associate Carol Wyatt expressed gratitude for the gathering and the time to delve into how grace has shaped her personal life. She reflects, “The blessing of grace for me is not that warm cozy hug but simply knowing and believing grace does exist.”