ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE REPORT:
First Australian couple take Perpetual Vows
Wedenesday 11 July 2012
By Robert Mears
ON Sunday 1 July Esther and Victor Melder took their Perpetual Vows in the Community of the Sons & Daughters of God in the presence of Rev. Fr. Chinua Okeke, C. S. Sp and Fr Emmanuel Adami and other members of the Community, at Newman College Chapel, Parkville.
Over 75 members of the Community attended the Mass, along with a large number of relatives and friends to see Esther and Victor Melder
become the first married couple to take their Perpetual Vows in Australia.
History of the Sons & Daughters of God
In 1947, a little-known Diocesan Priest Don Divo Barsotti took over direction of a ‘religious movement’, which was begun in 1944 in Florence. Don Barsotti, soon gave it a well-defined structure and above all a spirituality.
The movement took the name ‘Comunitá dei Figli di Dio’ – ‘Community of the Sons and Daughters of God’. Its motto, ‘So that you may be children of your Father in Heaven’ are the concluding words of the Sermon of the Mountain (Matt 5:45).
In 1997 it was received by the then Archbishop Dr. George Pell into the Archdiocese of Melbourne. From here it soon spread to other Australian dioceses.
The Community’s ideal is to renew the miracle of the early Church. Members are committed to a contemplative life, devotion to the Mass, monthly gatherings, retreats, weekly meetings, fidelity to the teachings and magesterium of the Church, common prayer (including the Divine Office) and study of the Bible and the early Church Fathers. An essential element of the Community’s mission is ecumenism, especially with the Eastern Orthodox Churches; all are united.
The Community offers four kinds of life. The first branch is open to married couples and singles (who begin as Aspirants and then after a period of Aspirantship seek Consecration). In the second branch, married couples take Vows of poverty, conjugal chastity and obedience; in the third branch, single persons take vows of poverty, perfect chastity and obedience. The fourth branch, is for those who live a traditional contemplative monastic life in small monasteries for men and women.
The Community has Brothers of the fourth branch living at, “St Augustine of Canterbury Monastic House” Dookie, near Shepparton, Victoria.
All the consecrated members of the Community meet locally in small groups once a week. There are thirteen such Groups across Melbourne.
They also have a monthly day retreat and an annual live-in four day silent retreat, conducted by the Monks of the fourth branch of the Community.
For further information on the Community of the Sons & Daughters of God,
email: saintaugustinecfd@gmail.com
By Robert Mears
ON Sunday 1 July Esther and Victor Melder took their Perpetual Vows in the Community of the Sons & Daughters of God in the presence of Rev. Fr. Chinua Okeke, C. S. Sp and Fr Emmanuel Adami and other members of the Community, at Newman College Chapel, Parkville.Over 75 members of the Community attended the Mass, along with a large number of relatives and friends to see Esther and Victor Melder
become the first married couple to take their Perpetual Vows in Australia.
History of the Sons & Daughters of God
In 1947, a little-known Diocesan Priest Don Divo Barsotti took over direction of a ‘religious movement’, which was begun in 1944 in Florence. Don Barsotti, soon gave it a well-defined structure and above all a spirituality.
The movement took the name ‘Comunitá dei Figli di Dio’ – ‘Community of the Sons and Daughters of God’. Its motto, ‘So that you may be children of your Father in Heaven’ are the concluding words of the Sermon of the Mountain (Matt 5:45).
In 1997 it was received by the then Archbishop Dr. George Pell into the Archdiocese of Melbourne. From here it soon spread to other Australian dioceses.
The Community’s ideal is to renew the miracle of the early Church. Members are committed to a contemplative life, devotion to the Mass, monthly gatherings, retreats, weekly meetings, fidelity to the teachings and magesterium of the Church, common prayer (including the Divine Office) and study of the Bible and the early Church Fathers. An essential element of the Community’s mission is ecumenism, especially with the Eastern Orthodox Churches; all are united.
The Community offers four kinds of life. The first branch is open to married couples and singles (who begin as Aspirants and then after a period of Aspirantship seek Consecration). In the second branch, married couples take Vows of poverty, conjugal chastity and obedience; in the third branch, single persons take vows of poverty, perfect chastity and obedience. The fourth branch, is for those who live a traditional contemplative monastic life in small monasteries for men and women.
The Community has Brothers of the fourth branch living at, “St Augustine of Canterbury Monastic House” Dookie, near Shepparton, Victoria.
All the consecrated members of the Community meet locally in small groups once a week. There are thirteen such Groups across Melbourne.
They also have a monthly day retreat and an annual live-in four day silent retreat, conducted by the Monks of the fourth branch of the Community.
For further information on the Community of the Sons & Daughters of God,
email: saintaugustinecfd@gmail.com
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
Comments