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I now would like to introduce you [to] a woman who I previously knew
as one of my fourteen leaders for youth group back in Ontario
she has always been something they respected and as we journey together
over the past nine months
our relationship is transformed from one leader to sister
and friend she's a peaceful woman
was deeply reflective spirit and a relentless love for God
chest and Iraq miraculous ability
to change my bad days and good days with just a
simple jester or smile they can always make me smile dwell time job
for she has a beautiful heart and has been a blessing to our community from
day one
it is in a tremendous blessing
to journey with her these past nine she is in bracelet away with a servant's
heart hurts
and as an example to me as one who always strives for excellence
she's my dear sister might really admire
she is a woman ever to grace and beauty
a woman on fire to teach others about the Catholic state
and when you're with your you feel truly listened to you
you feel that your presence is appreciated
I'm it gives me great honour to introduce you
I 2013 valedictorian Sarah
shoot-down
think you're gonna win wow it has been an incredible journey
after nine months countless hours at
prayers tours and studies 47 movies
26 games a floor hockey soccer and Ultimate Frisbee
six months the winter dozens of assignments and reflection papers
community game he say bonfires and snowball fights
6 brings him in the face conferences and did I mention six months the winter
countless last and many tears we finally meet
and yet as amusing as the statistics maybe
it seems that none of them can adequately summarize the significance of
this year
Press and that's because God's work is really
quantifiable throughout the year two
often encouraged us by comparing our nine months here to the journey
the mountains now that we've made it to the top
I can look back and honestly say it has been a beautiful
Gracie Fields rewarding challenging
joyful and fruitful year there were certainly struggles
we're all stressed untested in variously
we each overcame obstacles and learned a lot about ourselves in the process
and mother ups and downs challenges and triumphs
along the way we also cut some incredible waste abuse
little ones that have been that will be forever imprinted on our hearts
so as a year comes to an end let's step back
soaking the view and marvel at the work that God has done in each of our hearts
and minds
last fall both men and women from across Canada and US
gathered at this tiny school in Bruno says Kachin
tucked away in a quiet corner the prairies and where we came from diverse
backgrounds
each with their own unique life experience an individual hopes for the
year
we all came from or less the same reasons to be formed an earthy
and to deepen our relationship with God we begin the year by establishing a
solid foundation
during the month of September we were introduced to the way of life here
a simple life prayer worked SAT
lived out in Christian community be reintroduced to the little we've seen
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into the duty of the moment to
little teaching he said it made a big difference in our lives at the heart a
little way
his childlike trust and surrender are patroness hrs
taught us that God loves little souls God does not require us to accomplish
great things in this life
he only asked that we not embracing our own weakness in Little Miss
put this in a posture receptivity so that we are better able to receive his
loving person
see interest honestly her example
that we can give glory to God by doing little things
any little thing with great love here at saint rest your courage to lose a little
weight by doing the duty of the moment
the duty in the moment is simply what you should be doing at any given time
in whatever place got his fortune it can be tempting to focus only on
accomplishing big thing
well neglecting the countless little tasks that make up your day
but how we bring glory to God and know that his kingdom
if we can't even start by making your bed in the morning doing the duty of the
moment been stressing that we encounter God's will
in our daily circumstances however seemingly small or insignificant thing
maybe
for us this year do need to be in the moment and being on time for prayer
studying during our study periods participating in class to the best of
our abilities
and doing your chores carefully and well even when we didn't feel like it
we learned that Christ is the 4s in the needs of the moment
and that if we cannot learn to love in the little things
we will never learn the little way see trends and the duty of the moment
teaches that how we do what we do makes all the difference
after months of orientation
BBN classes taught by Jim Robert Lee said engine room
we study the Catechism of the Catholic Church
sacred scriptures church history morality and philosophy
and as our class for crest we continued our schedule up
a prayer and work and continue to grow as a community
filter fellowship and by sharing a common life in April as our classes came
to an end
you let your Nikon writing retreat with father eisin
followed by six brings him in the face conferences legal seminars
on specific feature related topics during his reign him in the face weeks
the opener homes in our hearts to guess who joined injury
with this past week we are led through
are you and Richie and were invited to reflect on all that we've learned and
experienced this year
and here we are the nine month program here I think dress
it's very simple wheel in a quiet here in my
of prayer and work we learn about God
scripture and his church we are steeped in prayer
and nurse fandrich sacramental life we enjoy each others company and the beauty
of simplicity
it doesn't seem like much but year after year students encounter
healing and transformation in this place I can honestly say that my life has been
deeply and permanently changed by my time can
I cannot point to a single moment 21 profound experience in prayer
the transformation him primarily through the way of life
through the schedule and to the left of my brothers and sisters in this
community
experience healing as a link to see things in a new light
learn to stand in the truth and more the truth
about who God is and who I am in his eyes
a series of simple little changes that will make a big difference in the future
perhaps the two greatest lessons I learned this year
are the merciful love God and that I don't have to be perfect to approach in
as a recovering perfectionist these are hard lessons to learn
many as my old patterns are relating to God others and myself
had to be purified throughout my time here got gently stripped away many of my
false images
itself and him and gradually restored my identity as a beloved child that his
if you take only one thing away from a share in this evening I pray it would be
this
guys loves you he's not waiting to love you are thinking about loving you
he loves you right now in this moment
exactly as you learn a call we had this year that really struck me
says that if you don't know that God loves you exactly as you are
you don't know the God of Christianity he looks on you
and I'm each of us with such tenderness and compassion
if only had the ICC and hearts receive
perhaps back in here got show me your love
help me to see the second part in the lesson is that we don't have to be
perfect to approach God
I sent many years trying to hire compensate for all of my weaknesses and
imperfections
do the example see dress herself I learned that we do not have to be
perfect for even pretend to be perfect
in order to come to God in fact the more honest that we are
in admitting our weaknesses and shortcomings the more we give got
permission to heal ***
strengthen us transform us and lift us up
so that he can carry us to himself
here at center as we have an incredible staff
dedicated and selfless volunteers a solid information program
and supportive community but it's got does the work
so I would first like to thank God for bringing each of us here
thank you for all the work that you didn't hurt for all the healing
and for all the seeds that were planted this year that will continue to bear
fruit for the rest of our lives
thank you for letting us exactly as we are and for letting us too much to leave
us then
to the staff thank you so much for journey alongside is this year
thank you for your patience your guidance your encouragement
and for the countless sacrifices you made to make this your possible
thank you for being examples of living little
to our families those were here and those who couldn't be with us today
thank you for your love and support today and throughout our lives
we wouldn't be the men and women that we are without you
to the benefactors sexy dress thank you for your support and generosity
thank you for your yes to God which we are yes to come here possible
I have personally witnessed live scene changed in this place
and have every confidence that the men and women who have been commissioned to
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will in turn go forth and change the world
to the bruno community thank you so much for welcoming us with open arms
your kindness and hospitality has me do not feel like home these past nine
months
finally to my brothers and sisters
it has been a blessing and a joy to journey with you this past year
each one who brought something very beautiful any
to rebuttal singer is and I am so proud of each
you thank you for all the laughter the memories
and most of all for the encouragement love an acceptance
you're incredible men and women in you
each made a lasting impact on my life I am honored to Cali
family and I'm a better person for having known you
so our time together is coming to an end
we know that the journey is far from over
for now it is good for us to be here
let's say a while and enjoy the incredible view
when the time comes we will pick up for banks confident that we have changed and
grown in these past nine months
and trusting that God has so much more in store agree that we will carry
everything we have learned with us
and that we would have the courage to lose a little weight in her own way
as we go out to make a difference in the world thank you
thank you sir that was
I'm at a loss for words that doesn't happen very often
you captivated the life you think it's beautifully
I know the guys in this includes units Kingdom
and I know that over our Blessed Mother as bad
throughout this through the holidays life and I have no doubt that your names
will be among the design
center as centuries about other
as a featured up the change