Caritas Christi Urget Nos The Love of Christ Impels Us L'amour de Christ Nous Presse

RECOLLECTION Guide

               

                 MONTHLY RECOLLECTION GUIDE 2026

Introduction

As Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, we are called to be pilgrims of hope, journeying together with hearts rooted in God’s promise and eyes set on His vision. In a world filled with uncertainty, our vocation challenges us to bring Christ’s hope into every community we serve. As Spes Non Confundit reminds us, “Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured into our hearts”  (Rom 5:5).

This monthly recollection guide invites us to reflect deeply on our mission, nurturing a hope that inspires and strengthens us to be active bearers of God’s light. In our faith sharing, we will engage in spiritual conversations structured in three rounds as we have already been doing. In the first round, we will listen to one another without interruption, creating a space for each person’s insights and feelings to be shared.

In the second round, we will reflect on and share on what we have heard. Finally, in the third round, we will express our personal commitments moving forward, articulating how we can embody and share God’s hope in concrete ways. May this time of reflection draw us closer to God, renew our commitment to His call, and empower us to carry His hope to those around us. Let us embrace this sacred practice, trusting that through these conversations, we will be strengthened and inspired to fulfill our mission with renewed zeal and commitment.                                                                                             

JANUARY 2026

“Rooted in Christ: The Center of Our Being”

THEME: Hope as a Theological Virtue

INTRODUCTION: 

“Christ at the Center of My Life” invites us to begin the year by deepening our faith and allowing Jesus to guide every aspect of our lives. When Christ is truly at the center, our lives gain meaning, harmony, and peace. January’s liturgical celebrations—from honoring Mary, the Mother of God, to the Epiphany, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and the Conversion of St. Paul—highlight this call to center our lives on Christ. As we step into 2026, we entrust our journey to Him, praying that our community may radiate His love and become a beacon of hope in mission.

GRACE:

My Lord God, you are the source of all life and all that is good. I thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, the Center of my life. May His love and grace fill me, and may His teachings guide me in all that I do. Amen.

SCRIPTURE TEXT:

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

CORRELATED READING:

  • Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis to all Consecrated People on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life, 2014

Once again, we have to ask ourselves: Is Jesus really our first and only love, as we promised He would be when we professed our vows? Only if He is, will we be empowered to love, in truth and mercy, every person who crosses our path. For we will have learned from Jesus the meaning and practice of love. We will be able to love because we have His own heart.

  • Capitular Acts 2025, page 12

Center our life more fully in Christ so that, guided by the Holy Spirit, we may be authentic witnesses of Christ’s love, asking ourselves: “What would Jesus do?” or “What would Mary do?

POINTS TO PONDER AND PRAYER EXERCISES:

  • Prayer Life: Prayer is the wellspring of fraternal life. When Christ fills my heart in prayer, I can welcome and love my Sisters more generously. Do I bring my community into my prayer, asking Christ to be the bond that unites us?
  • Community Life: Fraternal love is a gift that flows from Christ at the center. When He is our focus, differences no longer divide but enrich us. In what concrete ways can I help my community live in deeper harmony so that Christ truly reigns among us?
  • Vows: The vows are not burdens but pathways to live like Christ. How do I allow my vows of chastity, poverty and obedience to keep me centered on Christ and not on myself?
  • Apostolic Life: Mission flows from communion with Christ and with my Sisters. A joyful, united community becomes a living witness of the Gospel. How can I manifest Christ-centered fraternity in my apostolic service—so that those I serve see not me, but Him living in our communion?

POINTS FOR SHARING:

Personal:

Share any point that struck you from the reflections above.

In praying with the grace of keeping Christ at the center, where do I feel invited by God to re-focus my heart—whether in my personal life, in my community relationships, or in my apostolic service?

Communal:

As a community, how can we concretely keep Christ more visible at the center of our daily living—through our prayer, our relationships, our simplicity of lifestyle, and our mission—so that others may encounter His presence in us?