Photo: Joint Conference of Superiors of Latvian Institutes of Consecrated Life
On February 1 this year, a meeting of consecrated persons from all over Latvia was held at the Carmelite Sisters’ convent in Ikšķile. It was an opportunity to celebrate the International Day for Consecrated Life and spend time together in prayer and conversation. Archbishop Georg Genswain, Apostolic Nuncio to the Baltics, also participated in the event.
During the meeting, the Joint Conference of Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life in Latvia elected a new Council for the next three years. Fr. Andris Ševels, MIC was elected president of the Conference, Sister Servant Sister Ginta Mākulēna was elected vice-president, and Sister Diana Cērmane OP became secretary.
In the course of the meeting, the participants presented the situation of consecrated life in Latvia to the Nuncio, and discussed both challenges and goals for the future. The importance of small communities in the life of the Church in Latvia was emphasized. Several projects have been carried out over the past three years, and the participants stressed the need to continue to build unity, support each other and actively engage in the evangelization mission.
In the second part of the day, Archbishop Genswain presented a spiritual reflection on the theme “From Babel to Pentecost,” pointing to two contrasting models of consecrated life. He pointed out that Babel symbolizes self-sufficiency and uniformity, which leads to spiritual stagnation and isolation. Such life becomes a closed system in which individuals lose their charisms and are subjected to structures that suppress the work of the Holy Spirit. Consecrated life in this “Babylonian model” becomes an elitist and controlling community that gradually empties out and loses its ability to bear the fruits of evangelization.
Pentecost, on the other hand, symbolizes spiritual renewal, dynamism and communion led by the Holy Spirit. The fire of the Holy Spirit fills the faithful with courage, freeing them from fear and uniformity, promoting true communion in diversity. The logic of Pentecost encourages consecrated persons to open themselves to new possibilities in which each member can live his or her vocation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becoming a bearer of hope and light to the world.
The Latvian Joint Conference of Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life (LKDIPAK) is a legal entity that brings together superiors of religious institutes and associations of apostolic life serving in Latvia, as well as permanent delegates appointed at the request of superiors of institutes of consecrated life based outside Latvia.