The Archdiocese of Agaña in Guam is celebrating the 50th anniversary, the golden jubilee, of its establishment as a diocese. While this mission church was established in 1668, it has survived ancient tribal and world wars, natural disasters, incredible challenges and at every instance, opportunities for growth in the faith and making significant contributions to church and society particularly in the Pacific. Integral to the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese are the Universal Church’s celebrations of the Year of Consecrated Life and the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. Sister Maria Clara Kreis, CDP, PhD, Outreach Coordinator at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, was invited by Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., DD, Sister Marian Thérèse Arroyo, RSM, and the executive committee of the Archdiocese to contribute to the rich color and texture of the Golden Jubilee celebration. From May 13-15, 2016, Sister Maria Clara facilitated a three-day retreat for the apostolic women and men religious congregations in Guam. The theme of the retreat was "Consecrated Life: Its Core Values & Meaning for a Global World" and reflected on the results of her research, "Life Satisfactions Scale for Apostolic Women Religious" (LSSAWR).
In a recent article in the Roman Catholic newspaper of the Archdiocese of Agaña, Umatuna Si Yu'os, Sister Maria Clara said of what she hoped to accomplish with the Consecrated Life Retreat, “For the vowed religious and (priests), I hope that we all will be open and inspired by the Holy Spirit during this weekend. To celebrate our chosen life form while also reflecting if we are living what we proclaim to be; namely being deeply rooted in the love for the Lord and the desire to be of service to others. For the women religious that they have an experience like the sacred sharing between Mary and Elizabeth; and for the men, to be blessed among women.” To read the full article, titled "Sister Clara on Guam for retreats," CLICK HERE.