Something beautiful for God
Aurora Living Star of the North Graduation

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw her ministry as “doing something beautiful for God.” That saying resonates with the Aurora Living process at the Star of the North, which completed its first three-year course on June 1st, 2024, with seven graduates.

The development of this unique program connects with an insight from theologian E. Schillebeeckx, “What you dream alone remains a dream; what you dream with others can become reality.”

Lucie Leduc had a dream for the Star of a signature program on personal growth and spiritual development, which connected with my dream within the archdiocese I served of a secular institute, Servants of the Word. Sharing our dreams with others led to the online/onsite Aurora Living program, which brought together five points of light: the Word of God, care for Creation, contemplative living, communion, and justice as right relations. It would be three modules a year, three sessions a module, covering all major themes of the bible over the three years.

We were fortunate that Clint Porritt and Sr. Mariángel Marco Teja came on board just in time to form a great team. The program was created and gestated over nine months with in-person and online monthly rituals brilliantly created by Sr. Mariángel. Our logo was painted live for a half hour before each ritual by local artist Bev Bunker, which participants could view as they arrived or came online.

Aurora Living featured over 42 presenters over the course of 3 years, a number which includes 13 Indigenous and 28 women facilitators. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, presented in each of the 9 modules. The Psalms module was the best attended with award-winning musician Steve Bell as the opening facilitator. Overall, 43 participants were involved in the program, with 16 who have taken 5 or more modules. One participant received D.Min credits through a partnership with St. Stephen’s College.

Aurora Living is now welcoming applicants for its next cycle starting in September 2024. The program has been restructured into a two-year process, making it easier to complete, and will see the return of many presenters such as Ron Rolheiser, Mareen Wild, Steve Bell, Giselle Bauche and Harry Lafond, alongside a number of new faces.

This first experience of the Aurora Living program closed with a meal, permeated with a palpable, peaceful, joyful sense of celebration and pride in doing something beautiful for God.

By + Sylvain Lavoie OMI