Dear <<First Name>> ,
 
The Beatitudes Community is celebrating fifty years since its foundation in France in 1973. It is a jubilee year and a special opportunity to be reconciled, to remember God's blessings, to offer Him thanksgiving and to let ourselves be renewed in the joy of our call. 

Our jubilee pilgrimage in five steps began in Lent. Individually and as a Community we looked back over our history, recognizing our human frailty and infidelities, and asking pardon. 
 
At Easter we remembered God’s goodness to us, and the history of our foundation in New Zealand. We gave thanks for those who have been part of our ‘family’ over the years and have shared our joys and sorrows.
 
In April a delegation of the Community travelled to Rome for a private audience with Pope Francis. They received a beautiful personal address and the apostolic blessing. On May 25th, anniversary of foundation, a Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated in our General House in France. Sr Therese and the Loretz family providentially found themselves there at that time! 

Step four was the renewal of our consecration to Mary and pilgrimage to a Marian shrine. Our two families accomplished this step at various Marian shrines during their pilgrimage to France in June-July. The consecrated members didn’t go quite so far. We renewed our consecration in the little church of St Mary’s at Motuti in the Hokianga, at the shrine of Bishop Pompallier, who celebrated the first Catholic Mass on New Zealand soil nearby in 1838.
 
The final and ongoing stage of our jubilee pilgrimage is to bear witness to the joy of our call and to share what we have received from God in our mission and apostolates. We hope to share it with you and your family, so that you too will be renewed in your faith and in your zeal for the greater glory of God!