Excerpts From Our Community Handbook.

1. The Association is dedicated to the Queenship of Mary. Our Lady clearly demonstrates that basic attitude in life each member strives to attain: total surrender to the Father and total openness to the Holy Spirit who forms the image of Jesus in each person.

2. The Association follows the spirituality of the Gospel with an emphasis on:
   1. A strong Catholic spirituality deeply rooted in the Scriptures with a special emphasis on the evangelical counsel of compassion.

   2. A life of surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to a following of the lead of the Holy Spirit in community.

   3. Mission and ministry carried out under the power of the Holy Spirit who empowers each Member for mission and ministry by gifting each with his gifts (See: 1 Corinthians 12-14).

   
3. Members:
   1. Are consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Star of Evangelization.

   2. Cultivate a 'life of worship' centered in the Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

   3. Participate daily in the Eucharist, if at all possible, and in frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

   4. Attend the annual retreat of the Association

   5. Are obedient and loyal to the magisterium of the Church.

4. The patron of the Association is St. Francis of Assisi who was so in love with Jesus that his only desire was to be like Jesus in every way, especially in his poverty.
   1. Members, in keeping with their patron who has much to say to the world about the sacredness of life and the reverence and respect that all of God's creation are to receive, respect and reverence all of life from its moment of conception until death.

   2. Members, in keeping with their patron, strive to grow in the image and likeness of Jesus in order to be a leaven for Jesus in the marketplace -- drawing all things to Jesus through their witness of life, word and deed.

5. Members:
   1. Strive to be a community of caring, bearing and sharing people who know Jesus person-ally and give their lives to him as Lord.

   2. Seek fellowship with the Holy Spirit being consciously aware of the power of the Holy Spirit at work within them.

   3. Strive to manifest the normal Christian life in the fruits of service, witness of life and explicit proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord.

   4. Live community with others by caring, bearing and sharing.

   5. Strive for simplicity of lifestyle.

6. The spirituality of the Association is focussed on this major point: being led by another, the Holy Spirit. Being led by another, the Holy Spirit, is basically listening to the promptings, inspirations, guidance, and direction of the Holy Spirit. It is facilitated by: living in the present moment where God is to be found; personal and communal prayer; sharing and listening to one another; reception of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation; and the Members working together in unity.
   1. Living in the Present Moment where God is to be found.

      The only moment we have is the present moment where God is and it is in the present moment that we are to live. And even as we speak and act, the present moment quickly becomes a past moment. We cannot undo the past. But we can give forgiveness to those who have hurt us, learn from our past experiences and strive to become better Christians because of what the past has taught us. We cannot do anything about the future since we do not know what the future holds. But we can live and act virtuously and heroically in the present moment, giving the past and the future to God. The Gospel of Mathew, chapter 6, verses 25 to 34 speaks very well to this point especially verse 34.

   2. Personal and Communal Prayer.

      Our commitment is to pray both personally (privately) and communally (together). Each Member spends time alone each day with the Lord with the aim of arriving at a minimum of one hour daily in response to the Lord's love.

      In addition, we come together for a time of praise, thanksgiving, and listening to the Lord believing that he will speak to us and guide us according to his plan for us. When specific requests are made for prayer, especially prayers for healing, we lay our hands on the sick expecting the Lord to act and are not surprised when he answers immediately.

   3. Sharing Our Lives With One Another.

      Our spirituality includes the sharing of our lives. We place a great emphasis on how we are to be for one another. When a need, a problem or a request for help is expressed, we are there for one another. We believe that we must be for one another before we can effectively be for others.

      We believe the Lord wants us to care for one another concretely in whatever way the situation calls for; to bear one another 's burdens -- to be there with comfort, encouragement and concrete help whenever the occasion arises; to share with one another our blessings, joys, hopes and sorrows, struggles and challenges -- to be truly brothers and sisters in the Lord and to do for one another whatever the occasion calls for. Whenever differences arise, we are committed to dealing with these differences honestly and openly in dialogue and to the asking and giving of forgiveness. We believe that it is the quality of life that we have together that clearly expresses who we are as the Community of the New Covenant.

   4. Through the Reception of the Sacraments especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation.

      Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and being reconciled with God, oneself and others is of utmost importance in being led by the Holy Spirit. In the Eucharist, we receive Jesus into ourselves and are filled again with the Holy Spirit. Each of us is committed to receiving the Eucharist daily, if at all possible.

      The Sacrament of Reconciliation removes any barriers that would prevent the Holy Spirit from working as fully in our lives as he would like. On a daily basis, we believe that forgiveness of others is an extension of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Forgiveness of others for the wrongs they have done to us, as soon as they happen, is a door to allowing the Holy Spirit to work more fully in our lives and is a help to letting the Holy Spirit lead in our lives. Each of us is committed to being reconciled immediately, as soon as an occasion arises, because unforgiveness could hinder our relationships from being loving, caring and bearing.