Cathie Zentner, of the North American territory, se associated with the Regnum Christi in 1996. Married, with two grown-up daughters, she lives in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. After a short professional career as a management consultant, she has served in the Regnum Christi in various pastoral roles over the last 26 years, including team leader of the Regnum Christi, director of the Himalaya International School Monterrey, Mexico; territorial secretary of the Federation and as delegate of the Territorial Board of Directors for the North American Territory, until May 31, 2024. On May 4, 2024, it was elected as a of the six laypersons attending the General Plenary of the Regnum Christi.
Haive months have passed since the appointment to attend the General Plenary and it has undoubtedly been five months since the appointment to attend the General Plenary.s had the opportunity to share yours experiences with people from the Regnum Christi on her return at What have they expressed to you?
A number of local people knew that I was «going to Rome» for something important, but for them the role of the General Plenary did not directly impact their experience of mission on a more personal level.
To tell the truth, this gives me great peace, since Regnum Christi members today are truly «owners» of their local mission and do not wait with folded arms to be told what to do.
However, our local leadership team did an excellent job of sharing the key points of the release with local members and soliciting their response through small discussion groups.
It was very positive to hear so much resonance and harmony, not only with the three priorities and the five assignments, but also with the three temptations, the four missionary options and the six certainties and convictions.
It was as if the communiqué spoke directly to our reality. The Holy Spirit is clearly at work in Regnum Christi.
You were the principal of a school in Mexico, what message do you see it having? the Communiqué of the General Convention to the schools of the Regnum Christi?
It was a gift to have the presence of leaders of our educational apostolate at the Convention.
I was able to note the deep appreciation of all those present for the work we do in Regnum Christi schools, considering it a privileged opportunity to live and share our charism with the whole family for an extended period of time.
The General Convention brought to the forefront the deep desire we share for greater collaboration between the colleges and other Regnum Christi entities, particularly the Regnum Christi sections.
This collaboration is a shared desire, but making it a reality on the ground is a challenge that will require intentionality, mutual respect, patience and perseverance in faith.
There is a richness in this collaboration that Our Lord wants us to discover.
As a wife and mother of a family, what advice would you give to deepen the priority of «Promote the pastoral care of marriage and the family.» that came out as one of the priorities of the Convention?
Marriage and family, as we all know, are the seedbed for nurturing and living our faith and the foundation for building the Kingdom.
Our spiritual family has a charism for all ages and, as such, I believe we are uniquely equipped to help people respond to the monumental challenges facing marriage and family today.
My advice - even for me - is not to get too comfortable with Regnum Christi as we know and live it today, but to proactively seek ways to authentically connect with and evangelize the generation (or generations) that follow us, with the particular goal of promoting holy marriages and healthy families.
There was a moment during the Convention when I sat down and saw that, at 64 years old, I was one of the five oldest participants.
Seeing such young, dynamic and talented Legionaries, consecrated men, consecrated women and lay members - all committed to the evangelizing mission of Regnum Christi - greatly inspired me.
What I saw before me was the fruit of God's grace and the efforts of Regnum Christi members over the years to form the younger generation.
In this sense, I believe that each of us has a responsibility to do our part.
What does it mean to you to be and be part of a «Regnum Christi at exit»?
Sincerely, I am excited to be part of a Regnum Christi that actively lives its apostolic mission.
Personally, I have experienced these last few years of renewal as inward-focused, albeit out of necessity. I now feel that we are all standing shoulder to shoulder, looking forward, observing the needs of today's world, ready for battle.
I was very inspired by many participants at the convention, especially the young adults, who spoke so passionately about their experiences evangelizing their peers, and how thirsty people are for the message that the Gospel offers.
I have also found it helpful to reflect on the three temptations named in the Communiqué as I ask our Lord to free me from fear and complacency and to transform my heart into that of his apostle.
I encourage Regnum Christi members to reread the communiqué from this perspective.
