EMMAUS COMMUNITY OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
2026-2027
THE EMMAUS COMMUNITY OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS
It is with great joy that we WELCOME you to our Little Design Communities website.
We hope that you will enjoy a leisurely browse through the pages
and if the Spirit prompts you to form your own small community,
we are here to be of help to you in any way that we can.
Blessings on the journey!
The original Eucharistic Letter was written by Fr. Medaille, SJ in 1660 in Le Puy, France. This is a contemporary presentation of The Eucharistic Letter inviting viewers to revisit it and begin living the Little Design way of life.
WATCH 'THE EUCHARISTIC LETTER' ON YouTube
IN FRENCH .... or ... IN SPANISH
Gathering Prayer of the Little Design Communities
Holy One, evidence of your self-communication in love
is all around, everywhere.
In the inner depths of my own heart,
in the world, in all creatures around me,
you live and move and have your being.
I am not separate from you,
and because of your wondrous love
I am not separate from all creation.
Help me to live with eyes wide open to your self-communication.
Help me to be open to your lavish grace,
to receive it without fear and
with the conviction that you want nothing more
than for me to receive it.
In turn, may I be gracious to others,
an instrument of your lavish grace to all I meet. Amen.
-from Judy Cannato, Field of Compassion
STARTING SEPTEMBER 2026 to JUNE 2027
MONTHLY ZOOM CONVERSATIONS
"LITTLE DESIGN COMMUNITIES'
USING THIS NEW BOOK
Please register with Sr. Rosemary at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Purchase this book on amazon. No Fee.
2023... THE "SOMETHING NEW" HAS ARRIVED
PENTECOST SUNDAY, MAY 28. 2023
LITTLE DESIGN COMMUNITIES:
A WAY OF LIFE FOR ALL PERSONS
TO PURCHASE THIS MINI BOOK GO TO AMAZON SITES.
COST $7.75 US COST $10.46 CAD
TO PURCHASE A BULK ORDER (10+ ) at reduced cost contact Rosemary at upperroom@sympatico.ca
COST $4.25 US + SHIPPING or $5.00 CAD + SHIPPING
THE STORY of Little Design Communities Rebirthing
1998-2018 - Read about the founding story in Ottawa area...
2018- 2023 It's now been 29 Years... since Sr. Evelyn McGovern and Sr. Rosemary O'Toole began teaching and living the way of The Little Design in the Ottawa area. Working with their core community they prepared documents and resources. As of September 2020, there are now several small Little Design communities gathering regularly in their own homes.
In 2013- 2014 - 2015: Sr. Rosemary O'Toole offered sessions of the nine day program in Le Puy, France.
In 2016- 2017 - 2018: Sr. Rosemary and Sr. Monica Hartnett (ANNECY) offered the same program at Galilee Centre in Arnprior, Ontario.
These sessions gave a comprehensive experience of study and living the way of Little Design. Some sisters/women went back to their homes and communities to become 'animators' of Little Design Communities in their own locales.
2019-2022: We took a pause in offering this REBIRTHING PROGRAM to discern what the Spirit is calling us to do next...
2023-2025: We were prompted to publish a small book on Little Design Communities (2023) in the hopes that 'animators' of these small communities would have a complete guide to all the information needed to start their own LDC community...
2025-26: We now offer GLOBAL LITTLE DESIGN CONVERSATIONS on ZOOM - three times a year. All are welcome. No need to register. See dates on website home page.
If interested in having more information about these
Little Design Communtiies,
please contact Sr. Rosemary O'Toole at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SHARING THE REBIRTHING STORY...
Rosemary O'Toole, csj (Canada) and Monica Hartnett ssj (Wales, UK)
Sisters Monica and Rosemary have studied and reflected together often over the past 25 years on The Eucharistic Letter. They share a passion and zeal for the future of our Medaillan spirituality. Both were together at the Le Puy, France session in August 2014. In the summer of 2016, 2017 and 2018 they facilitated the Rebirthing Little Design Experience as well as a Guided Contemplative Retreat at Galilee Centre in Arnprior, Canada.
Enjoy browsing and reading more...
First in Le Puy en Velay, France, our founding place...
and now in Canada ... the New World.
Sister Rosemary O'Toole presented this Little Design Communities Rebirthing
4 times at Centre International St. Joseph, Le Puy France and 3 times at Galilee Centre, Canada
June 2013 - two sessions
- Click here to read the newsletter article about our Little Design Communities Rebirthing - 26 participants in June 2013.
- Click here to watch the 50 minute video of our time together. Turn up your sound as there is music accompaniment.
August 2014 - one session
- Click here to read newsletter article about our Little Design Communities Rebirthing - 13 participants in 2014
- Click here to watch the 50 minute August movieof our time together in the lovely, soulful city of Le Puy en Velay.
August 2015 - one session
- click here to watch the 50 minutes movie of our August 2015 pilgrimage experience in Le Puy en Velay.
July 2016 - one session at Galilee Centre, Arnprior, ON
-click here to read newsletter article about our Little Design Communities Rebirthing experience - 17 participants.
July 2017 - two sessions at Galilee Centre, Arnprior, ON
- click here to read the newsletter article and watch the 15 minute VIDEO about our Little Design Communities Rebirthing experience - 7 participants. The Little Design Retreat and Enrichment weekend - 19 participants.
July 2018 - one 10 day session at Galilee Centre, Arnprior, ON
- click here to read the newsletter article describing personal highlights of our 10 day experience with The Eucharistic Letter and understanding the way of The Little Design,
The Upper Room Community began in September 1984
with two Sisters of St. Joseph: Rosemary O'Toole and Evelyn McGovern.
ROSEMARY O'TOOLE, CSJ
SISTER OF ST. JOSEPH (Peterborough)
60TH JUBILEE - JUNE 2024
IN LOVING MEMORY of EVELYN McGOVERN, CSJ
March 29,1934 - March 13,2022
WELCOME AND EULOGY - by Rosemary O'Toole, CSJ
MEMORIES OF EVELYN
OUR UPPER ROOM COMMUNITY GROWS AND EVOLVES ...
The Upper Room community fosters your "being and becoming the person God wills you to be in nature, in grace, in glory,for time and for eternity."
Maxim of Love 10:6, Jean-Pierre Médaille, SJ (founder of CSJ)