The participants in the ECA post-capitular chapter in Kampala, Uganda with the Sisters of the General Council, Sr. Jeanne d’Arc Ouattara and Sr. Gosia Popławska, the general bursar Sr. Marie-Alice Terrattaz and the facilitators, Sr. Selina Wavinya, Sister of Mercy, and Fr. Yago Abeledo M.Afr.
From Sr. Anna Apolinary Massawe, from the chapter venue
Our ECA post-capitular chapter took place in Lourdel House in Kampala, Uganda, from 27th October to 2nd November 2023. This event brought together sisters from the different communities and our Entity and Congregation leaders. Encountering one another as sisters of the same family was enriching and life giving.
During the opening mass Fr. Richard Nnyombi, M.Afr., reminded us that we were gathered together to look with gratitude into the way we
lived our mission in the past years and to look forward into the future with courage. He also said that we might have been carrying some
fears within us but he encouraged us to
feel the fear but do it.”
We shouldn’t allow fear to paralyze us and to block us from embracing the newness that is brought by this event.
This phrase became our slogan and a motivation throughout this time because it was a reminder that we should not be afraid to dare to
dream new things but also to face both our personal and communal vulnerability with courage and strong faith.
As time went on, this phrase developed into, “feel the fear, treat it and do it”!
The butterfly framework used by the facilitators as a tool for transformation, helped us to face our own reality with courage, truth
and faith. Thus, we became more aware of our own brokenness, woundedness, vulnerability and like Mary Magdalene who burst
with great joy as she encountered the risen Lord, we too concretely experienced the transforming love of the risen Lord working in us and
through us.
This was possible because we created safe spaces for encountering one another as sisters with a lot of respect (as a holy ground), compassion,
openness and readiness to embrace our own and each other’s vulnerability without prejudices. We worked together as a family in a
synodal way.
With this attitude, we dared to visit both our personal and collective history/experiences that made us feel hurt. Respectful sharing and
deep listening to each other and oneself, allowed us to take care of our feelings (process them) and we experienced true healing and
forgiveness. These moments were indeed the land marks of the whole event and we strongly felt the Holy Spirit at work. This was a concrete
sign that indeed with God nothing is impossible and transformation is possible!
Of this, we are witnesses!
Throughout the post-capitular chapter, like Mary, we sang our Magnificat for what the Lord has done to us and indeed like the psalmist
we were glad!
For me the image of Mary Magdalene encountering the risen Lord remains the core of the post chapter event! And like the disciples I dare
to say:
Indeed we have seen the Lord! He is indeed risen!”
