Tree planting in Mauritania
On Saturday, October 26, we organized a planting of twenty trees in a neighborhood of Nouakchott called Basra. There were 19 of us, including, among others, 6 people from the Islamo-Christian Group including Sr. Mia and Sr. Elyse, three priests, the president of a Mauritanian association for Education and Culture, the president of the association Soleil des Enfants, the president of the association Ensemble Pour un Avenir Meilleur and his team. We went to get the trees from the gardener to bring them to the neighborhood of Basra where the action took place. The young people from the association had raised awareness among the families in the neighborhood about the benefits of trees and some of them asked for a tree. Each family had already dug a hole in front of their door and had prepared the manure and the fence to prevent the sheep from damaging the young…
With Christ, in Africa, forever
Sr. Iwona Cholewinska, in La Marsa, Tunisia, shares her joy at her final vows For my final commitment I chose the date of September 8, to be able to always associate it with the birth of Mary and the birth of our Congregation. In distributing the invitations for my vows, I had this conviction that the people who will be present will be guests of the One who invited me to follow Him as MSOLA in Africa, because it is He, in fact, the author of this day. From the first preparations, the desire that inhabited me was that it be a celebration as simple as possible and it was fulfilled! Many of the people present underlined in their sharing this simplicity that was manifested in the liturgy, in the symbols and in the gestures. The celebration took place in the church where I was baptized, I…
Sr. Marietha’s final profession
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Yezakuzwe Marie, Mukamana Ernestine, Oligah Ainomugisha, MSOLA postulants, report from Arusha, Tanzania On the morning of 20th July, Sisters, family and parishioners arrived at St. John Mary Mzeeyi Maruku parish for the Mass. In a brief history of Sr. Marietha’s life, we learned that it was through the sacrament of the Eucharist that she had come to love Jesus Christ. In Tanzania, the religious habit is very significant and appreciated. The bishop explained why our dress is different from that of other congregations. We have chosen a habit that allows us to move around easily and to be close to the people. Later during a conversation, the choir director told us that he liked the way we mixed with the people. During his speech, Mr. Joakim Rupia, Marietha’s father, showed his gratitude to God for…
Day THREE: Passion for Humanity
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Text from the Cardinal: “Nothing human is foreign to me.” “I am a man, and I am familiar with everything human.” (Terence, from Heautontimorumenos, v. 77). It is a cry that started from Rome, and which echoes throughout the universe. I am a man; injustice towards other people revolts my heart. I am a man; oppression is unworthy of my nature. I am a man; the cruelties against so many of my fellow-creatures instigate only horror within me. I am a man, and what I would like to be done to give me freedom, honour, the sacred bonds of the family, I want to do in order to restore to the sons of this unfortunate race, family, honour and freedom (E.98). Reflection: Through the correspondence with his missionaries on the field, Lavigerie became…
Day TWO: Passion for Africa
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Text from the Cardinal: “I have loved everything about Africa.” It is to you that I am now coming, O my dear Africa. I had sacrificed everything to you seventeen years ago, when compelled by a force that was obviously that of God, I left everything to dedicate myself to your service. Since then, what travels, what exhaustions, what sorrows! I recall them only to forgive and to express once again my invincible hope of seeing the portion of this great continent that once knew the Christian religion, to return fully to the light and the truth, and the one that has hitherto remained immersed in the most frightful barbarity, to come out of its darkness and death. It was to this work that I dedicated my life. But what is a man’s…
Day ONE: Passion for God
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Text from the Cardinal: “A strong and ardent attachment to Our Lord” Ultimately, under a variety of forms of expression, a single sentiment inspired them. This is the one Our Lord asked of Peter to make him Head of his Apostles; the one St. Augustine, the Doctor of our Africa and of the whole Church, proclaims the unique law of Christians; the one I took myself for my motto (Caritas): love, the love of God and that of so many abandoned souls. This love has supported me, in the midst of the hardships and privations that have worn my life out before its time. It is also this love that will give you strength, heroic self-sacrifice, and perseverance. Love them, then, as a mother loves her sons, in proportion to their misery and…
Cleaning up the Indian Ocean – a gesture to our Mother Earth
“Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praised be you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful hymn, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our Earth is like a sister with whom we share our life, and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.” Caring for our Mother Earth should be our priority every day, because all our actions, good or bad, have an impact on Her. We are called to be responsible for what we do and to take care of our Mother Earth. I am happy to share with you the way we helped to clean the Indian Ocean because it was really a beautiful experience to do such a gesture. We in the Dar es…
Prayer for the Bicentenary Celebration
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the life you gave to our Founder, Cardinal Lavigerie and for the missionary charism that he passed on to us. Strengthen in us the spirit of prayer and simplicity. Consolidate our community and intercultural life. Revive our dedication, enthusiasm and apostolic zeal. Deeply renew our missionary vocation in the service of the African world. We ask this through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa. Amen. Here are the links to download Prayer for the Bicentenary Celebration in various languages in PDF format: PDF ES ORACIÓN – Un año con el cardenal Lavigerie+EN+FR PDF FR PRIÈRE- Une année avec le cardinal+EN+IT PDF IT PREGHIERA – Un anno con il cardinale Lavigerie+EN+FR PDF POL MODLITWA – Rok z kardynałem Lavigerie+EN+FR PDF POR ORAÇÃO – Um ano com o Cardeal Lavigerie+EN+FR
The “Visitation” of Our Lady in the refugee settlements
It was a rare occasion in our refugee settlements. Far away from the town, somehow isolated, the refugees of Maaji and Agojo – settlements in the North of Uganda, have rarely seen such great events and opportunities to gather and pray. Ten days before its arrival in Maaji, the people of the settlements were informed that the image of Our Lady of Kibeho was on its way. The time to prepare for her arrival was very short and all the leaders of the Catholic chapels that we, the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and the Missionaries of Africa, are in charge of, rolled up their sleeves to start the preparations. Drawing up the budget, collecting food, cleaning the houses to receive those who would accompany the statue of Our Lady, clearing the ground around the chapel that would be the main venue for the welcome, building the podium,…
“Thank you for everything”
From our Srs Franceline Hien and Valérie Sibdou Kaboré of Hydra-Parmentier “Thank you for everything” This word was spoken a few days ago by the little girl, barely 3 years old, of a work colleague. We were returning from a beautiful day spent in the mountains, in the middle of the forest. That evening, while reviewing my day, I was challenged about my capacity to live gratitude in depth. Am I able to say, at the end of each day: “Lord, Thank you for everything”? At the end of this month of September, I take the risk of saying “Thank you for everything” Spiritual retreat Thank you for the time of spiritual retreat lived at the monastery of Thibhirine with our brothers the Missionaries of Africa. Led by the brothers and sisters of the Chemin Neuf, it was an intense moment of personal and community prayer…