Preparation for confirmation
Our parish of Badalabougou organised a formation program for the young people who are preparing for confirmation this year 2023. This meeting took place at Sacred Heart School in Bamako Jikoloni from 28 to 31 December 2022, with the participation of 126 children and 41 accompanists. I had the joy of accompanying the children of our Christian community in Kalabankura. The talks were on different themes: Baptism; the Commandments; Sin; the Bread of Life; Confirmation; the gifts of the Spirit. The children were attentive and interested in following the different teachings. After each talk the young people met in groups. Each group had two or three accompanists who helped them to deepen the theme and the questions asked. I appreciated the spirit of collaboration, sharing and attention during the different activities and also during the meal. There was a recreational evening where questions were asked and those who managed…
I have been very blessed in my life
Sister Françoise Dillies, currently in the Ehpad St Jean in Lille, has spent most of her life in Kabylia. When an opportunity arose, she spontaneously accepted to be photographed dressed as a “Kabyle woman” and with great simplicity, she let her heart speak and told us how happy she is to have lived with the women of this country. I have been very blessed in my life because I have only served in Kabylia where I learned the Kabyle language which is not easy; this was with Sister Madeleine Alain, the great linguist. We were a small group and so it was like private lessons well adapted to each one. I began my journey by teaching at the elementary school in Beni-Yeni, for a couple of years. Then I was asked to come to France for a while. After that, I had the chance to return to Beni-Yeni. Because…
Towards Integral Ecology
In December 2022 many sisters and communities from the 2 African entities participated together in the webinar on the Journey to Integral Ecology (JIE). Sr. Begoña presented the point we have reached on this Journey, inviting us to go further. She proposed elements of Ignatian spirituality and of African tradition that can help us to include the ecological aspect in our apostolic Ignatian spirituality. We continued with the new ecological vision, the sacredness of all created beings and our human responsibility to care for the Earth, our common home. The process of ecological conversion demands of us to transform all our relationships and our lifestyle, doing without what is superfluous, “living simply so that others can simply live”. The ecological spirituality makes us aware of our communion with nature and the spiritual connection between humans and all beings of the Earth. It opens us to contemplate nature and to…
Be a witness to Christ in a broken world
In the photo the aspirants with Sr Helene on the left and Sr Anociata on the right Here is the report of a three-day session for aspirants in Kinshasa. There were four aspirants, three of whom will be presented to begin their pre-postulancy in Goma. This session brought a lot of joy to the aspirants and to us sisters because the aspirants participated actively during the session. We are grateful to our sister Hélène Kavula who accepted to animate this meeting during her home leave. For this session, we chose the theme of “discernment” in order to help our candidates discern their vocation better, before making the decision to put everything in God’s hands by handing over their documents to be studied before admission or a re-orientation. We began the session with some time for getting to know each other: we stood in a circle in our television room…
A Fruitful Visitation
Born in Switzerland, Bibiane Cattin was sent on mission to the Congo DRC where she remained for thirty-five years. She now lives in a retirement home in Fribourg and continues to live the spirit of our congregation. Here she tells us about one of her encounters. During my “pastoral visits” to the Home des Chênes, in Fribourg, I regularly meet Mrs. Edith (not her real name). She is 99 years old. One day, when I entered her room, I could not hide my astonishment to see on her table a Larousse Dictionary of 2022, some books and in particular, crosswords and other puzzles… Without introduction, she told me that she had just read a book by a Swiss exegete, Daniel Marguerat: “I have learned a lot about the Bible. Jesus experienced the same situation as many children today. He had no biological father. Certainly, the people of Nazareth knew…
Being women with women
This important aspect of our charism makes us attentive to everything that affects women in general, and African women in particular. Thus, in 2022, thanks to the aid received for apostolic activities, our Congregation supported the Spanish association: “Karibu – Friends of African Peoples” which tries to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable immigrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa. The activity of this association is in the field of humanitarian aid and integration assistance. It also carries out actions in favor of the recognition of fundamental rights of immigrants and refugees. By supporting Karibu, we encourage social entrepreneurship led by women. We strengthen their various professions and their creativity by providing development spaces, events and markets where they can promote their products. We encourage the creation of projects and businesses, and support their ideas. In 2022 through training for employment and promotion of entrepreneurship for sub-Saharan…
Trees as a source of joy and fraternity
Sr Marie Ange, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, joins on a mission to bring trees to schools. Here is her report. On Thursday, 24 November 2022, I woke up when it was still dark to start the four-hour drive to Boghe. I had a cold and was unable to speak, but my heart was full of life. I wanted to finally realise a project developed for almost a year with three young men from the Association Soleil des Enfants: Yahya, Abdoul and Dawda, who were ready with their backpacks. It was cold that morning. Before we left, we made sure that each of us had a bottle of water as the journey was long. One after the other, the three young people said “Bismillah” “In the name of God” and we set off on a beautiful adventure. Along the way, they explained why it is important for them to plant trees.…
The most beautiful day!
Sister Nicole Robion in the community of Sceaux, France, shares her apostolate with migrant women. In 2012, the CORREF (Religious Conference of France) was looking for volunteers for the “Champs de Booz” Association, created in 2003 to support and accompany single women, seeking asylum. It really touched my heart because I was looking for an activity on my final return to France and half of the women contacting the Champs de Booz come from sub-Saharan Africa. No greater happiness than staying in close contact with Africa! In 2017, the chapter specified that one of the apostolic orientations is the accompaniment of migrants. This made me feel joy and confirmation of the call perceived on my arrival in France. Bearer of Hope, the Lord gives this to me and the women tell me this with their faces all lit up when I greet them in their language: Dioula or Fulani!…
Born of the Spirit
(left to right) Br. Mwansa Rodgers, Fr. Drani Felix, Sr. Linah Siabana, Fr. Konseimbo Karim. In front, Sr. Magdalena Orczykowska and Sr. Julienne Bouda – wearing the jackets of the Ukusijoni Refugee Team. Our new community in the North of Uganda makes us directly participate in bringing into reality our congregational dream and desire of opening new missions, going towards the peripheries and collaborating with the Missionaries of Africa. As a thanksgiving act for 150 years of our existence, united as sons and daughters of Cardinal Lavigerie, we initiated a new common project at the service of the refugees thus directly implementing one of our apostolic orientations: Migration, refugees, and internally displaced persons. Due to prolonged insecurity in South Sudan, DRC and Ethiopia, Uganda is a host country to over 1 million refugees thus becoming the country with the biggest number of refugees in Africa. Listening to the voice…
Celebration of St Bakhita in Madrid 2023
The Vigil of St Bakhita in Madrid organized by the Diocesan Commission against Human Trafficking of which Begoña Iñarra is the coordinator, is celebrated every year in a different parish, to create awareness in the different parts of the town about human trafficking. This year it was celebrated in St Cayetano parish, in the heart of the traditional and well-known Rastro (flea market) district of Madrid. There were about 100 people and many people all over Spain and Latin America followed the video in streaming. The members of the Human trafficking commission animated the vigil written by one of the members. The social vicar of Madrid Archdiocese introduced the vigil that was very symbolic. A beautiful image of Ste Bakhita was before the altar. Four people put up five posters with the words “Freedom” “Dignity”, “Caring Paths”, “Inclusion” and “Empowerment”, at St. Bakhita’s feet. All along the prayer, we…