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…
The prayer against human trafficking
Let us pray: Saint Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child and endured unspeakable hardship and suffering. Once liberated from your physical enslavement, you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church. O Saint Josephine Bakhita, assist all those who are entrapped in slavery; Intercede on their behalf with the God of Mercy so that the chains of their captivity will be broken. May God himself free all those who have been threatened, wounded or mistreated by the trade and trafficking of human beings. Bring comfort to survivors of this slavery and teach them to look to Jesus as an example of hope and faith so that they may find healing from their wounds. We ask you to pray for us and to intercede on behalf of us all: that we may not fall into indifference, that we may open our eyes and…
Prayer for the 26th General Chapter 2023
Triune God, Source of inspiration and communion, We praise you for sharing your boundless love for us through the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his whole life for humanity. He leads us in his mission to be docile to the creative newness of the Holy Spirit. We thank you for our beloved Congregation which, for 153 years, has been rooted in the passion for Christ and his mission in the heart of Cardinal Lavigerie, our founder, of Mother Marie-Salomé and our sisters of all generations. We thank you for calling and sending us as women apostles, among the countless messengers of your Word, to Africa and among its peoples everywhere. We entrust to you our next 26th General Chapter. May the breath of your Holy Spirit inspire us during its preparation and lovingly guide our discernment and our journey together. Faithful to the Gospel and to our charism, may our…
Jubilee celebration in Cartierville, Montréal
Monday, October 24th, was a feast day in Cartierville! Of the 21 Jubilarians of our Entity, 14 were physically present, led by our centenarian, Sr Gisèle Dubois! Sr Lise Giguère came from Beauport, thanks to Mrs Bénédicte Lasselin, their accompanist. We were also happy to welcome Sr Marcelle Morin from Ottawa and Sr Felicia Nowak from Winooski. And we also remembered Sr Françoise Bruneau who died on June 10th this year. On entering the Providence Hall, an autumn ambiance surrounded us with a shimmer of colours, ochre and bronze, carrying us away in a dance of tones. The beautiful layout of the centerpieces invited us to gather around these well-prepared tables, with tablecloths and napkins bearing the names of the jubilarians. Also note the small corsage bouquets for each of the jubilarians. Indeed, a lot of imagination and affection have gone into this celebration. To the left of the altar,…
In joy and thanksgiving
Consulted for the meaning of the word “jubilee,” the little Larousse tells us: “To express great joy”! Yes, but what joy? That of the kids playing ball in the yard? That of the girls who tell stories of their last judo lesson? or that of the lucky winner of the national lottery?… Well no, the joy we experienced in the community of Sceaux on Thursday, October 6, 2022, is on another level. That day, Sr. Agnès Nouyrigat and 4 members of her family; Sr. Rosemarie Bordes (who had already celebrated her jubilee on August 15 in the nursing home where she lives); Father Emmanuel Lengaigne (Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of Africa) and the entire community of Sceaux were gathered to celebrate the jubilee of Agnès (50 years) and Rosemarie (60 years). Quite naturally, the preparation for this great day was organized around these two themes: joy and thanksgiving.…
2022 Season of Creation Prayer
Creator of All, From your communion of love your Word went forth to create a symphony of life that sings your praise. By your Holy Wisdom you made the Earth to bring forth a diversity of creatures who praise you in their being. You called human beings to till and keep your garden. But we turn in on ourselves and away from our co-creatures. We fail to listen to the cries of the poor and the needs of the most vulnerable. We silence the voices of those who hold the traditions that teach us to care for the Earth. We close our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us through the Scriptures. Creation cries out as forests crackle, and animals alike flee the fires of injustice that we have lit by our unwillingness to listen. In this Season of Creation, we…
Feast of the Ascension, Year C – 2022
Today’s feast is somehow mysterious… In the 1st reading, we are told that, risen from the dead, Jesus has been appearing to his apostles a number of times (Acts 1:1-11). A few verses later, we see him disappearing from their sight. Appearing, disappearing – these two words bring to mind the two realities of presence and absence. But, more still, they remind us of the two ways of understanding: through seeing and through perceiving. Personally, I see this feast of the Ascension as an invitation to a new way of recognizing God among us. It is no longer a presence that our eyes can see but a presence perceived by our hearts. Our ‘vision’ of God no longer depends on our eyesight but on… our faith! We no longer rely on what the eyes of our body can ascertain but on what God’s Spirit reveals to us in the depths of ourselves. This reflection started with referring to this feast…
6th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022
Among us, people, we often exchange services of different kinds. We go to a neighbor, a friend, a doctor, a teacher, a builder, asking them to provide us with whatever we need at any given time. And, we do the same… with God! Very often, our prayer to God takes the form of a petition – We bring to him all kinds of requests for ourselves and for people dear to us, or people we see in need. We trust that he will answer our needs, our dreams, our hopes. And he does so, very often. But have you realised that, often, God gives us things that we never asked for? He pours into our lives blessings and gifts that we would have never thought – or dared – to ask him for! The text of today’s gospel is an obvious example of this (John 14:23-29). On the eve of…
5th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022
Looking at our lives, we sometimes pause to consider what is important to us. We may look at this or that aspect and we question what is really… essential! Our personal needs may first come to our minds. And, of course, our relationships with the people near and dear to us are most important. But… something is still missing… which can be found in a verse of today’s 1st reading (Acts 14:21-27). It speaks of the two apostles, Paul and Barnabas, and says: “Paul and Barnabas… committed the Elders of the communities to the Lord in whom they had put their trust”. To be committed to the Lord and put our trust in him – is this not essential to our very being? Committed to the Lord by the people who love us, the people to whom we really matter – this is, in fact, the best gift they can give to us. Committed to the…
4th Sunday of Easter, Year C – 2022
A theology lesson in 4 Bible verses – this is what the text of this Sunday’s gospel offers us (John 10:27-30). Such a short text and so rich is the reality it describes. This 4th Easter Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday as it focuses on Jesus, the Risen Lord, as our Shepherd. What the words describe, what the text affirms, is really amazing. It offers us a promise of belonging, of security, and a gift beyond what we could imagine: eternal life! “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Christ knows us, yes, just as we are, deeply, truly… He gives us eternal life, his own life, the very life that he shares with the Father. That is, of course, if… We listen to his voice…