How a dream became reality
One day, I saw Cardinal Lavigerie in a dream giving a lecture. I wondered what could be the meaning of my dream. Well, this is how the dream was born in me to have an open day to make our Congregation better known and to respond to the call to open ourselves to the different forms of belonging. This stayed with me for a long time before I told my sisters in community. One day during the community meeting, I shared it. So, we started to organize by writing an announcement that was read in all the masses at the cathedral in Ouagadougou. When the day came, “our sister the rain” visited us to the point that those who came to the first three Masses quickly returned home without coming to our house. I then felt that it was up to me to go to them, to look for…
Resilience training – Ouagadougou, ICOF 2022
When I received the information on the training I was going to follow, I was a little reluctant because I imagined receiving classes where there would be few breaks and a lot of reflection. But since I had no valid reasons to refuse, I accepted. So I went to this training “Resilience and Religious Life” with a little apprehension and curiosity. We were 5 from the same congregation and I saw the other enthusiastic sisters. I followed the group. Upon arrival, I saw sisters from other congregations that I knew and those that I did not know. The atmosphere of reunion gave me joy. From day one we had to answer the question: What helps me when I face a difficult situation? For me it is the meditation on the life of Jesus through the prayer of the rosary: from the Annunciation to the Resurrection. And I ask the…
The General Council meets the sisters of temporary vows
The meeting is held from 12th to 17th of December in Nairobi, Kenya. Its main objective is to prepare the contribution of our Sisters of temporary vows to the General Chapter 2023. The sisters pray and share using the method of spiritual conversation. We entrust them to your prayers!
A novice participates in the vows of five sisters
I would like to share with you, dear readers, what I experienced during the preparations and the day of the celebration in a few words. On the 8 October, I participated in the first religious profession of our 4 sisters: Clementine Hanyie and Neema Kavugho Kyuma from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sylvane Roumaba from Burkina Faso, Xaverine Mukasinga from Rwanda. The same day Sister Agnieszka Lyskawinska transfered to our Congregation from Poland and made her perpetual vows. A few days before the celebration, we had the joy of welcoming our sisters from Ghana, Mauritania, Mali and Ouagadougou. You can imagine the joy of reunion. The house was lively. On the day of the celebration and especially during the homily, I was touched by the questions asked by the main celebrant, Father Jean Michel Laurent Missionary of Africa: “Which missionary do I desire and would like to be? Which missionary…
Testimonies from the “Come and see” in Rwanda
In Rwanda there were two sessions of “Come and see” and here we share three comments from the participant. The first two testimonies are from Butare and the third from Kigali. “Dear sisters! Receive our greetings from Rwanda in Butare community! We are very grateful to God for the warm welcoming we received from the sisters, the joy and happiness we have experienced with them. We were touched by their openness during the three days of session. We were also happy to see them living together from different countries, cultures and with different ages. This increased our desire to continue Journeying with the sisters and to join them. We were seven young women. We finished our S6 this year and we are waiting for the result. Care for us in your prayers. Each one of us was very touched by the MSOLA Charism and apostolic work, like working against Human…
Becoming a formator in Missionary and Vocation Animation
From Sister Bouda Julienne, Ukusijoni Community, Uganda From the 30th of July to the 4th of September, I participated in a workshop on Formation, organised by the Association of the Religious in Uganda (ARU) – Arua Branch in Lodonga, Northern Uganda. By formation, we were reminded that by the nature of our religious consecration, we are formators in our different ministries, though the majority were formators in their various institutes. We were 28 participants including the animators, from 10 Religious Institutes. The formation consisted in presenting to the participants the ARU- Formation Resource Book and its Guideline. We were taught about ecclesiology and charisma of consecrated life according to the teaching of the Catholic Church. The main objective of this meeting was also to gather the religious of the Arua diocese to know each other and live the motto of the ARU: “No longer strangers but friends” Jn: 15.15, and…
First and final vows on the 8th October
We thank God with and for our five novices who are ending their spiritual year in Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso, and they have been accepted to make their vows on the 8th October. Clementine Hanyie Sezikana appointed to Ouagadougou St Julien, Burkina Faso. Neema Kavugho Kyuma appointed to Goma, DRC Xaverine Mukansinga appointed to Hydra, Algeria Sylviane Rouamba Soutongnooma appointed to Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania Agnieszka Łyskawińska appointed to Bukavu, DRC Clementine, Neema, Xaverine and Sylviane will be pronouncing their first vows while Agnieszka will be making final profession in our Congregation. We wish them to be a good instrument in God’s hands for His Kingdom. Good luck in their new mission!
The Juniorat 2022-2023 “A Time of Grace”
From September 12, 2022, we started arriving in Rome and our sisters in the Generalate house warmly welcomed us with joy. On September 15, 2022, on the feast of our Lady of Sorrows, we officially began our Juniorate program. Our sisters Mapendo Annonciata and Maamalifar Poreku accompany us. Slowly as we start our journey of these 5 months, we have been blessed to visit some historical places of our Catholic faith like St. Peter’s Basilica and Assisi to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis. We were happy to join our senior sisters and brothers in this pilgrimage to Assisi. Indeed, we profited doubly. Besides living the experience of Assisi together, we also shared passed experiences. On September 21, 2022, the feast of St. Matthew, we had our opening mass celebrated by Fr. Olivier Soma (MAfr). The whole of this day was special for us, crowned by the opening…
Sharing the “Come and see” in Burundi
“Come and see” is an invitation that God launches to anyone who wants to know his plan of Love. In our community in Burundi, this summer 2022 we organized two missionary sessions for girls who feel attracted by our missionary vocation and who seek to know for what project God created them, and how they can engage in his life, to respond to the Will of God. From July 12 to 15, the session was for students studying at the second level, we call them “pre-finalists”, there were 4 girls, plus Evelyne, our young postulant who came from Congo for her leave and who is preparing to leave for Burkina Faso. From August 8 to 12, the missionary session was for girls who have finished high school and who have many questions about their future. There were 9 girls from different regions of Burundi. The sisters of the community,…
“Come and see” in Kigali – Rwanda
The disciples asked Jesus, “Where do you live?” He said, “Come and see.” (John 1:38-39) The Missionary Sisters of our Lady of Africa, are inviting young women who finished their secondary school or university for a discerning vocational session which will take place in Rwanda at the Cathedral of Butare in the community of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa. The session will start from 25/08/2022 (evening) up to 28/08/2022 (morning). This session will give you an opportunity to pray with sisters and other young women who are discerning their call. It will help you to know more about our charisma, spirituality and our mission, it will help you to have your questions answered. Requirements : Your Desire to pray with us and discern your call; Come with your bible, a pen and a notebook. And all things needed for you during the three days. Please do not…