Missionary Vocation Animation in Gitega, Burundi
Sr. Victoire Niyonzima from our Gitega community, shares the work of the Missionary Vocation Animation in Burundi We have been blessed with young aspirants who came to follow two vocational discernment seminars. We divided them into two groups: the first for those who came first and had not yet reached their final year of studies plus those who still have one year remaining to finish their secondary education. The second group was made up of those who, during this academic year, have finished their studies and have taken the State Examination plus those who have finished their studies a while back. The first group of 13, were there from 24th to 27th July 2024. The second group of 22 was with us from 6th to 10th August 2024. For all these seminars we are grateful to God who enabled us to organize and carry out this project. Being…
“God will do it again”
Srs. Maite, Marie Ange and Victoire with some students Sr. Marie Ange, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, has gone back to Burundi for a holiday with the family. While in Gitega she joined Srs. Maite and Victoire, who are there on mission, for some missionary vocation animation (MVA) in schools. Here is the report of her activities. During my leave in February 2024 I joined my sisters in Gitega to do MVA activities in the secondary schools. Sometimes we had about 1000 pupils in a large hall, girls and boys of all religions together and we always started with a song “God will do it again”, composed by Tchouva, that says “God will work miracles, he heals the sick, he raises the dead, he is powerful to save, he does not change … he sustains all things by his Powerful Word, more effective than a two-edged sword. Lord, say only…
The vocation group at the parish of Nouakchott
From our sister Mia Dombrecht, in Nouakchott, Mauritania This pastoral year, the parish vocational group chose “Burning Hearts, Walking Feet” as the theme for Mission Sunday in October 2023. At the start of the pastoral year, we met to listen to the young people’s interests and the topics they would like to cover throughout the year. A meditation on the call of young Samuel opened the year. In November, we organized a recollection by the sea to share on the year’s theme and on the Gospel of the Emmaus pilgrims. We tackled the subject of the missionary vocation. A diocesan priest and sisters from three missionary congregations were present to mentor around ten young people. In December, through sketches linked to the mystery of the Incarnation, the young people presented different texts from the Gospel. At the end, each one of them shared in a very moving way…
A Journey for Searching
Sister Eunice Kyohairwe, in Lilongwe, Malawi, shares her experience of a Vocation Sunday In Lilongwe Diocese, Vocation Sunday was celebrated in Mlale, one of the Parishes in the diocese. This place is a bit on the periphery in terms of transportation but the youth managed to reach there in search of their vocation. I felt encouraged by their openness in asking me different questions such as: dressing, apostolate, levels of education for entry into our congregation, etc. At the end, they expressed their appreciation for being enlightened. They also shared their fear of approaching religious sisters because we don’t have time for them. From this interaction I discovered that the youth are still interested in religious life if we are available for them. I can say that our simple life style and readiness to adapt to their culture in our way of dressing is what is attracting many.…
Mission Saturdays – doors open ever wider….
From our Sister Iwona Cholewinska, in Lublin, Poland The monthly missionary meetings at our house in Lublin’s Sławinek have a long history of over twenty years. Initially, they were intended only for girls interested in the missions in Africa or who were discerning their vocation. Each meeting began with singing in African languages and a brief introduction of each participant. This was followed by an introduction to Ignatian prayer, a meditation and a sharing of the fruits of our prayer. After a short break, there was a testimony by a missionary, mostly Sisters and Fathers of the Missionaries of Africa, but also lay missionaries with missionary experience in Africa, followed by Holy Mass in an African setting and a shared meal of sandwiches and tea (which had a unique taste!). I attended these meetings as a student and as a candidate and I remember them as a time…
Good Shepherd Sunday in Arusha
The parish priest lit the candle of each child who then made a promise Our Arusha Community celebrates Vocation Day in the St. Simon the Apostle Parish, in Arusha, Tanzania “I am the good Shepherd, I know my own and my own knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for them Jn 10, 11-18” It was a tremendous and beautiful morning of Good Shepherd Sunday for our community and the Vocation Club ‘Chama cha miito’ which was begun by our postulants in previous years. We had been preparing how we could make the day colorful since it is Vocation Day. So we and the vocation club shortlisted our suggestions such as having a thanksgiving Mass, a meal together, entertainment, a fashion show, and having all the members of the club make a promise during Mass. At the beginning of the Mass, we…
Youth Is the Future
From Sr. Keneema Anosiata, Kinshasa Yolo, R. D. Congo It is a great joy for us to share with you our experience of Missionary and Vocation Animation here in Kinshasa. Indeed, we give thanks to the Lord who continues to send us young people to discern their religious vocation through our congregation. We see that the Holy Spirit is at work, because youth is the future. During 2023, we welcomed and journeyed with several girls. Some of them have come to know our congregation through our apostolic collaborators, others through social networks such as Facebook and our website. On this point, we would like to say a special thank you to Sister Amani who has never ceased to put us in contact with girls who ask her questions on Facebook about their missionary vocational journey. Others have come to know us through the testimonies of some of…
Sisters without a habit!
From sister Xaverine Mukatabaza, Malindi Community, Kenya I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:26) Sr. Edith and I were invited to Chonyi Parish in Mombasa Diocese. It was a great joy for us as MSOLA to participate in the session of WANA MARIA. These young girls had their retreat of five days and we were invited to give a session on Vocation. What a surprise to see sisters without habits! These young girls are used to seeing sisters with veils, so to see sisters without habits was a great surprise for them. They thought at first that we were members of the Catholic Women’s Association (CWA). One of the women accompanists of the group welcomed us with the following words: It is our…
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,…