Vows of obedience, chastity and poverty
Obedience is like the “backbone” of our lives in following Christ. To obey God through human mediation can be a beautiful witness awakening the hearts of those around us. What also seems very important to us is openness to spiritual accompaniment in confidence and sincerity. In our experience of chastity, it is essential to first cultivate our personal relationship with Christ. Our life together in an international and intercultural community is a prophetic sign when we accept each other despite our differences; when we know how to accept a challenge with humility and challenge our sisters with respect. A simple smile can give life to one of my sisters or wake another one who may be isolated or locked in on herself. Creatively expressing our femininity and loyalty to community prayer is also essential to share our faith and be in communion with…
“Launch out into the deep waters”
The 2016 Tertianship has begun with Gratienne from Burundi, Theopista from Uganda, Laetitia from Mexico and Julie from DRCongo. They are accompanied by Begoña from Spain and Revocata from Uganda. What is the Tertianship? The congregation invites sisters who have lived ten years of religious life after their final commitment to meet for a time of renewal and re-reading. It takes place in Rome in our generalate. Here is the biblical text chosen for the inauguration of their program: “The crowd pressed around Jesus to hear the word of God. As he stood by the lake of Galilee He saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats which was Simon’s, he asked him to depart a little from shore. Then he sat down and from the boat, he taught the multitudes. When he had finished speaking, He…
It is a privilege for me to be a waste for God!
Madga : Sister Angela Kapitingana is Tanzanian. After several years of mission in Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, she was sent to the novitiate in Burkina Faso to work in the formation of young women who want to become Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa. I asked her about her religious vocation. Magda – Sister, how did you discover your religious vocation? Angela – Discovering my vocation was not easy but in my heart I had a desire to share my faith with people who have no family especially orphans, I wanted to show that they are important in God’s eyes. Very early I lost my mother. I wanted to help my sister who did everything so that I could study. I worked hard at school until I had the opportunity to go to university. It was a decisive moment when I felt in my heart…
Final commitment of Sr Clémence Sawadogo 29th august 2015
My soul magnifies the Lord! … With the Magnificat, I thank God for his trust and love for me and for all the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa. “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done unto me according to your word.” This is the theme I chose for the Eucharistic celebration. By my baptism, I entered the great family of God and became a prophet and disciple to follow Christ. What is essential for me is trust, acceptance to walk in the light as in the darkness with faith in the Risen Christ. I thank the Lord for the gift of religious missionary life. On the eve of this important ceremony, I was so happy to welcome our sisters from Ouagadougou: Hortensia, Agnes, Nathalie and Caritas as well as the father of our sister Nathalie; also Brigitte from Mali and Thérèse from…
Apostolic activities in the noviciat
“Three Saturdays a month, in the afternoon, we spend two hours in tutoring children from this village which is almost abandoned. We work with two members of the community of Saint Egidio, which we were told upon arrival that “this is a school of peace.” Bénédicte cares for children from CE1 and CE2 (basic courses) and Aline those of CP1 and CP2 (preparatory courses). This phrase, “it is a school of peace” has marked us so much that today we realize that these children really need peace. Sometimes they fight one another to express their need for affection, as their great-grandparents were quarantined in the village because of their disease. There is a woman who spoke, saying, “it’s better when you’re here,” simply because these children who find it difficult to live together, fight and that is a disorder. Gradually the children get used to being…
God calls … How do I respond?
I will try to share with you something of God’s call in my life. How I heard God’s call, how I responded and how I continue to respond every day in the daily events of my life. My name is Mia. I am a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa and I am from Ghent, Belgium. Here are some signs to help discern a call to a religious missionary vocation Listen to testimonials: Since I was very young, in primary school, I loved listening to the testimony of the missionary sisters who came to speak in our classrooms during their home-leave in Belgium. I thought to myself: When I grow up, I want to be like them, go to Africa, especially where people do not yet know God. I also loved watching on TV reports and documentaries about Africa. Listen to the Word of…
Different stages in the formation
An itinerary of formation The Congregation offers young women who express the desire to become a Missionary Sister of Notre Dame d’Afrique an itinerary of formation. Each stage is at the service of the human and spiritual growth of the person in view of her choice of life. First discoveries Thanks to a 9-month pre-postulancy in her own country or in a neighbouring country, the candidate gradually discovers life in a community of the Missionary Sisters of Notre Dame d’Afrique. She also works and takes courses. The international postulancy This is a first spiritual stage where the apostolate, initiation into a life of personal and community prayer and teaching are experienced with other young people from different countries. It lasts two years. The international novitiate This is the foundational stage of our initial formation to missionary religious life. It lasts 18 months. This time of ‘desert’ and deeper listening…
Final commitment of sr Brigitta Gremn in Germany 3rd may 2015
Sr Brigitta Gremn made her final vows in her home parish on 3rd May 2015. She is named to Nairobi, South B, Kenya.