An apostolic tour looking to the future!
Sunday September 17, 2023, Spéciosa, Celina and Cécile left early in the morning for a 195 km drive. This little one-day trip was born first of all from the desire to share with Celina what our community experiences with Muslim women in the city of Kef. Also, we felt certain about something, without really knowing why and what awaited us: the certainty was that it was God who called us to take this path. Driven by this inner conviction shared as a community, we hit the road. We entrusted it to Mary through hymns and prayers, then we listened to this text: “Transformation involves listening to our deepest longings and greatest aspirations to create a new vision for the future. It requires letting go of what is no longer true, real or life-giving and listening to God’s call to new life. It is an organic, emergent, and continually itinerant…
My efforts for MVA
Sr. Francine Maas, Winooski, United States Missionary and Vocational Animation continues through all of our lives to be an essential aspect of our Missionary Call. However, according to me, it takes on a different appearance in the living out of our lives. Now, in my senior years, more than ever I sense the call to be mission in all that I am and do. I pray that at least some of the elderly individuals with whom I live and the members of our staff will be touched by Jesus through me. This is Mission!!! As far as vocational animation goes, to tell you the truth, as the youngest American MSOLA, at 77 years of age, I will not do vocational animation in the hopes that young American women might join the congregation. However, if one would “knock upon our door”, I would welcome her, listen to her and explain…
Audience with Pope Francis
January 3, 2024…a long-awaited date because we had been invited in a privileged way to Pope Francis’ general audience. At 7 a.m., we were enthusiastically marching towards the Vatican…. Wow!! A huge crowd of people were lining up…. They were way ahead of us!!! Courageous, we were the last in line, but before long we were no longer the last, and the queue was moving along at a good pace. Our yellow card put us in a special place called “baisemains”. We were in row 4… a great row to see Pope Francis up close! In these words, Pope Francis reminded us that in the Christian life, spiritual warfare is for all people who want to commit themselves to following Jesus, who himself had to live and manage his own life. Here is what he told us: Last week, we introduced the theme of vices and virtues. It’s…
Hearts on fire, feet on the moove
From the Lublin Community, Poland The Extraordinary Missionary Month of October is marked by different events and activities in Poland. If there is a place where so much enthusiasm is shown for this missionary dimension of the Church, it is here in Poland. Parish priests and Catechists of schools make it their duty to give their people an extraordinary Missionary experience, especially during Mission week, which begins on World Mission Sunday. It is mostly the busiest month for Missionary congregations. And the MSOLA are not left out. Our community here in Lublin this year, received invitations to 3 different parishes, 6 primary schools and 2 technical schools. We, Lucy and Victoria found this a great opportunity to do Missionary and Vocation Animation and we seized all the opportunities. Mostly we were both able to honor these invitations together, though few times one of us had to remain in community…
Echo of the post-capitular chapter – America
From our sister, Gratienne Ndizeye It is with a heart full of gratitude that we come to share with you a quick word about the post-capitular Chapter which took place from October 13 to 20, 2023, at Carrefour Providence in Montreal. The first surprise and novelty was the invitation to all the sisters who wanted and could participate. So, we were 25 sisters and Ms. Mélanie our coordinator. The chapter was led by Sr. Micheline Trembley, a Holy Cross Sister. We were accompanied in prayer by all our sisters who first took part in the preparation through sharing their reflection on the 2023 Capitular Acts. The hall in the house of Cartierville had been arranged to welcome the chapter participants. The Sisters formed small communities of disciples at round tables. The second surprise was the joy of welcoming freshness from the General Council who accompanied us throughout the…
With Mary, discerning and choosing
From our sister Nathalie, on behalf of the Deli community, CHAD This year, the MSOLA organized a vocational camp in Deli from 11 to 16 September 2023 at the Kapokier Rouge Center. Seven young women from four parishes participated. Our theme was “With Mary, discerning and choosing”. The whole community was mobilized to ensure a warm welcome and the smooth running of the camp. While other sisters cleaned up the site and the equipment, some of them transported the necessities to the Kapokier Rouge. Our sister Bernadette, who was staying with her family during her holidays, joined us to animate the camp. Each of the sisters had a time of animation, sharing, witness and exchange with these young people. On the first day we focused on the theme by looking closely at the figure of Mary. How she discerned on every occasion in the mystery of…
Let Justice and Peace flow
From the Rome community, Italy The Season of Creation runs annually from September 1 through October 4. It unites the global Christian family around one shared purpose, that of caring for the Planet. It invites us to celebrating prayer services and engaging in a variety of actions to care for creation. This year’s theme is inspired by the Prophet Amos. He cries out: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24) And so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity. In this sense, many of us MSOLA in Rome, General Council, generalate community and juniors participated in two activities. On 9th September we prayed with our brothers, the Missionaries of Africa, the brothers…
Testimonies from the WYD in Lisbon
The following beautiful testimonies were sent by Sr. Alice Geron from Belgium. She met the young people from the parish who were participating in WYD in Lisbon, on their return she asked if they could give a testimony. There were 4 young people from their pastoral unit accompanied by Sr. Odette, Sister of the Holy Family. Please find below the testimonies of Lucily and Trixia (2 sisters) and Lynne. Testimony of Lucily, 15 years old Standing in front of the buses with my huge rucksack, I was still wondering if I was ready, if I had all my things. But I wanted to give myself over to the adventure of this WYD in Lisbon. The three coaches leaving BXL were heading for Paray-Le-Monial and Lourdes, our stopovers before Lisbon. At Paray-Le-Monial, where more than thirty apparitions of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary took place, the basilica made me…
Safeguarding of minors
Safeguarding of minors is a crucial aspect in our apostolates. Earlier this year, Sr. Justine Akampamya obtained a Safeguarding Diploma from the Gregorian University in Rome. The 5 months course gave her an introduction to the many issues in diverse fields which touch on this topic of safeguarding. She also learned how to apply practically the newly gained competencies and drew up an action plan for the cultural background in Chad. Sr. Justine shares on this. I am glad to have had a training on safeguarding of minors. As daughters of Lavigerie, we are passionate about Justice, peace and integrity of creation. Today, my personal analysis integrates the safety of a human being in “the integrity of creation”. We are a unique creation. The children of this universe are to be raised in an integral manner to facilitate their holistic development. As an educator who spends most of my…
Transforming and overwhelming love
Christmas message from the General Council In contemplating the Incarnation, Saint Ignatius invites us to contemplate the world (Spir. Ex. 101 and ff.). We are asked to see this world as God sees it, knows it and loves it, with all its beauty and its painful and vulnerable reality, “all the nations in great blindness descending towards death and hell”. Today, we are painfully aware of how the earth and all humanity are crying out, especially the poorest victims of war, climate change and the economic system that is creating an ever-widening gap between rich and poor. God does not remain indifferent to human reality, the Trinity contemplates and decides to send the second Person who must become a man to save humanity. In his decision to take flesh in our humanity, we touch the depth of his loving mercy. God comes to us in our misery and our…