Jubilee Celebration in Brussels
From our Sister Monique Bonami What a joy it was on Saturday August 19 to gather around the 3 jubilarians of the year: Sr Irma Declerq: 75 years of religious life, Sr Patricia Massart: 65 and Sr Marie-Paule Schiltz: 50. Early in the morning, our coordinator Claire and her husband Kim went to pick up Irma in Oostkamp (Bruges). Patricia came from Eureka (Evere) and Marie-Paule is on site: Evere St Joseph where we have 4 sites. An elevator breakdown gave us the opportunity to go not to the chapel, but to the dining room of the Sisters of the 3rd floor, which was well decorated for the occasion, and it was more familiar! Father Luc de l’Arbre, Miss. d’Afrique, celebrated the Eucharist, which began with the beautiful hymn “Jubilez, criez de joie”. We continued alternating between French and Flemish, ending with a song in Alur, a language of…
A M.Afr at a MSOLA Chapter
From Fr. Dave Sullivan M.Afr., spiritual companion at the MSOLA chapter On one of the first days of the chapter I spoke in a homily about my first experience of going to a dance where boys and girls danced together. At that time I had no experience of dancing. The girls that I danced with taught me that in order to dance it is necessary to listen to the rhythm of the music and then to move to that rhythm. This lesson is true not only on dancing but also of all aspects of life. We are to listen to the rhythm that God is playing in our lives and then we are to dance to that tune. During the first days of the MSOLA chapter I had the impression that God was playing a different tune in my life. It was a more “feminine” tune, a tune that…
Sharing from a temporary professed sister
Sharing from Sr. Magdalena Orczykowska The event of the General Chapter was for me an experience of deep listening on all levels, an experience of contemplative listening in which all the voices counted, were heard and welcomed. Myself, as a temporary professed sister, I felt welcomed, loved and free to share, despite my little experience of the life of the Congregation. I recognized the presence of God among us and I was deeply touched by the participants’ openness, availability and docility to the Holy Spirit who thus was allowed to guide us, together, in this transforming journey. It was for me a time in which God helped us to look closely at our weaknesses and vulnerability, but with God’s own eyes that do not condemn but love unconditionally and accept. Far from being discouraged by the wounds we carry as congregation, my love for our religious family increased and was…
Jubilee of 100 Years of SICO
This year, the Immaculate Conception Sisters of Ouagadougou (SICO) celebrated their hundred-year jubilee. With joy, Sr. Furaha Kamanyula Jeannette shares with us her experience of the colloquium, held from February 8 to 11, during these celebrations in Ouagadougou. I was amazed and edified by the way the colloquium was organized; the SICO sisters really took time to prepare for this event. Already in October, I received a phone call from Sister Pascaline, SIC whom I did not know. To my great surprise, she sent me a message from Mother Pauline, the mother general, who asked for a service. Astonished and surprised I asked her what this service was. She answered me that it was a question of preparing a conference on the occasion of their jubilee of 100 years of foundation. I then asked Sister Pascaline many questions, telling her that I was in Bobo-Dioulasso in the novitiate, and…
A transformative service
From Sister Anafrida Biro, of our Gumo Community in Ghana When I think of our 26th Chapter, I feel very grateful for the experience lived. The Lord surprised me like the servants of the last hour. I did not expect to attend the Chapter. But one day I was asked to come and assure the service of translation (French to English). Fraterna Domus where we had our meeting, was a very conducive place for the work of the Chapter favouring one’s full presence. Simplicity seemed to be key: A simple convocation of the Holy Spirit, simplicity of our facilitators, our spiritual companion, a Marist brother who guided us in a recollection, Carol’s apostolic witness… I quickly noticed how God uses the simple ones to do great things! The language mostly used was English, so there were moments when I – from my place – could enter into reflections or…
The story of the bird
From Sr. Càrol Garcia Murillo, Spain I still remember when a few months ago, Sr. Carmen Sammut invited me to participate in our General Chapter. I couldn’t believe what this offered to me and, at the same time, I was invaded by a big emotion. It was not easy to negotiate with the doctor to be able to spend three weeks in Rome, but I managed no less than eight days! Although I would have preferred it to be more, I was happy and very grateful. Many of you were able to see it. However, I’ll be honest with you: due to my physical fragility, I don’t think I would have been able to stay in Sacrofano for three full weeks, following your intense and fruitful pace of work, which I undoubtedly admired. The days before my departure I felt great uncertainty, fear of the unknown, excitement for…
Experience of the world: the World Youth Day at Lisbon
A report from Sr. Lucy Nabweteme, Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Lublin, Poland On the 24th of July we left Lublin, Poland for Portugal for the World Youth Day. We were 20 participants, with Fr. Mateusz Wójcik who was responsible for the group. We all set off for the pilgrimage with our personal desires or mission. Sr. Victoria Gaa and I were sent by our Congregation specifically to do Missionary Vocation Animation. I also had my personal desire which was to love the people I will meet and to go to Fatima. On the 26th we arrived at Marco de Canaveses, in Porto diocese, where we spent four days. We were all touched by the love, care and generosity of the families that welcomed us. We were also very grateful for all the organisation that had been done at the parish to enable us to have…
Impressions from the General Chapter 2023
From Sr. Margret Tovar, in Trier in Germany On April 29, I arrived in Rome knowing that I would be the oldest delegate at the General Chapter. I felt hesitation, a little fear and a certain insecurity. From the beginning, I tried to remember the names of my younger sisters, unfortunately without much success. At the opening of the Chapter, each was invited to a commitment, and mine was to listen with all my being, all my intelligence, all my heart. I experienced day by day a transformation in myself and in all of us through respect and true and deep sharing. The times of silence, the fact of letting emotions come and appear without embarrassment, helped us to go further and to experience this transformation. Working and sharing in a group favored this journey as well as the prayers and Eucharists so well prepared. “At my age”, I am…
Dare to dream of a new creation!
This is the Letter of the General Council on the 154th anniversary of the birth of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Our Lady of Africa. Rome, 8th September 2023 Ladies! If it’s just us to get started, it’ll be lovely! Dare to dream of a new creation! Dear Sisters, Happy feast day of the birth of our Lady and our Congregation! From the very beginning our Congregation has been on a journey of transformation within itself and within the Church. Our first heroic Sisters from Brittany, responding to the call of Cardinal Lavigerie, embarked on an adventure…
Life is beautiful! Let’s live it.
The community of Nouakchott reports on a joyful occasion: The summer camp From July 10 to 27, Sister Elyse Uwanyirigira and her team organized three weeks of activities for the children of the Maison du Quartier and for those studying in other schools. What is unique to this colony is the number of children enrolled: 78! Other children kept knocking on the door after a week of activities, but the limit was reached: sorry, what to do? The supervisors consulted each other and decided to welcome them anyway, because even if they said “no”, a young girl had already said that she was going to sit next to the others and watch what they were doing instead of going home. Three volunteer supervisors, including a retired doctor and a student from the Lycée Français who came with her friend, showed up to lend a hand. Two people passing through…