Islamology session
A sharing from JovanieNITUNGA, novice MSOLA From June 9 to 14, the novices of MSOLA and the Missionaries of Africa, with the postulants of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, we followed the Islamology session led by Father Pascal M.Afr and provincial assistant. This session allowed us to learn several aspects about Islam, to know the goal of Islamic-Christian dialogue, the characteristics of interreligious dialogue, the discovery of the conversion of our founder and to make our journey of personal conversion. Indeed, we have discovered the meaning of certain terms, namely: Islam which means to surrender or submit to God. The marabout is a traditional priest who knows the tradition well and who has converted to the Muslim religion. The imam is someone who can enter into a relationship with God and interpret the Quran. We discovered that Islam is a monotheistic and revealed religion. Muslims believe…
Visitation Month
“Mary’s “yes” sparked the first “Hail Mary”; it was with this word that Father Pierre Tequi introduced the Eucharist on the feast of the Visitation in our “cathedral parish” of Ghardaïa, where our entire central sector was gathered for our last Eucharist in the company of Sister Maria Angeles, Pierre Tequi (French Fidei Donum) and Claude Venne (Missionary of Africa) to whom we said goodbye on that day. Mary, eagerly going to meet her cousin Elisabeth, did not know in advance what God was going to reveal to her when she met this woman who, despite her advanced age, also saw the wonders of God. “How do I have this happiness that the mother of my Savior comes to me?” Yes, when we came to this country, to this region, we did not know in advance everything that God was going to reveal to us about Him,…
“… if you have love for one another”
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35 By 5 MSOLA temporary professed sisters Sr. Anosiata Keneema in mission in Kinshasa, DRC, Sr. Eliane Nzoyisaba in Bunamwaya, Uganda, Sr. Eunice Kyohairwe in Tikondane, Malawi, Sr. Sylviane Rouamba in mission in Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania and Sr. Xaverine Mukatabaza in Malindi, Kenya Dear sisters and friends, greetings of peace to all of you. We are glad to share with you our joys, discoveries, insights gained during the session that we had online for three days. Indeed, it was a very rich experience. This session was given by Fr. Joseph Baru, O.C.D. We were more than 100 sisters among whom 5 MSOLA Temporary Professed sisters who actively participated in this session. The topic was: “The vowed life lived in contemporary society”. As religious, we need to have the…
The SMNDA and the emerging Congregation of the Sœurs de l’Immaculée Conception de Ouagadougou (SICO)
Sr. Delphine with two postulants of the SICO Excerpts from the diaries from 1924 to 1934 The opening of the postulate February 11, 1924, Our Lady of Lourdes. The Novitiate of the indigenous Sisters having been completed, Monsignor chose this feast of the Blessed Virgin to install there our six postulants. He blessed the robes in our little oratory, then celebrated holy mass, after which our happy girls were taken to their new home. (Diary 1924, p.51). The first vows On December 8, 1930, they told us about the joy in Ouagadougou: Big day of celebration for Ouagadougou. The 5:30 a.m. Mass, Monsignor received the wishes of the first Black Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The lucky ones were seven in number. The Church was full, and everyone listened attentively to the monition that Monsignor addressed to the future professed women. At the end of the mass, each…
Synodality – A new way of being church
the Klettenberg home and chapel From our Klettenberg community, Germany When we were young, we didn’t know the word “synodality”. For some years now, we have come across it more often, first in the writings of Pope Francis and more recently in connection with the synodal assembly in Rome. Today we understand it as a new way of being church. Jesus did not want a dictatorship for his church, he did not want a democracy either. He wanted the reign of God to be established. Today, synodality seems to be the best way to build the kingdom of God together. We have tried to describe synodality: • Travelling together, moving forward towards a common goal, praying, thinking, discussing, deciding and acting together, guided by the Spirit. • Everyone is responsible; in manageable groups everyone can have their say. Listening is the key to synodality. • Allow differences, accept…
“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…
Synodality and my MSOLA ministry
Sr. Francine Maas, first at the left, in a meeting of the parish council in Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Winooski For me, synodality means living and working together with other Christians to live our faith not only in words but in action. It means that the leadership is horizontal/circular and not vertical, thus the parishioners/community members have something or more to say about the running of their parish/community. Synodality in our parish In the 2 ½ years that I have lived in Winooski, VT. I have not heard or read a word about synodality in our parish or diocese. I go to Mass three times a week at the parish, including Sundays, so if it was mentioned, I would have heard about it. However, there is some progress. In 2023, our new pastor launched a request for people to be members of a parish council, which…
A French Guide to St. Louis in Carthage
From our sister Cécile Dilé In the spring of 2024, I had the pleasure of making my small contribution to the training of the cultural mediators who give tours of the former basilica of Carthage. Their many questions inspired me to write this booklet. The texts are short, with anecdotes, personal accounts and lots of photos. This booklet has been written so that visitors who have it in their hands can enjoy the aesthetic and/or spiritual experience to which this great cultural site invites us. The booklet can be ordered through email to the author at sblamarsa@gmail.com Here you can download the cover and index of the booklet
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…
Synodality as Mission in mission
Our recently professed Sisters wanted to share with us how they understand the novitiate was an experience of lived synodality. For us, synodality means a journey traveled together through attitudes of listening and discerning the will of God. Walking together is the call that the bishops invite us to live. In this same sense, the theme of our general chapter of 2023 invites us to walk together without fear, to expand our tents in collaboration with others. Our journey together has been marked by several things. First, we all felt one day the Lord’s call to follow him in a radical way following the example of the first disciples. We have been on this journey on a personal level and as a group. We also did this discernment with our accompanists who helped us to better understand the Lord’s call. Then, during our journey through the novitiate, we learned…