FIRST DAY

The young sisters arrived at the Resurrection Garden on 29^thevening, and were welcomed by the General Council team who were already there.  There are 27 young sisters from nine nationalities, Sr. Daphne Alphonso our translator and the general council team.  All of us are from 13 nationalities.

On 30^thmorning, the meeting started by a welcoming word from Sr. Carmen Sammut and the song “We are companions on the journey”. We had a beautiful image of the carpet of peace made by our elderly sisters in collaboration with other people in The Netherlands, linking us with our elderly sisters. We were invited to remember the sisters we interviewed or any other elderly sisters and send them peace, joy and our deepest desire. 

Sr. Carmen Sammut animating the session

Picture of the carpet of peace

We continued the morning with a prayer about the apostle Peter who responds to the call of Jesus to walk on the water Mt 14: 22-33, The key word was COME”

This led us to express our feelings by painting. 

The complete painting

The afternoon was first dedicated to the theme of“COMMUNITY LIFE DEVELOPMENT”

We saw how all groups including our communities go through faces as they strive to work together. We can distinguish three phases: inclusion, confrontation and collaboration. These phases are not chronological, nor do we go through once and for all; rather we come and go between them, especially when a new member joins a group.

On thelast part of the afternoon we shared the learnings from the interviews we had with our elderly sisters on the aspects of being women apostles, living interculturality and internationality in our communities and their message to us.

Some feelings and expressions from some of us who are participating for the first time in this meeting of the temporary professed sisters.

“ Lots of emotions! A huge joy of getting to know so many of us, to discover how rich and how beautiful we are together. A whole sum of different feelings when we tried to put into the painting and talk about what we have been living during the last year.An enormous gratitude towards our elderly sisters for the richness of their experiences, their precious wisdom and their deep faith that they shared with us.Feeling of being loved and supported very much by them.  YESU, ASANTE SANA for this beautiful first day of our meeting.

SR. ALICJA TOTON

SR. AURELIE DUSHIME

“I have really liked so much this session and all we have learnt today. I could  make a link with my own experience. It is for me like an open door inviting me to share and to receive. It is very enriching”

“I felt the fire of our young sisters which expreses dynamism and gives hope. It’s a joy to meet each other and gives us the opportunity to know each other more. I could feel the trust among ourselves and that was seen in the sharing. I am also impressed, by the active participation of each member. 

The second part of this day which was animated by our elderly sisters through their interviews. Though very far physically, we felt their presence among us. Their interviews are very enriching and strengthening.”   

SR. MAPENDO MASIRIKA

“I am very happy to be here with the young sisters, I am very impressed by their readiness, and their commitments in all the activities of today, even those who were very tired because of the long journey. I request to all of our sisters to visit the blog, to pray for us, to read, to comment and if there is any encouraging word please do so” 

SR. JULIANA KAROMBA on the right together with SR. MARÍA CARMEN OCÓN

“I am very struck by all the joy and dynamism that I have witnessed today with our young sisters in this meeting. I knew all their names but today I am able to put names on the faces. My joy is to bring my contribution in being a channel to enable everybody to participate in the meeting through facilitating communication. I arrived very tired because of the work I had, but now I feel very energized by our sisters. I trust and hope in my younger sisters”

Some important quotes of the first day

“No one can claim to have reached full maturity. There is always room for growth. Only the dead cannot grow’’

“To live my vocation more effectively, it is helpful from time to time to be aware of how I am treating myself physically, spirituality, emotionally, relationally’’

“Quand l’Esprit saint est là, il met la pagaille” Pope Francis

Editorial team