NOVEMBER 2019
The General Council has been complete since October 19, 2019. From Monday 22 to Wednesday evening, October 24, we gathered together at the Annonciades Monastery in Thiais for a time of reflection and personal prayer. It was also an opportunity to start getting to know each other.
Our working sessions officially began on October 27, 2019. We are now able to provide you with some information that gives an overview of our work since that date.
Nomination
– Sister Marie Christine AHADJITSE, General Secretary.
– Claudia NGEMA, General Treasurer. She is from the Province of the Republic of South Africa. She will officially take up her position in February 2020, because she must prepare the sister who will replace her for the bursar in her Province.
Learning French is part of her program from the beginning of her stay in France.
We thank Sisters Thérèse Bichon and Josette Cernois for their service to the Secretariat and the bursar’s office, a service they have provided for several years. They also agreed to accompany Sisters Marie Christine Ahadjitse or Claudia Ngema in their responsibilities until they receive their new obediences. We will be able to continue to call on Sisters Therese and Josette when necessary. We still say to them, “Thank you for your availability”.
Visit of Sister Josette Cernois to West Africa
From November 1 to 17, 2019, Sister Josette went to West Africa for work at the Provincial Bursar’s office.
Visits of the General Councillors
In recent years, we have noted the importance for General Councillors to know the Provinces from the beginning of their mandate. We have therefore scheduled a visit to 2 Provinces as early as January 2020.
– West Africa: Sisters Jeannine Sourice and Julia Bemaso;
– Lesotho: Sisters Marie Christine Ahadjitse and Monique Couture.
Sister Mary Monica Makatjane is reaching the end of her second term in April 2020 as Provincial. Sisters Marie Christine and Monique will facilitate a consultation for the nomination of the Provincial during their visit to Lesotho.
Canonical Visits
I will begin my canonical visits in France during the absence of the Councillors.
Continuing formation
The General Councillors expressed the need to reinforce their learning of English in real conversation situations. This is how every Friday since November 8:
– The animation of the Eucharist, celebrated in English by Ferdinand Nyonsse, a young Cameroonian priest, a student welcomed at the “Carmel”, is provided by Sisters Monique Couture and Constance Mpulo. For this purpose, they organize a rehearsal of songs or refrains.
– The Councillors and Sister Léa then have one hour of classes from 9:30 to 10:30 given by Sister Monique Couture.
– We communicate in English during lunch to encourage each other.
Host communities for the General Councillors
I asked Sister Anne Marie Barré, Provincial of France, about the possibility of having communities that would accept to welcome a General Councillor for a time of vacation, of renewal… It will be an opportunity to foster closeness with the Sisters and for the Councillors, to open themselves to the realities of the Province of France, to revive the sense of belonging to the same spiritual family and a greater openness to the international dimension of the Congregation. We thank them in advance for their welcome.
United States
Sister Bonita Côté has agreed to extend her term as Provincial of the United States until the end of December. This will allow the Sisters and the General Council to discern what is best for them, given their current realities.
Canada – Brazil
During Sister Françoise Drouin’s visit to Brazil in January 2019, the Bishop of Brejo, Dom José Valdeci, expressed to her the desire to have FCSCJ’s from Madagascar. From June 2019, Sister Françoise took the necessary steps with Sister Elaine Voyer and her Council and Sister Josée Clémence, Provincial of Madagascar, who gave a favorable opinion. After consulting with her Sisters and having spent some time in discernment with her Council, Sister Josée Clémence proposed Sisters RAMANGAHARIVELO Marie Mélanie, 54 years old, and RAHANTANIRINA Lalao Joséphine, 33 years old, both school directors. They will be a precious reinforcement and help for our Sisters in Brazil who are well involved in pastoral work, in rural areas and with the poor. We hope that they will soon obtain their visas so that they can arrive in Brazil as early as January 2020. We thank them for their generosity and accompany them with our prayers in their new mission.
Our gratitude also goes to Sister Josée Clémence and her Council for having fostered and encouraged the missionary spirit in her Province.
We are reminded, that already, 2 Sisters from Madagascar had agreed to go last year to Burkina Faso in order to respond to the Bishop’s call for an educational service.
Republic of South Africa
Sister Zanele Ndlazi will make her final commitment on December 18, 2019 and Sisters Fezeka Alexia Mangqalaza and Philile Charity Mdunge will renew their vows. We assure them of our prayers in this new stage of their lives.
Madagascar
On November 1st, the Province of Madagascar celebrated with joy the 60th anniversary of its foundation and the commitment of 5 Sisters to perpetual vows. With them, we give thanks to the Lord for all the graces received during all these years and we entrust to Him the Sisters who have made a definitive commitment in the Congregation.
Before these celebrations, the Sisters of the Province were deeply affected by the sudden death of Sister Marie-Sylvie who was on her way to her new obedience to replace Sister Lalao who plans to leave for Brazil. We share their grief and assure them of our prayers.
In a few days, we will enter the liturgical season of Advent, a privileged time that invites us to a spiritual renewal and to prepare ourselves to welcome this God who wants to remain with us. We have a thousand ways to prepare for it. “Will we take the risk of letting ourselves be transformed by his grace? Will we dare to recognize that it is in the ordinary of our lives, that is, in our living together in community, in our words, in our actions, in our relationships, that the Lord prepares His dwelling “?
Together with the Councillors, I wish everyone a good beginning of Advent. I thank you for your support and assure you of our prayers and affection.
Sister Maria Andrée Huveke