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  • by SEED
    • 23/11/2009

    “Our vocation is so beautiful, so lofty…. Let us thank the Lord for having called us to this apostolate!”     With these words of Maestra Thecla echoing in our minds ands hearts, we began the last day of our meeting for redesigning our presences in Africa-Madagascar.

    We couldn’t find more appropriate words to express our gratitude. We end this en-counter with great joy and deep thanks to the Lord for the many things he permitted us to ex-perience and accomplish in these days. We can truly say that we reached all our goals.

    On the local level, we came to a swift and profound agreement concerning the “milestones” that should mark our journey, namely: to reawaken ourselves on the spiritual and communitarian levels through daily contact with the Word of God; to make a fresh and more decisive commitment to pastoral work for vocations, to share our charism with the laity….

    On the continental level, we drew up concrete, verifiable priorities, specifying stages and time frames. These priorities, which express the characteristics of our Pauline tradition and the directives of the African Synod, are not only aimed at consolidating our structures but also urge us on to realize the dream of establishing new presences on this continent.

    “We entered the city willingly and decisively,” Sr. Antonieta Bruscato said in her concluding message. “The challenge we now face is to remainthere.” How do we do this? By becoming completely involved in the life, the problems and the hopes of our people; by becoming the “eyes, mouth and ears of Africa.”

    Thank you, sisters, for accompanying and supporting us on our journey. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your many messages, which brightened our days, and for your solidarity, which lightened the weight of our work.

    22/11/2009

    The Feast of Christ the King marked not only the close of the Liturgical Year but also the close of our Continental Meeting. As always, the day opened with the Eucharistic Celebration, enlivened by African music and songs that lent a very festive touch to the Liturgy and strengthened the spirit of communion among us.

    In our Morning Prayer, Maestra Thecla also spoke to us about communion and above all about charity, urging us to imitate our Father in this so as to be true Daughters of St. Paul. What a good beginning to the day, which was dedicated to determining the priorities for our Continental Project!
    In an effort to create a concrete and do-able Project instead of “a balloon that quickly loses its air,” we spent the morning reflecting personally on the first draft of our document, followed by a lively discussion in our work groups and in the assembly. Thanks to these ses-sions, we were able to whittle down our Project to the point that it is basic and able to be im-plemented and evaluated. Our goal for tomorrow: the definitive approval of these priorities.

    The General Government took the microphone during our afternoon session, telling us about some of the initiatives that have been programmed on the congregational level, includ-ing animations on the Constitutions.

    Sr. Antonieta helped us look even further ahead by speaking about plans for the celebration of the Centenary of the Pauline Family.

    So we have one more day of hard work ahead of us. Knowing this, we all joyfully welcomed the invitation to spend an evening with the members of our Nairobi community–a moment of relaxation enriched with the songs and dances of our young women, who are the hope of this continent and of our Congregation.
     

    21/11/2009

    Today was dedicated to drawing up our Continental Project. We entered into the proper climate for this by means of the Eucharistic Liturgy, celebrated in our beautiful chapel in Nairobi, in the company of the Queen of Apostles and St. Paul (both depicted with African features), as well as Fr. Alberione, Maestra Thecla and many other witnesses, some Pauline and some not, all represented in a large painting behind the altar.

    After an introductory prayer well suited to our program of the day, we broke up into small groups and began to hypothesize priorities for redesigning our presences in Africa and Madagascar. Once an initial convergence of ideas was reached in our work groups, we gathered in the assembly hall and a lively discussion of the different proposals ensued. This helped us pinpoint the elements we all have in common so that we can more easily determine the proposals to which we should give priority.

    Tomorrow we will once again be involved in a rigorous discernment aimed at discovering “what the Lord has to say to us” now that we have “entered the city” like Paul.

    As we said yesterday, we are fully aware of our poverty and inadequacies but at the same time we are consoled by the Swahili proverb: Dau la mnyonge haliendi joshi, likienda joshi ni Mungu kupenda.” (The boat of a poor person does not move ahead because of the wind in its sail but because God wants it to!)

    20/11/2009

    Today was spent drawing up the projects that will help us revitalize our Pauline life and mission on the local level. It was a beautiful experience to hear those drafts read aloud to the Assembly late this afternoon.

    From the Congo-Ivory Coast Delegation to that of East Africa/Nigeria, Zambia, Sudan and Madagascar, then south to Mozambique, South Africa and Angola, a rapid succession of converging proposals emerged with regard to pastoral work for vocation, formation, the sharing of our charism with the laity, the desire to help deepen the faith of the younger generations in communion with the Church of Africa in this post-Synod period….

    Many suggestions emerged as to what should be done over the short and medium term. At the end of the session, our facilitator, Sr. Battistina, affirmed with satisfaction that we had attained the first objective of our meeting.
    The rough draft of these work plans will now be shared with the sisters of our circum-scriptions/communities so as to transform them into Projects that will be sent to the General Government by 15 December for approval.

    During our Hour of Adoration this afternoon, we offered the Lord the fruit of our work in these days, asking him to give us an extra measure of grace in view of what awaits us tomorrow. In fact, we will be drawing up our Continental Project, specifying concrete lines of action and a calendar for implementing them over the short and medium terms.

    We do not feel equal to such a great responsibility. Make no mistake: we have big dreams–as vast as the Pauline mission–but we are well aware of our poverty and inadequacies. But at the same time we are sustained by the certainty that the Lord is with us. He has blessed us abundantly and will continue to give us the gift of vocations. On our part, we want to re-spond to him by “taking care of” Africa and also by preparing Paulines to go out to the entire world.

    Thank you for remembering us in your prayers, Sisters!

    19/11/2009

    “Make my joy complete by being one in love, one in heart and one in mind” (Phil. 2:2). This appeal of the Apostle Paul echoed powerfully among us at Morning Prayer, preparing us for a task that calls for a great communion of hearts and intentions.

    In fact, we have reached the point where we must now give concrete form to the knowledge we acquired in the preceding days so as to move forward, “giving a reason for our hope,” because, as Sr. Battistina, our guide, observed with great insight, “we have to help Africa give birth to the hope that lies within her.” Powerfully drawn to this metaphor so close-ly linked to the natural role of woman, we began to lay the groundwork necessary to sketch out our redesigning project on the local and continental levels.

    The circumscription superiors and superiors of the communities dependent on the General Government made a great contribution to this work through their earlier input con-cerning what their sisters have done so far to redesign the different areas of the Pauline life, offering suggestions also in view of the future. Thus we were able to reach a convergence of ideas that we are sure will lead us to a communal consensus concerning the journey to be pur-sued.

    In the afternoon we began our group work, which we will continue tomorrow. During these sessions we are formulating concrete plans for the future of our circumscriptions and communities, striving to improve thequality of our life and mission so as to be an always more significant and prophetic presence in the midst of the people of Africa and Madagascar.

    And speaking of this splendid people, after our midday meal we visited our Nairobi book center, which is frequented by persons of every age and walk of life. Located in a stra-tegic position near the Cathedral, our large and luminous apostolic center offers a broad and beautiful selection of books and audiovisuals to the public, which are rendered even more ap-pealing by the efficient and hospitable service of its staff.

    We continue to count on your prayers, sisters. Thank you for the many messages you continue to send us. We know they are a sign of your presence and affection.

    18/11/2009

    Morning prayer and the Eucharistic Celebration opened this day, which was dedicated to personal reflection, group work and the exchange of ideas in assembly.

    Wisely guided by our facilitator, Sr. Battistina Capalbo, whose role is to help us attain our objectives, we entered the decisive stage of our meeting.
    After days of listening profoundly, of sharing and comparing ideas, and of getting to know the situations of our various countries/communities, we are now called to draw up a work plan that will be subsequently concretized in local projects, and to offer proposals that will then be examined and discussed to determine whether or not they should be assumed on the continental level.

    The work we accomplished in the preceding days helped to prepare us for this de-manding job. We have begun this new stage of our journey in a serene and fraternal spirit, in profound harmony with the sisters of the General Government. Our efforts are already begin-ning to bear fruit in that we are coming to a convergence of ideas quite easily–a fact that reas-sures us that our encounter and the spirit of communion and collaboration that reigns among us will offer new prospects to our communal journey.

    Sisters, we will need your prayers more than ever in the coming days, which will be devoted to discernment and planning. We are asking the Holy Spirit to give us the light we need to courageously take the path he is pointing out to us for the good of the peoples of Africa-Madagascar entrusted to our apostolic ministry.

    Before concluding this news flash, we want to once again thank our sisters of the Nai-robi community for welcoming us so warmly into their beautiful house and for the solicitude with which they try to satisfy our every need.
     

    17/11/2009

    Today we took a break from our work and made an excursion to Naivasha National Park, located about 100 km. (62 miles) from Nairobi.

    The trip was made in a warm sisterly spirit, during which we were able to admire the vast African landscape but also glimpse the harsh realities of the people who live in the scattered villages we passed. During a stop in Leary, which offers visitors a splendid panorama, we were surrounded by a group of traveling artists who immediately offered us their products, the source of their income.

    Naivasha seemed to us to truly be a “garden of Eden” because of its great natural beauty: sweeping plains carpeted with green grass and flowers, dotted with lakes, and populated by all kinds of animals. We saw giraffes, zebras, gazelles, antelopes, hippopotami and even pelicans on the shores of a lake.
     
    After lunch, we visited a part of the park called Hell’s Gate, where the animals all roam freely. We wanted to spend some time among them but unexpected torrential rains swamped the road, making it both difficult and dangerous to get around. So we decided to return to Nairobi, 
    happy to have spent such a happy and carefree day in one another’s company.

    Now we are ready to resume our work with renewed energy and commitment.

     
     16/11/2009


    Our itinerary for redesigning our presences in Africa-Madagascar continues. Presently, we are still in a stage of profound listening as we re-examine the various areas of our life and mission, seeking to come to a better grasp of these situations so as to understand how the Lord is calling us to revitalize them.

    Helped by the sisters of our General Government, we were incited to action by the conference on sharing our charism with the laity, who are a significant factor in all our circumscriptions. It was during our Interchapter Meeting here in Nairobi in 1998 that the we were strongly urged to change our mentality concerning collaboration with the laity, and to-day our FSP animator emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the experience the Congregation has acquired in this area since then. She also underscored the need to concretize the document, My Co-Workers for the Sake of the Gospel.

    The concluding talk of the round table discussion focused on the subject of our economy–an area that needs to be redesigned in a spirit of communion and collaboration, solidarity and responsibility, so that the Congregation can respond more effectively to the needs of the Pauline mission.

    All the presentations of the General Councilors helped us “enter” Africa–the continent of hope–in a more personal and life-oriented way. The stirring words of Fr. Paulino Mondo, a Comboni priest of Ugandase origins who works as a missionary here in Kenya, helped us get to know the heart of Africa, a land of paradoxes, where widely-differing and even opposing situations co-exist. Africa is a continent of suffering and the Church here suffers with her children.
    But in the midst of all this she continues to proclaim–through the Word of God, prayer, witness and service–the good news that Africa is in the hands of God.

    15/11/2009

    As is fitting, our first Sunday in Africa began with a memorable Eucharistic Celebration in the chapel of our Nairobi community. The invitation of the biblical readings to “keep alert” created the right atmosphere for the day’s program: a round table discussion guided by the General Councilors, who offered us a panoramic and provocative view of the various areas of our Pauline life, allowing us to come to a more profound awareness of the fact that our redesigning process, which must be carried out together, must take as its point of departure our concrete reality.

    How, then, can we rediscover the unifying power of our spirituality in the light of the Word of God, taking St. Paul as our model and recapturing the sense of ecclesiality proper to our vocation?
    How can we make pastoral work for vocations our true “priority of priorities” and how do we joyously communicate to others the great “good” we possess? One answer comes from the Holy Father, who is urging everyone to help young people discover the Word as a privi-leged “place” for listening to the voice of Jesus, who is calling them.
    How do we live in continual formation so as to conform our life to Christ and share his passion for humanity?
    How do we face the challenges of a mission that should be always more suited to the times and that springs from our passion for the a

    postolate, in keeping with the example of Paul, Alberione and Thecla? These questions helped us re-examine the different areas of our life and also glimpse new paths opening before us.

    In the afternoon, before resuming our work, we drove out to Langata on the outskirts of Nairobi, near the Catholic University, to see the site of our future house for FSP students, at the moment an empty piece of land inhabited by a delightful assortment of barnyard animals (see picture).
     

    14/11/2009

    Our work is moving ahead with surprising speed. After having welcomed the invitation to “enter the city,” we plunged into the socio-political, ecclesial and communicational situations of the places where we are present in Africa-Madagascar. It was an adventurous trip that took us from East Africa to Angola by way of the Congo and Ivory Coast, then back across the continent to Mozambique and from there across the sea to Madagascar, then back again for our final stop–South Africa.

    On this long “trip,” we came to appreciate the values of the vast African continent, whose growing population is shaping its story courageously, in spite of everything. Our trip gave us a glimpse of the many types of poverty present here, expressed in the forms of mis-government, corruption, miserable living conditions, a lack of instruction and of health care, and communications manipulated by those in power. We traveled within the Catholic Church, noting with joy that it has grown by 30% on this continent over the last 30 years and has been enriched by an abundance of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Our trip also gave us a rapid glance at how various sects are multiplying in this part of the world, and how Islam is spreading….


    All this information prompted us to question ourselves profoundly, fired us with the desire to imitate our Father St. Paul in seeking new ways to reach the many people here who still have not heard the Gospel, and also urged us to consolidate the Christian formation of the younger generations.


    We need your prayerful support more than ever, sisters. Thank you for the many messages we have been receiving from every part of the world via email and our website. Your presence through these instruments is a big help and encouragement to us!

    13/11/2009 

    Greetings from Nairobi, known as “the green city under the sun” due to its clear skies and mild climate. After a very warm welcome on the part of our FSP community here, which is made up of 36 people (professed sisters, novices and postulants), we “solemnly” entered into the atmosphere of the Continental Meeting for Africa-Madagascar through a moving Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Fr. Franco Cellana, Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of the Consolata. Songs, dances, flags and African symbols helped to make this a truly special moment and also helped us take in stride the two power outages that interrupted the Liturgy and put our lectors and photographers to the test.

    The concluding dance symbolically accompanied us “into the city,” where we will now find out what we must do, as Sr. M. Antonieta Bruscato said in opening the meeting. The Superior General then invited us to become aware of the great gift we have been given to be in Africa right after the close of the Special Synod (Rome, 4-25 October 2009), which was a significant experience of “unity in diversity,” as the Holy Father called it. This is an important premise for us, who are called to “redesign our presences so as to feel that we are one body, share our resources and frailties, and broaden our hearts to embrace the needs of humanity….”

    Inspired by the appeal of Sr. Antonieta: “Sisters, let us get to our feet and enter this continent,” we listened with great interest to the theme she developed in her subsequent talk, entitled: Where the Lord is Leading Us: Toward New Beginnings with the Creativity of the Spirit. Her input offered us many stimuli, including the African adage she cited in conclusion:When the branches of the trees in a forest are stripped of their leaves, their roots embrace one another.

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