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The feast of St. Joseph at the novitiate in Nianing
March 19 and 24, 2019
This event began when our novice mistress told us that the feast of St Joseph was going to be celebrated in community. This surprised us as the novices have often been to Casamancefor this feast.
After receiving this news, there was a community meeting to organise the spiritual and party preparations.
On the spiritual level, we made a novena from March 10 to 18, either at morning or evening prayer, depending on the day. We took a prayer or a text about Joseph, or a message written by our Superiors to mark the feast; or some days we took a prayer for vocations, or a reading from "One Month with St Joseph". Each of us took our turn to prepare and lead the prayer. We also had a community recollection led by Sister Michelle, with sharing during the evening prayer.
On the morning of the 19th, the community celebrations began, starting with Morning Prayer, well animated – there was even dancing with the final song. by the young people in the parish. It ended around 6 p.m.
Also in the spiritual context, on Sunday 17th, the priest invited the parishioners to join our feast on the 19th, during the Eucharistic celebration of 6:30 p.m. animated by the novitiate. We had some intense rehearsals with the whole community and a few youngpeople from the parish, who are our associates and who helped us with the organ. The celebration began with an entrance procession (the servers, the community, and the priests), a grandiose, beautiful, and prayerful celebration where the songs were accompanied by the pianist and the tam-tam drummers. The celebration was so beautiful that the last song never ended.
We were surrounded and supported by the large, fraternal presenceof the parish community of Nianing and at the end of Mass they greeted us and wishedus well for our celebration.
At the festive level, invitations had been extended to pastoral agents, priests, brothers of the Sacred Heart and nuns. Many were able to come for the Mass and forthe meal in community; there were about thirty of us.
As with all parties in community, we had shared the tasks of preparing of the meal, the cleaning andthe decorating. Each of us was involved in ensuring the success of the party.
We, "The St Joseph 2017-2019 Group", welcomed our guests warmlywith a song, then served the aperitif, and the rest...
On the menu, there was a variety of dishes (attieké, tô, fries, small vegetables, chicken, pork, fish, fruit salad), representing the various nationalities present at the novitiate. Our guests all expressed their enjoyment.
Between each dish, there was entertainment led by the Group: music, ‘the news’, games, skits, etc.
The evening had to end at midnight because the next day was a working day...
The party did not in fact end on March 19. For us, the octave extended to Sunday, March 24 with our associates, our friends and all those who couldcomeafter Mass for an aperitif, a meal and singing and dancing under the trees in the garden.
It was a very pleasant and agreeable day We have all the memories of this party, because everything was filmed - the preparations, the cooking, the Mass, the afternoon - by the great cameraman Brother Marcel.
We give thanks to God because this feast was beautiful, even very beautiful and we celebrated it with simplicity, joy, and brotherhood.
St Joseph's Group in Nianing
Song of the 2017-2019 Group, lyrics and tunes composed by a novice.
Refrain: We salute the sisters of Saint-Joseph, Africa and Europe,
We novices of 2017-2019, want to mark this great day
In honour of St. Joseph.
1- We want to walk together,
with you towards the silent St. Joseph.
2- This day is forus and for you (3 times)
Simply to wish you happy St. Joseph’s day.
The Tabor Experience at the Mizpah Centre, Attapadi (Kerala)
“Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the heights” (Psalm 148:1) is our joyful cry (the 26 Temporary Professed Sisters) for all the good and marvelous things the Lord have done in our lives.
Often we have heard the phrase, “Being Basked in the Ocean of God’s Love”. And this is what we experienced during the 30 days of the Retreat cum Seminar from 25th April to 25th May, 2019 at Attapadi ( Kerala)- a unique centre for spiritual awakening and renewal.The whole programme was focused on making us experience the unconditional love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness of God.
The one month programme included learning to preach the Word of God, classes on Prayer Life, Vows and Evangelization. This was sandwiched with an inner healing retreat from which everyone profited the maximum. We now enjoy the inner joy and freedom of the children of God. We are convinced and confirmed that God has specially chosen us and that He has a special planfor each one of us.We feel the need to tame ourtongues, to avoid unnecessary conversations and instead to engage ourselves in praying the holy Rosary, Mercy chaplets, invoking shortprayers and contemplating on the Word of God.We realize the need for fasting and prayer in our journey of life. The more we renounce ourselves and be humble and obedient, the more we walk by the Holy Spirit.
“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to the Judean town in the hill country” (Lk: 1: 39) Imbibing the spirit of Mother Mary, we are also determined to live and spread the Word of God with courage, conviction and commitment - first of all in the Community as well as in our places of work with whomever we come into contact. We hope and pray that this new found joy and passion for Christ will linger in our lives making a great difference in our personal and Community life.
We express our gratitude to Sr. Vianney for giving us this exposure of one month which in turn helped us to renew our spiritual life and to live our vowed life more radically.
Temporary Professed Sisters , SJA, Visakhapatnam
Praise you the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of His power
Psalm 150: 1
Gleanings from our Tertianship Programme
Visakhapatnam
The long awaited Tertianship Programme became a reality on 18th May, 2019.Thirteen of us belonging to four different groups set out to Kanyakumari by train where we had arranged a week session with Rev. Fr. Joseph Xavier, SJ. It was indeed a great joy for us to meet together once again after a long period. We also spent much time exclusively for sharing our joys and struggles, listening and encouraging one another to let go of the past and embrace the “new”.
The session was on Inner Journey.Fr. Joseph using his great expertise helped us to explore the BIG five Personality Traits- (Openness- Conscientiousness-Extraversion-Agreeableness-Neuortism) thus enabling us to look at the basic dimensions of our personality.
The other topics dealt with were: Self-Assessment, Anger Management, Dealing with Conflicts, Being Assertive and Midlife Crisis. It was truly a time for self – introspection, stock-taking and realizing our God-given potentials in order to make strategic plans, recommit ourselves and venture into the future with hope and courage.
We also made use of the time visiting the historical places in Kanyakumari, pilgrimage centres like Santhome Church in Chennai dedicated to St. Thomas and St. Francis Xavier’s Basilica in Goa.
To take time out of our busy ministerial lives in order to take a close look at our life and seriously consider our progress, was a rare privilege. We express our gratitude to Rev. Sr. Vianney our Provincial Superior for arranging such a profitable programme. We thank all our Superiors and Community members who relieved us from our responsibilities that we may have a fruitful time.
We were 13 of us from four groups
Group I – Sr. Rosemine, Sr. Padma and Sr. Rincy
Group II –Sr. Deepthi, Sr. Angela and Sr. Bhagya
Group III – Sr. Sangeetha, Sr. Vijaya Bharathi, Sr. Jeenat Jose and Sr. Mary Deepa
Group IV- Sr. Mary Rose, Sr. Fathima Mary and Sr. Nancy
Tertianship Programme Bhubaneswar Province
4TH June to 11TH June 2019
at Siloam, shilling, Meghalaya,
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
It is with this attitude of gratitude that we recall our strengthening and rejuvenating experience of Tertianship. We are grateful to our Provincial Sr. Linette and the team who designed this refreshing programme for us.
The programme took place between 4th and 11th June. For all of us – Sisters Frisca, Prasanna, Annie Joseph, Juby, Mary Ratnam, Alice, Vani, Roja, Lata, Prabhavathi and Vijaya Nirmala -the thought of coming together brought us great joy. It was a time to strengthen our bonds with God and with one another.
The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of sunrise and sunset everyday. What the world needs more of, are people to appreciate and enjoy it. These phrases resounded as we set our foot in the North East on the first evening in “SILOAM --- Life to Wholeness”, a facilitation centre for Psycho/Spiritual experience. The four days sessions were guided by Rev. Fr. Dr. P.V. Joseph SDB, Missiologist. He is a great priest who is full of love for God and the mission of Christ and his sharing of his 40 years of life in North East India greatly inspired us.
The various aspects of Religious Life were discussed and dialogued and we were reminded that a missionary is always called to be on the move. To recall the Origins and History of the Congregation was revitalising for all of us. Great respect and honour was paid to the “Pioneers” who went through terrific hurdles in life, which even resulted in death for some. We, together with our facilitator, gazed in awe as we reflected upon the great humility that our founder desired for us - as of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. We also meditated on the great love of St.Joseph for Jesus and Mary and all of us and, in so doing; we relived the experience of our Charism of THE GREATEST LOVE
Fr. P.V. Joseph highlighted good human and religious aspects and provided practical tips for Evangelisation. While strengthening our commitment with inputs, he also insisted that freedom with responsibility is the hallmark of a faithful Religious.
Father made clear to us the meaning of the Paschal Mystery; that God, in His loving plan of salvation, allowed Jesus to experience joy in suffering, glory in humiliation and life in death and forms of death. The four days sessions concluded on the evening of the 8th, and we left, convinced of the great learning experience from Siloam i.e. we must always change, renew and rejuvenate ourselves - otherwise we harden. Renewal requires opening ourselves up, to new ways of thinking and feeling.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth, find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” And so, with added strength from green mountains, valleys, streams, waterfalls, caves, plums and peaches and the lovely people of the North East, we set out on our journeys back to our dear communities on 11th June.
“We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength.”
As we hold this experience as treasure,
Looking back, we thank God
Looking forward, we trust God
Each of us has deep gratitude for those who have lighted the flame in us. We thank from the depth of our hearts, our Provincial, Rev. Sr. Linette and the team who enabled us to participate in this programme; superiors and the sisters in our own communities who supported us; as well as all the well wishers and “good Samaritans” who made our programme comfortable and fruitful by their generosity.
Thanks be to God! Thanks be to all !
