“The Lord did wonders for me, holy is his name” Lk 1:49
We, Angela, Justine, Marcelline, Alice, Lydia, Rolande and Pascaline, how can we not borrow the words of Mary’s thanksgiving hymn to give thanks to God for the gift of vocation when our different missions are currently in three different countries: Cameroon, Burkina and Peru? Our 15 years of vows – August 31, 2007 to 2022 – have been wonderfully celebrated with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
The WhatsApp network allowed us to work together virtually through the preparation of a novena (an exercise of piety that is repeated for nine consecutive days to obtain a particular grace or to honour God, a saint), the recollection of the day before the vigil -as we had experienced on the evening of 30 August 2007-, accompanied by the Sisters where we are now in community. On the 31st, a great day when a Mass was celebrated in our parishes for each of us, sharing our different life experiences. “Thank you, Lord, for having called each of us by name, each one being your precious pearl who advances each day with her qualities and weaknesses.”
On the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life, Pope Francis proposed three axes: “To look at the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope”. Here are already 15 years of life, of walking and searching to know Christ better, 15 years of thanksgiving and reconciliation with ourselves and others, 15 years of service in the “give and take”, 15 years in the same boat with our congregation, our sisters in community, our families, friends and companions on the road, our formators, companions and in the people of God In 15 years the Lord has invested a lot in us and expects a lot from us!
We felt free and responsible to renew our covenant, our love and our fidelity by letting ourselves be led by the Holy Spirit, our Father, and Mary, our Mother of all grace. We closed this beautiful day with a festive meal with our Sisters and friends and with songs and dances,
