Final Vows Programme begins!

List News

18/08/2018 - General House

Preparing for Final Vows in Rome - the Beginning!

Five of our Sisters arrived this week at the General House for a three-month programme. First came Birisita Bibi all the way from Fiji. A few days later we welcomed from West Africa - Antoinette Beyagi, Elisa Sadio, Jeanne-Valérie Tékou and Thérèse Codou Fall. We are very conscious of Titilia Tupou of Fiji who has already prepared for Final Profession and is looking forward to her Big Day on 8th December - we hold Titilia in our prayer.

On Wednesday we celebrated the Feast of Mary's Assumption with Eucharist and a festive lunch. In between some had the opportunity of being in St Peter's Square for the Angelus and a Blessings from our Father Francis. They came back glowing!

Then on Thursday, the Programme began under the direction of Sylvette Mané, our Assistant General. We all gathered for Morning Prayer in our community room around a beautiful focus which reflects the theme: Wine of Joy offered freely forever! Vin joyeux librement offert pour toujours! Grace Ellul, our Congregational Leader welcomed our five young Sisters to our community, assuring them of our support and presented each with a symbol of the offering of themselves. Sylvette presented an outline of the programme and various aspects of our life together. The whole community is participating in various ways - providing nourishment for both body and spirit, acting as tour-guides around Rome, and generally being sisters to one another.

We all pray together in the morning and evening. Three days a week we celebrate Eucharist in our chapel with our OMI chaplain from next door. For other days there are many options and on occasion we wil have visiting priests. Two Marists joined us for our Opening Liturgy on Thursday evening - Fr Pat Devlin and Fr Arnaldo, both newly arrived in Rome. Their presence added to our joy - both at the table of the Eucharist and afterwards at the dinner-table.

The sessions this week, led by Sylvette, have given the group the opportunity to explore and deepen their understading of Baptism, Consecration and Mission.

Let us all continue to pray that our young Sisters - Antoinette, Biri, Elisa, Jeanne-Valérie, Thérèse, not forgetting Titilia, - may be overshadowed by the Spirit as Mary was before she said her Yes!