Sr. Giannica speaks to the assembly

Session on our interpersonal experiencesThe Assembly of the Senegal area was held at the Alleluia Community from January 23 to 26. We started the meeting by celebrating mass to give thanks to the Lord and call upon the help of His Spirit for the smooth running of the assembly. 

We demonstrated our support for our Congregational Minister, Sister Licia Mazza, who was absent, by reading the letter in which she expressed her support and closeness in prayer. Sr. Marie Augustine welcomed on behalf of the assembly, our Sisters and Councilors Sr. Giannica Selmo and Sr. Lécia José Da Silva who came for the meeting and to visit our communities.

teamworkThe group in charge of the liturgy of the day led us in a creative prayer, followed by a Power Point presentation on the birth of planet Earth and the origins of life. Furthermore, Sr. Giannica presented a relevant theme: the meaning of God’s light for the creation and the origin of our Congregation. The purpose of her presentation was to help us enter the new era of connection that Jesus calls “the Kingdom of God.” In fact, Mother Frances understood that her life was to be a light that radiated compassion and love for the poor.

Thus, she encouraged us to follow in her footsteps. On the evening of the 23rd, Sister Anne Claire gave an update on the Amazon Synod. In a nutshell, she said that the Synod has taken to heart the cry of the poor and the earth, and the terrible situation in the Amazon. We were invited to discuss, with Saint Francis of Assisi as our model, the defense of the Earth and life.

January the 24th was a very fruitful day thanks to Abbot Baye Rémi Diouf who spoke of inter-relational communication. He helped us understand that the gesture is the key to understanding personality, and prejudice, the sources of conflict. We are all accustomed to violence, but the exercise of attentive and charitable listening might help us to avoid passive aggressiveness and making comparisons. The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of human intelligence and leads to a happy relational life. January 25th was dedicated to the Charismatic Family. To deepen and continuously spread the experience of Mother Frances in Senegal, we must favor mutual collaboration and weave fraternal bonds in our work and service to the poor.

The Assembly ended wonderfully on Sunday, January 28th with a trip with our Associates to the picturesque Mar Lodj island and other small surrounding islands. A big thank you to the Congregation of Divine Providence, and all those who worked so hard to foster communion and, with it, a good outcome of the meeting.                                                           

Sister Pélagie and novice Véronique, sfp

Published: April 2, 2020

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