With our deepest unity and communion.
These three elements run throughout the Bible:
In the Old Testament, let us take as an example Abraham and Sarah, to whom God shows Mercy by granting them a son. Sarah declares, filled with wonder: “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in his old age” (Ge 21, 7). According to the same chapter, verse 5, Abraham was 100 years old. Sarah, 90 years old, according to chapter 17, verse 18.
The stripping away will soon be announced when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gn. 22, 1-2).
In the New Testament, it is Jesus. Saint Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians: “But he made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man” (2, 7).
From the Garden of Gethsemane to his death on the cross, Jesus lived this stripping away. In Gethsemane, he cried out, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me” (Lk. 22, 42). And on the cross, is it not a feeling of failure that dwells within Jesus, and therefore a complete stripping away of himself in the hands of God: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “(Mt. 27, 46). A cry of distress and a feeling of abandonment. And what can he do but place himself entirely in the hands of his Father: “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’” (Lk. 23, 46).
Paul invites Christians to take the same step: “This is a matter of putting off your former way of life, which is corrupted by its sinful desires” (Eph. 4, 22).
“But now you also must put off all of these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.” No more lying among yourselves: you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Col. 3, 8-10)
And who is this new person? “Since you have been chosen by God, sanctified and loved by him, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone else. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Col 3, 12-15).
God shows us mercy by choosing us; this is reason enough to marvel and give thanks. At the same time, we must put off our old selves, which is painful but leads to joy and profound peace.
Francis’s experience can help us with this.
Let us begin with wonder.
Francis is filled with wonder at God.
Francis's wonder and complete dependence on God can only be explained by this fascination, which is of a mystical nature (mysticism being this very strong feeling, the certainty, of God's presence in my life). In his praises of God, Francis uses a multitude of names to characterize God and expresses his fascination and thanksgiving in many ways:
"You alone are holy, Lord God, you who work wonders.
You are strong, you are great, you are the Most High, you are the Almighty…
You are the only good, you are all good, the supreme good…
You are joy, you are our hope and our joy…"
But where does this feeling come from?
1. It is not simply a matter of temperament:
It is true that he is someone who needs to radiate energy, to be seen, that he is a sociable person, who needs others to exist. Remember his youth and try to imagine him. He had been elected by the youth of Assisi to be their king.
He is someone full of sympathy, kindness, rather artistic, a poet, a musician, a bit like the troubadours.
… but to experience as sweetness what he found abhorrent: “When I was still in sin, the sight of lepers was unbearable to me. But the Lord led me among them; I had mercy on them ; and on my return, what had seemed so bitter to me was changed into sweetness for both mind and body” (Test. 1b-3a).
… to praise Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Fire, Brother Wind, and even Sister Death
…to celebrate perfect joy (Fioretti 8)
there is still Something like an abyss – and what will help him cross it is his mystical experience.
2. Nor is it Simply that everyone is beautiful, everyone is kind either through naivety, or through a kind of foolish beatitude, or through a lack of experience. It is a much more positive and much deeper approach that stems from the inherent Goodness of God: in every human being there is “a princely potential,” both as a condition and as a destiny. Generally, when we speak of equality, it is in terms of levelling down. For Francis, the levelling is upward : in everyone, by the grace of the King of kings, there is a princely condition and destiny.
3. But when we speak of wonder, we must immediately speak of praise and thanksgiving.
Wonder concerns the person experiencing this feeling. Praise and thanksgiving concern the person to whom this feeling should be expressed, to whom we should express our gratitude.
However, the two are not necessarily linked : one can experience wonder and not know to whom to thank. Chesterton writes that the worst moment for an atheist is when they experience sincere gratitude and have no one to thank.
From wonder before God the Savior to wonder before God the Creator
We cannot avoid an important question if we want to understand Francis. Let us try to imagine Francis's journey, the phases he went through from his youth to his conversion, and the long years that followed. What happened to him ?
You might say : he experienced God. Yes ! It is true that he went from being an average Christian, for whom God exists but is distant, to being a believer. But what kind of God did he experience ? What face of God did he see ?
Francis, first of all, experienced salvation ; he was amazed that God saved him, that He showed him mercy. Only later was he amazed by another aspect of God : the Creator God. At first, he overflowed with gratitude because God saved him. Then, he overflowed with gratitude because he saw God as the source of everything.
Francis, amazed by the Savior God
In his youth, what characterized him was his thirst for glory. What he aspired to was the glory of chivalry. He dreamed of climbing the social ladder, of attaining the rank of nobility through heroic deeds and a distinguished chivalric career. But then, in the war between Assisi and Perugia, he was taken prisoner and spent a year in captivity. Biographers tell us that he struggled to recover. This was his first setback, a first step in this process of dispossession. Sometime later, he equipped himself to go and fight in Apulia alongside Walter of Brienne, in the service of the Pope. But in Spoleto, he had a dream that urged him to return home. His certainties were shaken. A second setback and a second step in dispossession. It was a dead end, a black hole, a depression that would last for more than a year. Why ? Because he returns to Assisi looking utterly ridiculous. He needed others to exist, he needed Glory, he needed chivalry : he has made a fool of himself. His ideal is shattered. He no longer exists for anyone.
His old friends pull him out of his despair. He organizes a celebration, and afterward, Francis lets the others pass him by, and he is found in a state of ecstasy. He will later say that if they had wanted to tear him to pieces, he would not have moved a muscle : he had just experienced the gentleness of God. God makes him feel the tenderness of a presence. That is the turning point. From then on, he experiences that he is saved, freely, by pure grace.
After his pilgrimage to Rome and his encounter with the leper, Francis withdrew more and more to deserted places until one day, in the chapel of San Damiano, he heard a voice from the crucifix saying to him, “Go, and repair my house, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” The mystery of the cross became a reality for him, and within him was born a gratitude, a wonder before this Father who gave us such a Son, who went as far as to die on a cross to save us.
Then came the self-denial before his father at the bishop's tribunal.
B) Francis in awe of the Creator God
Francis marvelled at the miracle of existence, spontaneously tracing things back to their source. It was the feeling of the gratuitousness of things, of being, of beings. To the very end, he would see God the Father, the all-powerful Creator, from the perspective of Beauty and Goodness, of which creatures are the reflections. “In everything,” writes Celano (2, 165), “he admired the Maker… He rejoiced in all the works that came from the hand of God, and from this spectacle that brought him joy, he traced his way back to the One who is the cause… He knew how to contemplate the Most Beautiful in a beautiful thing ; everything good he encountered sang to him : ‘He who made me, He is the Most Good.’” And a little further on : “For the Goodness that is at the source of all things and that will be one day, wholly present in all things, even in this life, appeared to the saint, wholly present in all things.”
For Francis, everything is a symbol of the Triune God and sings of His Glory. Saint Bonaventure, in LM 9, 1, writes : “…he followed in the footsteps of his Beloved in every place of His creation, using the whole universe as a ladder to climb up to reach Him who is all desirable. In each creature, as in so many offshoots, he perceived with extraordinary piety the unique outpouring of God’s goodness, and as if the harmony pre-established by God between the natural properties of bodies and their interactions seemed to him like celestial music, he exhorted all creatures, in the manner of the prophet David, to praise the Lord.”
A pebble, for Francis, tells him something of God: it is hard, it is resilient, it is strong. In the Bible, we say of God: “You are my Rock.” When he saw an earthworm, he picked it up because he remembered what is said of the Lord in the psalm (21, 7): “I am a worm and not a man.”
This rather original attitude of Francis would give rise to a Franciscan school of thought. Saint Bonaventure would say that all of creation sings the Glory of God unconsciously, but man, who is one element of creation, has a priestly role to fulfil. He is made to express, consciously, for himself and for the unconscious creation, praise.
It must be added that for Francis, creation is not a past event. It is a present, ongoing action of God the Creator: “Let us all love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our desire… He has given us and gives us all body, soul, and life… He has done and continues to do us only good” (1 Ki 23, 8). This too is a cause for wonder and praise.
C) Identification with Christ
In the Gospel of the feast Saint Matthias, heard at the Portiuncula, Francis discovers a living path to salvation. He discovers the human condition of the poor Christ and exclaims: “This is what I want, this is what I seek, this is what I long to accomplish with all my heart” (1 C 22).
What I want: no money, no bread, no bag, no staff, no shoes, no two tunics.
Another object of admiration is found in Admonition 5:
“Consider, O man, the degree of perfection to which the Lord has raised you: he created and formed your body in the image of the body of his beloved Son, and your spirit in the likeness of his spirit.”
We were created in the image and likeness of the Son. At the same time, the primacy of Christ in creation illuminates his gaze with wonder.
From this point on, Francis sought to conform his life to that of Jesus. To do so, he approached history from its end. Jesus died for us; I want to die for him. This was the constant desire of the martyr that dwelt within him. It would be granted in two ways: on the one hand, the stigmata, and on the other, his crucifying illness. I quote from the Legend of Perugia 43: “Francis, rejoice in the midst of your sufferings; from now on, live in peace as if you already shared in my Kingdom,” Jesus told him. But in the meantime, the Fioretti recount this text, humanly masochistic, of “Perfect Joy” (Fioretti 8).
To explain that this pinnacle of perfect joy for Francis was precisely the pinnacle of abjection, a third element must be added.
What Francis aimed for above all was to be able to resemble Jesus even in his flesh. To be a copy of Jesus. This explains his theme of Perfect Joy. It is the joy of being able to identify with the suffering Christ. Identification with the Son whom the Father gave us. In other words, to resemble him, not only in one's feelings but also in one's flesh, is the greatest grace that God can bestow.
The various episodes recounted in this passage from the Fioretti are found in the life of Jesus. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him…” says the prologue of Saint John. The Pharisees, the priests, the scribes rejected his preaching. He was called a false prophet. He was mistaken for someone else. There was a desire to exclude him, to exterminate him: “…if he comes out with a knotted staff and strikes us with it…” This is quite telling. At the moment of his death, he is abandoned by all, denied. The summit of love is the Cross.
This passage also refers to a crucial episode in Francis's life: his crisis with the Order. We read in 2 Celano 145:
“I would not consider myself a Franciscan friar if I were not in this state of mind; I am the superior of my brothers, I go to chapter, I preach, I give my opinions, and when I have finished, I am told: ‘You are not what we need; you are illiterate, contemptible; we do not want you as our superior because you have no eloquence, you are simple and narrow-minded.’ And I am shamefully expelled, burdened with universal contempt. Well, I tell you, if I do not accept all this with the same stoicism, with the same inner joy, and while maintaining my unwavering commitment to sanctification, I am not, not at all, a Franciscan friar.”
We have the exact transcription of this in the Legend of Perugia 114:
“As Blessed Francis was at the General Chapter of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, called the Chapter of the Mats, which was attended by five thousand friars, several of them, wise and learned men, went to the cardinal, the future Pope Gregory, who was present at the Chapter. They asked him to persuade Blessed Francis to follow the advice of the learned friars and to allow himself to be guided by them…”
Francis shared in the cross of Christ, but even more, in the very heart of his distress and misery, he was joined by Jesus. His experience became a place of encounter with love. This experience became the place of an inner conformity to the disposition of Jesus who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men and being born in the likeness of men. He humbled himself, being obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2, 19).
This episode in Francis's life allowed him to experience and deepen his understanding of the Son's agony: the Father's absence and the feeling of failure. Through this experience, Francis felt called to follow Christ to the very end. Christ had died. He had surrendered himself to his Father in total self-denial, in total dispossession. He had accepted defeat. It was up to him, Francis, to embark on this human and spiritual journey. This mystical journey. He did not yet know exactly what it meant to be made like the Lord, nor how far it could go. But he had to follow him to the end. It was no longer enough to be poor like him, good like him on the roads. It was no longer enough to withdraw like him to deserted places for this intimate encounter with the Father. He had to take a decisive step with him toward a mysterious death that opens the way to life. He had to walk with him along a path of renunciation, of dispossession, of letting go, which leads into the world of the resurrection. Accepting this, he discovers another certainty: “God is, that is enough.” Through this discovery, he can hear that merciful voice telling him: “Poor little man; learn then that I am God and cease to trouble yourself forever. Is it because I have appointed you shepherd over my flock that you must forget that I am the chief shepherd? I chose you expressly, simple man, so that it would be manifest to all that what I do in you is not due to your skill, but to my grace. It is I who called. It is I who guards the flock and shepherds it. I am the Lord and the Shepherd. It is my business. Do not be troubled then” (Eloi Leclerc, Wisdom of a Poor Man).
We know what followed: Francis received the grace of conformity through the reception of the stigmata, and his wonder before God the Creator is sung in the canticle of Brother Sun.
Dispossession, total stripping away even in death, since he welcomes her as a sister and asks to die naked on the bare earth.
And how can we, today, follow Christ in the manner of Francis of Assisi?
The steps are successive.
The first is to be with Christ, and to let him be with us on our daily lives, as men and women. To try to live like him. To follow him by looking at him, by listening to him. But then comes the moment when a stumbling block makes us stumble. And there we stop. This is what we might call an external companionship. Everything was going in line with our human perspectives. To stop or to take with him a decisive step toward a mysterious death that opens us to life. We must pass with him along a path of renunciation, of dispossession, of stripping away that leads us into the world of the resurrection.
The second stage, therefore, involves a transformation of the deepest part of our being: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the Glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Ro 6, 3-5).
One might now think that it would be enough, in order to follow Christ, to identify, individually, with his being, by way of his death. Now, this is the third stage. Paul, while granting us access to this profound understanding of the mystery of conformity, of identification with the being, life, and historical destiny of Christ, reveals that this is not all, that individual identification does not exist without participation in the growth of the body of Christ.
Following Christ is not merely living with him on an outward journey, nor is it simply accomplishing individually this inner and mystical passage through his death to rise with him, but rather it is integrating oneself into his growing being “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4, 13), when all will be gathered together in him, when all being and all things will be recapitulated in him. Thus, all creation, “also set free from its bondage to decay, to the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to this day.” (Ro 8, 21).
Ultimately, if we wish to follow Christ, it is not only a matter of being mystically united to him in an individual union, but also of participating in this immense birthing of all creation, knowing ourselves to be members of a body, the Church, which is the growing body of Christ, charged with leading all creation toward its fulfilment and completion.
To follow Christ is ultimately, through a mysterious assimilation to his being and his life of love, through the Paschal Mystery of a death that is the source of life, to contribute our stone to the building of the world in him and to understand our work, our loves, our friendships, our home, our social and political commitments, as being finalized by the coming of Christ and therefore as grounds for the growth of Christ himself.
All this can only be lived and accomplished through the acceptance of letting go, of relinquishing our own needs for the Glory of God and the salvation of the world.
February 2026
Brother Joseph Banoub (OFM)
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Today, let us again, together, praise the Lord and joyfully celebrate the memory of Bishop Duchenne, a model of charity and faith, and a builder of unity. Bishop Adolphe Duchenne was Bishop of Arras, Boulogne, and Saint-Omer.
A pastor deeply attuned to the social realities of his time, he marked his episcopate with great attention to the poor, workers, and families in distress; strong support for religious congregations, especially in their educational, hospital, and charitable missions; and a profoundly evangelical and missionary spirit, inspired by the social doctrine of the Church, likely by Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical (Rerum Novarum).
He encouraged and supported the presence of the Franciscan Sisters in his diocese; he recognized their essential role in the Church's mission in Calais, especially in times of crisis and urban poverty; he saw in them a living witness to the Gospel, at the heart of the people.
"We must act only for God; all our works must be offered to Him, and they have merit only insofar as they are done in a state of grace and out of love for Him." (Bishop Duchenne)
]]>Composition of the new Regional Council: 
We thank the sisters for their generous availability in accepting this mission. We are confident that the Divine Wisdom remains at your side, enlightening your path, guiding your decisions, and sustaining every service in favor of the Kingdom (cf. Wis 9:9).
With a spirit of collaboration, subsidiarity, and responsibility, we move forward together so that, under the action of the Holy Spirit, the Region may continue to grow in all its dimensions, in a coherent and creative way, and faithful to the charism that inspires us.
May Mary, our Mother and Teacher, accompany you and strengthen you each day in the mission you have embraced with love.
25-YEAR JUBILEE OF RELIGIOUS LIFE
PERPETUAL PROFESSION
gives me strength. I know that the Lord walks with me no matter what. I am ready to give myself totally to the Lord, to dedicate my life to Him in the Institute. I thank the Lord for all the graces He has granted me, and I thank all the sisters who have helped me on my journey. Thank you, my sisters!
ENTRIES INTO THE NOVITIATE AND POSTULATE
The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Region is gradually moving forward on a path of hope.
]]>let us be "witnesses and artisans of unity and communion" (Const. §2)
Peace and Good!
Once again, we have the grace to joyfully celebrate the feast of our Father Saint Francis, marked by the 800th anniversary of the "Canticle of the Creatures."
From our hearts spring sentiments of praise and thanksgiving for the gift of "our charism," rooted in Franciscan spirituality and founded on the experience of God lived by Saint Francis of Assisi: GOD "TRINE AND ONE." (Const. 2, §1)
Like the herald of the great King, let us allow ourselves to be touched by the tenderness of God, author of creation, of universal brotherhood, of integral ecology... and, with a deeply missionary soul, like his, let us be "witnesses and artisans of unity and communion" (Const. §2), prophets of respect for human dignity, social justice, and the common good, toward "a new heaven and a new earth." (Cf. Rev 21:1)
"May we thus become, with Francis of Assisi, builders of reconciliation and hope for our time, awakening in our hearts the capacity for wonder, gratitude, and care for our common home." »
(Letter from the G. Ministers of the F.F. on the occasion of the 8th centenary of the Canticle of the Creatures - 1225/2025)
On May 30th, we will all celebrate the feast of the Congregation wherever we are.
We like to recall Mother Louise's words of August 25, 1857, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Louis, and the greetings addressed to her: "I find in them new proof that peace and unity reign in a very special way in our dear Congregation." It is with this same desire deep in our hearts that we will experience this day of celebration and thanksgiving.
Members of the People of God, let us also contemplate the wonders the Lord is doing for us today by giving us a new pastor in the person of our Pope Leo XIV!
Following Pope Francis, he invites us to be "signs of a united Church, leaven for a reconciled world," "Pilgrims of hope," and" Together, as brothers, to walk towards God and love one another" (Homily of May 18, 2025).
Let us listen to Mother Louise tell us: "Put your hope in the Lord, He will lead you and help you."(January 16, 1857)
In joy, trust, and hope, we assure you of our fraternal communion and we embrace you wholeheartedly.
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The Sisters of the Region of Portugal gathered for the III Assembly of the Region from April 24 to 27, 2025 with the theme: “Praise and bless my Lord, give thanks to him and serve him with great humility”.
We believe that everything is the work of the Holy Spirit. We all collaborate with God's grace through a vote, an indication of a name, an orientation. God manifests himself through his creatures, his sons and daughters. All of us “are therefore ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor 5:20) and so we can say: “The Holy Spirit and we decide and transmit with a loud voice”. (cf. Acts 15)
The Sisters chosen to govern and animate the Region for the next four years are:
Regional Minister: Sister Carla Nunes
Regional Assistant: Sister Aurora Pereira
Councillors: Sister Ana Paula da Conceição, Sister Maria da Conceição Carvalho, Sister Elisabete Semedo
Sister Maria Alcina, Superior General of the Congregation, encouraged the sisters present with the following words: Dear Sisters, in this Assembly, let us welcome Jesus' invitation: “Put out into the deep, let down your nets.” Let us allow the creativity of the Spirit to flow through prayer, dialog, listening and fraternal discernment. With HIM, let us trace “new routes” that are favorable to the needs of the Region, open to making new crossings as pilgrims of hope.
“Encouraged by one another, let us steadfastly follow the path that the Lord has opened before us.” (Mère Louise Mabille)
I will tell you that I bless with all my soul the God of goodness for the remarkable favor He has granted us, which allows me today to say with assurance that there exists among all the members of the Congregation a great union, a real affection.
Yes, I have witnessed it in several circumstances, especially when it came to making some sacrifices to help each other. I have been touched by your devotion, your generosity toward one another, without exception.
Unity is strength!
On Sunday, April 6, at 2:00 p.m., 40 sisters from different regions of the Congregation set off on the Rome-Assisi pilgrimage, accompanied by Brother Dennison, OFMCAP. Our arrival in Rome at our lodging facility, the General House of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, was late.
The next day, we were ready to pass through two Holy Doors: in the morning, that of St. Peter's Basilica, where we saw numerous groups of pilgrims walking with us; and in the afternoon, that of St. John Lateran Basilica, where, in the baptistery, we renewed our baptismal promises.
On Tuesday, April 8, we headed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the place where our Pope Francis would gather and pray before each of his journeys. We prayed especially for our Pope during Mass. 
We then headed to ancient Rome and had a picnic near the Colosseum. The afternoon was spent visiting the Catacombs of St. Callistus and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. On this day, we were graced with the opportunity to pass through two more Holy Doors.
On Wednesday morning, we returned to St. Peter's Square, perhaps hoping for an apparition of our Pope. But it wasn't to be; he went there the next day.
On Wednesday around 2:00 p.m., we took the bus back to Assisi, where the first visit was dedicated to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, a place so dear to St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrated the Eucharist there.
Our pilgrimage continued on Thursday with a visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, which a local Franciscan friar showed us. We appreciated the richness of his explanations and the depth of his insight. We could not experience this pilgrimage without visiting Mount Alvernia, where St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata. This Friday, April 11th, we set off for Mount Alvernia, arriving late in the morning, just in time for the celebration of the Eucharist. In the afternoon, we were able to participate in the procession that takes place every day at 3:00 p.m. through the cloister of the sanctuary to reach the place where St. Francis received the stigmata.
This Saturday, April 12th, marks the last day of our pilgrimage. We will also visit the hermitage of Greccio and the one at Fonte Colombo, where St. Francis wrote the definitive rule of the Friars Minor.
After visiting Fonte Colombo, we had to take the bus directly to Rome Fiumicino Airport for our flight back to France that evening. Each day of our pilgrimage, Brother Dennison led us in meditation on a verse from the Canticle of Creatures, whose 800th anniversary we are celebrating this year. The places of origin of Franciscan spirituality helped us in this.
"Pilgrims of Hope" in this Jubilee Year 2025, we received many graces and we asked for them for all the sisters who were not present but in communion with us!
"Praise be to you for all your blessings!"
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This expanded Council is marked by the powerful ecclesiastical experience of synodality, by the festive celebrations of the Jubilee Year, and by the joyful eighth centenary of the Canticle of the Creatures. May these events be, for all of us, a time of grace, of outpouring of the Spirit, of fruitful fraternal and missionary experience.
God grants us this time as a blessing to share our dreams and gifts, to share our desires, our projects, our methods, and to commit ourselves with renewed enthusiasm to the future of the life and mission of the Congregation, specifically, today, in formation.
This is a time for sharing, for exchange, for collaboration. It is a time to share the fruits of our research, our desires, our experiences, our projects, and our dreams... "Jesus will give us the hand so that we may follow in his footsteps."
April 2, 2025
We began with the opening Mass at 11:00 a.m., presided over by Fr. Daniel Painblanc OFM Cap. In his homily, he strongly invited us to put the Word of God into practice and to be ambassadors of Christ.
Sr. Maria Alcina Alpande, Superior General, read the opening remarks of our Extended Council, followed by the introduction of the participants: each presented their symbol to identify themselves and express their expectations.
April 3, 2025
Sr. Nathalie Becquart, Xavière (Undersecretary of the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome) spoke on synodality and consecrated life, and its implications.
Synodality is a path of spiritual renewal and structural reforms to make the Church more participatory and missionary. The challenge of this synod is to become a Church of Listening, hence the need for people who listen.
April 4, 2025
Speech by Sr. Paula Jordão, from the Missionary Congregation Dei Verbum. She is by videoconference from Rome. She is at the UISG as a formation coordinator.
Her presentation is on formation and its challenges related to synodality.
April 5, 2025
Participants meet in language groups to work on the projects to be implemented: a year of preparation for Perpetual Profession, international community, and communication.
Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, April 6-12, 2025
April 14, 2025
This is a time for spontaneous sharing of experiences and evaluation, followed by closing remarks from Minister General Sister Maria Alcina Alpande. At 11:30 a.m., the closing mass is presided over by Father Philippe Mura, parish priest of La Salette.
The task of formation is never finished. We leave this expanded Council with the lamp of hope lit. We hope that the freshness of enthusiasm and commitment to this noble mission will help us penetrate ever more deeply into the mystery of God's love, which never tires of working in the people and events of every day.
United with Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, let us walk in the hope of a fruitful, transfigured, meaningful consecration for the glory of God!
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In this year as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of Creatures, we are invited to immerse ourselves in the spirit of contemplation and praise of St. Francis of Assisi, who saw in all creatures "a brother" and "a sister.
"As "Pilgrims of Hope" during this Jubilee Year 2025, passing through the Holy Doors awakens in us a desire for conversion and deepening of our faith.
We are called to be signs of hope and joy, to spread the "Good News" with gratitude, and to give thanks for all the small miracles around us.
The victory of LIFE over death, which we celebrate in this Easter Triduum, invites us to do so.
To each of you, we wish "Happy Easter."
Paris, April 17, 2025
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Sr. Lilian's ministries were deeply rooted in Gospel and Franciscan values and principles. Her solidarity with the poor and home bound reflected her profound empathy and dedication. Her great love for her Franciscan ministry was further evident in her contributions to develop the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Education and Health System.
Truly living St. Francis' spirit, Sister Lillian had special affection for God's creatures in particular an orange tabby cat named "Sunny." He misses her. Sister Lilian's life was a testament to the power of vision and compassion.
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COMMUNION
PARTICIPATION
EN CONSEIL ĖLARGI
From April 2 to 14, 2025, we at FMND will be holding an Enlarged Council in Paris.
This enlarged Council will bring together the General Council, the Regional Ministers, a sister from each House with Special Status, and the heads of each Region's training teams.
It will be an opportunity to be together, to share the joys and difficulties of our respective missions, and to pray and relax together.
In this way, knowledge and communion between Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady will grow, and we'll live synodality to the full.
This enlarged Council on Synodality and Formation will also enable us to implement some of the commitments of the 2023 General Chapter.
The pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi that will follow on from our work and reflections, will be a deepening of our Franciscan spirituality and a step towards commitment in this Jubilee Year as “Pilgrims of Hope” in our beautiful and vulnerable world!
We invite you to be in communion with us.
We'll be in communion with you!
Team,
I hope you all managed to stay safe and warm during the unprecedented winter weather we experienced last week. Multiple markets activated a Code Gray, and I am grateful for all those team members working through the event to ensure our patients were well cared for. The winter weather was the primary focus for many last week, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to reflect on the significance of observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and his vision of equality, justice and unity.
Dr. King dreamed of a world where everyone is treated equally, valued and included. This sense of belonging is at the core of what it means to be a best place to work, practice medicine and receive care. Our recent Team Member Engagement Survey results indicated that the highest ranked item was “I feel like I belong in this organization,” placing us in the top quartile or 81st percentile compared to the Press Ganey national healthcare average. This means our team members recognize and feel our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.
I understand how important it is to have team members who are deeply connected to our Mission and the work they do. How we recruit and retain talent in healthcare has changed dramatically over the past few years, and I recognize the need for us to continually evolve as a health system to ensure that we attract and retain the best and brightest individuals. Hearing from you through the engagement surveys is one of the ways I stay informed about what is top of mind for you. Your feedback helps us continue to foster a culture where you feel valued and supported.
Let’s work together this year to build an even stronger culture of belonging inspired by the life and teachings of Dr. King.
E.J. Kuiper
President and Chief Executive Officer
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
… and, from that moment,
in her heart resounded the words of the Almighty…
“…rejoice… the Lord is with you… do not be afraid… nothing is impossible for God…”
… and, with Joseph, Mary began to walk the daily walk… 
in a reality often uncertain
that invited them to believe… to trust… to hope…
… and there was day and night…
it was faith in the One who always keeps his promises
and who, disconcerting predictions,
led them to that place where everyone could reach…
the poorest… the simple… those who seek a meaning to life…
… and from the fragility of a Child, Love dwelt among us…
… and that star that shone in the darkness,
invites us today to go to Bethlehem…
because there and only there
will we find meaning and fulfillment…
Praise be to you, my Lord, for so many gifts!
Praise be to you, because you make yourself so small and so weak
that our fear dissolves…
tenderness appears… care becomes motherhood…
the embrace, fraternity… the details, beauty…
your Word, the way to find you…
the very human, God…
Let us go to the manger!... it is the Lord!... who invites us to joy… to hope…
Merry Christmas and a New Year full of blessings.
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On this first day of World Mission Week, the international house, 220 rue de la Convention in Paris, is animated in a truly exceptional way. 
For several days now, our sisters of the General Council and the General House have been actively preparing the friendship days which are taking place this year for the benefit of the mission in Haiti, and in particular, to help with the schooling of the poor children of Aquin.
On the ground floor of the International House, there are many cakes made by our sisters, to take away or to enjoy on site with the family.
On the first floor we find a large selection of embroidery from Portugal, Madagascar, Mozambique, Ethiopia and countless beautiful things from the different countries where our Congregation is present.
From Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, people came one after the other to admire, meet us, and buy.
Some people discovered our house for the first time. Many people entered our chapel.
These days went as smoothly as possible thanks to the participation and mutual assistance of our youngest sisters from Angola, Brazil, Madagascar and Mozambique.
As several sisters have expressed, these days have also been an opportunity to make ourselves known and to evangelize.
We thank all those who participated and, attentive to the message of Pope Francis for World Mission Day 2024, we make our own these words of the Gospel:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations!” Mt 28, 19
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Peace and Good!
During the Holy Year declared by Pope Francis, another jubilee is given to us to celebrate: the eighth centenary of the Canticle of the Creatures! It is a
grace, a blessing! It is beautiful to let ourselves be touched by the sensitive mysticism of Saint Francis of Assisi! Founded in a profound experience of God, before everything he marveled and fell in love!
Like Saint Francis, the ‘troubadour’ of God, let us tune the “strings” of our heart to:
God is the party, the harmony! With songs, dances, poetry, prayers... let us exult with joy in the Lord, let us pay homage to Him in an endless celebration!
HAPPY FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI!
Praise and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility. (Canticle of the Creatures)
]]>Here I am, Lord. I abandon myself into your arms. Do with me what you want!
On September 15, in the Cathedral of Viana, I experienced the most important moment of my life: my perpetual consecration, giving myself totally to the love of God. That day, I felt the fullness of God's presence, as if he himself were taking me in his arms, confirming my choice and my vocation to religious life. That date will remain forever engraved in my heart as the day on which I became irrevocably his, his servant forever.
Reflecting on the verse of Isaiah 43:1, I feel that this passage reflects the call that God addressed to me from the beginning: he knew me, he called
me by name, and, during my childhood, I always felt that there was a special path that was opening to me. Consecrated life therefore consists in living every day this certainty that I am called to belong to him, to serve him through the poorest and most marginalized, and to be a sign of his love in the world. Being a sister is more than a title or a state of life, it is a way of existing in the world, totally given to God and to one's neighbor. In the Franciscan spirituality that I have embraced, the mission of living the poverty, humility and simplicity of Christ is my guide. When I look at Saint Francis of Assisi, I see the perfect model of someone who gave up everything to live the radicality of the Gospel. My vocation reflects this same abandonment. Being a consecrated sister means, for me, living with joy the call to serve others, especially the poorest, in the manner of Jesus, poor and crucified.
Religious life is a response of love. To love as Christ loved us, without reserve and without expectation of retribution, this is my mission. As a sister, I am called to live the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, not as retributions, but as paths to freedom and a deeper love. In pronouncing my perpetual vows, I committed myself to living this love fully, as a living testimony that it is possible to find happiness and fulfillment in the humble service of others and in total abandonment to God.
When I pronounced my vows, I felt a deep certainty that I was fulfilling what God had always called me to do. Although there were moments of emotion and tears, above all I felt a serene joy and a sense of total belonging.
This yes was not just for one day, but for eternity. During the ceremony, as I knelt before the altar, I remembered all the steps that had brought me to this moment: the doubts, the challenges, but also the growing certainty that this was my vocation. It was as if my whole life had been a journey towards this moment of total abandonment. When I recited the evangelical counsels, I felt the hand of God guiding me, confirming that I was not alone. He was there with me, enveloping me in a boundless love, a love that will sustain me in every moment of my life. Knowing that I am his forever filled me with an indescribable peace. There were no more uncertainties, no more fears, just the certainty that the Lord had chosen me and that my life was safe in His hands.
Today, when I look back and reflect on that very special moment, I know that final vows were the culmination of a long and meaningful journey of discernment and love.
Sister Conceição Tchicomba
The theme that will animate our continuing formation plan in 2024/25 seeks to put us in line with the celebration of the 800 years of the Franciscan charism. We want to be in communion with the Franciscan Family and therefore we will celebrate a "Franciscan Centenary" from 2023 to 2026, articulated and celebrated in several centenaries, recalling: the 800th anniversary of the Rule and the Christmas of Greccio (2023), the Stigmata (2024), the Canticle of the Creatures (2025) and the Easter of Francis (2026).
As a Church, we are also invited to live the Ordinary Jubilee, to be pilgrims of hope. In this sense, we will celebrate two major events in the Church in 2025: the Jubilee Year “Pilgrims of Hope” and the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures of St. Francis.
To help us delve deeper into these themes, we were joined by Brother José Carlos Matias, a Conventual Franciscan. This brother helped us understand and articulate the Jubilee Year, whose central theme is hope, with the Franciscan vision of creation expressed in the Canticle of the Creatures and our mission to be true leaders according to the heart of God. 
With regard to the Ordinary Jubilee, this reflection challenged us above all on how we cultivate hope in our lives and in our communities, in order to be true “pilgrims of hope”. Together, we reflected on the concrete attitudes that we can adopt so that the Jubilee is truly a path of grace that nourishes and strengthens our faith, our charity and our hope in our Congregation.
With regard to the Canticle of the Creatures, the song that celebrates the goodness of God manifested in all the elements of nature and that invites us to an attitude of gratitude and care, we were challenged to cultivate in our lives and in our communities an attitude of praise, gratitude and care for the beauty and harmony of creation.
We also had time to watch the film “The Friend, Francis of Assisi and his Brothers” by Renaud Fély and Arnaud Louvet. This film is a challenge for us to be faithful to the spirit that Francis wanted for his Order and, at the same time, to put our intuitions at the service of the Church with creativity.
It was a very rich weekend of reflection, meeting, sharing and prayer. As disciples of Christ, in the manner of Saint Francis of Assisi, we rejoice in walking in the Church in fidelity to our charism.
In this sense, the great challenge is to be superior according to Saint Francis of Assisi :
Must have a reflective life, 
of great quality, of recognized fame,
without personal affections
so as not to scandalize the community,
by favoritism granted to a party.
He must love prayer and divide his time
between the needs of his soul and the needs of the flock.
between the needs of his soul and the needs of the flock.
Early in the morning, he must begin with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
and with superabundant prayer.
and with superabundant prayer, he will entrust himself to the flock,
to divine protection.
Then he will make himself available to all,
to answer their questions
and respond to their needs,
with charity, patience and love.
He will take care of the simple as well as the learned and wise.
In his way of proceeding, 
the image of piety and simplicity must shine through,
patience and humility.
Know how to comfort the afflicted,
and lead the violent to gentleness.
Have a heart for mercy,
and never refuse them forgiveness.
Mirror of Perfection, No. 80
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Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady (FMOL), Ethiopia is delighted and grateful to God to made the final Profession of Vows of Sr. Andualem Adem, Yemeserach Bekele, Medehanit Nure. On August 22/24, in Nazareth St. Joseph Church, in the presence of Bishop Markos Ghebremedhin,(CM), the Bishop of Jimma-Bonga, and Many other priests, sisters, parishioners, the family members of the sisters and, were able to came and witness this joyful celebration .
Bishop Markos Ghebremedhin, (CM), the Bishop of Jimma-Bonga, officiated the ceremony. The theme chosen for the day was “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither month nor rust destroy, and where thieves do not break in or steal… (Matthew 6:19-20). “
After the Eucharistic celebration we shared fraternal meal in the congregation’s assembly hall followed by coffee ceremony according to Ethiopian Traditional. I, Sr.Abebech Kiftaga the regional minister thanked the sisters’ parents for offering their daughters to the church and to our congregation, and thanked God and everyone who journeyed with them till now and requested all to continue their usually support and prayer for the next journey of spiritual and social life.
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This word pushed me to move forward to respond to God's call of love, forever! It is the Franciscan joy that has animated my journey. I find this joy in my religious life within the Institute. I am happy to live my vows in the mission that the Institute entrusts to me ! Thank you, my sisters, for all your prayers and support ! Peace and Joy !
I feel happy to live my vocation in religious life ! I am convinced that Christ is always present in my journey. To follow in the footsteps of Christ and to further deepen my consecrated life, the words of Saint Paul inspire and encourage me : "For I have decided to leave everything for the love of Christ". A big thank you my sisters for everything! I count on your prayer and I pray for you all. Thank you very much !
During the stages of formation, I found peace and joy ! This joy pushes me to continue. Today, I pronounce my definitive commitment to be truly a messenger of peace and joy. With the words of Samuel that I have chosen as a motto in my life to come, I pronounce my Yes forever for the good of the Institute and the Church.
I am very happy today! I do not regret being a religious in our Institute ! As a committed woman, I live my vow of alliance with the Lord with joy. Now I am going out into the deep with my definitive commitment to the Congregation ! Thanks to your fraternal help and your support in prayer, my sisters, I am what I am ! And for this, I want to praise the Lord as long as I live !
Reflecting on my journey of religious vocation, I discern God’s providence intricately woven through every chapter — from my upbringing in Vietnam, through academic pursuits in the U.S., to my final commitment as a Franciscan Missionary of Our Lady. Psalm 139:16 deeply resonates with me, affirming that God’s plan for my life was established long before my birth:
In response to God’s plan, I have always strived to be ready to say yes to His will in every circumstance. My religious life is like a carefully nurtured seed through different stages in the soil of faith, my vocation has grown and flourished according to His divine design. Each phase of my life, every encounter and decision, has been orchestrated by the Master Gardener.
Looking back, I recognize God’s providence through the loving care of my family, the Church and those who have walked alongside me. Raised in a devout Catholic family in Vietnam, amidst eight siblings, faith was not merely a part of life but it's very core. Early on, I felt a calling to religious life, nurtured by the guidance of my parents and the Church. At the age of 8 in 1992, I first sensed this call, setting my heart on becoming a Religious Sister, yet unaware of the specific path ahead.
Initially drawn to the Daughters of Our Lady of Holy Rosary, I immersed myself in their community from 1993 onward, dedicated to a life of love and service. However, from early on, God gently sowed Franciscan spirituality into my life, and then step by step, He changed my plans. During my first formative week with the Daughters of Our Lady of Holy Rosary, I was shown a film about St. Francis of Assisi that ignited a deep admiration in me for his spirituality. I now see this as God’s gradual redirection of my path, planting the seed that would later on blossom in unexpected ways.
In 2012, after graduating from Commerce and Business at South Economics College, in Theology at the Inter Congregational Institute's, and the Social Media Ministry Program, as well as the program of Editing and Production for Events in the South of Vietnam, a scholarship brought me to the U.S., where I pursued studies in philosophy and theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary and later a Master’s in Theology at Villanova University.
In 2015, by chance, (but in God's plan), Providence intervened again leading me to encounter a Sister of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady (FMOL). Over several transformative visits to their community in North America, I heard God’s call to embrace the Franciscan Charism, solidifying my desire to transfer. Through deep discernment and prayer, guided and prompted by the Holy Spirit, in line with Canon Law, and supported by my superiors, I made the pivotal decision to join the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady. On February 9, 2021, I embraced this new chapter, relocating to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to completely entrust my life and future in God's hands and to fully immerse myself in the FMOL community. This marked the beginning of a probation period (three years), a time of testing and confirmation leading to my Perpetual Religious Profession on June 1st, 2024.
My Final Vows Mass took place in Baton Rouge at the Saint Francis Chapel of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, North American Region with Bishop Michael Duca presiding. Our Sisters, along with four members of my family, were in attendance to witness this significant moment in my life. My Perpetual Vows Mass were celebrated simply in Franciscan spirit, but very warm.
The Most Rev. Michael G. Duca, bishop of Baton Rouge, shared in his homily at my Final Vows Mass, “Our vocation is beyond our understanding.” My religious vocation was also guided by God step by step in ways I never expected. With gratitude to God and all who have supported my journey, I have completed the initial phase of my Franciscan journey as I made my Final Vows. Now, I start moving towards my destination as I continue forward with the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, I am certain that my roots are firmly planted in His Kingdom, where I will grow and serve according to His will throughout my life.
One night in the year 1221, when Francis was in prayer, an Angel appeared to him to order him to go to the small chapel nearby where Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, accompanied by a long train of Angels, were waiting for him.
Francis came there in all haste, and at the sight of this Heavenly spectacle, he prostrated himself to adore the Majesty of his God.
The Savior spoke to him in these terms: "Francis, the zeal that you and your brothers show for the Salvation of souls, leads me to allow you to ask me for some grace in their favor; I promise to grant it to you with kindness."
Saint Francis knew well that the whole earth is the seat of the kingdom of God, he believed that in every place God grants his grace to his elect. But his experience had taught him that this Church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula is filled with a more abundant grace and that the Angels often frequent it.
1 - It is of immediately Divine origin,
2 - It is plenary, perpetual, absolute, free, applicable to the living and to the souls in Purgatory, attached to all the churches of the Orders of Saint Francis.
3 - It can be won every day of the year in the church of Saint Mary of the Angels near Assisi.
4 - In the said Basilica, it is not suspended during the jubilee year; and in the other Franciscan churches it is suspended only for the living and continues to have its effect for the application to the souls of Purgatory.
On the day of this Solemnity, one will go to church with the well-determined intention of applying the holy indulgence to oneself.
One will make a profound Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament; if one has not already presented oneself at the holy table, one will come and take one's place there with the sentiments of true piety and sincere contrition.
Then one will render to Our Lord the thanksgivings due to Him, and one will prepare oneself for the reception of the holy indulgence by reciting the prayers that the devotion of each one can suggest to Him, taking care however to pray according to the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiffs.
Let us prepare our hearts so that they may be the place, the house, the space where God finds a place to dwell.
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The Mission of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady in São Tomé and Príncipe is quite diverse. We work on several social projects, including the lark home, which welcomes young girls and teenagers from distant farms to facilitate their school attendance and an ATL. We also work with the elderly, as in São Tomé and Príncipe elderly people are targets of violence, based on the conviction that elderly people are witches. The lack of a family structure that can ensure the elderly's subsistence and a dignified retirement causes many situations of elderly abandonment.
In this sense, the district in which we find ourselves presents very particular situations, meaning that some elderly people are left to their own devices, living in a situation of abandonment and great precariousness. The social context itself contributes greatly to these situations getting worse every day. For these reasons, we, the Franciscan sisters, seek to provide answers in some concrete situations for the approximately 70 elderly people in our district. We visit these elderly people weekly and distribute baskets with essential goods. With each visit we try to understand the real needs of each person and listen to their life stories. We also provide some moments of celebration and medical and medication assistance.
It has often been a difficult task, because the sisters also depend on the help of benefactors and volunteers who support us in this socio-charitable mission. Lately, due to the social situation, we often find ourselves with our hands tied without being able to assist, but thanks to divine benevolence and that of our benefactors, we are trying to carry out our work.
We share some photos of our Mission with the elderly in São Tomé and Príncipe so they can get to know us better.
We give thanks to God for our beloved Congregation: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady who welcomed us to be part of this simple and humble family; that helps us grow in the experience of Charisma, Spirituality and the Mission that God has given us. When we reach this stage, it does not mean that our journey ends here, as our Seraphic father Saint Francis of Assisi says: “brothers, we haven't done anything yet, let's start”, therefore we count a lot on your prayers and your support, we will also do the same. Thank you, Merci, khanimambo, Noshukuru maitabassa takuta.
« You seduced me Lord and I allowed myself to be seduced » (Jer 20:7) Throughout my formation, based on prayer, the Eucharist, the word of God, fraternal life, I discovered and felt the great seduction of the Most High, to whom it is impossible to resist; dominated and overcome by Him: my treasure and my destiny, I wish to consecrate my life to the God of the Covenant. With a joyful, grateful and determined heart, I give myself to God to follow in the footsteps of His Son Jesus Christ, in the manner of Saint Francis of Assisi, in this humble Family of Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady. Eulália Vasco Botão. 
« I can do all things through Him who strengthens me » (Phil 4:13) The Lord captivated me to follow Him in the way of Saint Francis of Assisi in the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady, living in union and communion. Throughout my training I discovered that consecrating oneself to God means living in joy, in love, in giving. I want to give everything to God with great joy and confidence, following the example of Mary, Mother of Jesus. Jesus is my comfort, my strength, my joy, with Him in my heart “I will fear no evil because His staff sustains me”. Mercia da Delfina Luís Paulo.
« I always have the Lord before my eyes, so my heart rejoices with joy » (Ps 16). Throughout my training I discovered the true path: following Jesus Christ in the way of Saint Francis of Assisi, living the gospel as a rule of life, in joy, simplicity and humility. I praise you Lord for choosing me; in You is the meaning of my life. Therefore, without fear I give myself to God in this Religious Family, simple and humble, being the architect of Union and Communion. Muchambazua Rendeção Macuire
«To whom will we go, Lord? Only You have the Words of eternal life » (John 6:68). During my training and experience with Jesus Christ my Master, seeking God's will, I discovered that only Jesus Christ has "Words of eternal life". In joy and trust I want to say “yes” to God: to follow Jesus Christ, in the way of Saint Francis of Assisi; observe the Holy Gospel, being a witness and creator of Unity and Communion. I feel happy and motivated to have found the Beauty of Christ through the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady. Ercia Niquita Joaquim Laita.
« Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.» (John 21:17). Today, with allergy I surrender to the God of the covenant, living the evangelical Councils of obedience, poverty and chastity. Like St. Francis, I want to live the gospel in simplicity, in humility, living the Charisma of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady: Union and Communion. I remember the past with gratitude, I want to live the present with passion and open myself to the future with confidence. Give me, Lord, the grace to keep the flame of your love always burning in my life. Célia João Martinho.
« The Lord is my light and salvation, whom should I fear? » (Ps. 26). Today I contemplate the beauty of my consecration to God. He who captivated me to follow Him in the way of Saint Francis of Assisi, in this Family of Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady, living Union and Communion in fraternity; serving those most in need freely with joy, simplicity and humility of heart. Determined and without fear, I give my “yes” to God in serving our poorest brothers. Give me Lord the grace to be a witness of your love. Alice Joaquim Sande.
Maputo, June, 2024
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Sister Marie Laurence/Kate McCarthy was a Franciscan sister from Cailais. Born in 1895 in Drimoleague, County Cork, Ireland, she arrived in France, in Calais, in 1913. She then worked as a nurse at Béthune Hospital during the First World War. After the Great War, she went to the United States. In 1940, she returned to the Béthune hospital where she treated soldiers and civilians. Although Ireland declared itself neutral during the Second World War, Sister Marie Laurence chose to join the Resistance network at the Musée de l'Homme. She helped around 120 Allied soldiers escape to England. On June 18, 1941, a spy posing as an Englishman showed up at the hospital. Sister Marie Laurence, finding his accent suspicious, confronts him. The Gestapo arrived a few minutes later to arrest the latter. She is imprisoned and interrogated for having transmitted strategic maps to the Resistance.
In 1942, she was sentenced to death, but her sentence was commuted to internment and deportation. She was detained in various prisons from June 1941 to August 1942, then deported until April 24, 1945, notably to the Ravensbrück women's concentration camp. After the war, Sister Marie Laurence returned to Ireland, to Cork. She received several decorations including the French Commemorative Medal of the 1939-1945 War and the Silver Medal of French Recognition. She then became mother superior of the Honan Home hospice in Cork. She died on June 21, 1971.
With immense gratitude and a heart overflowing with joy, I express my sincere gratitude to God for the gift of life and my vocation. I can't help but thank my parents who brought me into the world. How can I not remember my dear mother Maria de Lourdes Lima, in memory. She was the most important point in my trajectory of my vocation history.
To all my family who contributed so much to me getting here. Gratitude also to my religious family chosen by God, the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady. My eternal affection to the entire Congregation, especially the Brazil Region, which welcomed me. And I cannot fail to thank the General Minister and the Council.
I express here my joy and willingness to serve with love, as far as possible. May the Good God illuminate my steps and the entire Congregation.
Sister Maria José de Lima
Each time we return to the “sources” of our Congregation, we marvel and say: “Great are your works, Lord!” (Ps 91,6)
How good and pleasant it is to look at and contemplate our history, to re-read and meditate on our circulars, our books of life and sing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to our God!
Today, as yesterday, we are touched by the living testimonies of those who, day by day, in all circumstances of their existence, allow themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and are inspired in the unity of the Holy Trinity in order to live the dream of Franciscan fraternity, from a synodal perspective.
The words of Mother Louise inspire us: “Long live our God and our All in our will and in all our actions. Have in your hearts only the desire for his holy love, and in your works only obedience and submission to his good pleasure, with complete fidelity and not only for external things, but much more for internal things; look no further than this sweet cordiality towards each other. “(Mother Louise, January 6, 1856)
Imbued with a festive atmosphere, in an atmosphere of celebration, we embrace you with sisterly affection.
]]>In memory of the Easter of our Mother Louise, it is good to meditate on an extract from her circular on “Everything passes” from January 1959
A year that ends, another that begins, are for Christians and especially religious women a subject of deep meditation. In the light of peace, we will make good resolutions to take better advantage of the time that God grants us only to work for our salvation.
ANYTHING GOES ; every day and every moment we experience this truth, we know how, in practice, to benefit from these thoughts of faith.
Penetrated with this truth, that everything here below is vanity and nothingness, we will constantly have our eyes turned towards the goal of our destiny; always, in all circumstances, we will cry: God alone! and we will only look at the things of this world with contempt and indifference; we only dwell on them as much as they can serve us for the salvation of our soul and the glory of God.
We will remember that, dedicated to God by religious profession, our actions have double merit, and each moment, each second of our life, can be for us a step towards Heaven, and must obtain for us a degree of glory.
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