As on the night of 18 July 1830, the Blessed Virgin affirms: “I love the Community.” These are not words from the past; they are her feelings and are always shown in her deeds.
It was undoubtedly her love for the Company that we palpably felt between July 12 and 20, 2022 when we gathered to celebrate beautiful events especially the sending on mission of 12 Sisters and the entrance to the Company of 22 new Daughters of Charity in the presence of Sr. Françoise Petit, Superioress General, Sister Alicia Margarita Cortés, General Councillor, and the Visitatrixes and Councillors for Formation of the 8 Provinces of Latin America and the Caribbean.
On the evening of 18 July, 3 Sisters were sent to the Province of Mexico, 4 to the Province of La Milagrosa Bogota-Venezuela, 3 to the Province of Cali, 1 to the Province of Our Lady of the Mission South America, and 1 to the Province of Ecuador. Twelve new servants, full of joy, were sent to go to the homes and hearts of persons who are in poverty situations in order to serve and love them in the name of Our Lord.
In turn, 22 young women: 4 from Mexico, 4 from La Milagrosa Bogotá-Venezuela, 3 from the Caribbean, 3 from Ecuador, 2 from Our Lady of the Mission and 6 from Cali, opened their hearts to the action of the Divine Sower in the new furrows of the Interprovincial Seminary that is based in Cali, Colombia in order to be formed as servants of those who are poor in today’s world.
The pilgrims, devotees of the Blessed Virgin, who come to our Chapel especially on Tuesdays, joined us and were touched by the Eucharist celebrating the sending and welcoming.
The love of the Lord has overflowed towards us especially during those days from 12 to 19 July when the Interprovincial Seminary based in the Province of Cali welcomed Sister Françoise PETIT, successor to Saint Louise, whose simple life and clear and profound interventions, has been, for each one of us, yeast and fresh air that fills and strengthens our love and sense of belonging to the Company.
The Sisters of Cali Province, gathered in two regional groups, had the grace of an encounter with Sister Françoise who guided a reflection on the second door of the Inter-Assemblies Document: “Towards a renewal of hearts and minds” and its key “conversion in order to further fraternity.” She also shared with the Seminary Sisters, the Visitatrixes and the formators her dreams and hopes for young vocations in the Company.
The Visitatrixes and Councillors for Formation took advantage of these days to evaluate and update the Statutes of the Interprovincial Seminary as well as to modify the criteria of the unified plan for the stages of initial formation. Sister Françoise, for her part, shared her reflection on the sixth door of the Inter-Assemblies Document, “Towards a Culture of Encounter.”
We thank the Lord and the Blessed Virgin of the Apparitions who allowed us to live this experience of internationality and interculturality that has enriched our being Daughters of Charity.
We thank Sister Françoise for the time she spent with us, for her profound reflections and, above all, for her witness as a simple, warm, and compassionate Daughter of Charity. We also thank Sister Alicia Margarita for her close accompaniment during each event and in every meeting that took place.
“How shall we repay the Lord for all the good he has done for us” (Psalm 116,12).
