On Friday, February 5 2021, at 3 pm in Rome (Italy), Madrid (Spain), Nkolbisson – Yaounde (Camerun) and 11 am in Santiago de Chile, an important event for our Congregation began: IX General Assembly.

Called from all the continents where we are present, the sisters chosen as representatives for the Assembly, made themsleves present – almost all of them – in one of the places chosen as the see of provincial plenary. Given the pandemic situation, we wanted to minimize the travels. Thanks be to God, at least this mixed modality has been possible. During these days, the sisters will make a significant part of reflection in groups, in one of the three cities – Nkolbisson, Santiago de Chile and Madrid. They will connect once a day in online sessions among all the participants, presided by our General Animator.

SISTERS WHO WERE NOMINATED TO PARTICIPATE IN IX GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The list of names and surnames reflects the actual state. The only sister who, due to the impossibility to enter Spain from the Philippines, is participating online outside of the see, is Sr. Chrezann Angulo, Delegate of the Delegation of San Lorenzo Ruiz of Asia.

1. María José Gay Miguel – General Animator
2. Inés Fernández Rodríguez – 1st General Counselor
3. Marcela Jaque Ibarra – 2nd General Counselor
4. María Teresa García Rodríguez – 3rd General Counselor
5. Florida Mukabideri Kalinijabo – 4th General Counselor
6. Luisa Ortega Sánchez – “Francisco Palau” – Europa
7. Victorine Bagalwa Amani-Sifa – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
8. Amalia Esther Ponce Teruel – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
9. Mª Olga Olano Eguíluz – “Francisco Palau” – Europa
10. Teresa Vives Pertusa – “Francisco Palau” – Europa
11. Ana Lucía Reyes Jara – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
12. Mª Isabel Obregón Aguirre – Animadora Provincial “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
13. Mª del Rosario Pérez Payá – Animadora Provincial “Francisco Palau” – Europa
14. Gertrude Kavira Kalere – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
15. Mirtha Rojas Solar – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
16. Jeanne d’Arc Kalisa Uwera – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
17. Norma Florencia Pérez Vargas – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
18. Angèlique Shamatsi Riziki – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
19. Chrezann Magyaya Angulo – Delegada Provincial “San Lorenzo Ruiz” – Asia
20. Clarisse H Raharisoa Razanabary – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
21. Angéline Dakouo Salina – Animadora Provincial “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África
22. Aleksandra Nawrocka – “Francisco Palau” – Europa
23. Paola Verónica Zapata Leiva – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
24. María Angélica Valle Rodríguez – “Virgen de Guadalupe” América
25. Maricris Gonzáles Malabana – “Francisco Palau” – Europa
26. Rosemary Wambui Mwangi – “Sta. Teresita del Niño Jesús” – África

Due to the difficult situation in the Residence Santa Teresa in Valls, sister Veronica Blanes Garcia, chosen for the Assembly among the sisters, has recently presented her resignation, and it has been impossible to find a substitute in so short a period of time due to the laboral obligations of other sisters who could comply with requirements (younger than 50). Some of the sisters called by the General Government are not present: Sr. Martha Pelloni has renunces presenting the argument of her age and the pandemic. The substitute who is present in the Assembly in her place is sister Mirtha Rojas. Sister Marcela Macagno, junior, couldn’t also travel due t her status, and in her place sister Maricris G. Malabana arrived.

The functions of secretary of this congregational encounter and of communicator of development of it has been entrusted to sister Elżbieta Strach who is present together with our General in Rome.

OPENING MESSAGE

After warm welcoming and a moment of prayer inspired by the theme “Women of faith: weavers of new relationships”, the Sisters listened to the opening message, words pronounced by our General Animator, Maria Jose Gay. With heartfelt wecoming, full of gratitude to God and to the sisters for the possibility of encounter in the middle of pandemic, in this “congregational kairos”, an important moment for the life of our palautian family. Refering to the theme chosen for the Assembly, she continues:

“I consider this theme of great actuality, because of carismatic richness it contains and because of its meaningfullness in this moment in which it might seems that pandemic is affecting in considerable manner our trust in God and our relationships.

It’s a time, my dear sisters, to renew the deep meaning of our faith, it’s an hour to journey to the roots of our spirituality where there are firm basis to continue growing, even though it is the night.

It is also the time to think againg in what style of relationship are the ones we weave with our God and with our brothers and sisters, because what was done before does not serve anymore.

The situations of crisis, like the one we are expiercing, give us an opportunity to look at ourselves in depth – especially now that we have so much time to be alone, and hopefully alone with the One we know loves us (Cf. V8,5; MR 8,16) – and allow ourselves to be looked at from inside with the eyes of God.

At the same time, form this interior sight, compassionate and questioning, the crisis, this crisis in concrete, put in action the most unsuspected mechanisms, the creativity that all of us have within us; it sharpens our sight and focuses it in the situations of mayor vulnerability, situations that claim from us a movement to go out and respond.

The Assembly that we are just about to begin is an opportunity to revive these actitudes from contemplation of all we are going to experience and from the courage of throwing ourselves into te future with hope and compassion, the way our Founder did. It is an opportunity to continue encarnating at the level of family, the spirit of ecclesial synodality, of communion, corresponsibility and paticipation in the life and mission as Carmelitas Misioneras Teresianas.

What Francisco Palau has lived wasn’t an easy way, the same way it happened to many saints in Church’s history. The wisdom of yesterday and today consists in knowing how to transit the roads of life with feet on the earth and eyes in the heights, with heart in God and in persons with whom we form the Body, to live in communion, announcing the beauty of the Church in concrete situations of life and history.

Dear Sisters, let us allow the Spirit of Jesus to direct this encounter, so uncommon in modality, presential and virtual; this is also a challenge that we need to face, and I am sure that with the effort of all we will be able to manage.

Let us live these days as one family, let us analize in depth whatever will be presented here, with a heart of daughters and sisters. Let us banish from now on all negative thoughts, all defensive attitude or closed position, and let us be open to the action of God who wants to continue counting on us to continue announcing to the people the beauty of the Church, mystery of communion. “It is so important to dream together! When we do it alone, we are in danger of delusions in which we see what is not; dreams need to be constructed together. Let us dream as one humanity, as travellers of the same human flesh, as daughters of the same earth that shelters us all” (FT 8).

Let us ask God to dispone our hearts to fulfill only His will, so that these days may help us to feel more as a family among ourselves and with the whole humanity, to commit ourselves in its growth.

May Mary be our companion in this journey; I ask Her to help us to make reality the words She pronounced in Cana: “Do whatever He tells you”. Let each one of us put ate the service of all the best we received from God, the way that the miracle may happen and we may continue being a shelter for all the situations that our brethren are going through.

And as Pope Francis says: “May God concede us to ‘viralize’ love and globalize hope in the light of faith” (Heal the world. Catechesis about andemic).

With these words she declared the IX General Assembly opened.

After apluse, we shared our expectations, followed by introduction of methodology (to open our mind, open our heart, open our will) and other practical matters: punctuality, use of the plataform, etc. Every place since today wil count on a spokeperson of a group: secretary of zonal works and correspodent of communications. They will make us share some footprints of what is lived in every place during these days.

Mass of the Holy Spirit

Once finalized the plenary of Assembly, the sisters in their respective places participated in the votive mass of the Holy Spirit. Spiritually united all over the world, they praised God pledging the abundance of fruits of these days. 

Due to difference in time zones, the sisters from the Province of the Virgin of Guadalupe, united in Santiago de Chile, will continue with the work starting with the first illuminatio talks: time of retreat and reflection. But about that we will write tomorrow, more and better.

 
COMMUNICATIONS

All who would like to send a message to the sisters gathered in the Assembly, you are heartedly encouraged. The e-mail for this purpose is: comunicaciones@cmtpalau.org.

And if you would like that your message will appear in social medie, do not hesitate to put a hashtag in your publication (of prayer, greetings or wishes) in our perfile @cmtpalau in Facebook or Instagram.

 

And of course, there go some pictures of ambientation of the four places where at this time this meaningful event is happening. The first message of greetings and commitment to accompany in spirit from the sisters…

And soon, notes from this journey from the three provincial sees.