Canonical Visit in Australia
Provincia Filippine - Australia - Saipan - Taiwan
Inserita il: 13/11/2015
2 commentario(i) ...
Sr Marta and Sr Arsenia visit Australia
The words from psalm 133:1 “How very good and pleasant it is when sisters live together in unity” aptly describe the experience lived by the Sisters in Australia on the occasion of the Canonical visit of Sr Marta Finotelli, Superior General, accompanied by Sr Arsenia Strada, Provincial Superior of PIi-AU-SA-TA, from the 30th September to 10th October.
The theme of the canonical visit, “Do you love me…? Feed…” (Jn 21:16ff) guided us along an itinerary that helped us discern the personal and pastoral conversion the Spirit is asking of us in keeping and living the gift of communion. During the penitential celebration on the last day we were ready to sign our names to our common resolve: “Rooted in the love of Jesus Good Shepherd, we live the gift of communion as persons, open and accepting of on be another’s differences and rejoicing in the richness of our diversity, communication through our prayer and being together.”
Mindful that communion is a gift that is nourished through the Eucharist, we greatly appreciated the daily celebration of the Eucharist in our chapel presided by priests with whom we share the ministry of pastoral care: Fr Girolami, Fr Purcell, Fr Sabbadin, Fr Bonello and Fr Le. Our encounter with the Archbishops of Melbourne and Adelaide was also a sign of our communion with the whole Church.
We enjoyed a few days retreat led by Sr Marta. Her reflections helped us deepen our appreciation and love for the Eucharist, gift of all gifts, and the call to give ourselves unreservedly. Good nourishment for the journey! The Sisters also had the opportunity for a personal conversation with Sr Marta and Sr Arsenia.
They had the opportunity of visiting Loyola College in Watsonia where Sr Nelia works as Home-College-Parish Liaison Person. Only the week before the Principal, Mr Favrin, and two teachers, Ms Barbon, Mr Lee, together with Sr Nelia, had visited our schools at Imus and Lingayen with the purpose of looking to form a relationship with our Sisters and our schools for immersion and exchange programs for the Loyola students. Mr Favrin took the opportunity of the celebration of the 77th anniversary of the Foundation of our Congregation on 7th October, to take us all out for a delicious meal at Pizzaly as a sign of gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to them by our Sisters in the Philippines.
We also had some lovely times of relaxation together like the joyful celebrations of Sr Estelita and Sr Mia’s birthdays, and our trip to the Tulip Festival at Silvan.
The brevity of the visit didn’t leave time for us to invite our Cooperators or visit some of the Pauline Family communities but we knew they were keeping us in their prayer. It was nice for Sr Mary’s Mum and brother to visit us. We paid a brief visit to Fr O’Connell, parish priest of St Paul’s Coburg, as he wasn’t well enough to celebrate the Eucharist in our chapel.
On 8th October, Sr Marta, Sr Arsenia and the Payneham community left for Adelaide where they met with the parish priests of Payneham, Fr Winter, and Greenacres-Walkerville, Fr Spurling, before leaving for Taiwan on 10th October.
Indeed, it has been good to experience afresh “How very good and pleasant it is when sisters live together in unity!” We can continue our journey with serenity, surrendered to our loving God for, in Sr Marta’s words, we call the past forgiveness, the present eternal life and the future trust!
Sr. Mary La Bruna jsbp
Leggi i commenti
Estelita(Australia)
14/11/2015 | 22:13
All is gift, everything comes from the bounty of God...ALLELUIA for the moments of graces through the visit of Sr. Marta and Sr. Arsenia. Thank you Lord
Sr. Ignacia Coching
14/11/2015 | 04:54
An edifying experience! Thank you dear Sr. Marta for encouraging us to let ourselves be loved that we could be free to be channels of God's love to all.
