Your Story?
This page is dedicated as a share-space for ALL of us Canossians to share our reflections on what being Consecrated women means to us. Post your comments below in the comments section. These too will be shared with our Chapter Sisters, and more importantly will edify all of us.
We are getting a lot of responses, and some of them a bit long. Don’t worry! Keep them coming! We’re attaching one sharing from Toronto, Canada here as a response to number 15 below.
If you wish to make a long comment – write pages if you want – you can e-mail them to: fdcc2008[at]gmail.com. Thanks to all for your contributions!!!!
Consecrated women means:-
One who is loved by the Lord & called by him
One who has heard this call and responded to it lovingly
After responding to live this response everyday
One who believes that He is there always and allows herself to be moulded by him
One who trust that his grace will sustain even in the dark hours.
one who shares his cross in daily life
one who is faithful to that call till the end
one who seeks him alone in everything
one who never looks behind but goes forward with him
One who shares his love with others in dedicated service
one who can let go and let god in each day
Sr.Mary Chacko
Conscecrated woman is one who is ready to let God do what He wants and receives everything from Him with gratitude
Sisters Bridgit Janet Clara Teresina Treesa and Bincy
Consecrated Women!
We are MOTHERS of LOVE, Called to carry life and generate it. Called to weep and laugh so that life grows. In doing is WILL only we become MOTHERS to all.We bring life. WE bring Hope. We bring Joy. with our Universal Sister, El Obeid.
The Chapter is indeed is holy, sacred and graced-filled time. It will become so only when we are open to the Spirit with freedom and with attentive listening. Trusting in the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and being faithful to our Charism, Our M. Foundress will certainly intercede for us in heaven so that this Chapter will bring forth new thrust and light for the Church and Institute.
Dear Mother Marie and all Capatular mothers,
Prayerful wishes and greetings from Sr. Juliana and the novices – Promila, Pushpa, Maria, Reema, Anita and Sekunda.
We are indeed with you in our daily prayers. May the Spirit of God accompany you in all your effort to discern God’s will for all of us, Canossia.
Love
Novices and Sr. Juliana
Queen of Peace
North India.
Dear Mother Marie
I keep you all in my daily prayers, so that the Spirit may work in and through you to update ourselves to answer the pressing needs of the changing world around. We are not merely workers in the vineyard, but messengers of God’s love. Jesus fed and healed multitude because that was what he felt and was a need of that time. We too need to read the signs of the time and move accordingly answering them. My sincere best wishes for this new change that will take place as HE (Jesus)works in and through you. Let us not lag behind doing good to the people around.
Prayers
Sr. Sunita
India North
Consecrated women
As for me to be consecrated women means to become Christ like, to be signs of an eschatological dimension among those whom they are sent. They are women who know how to radiate the joy and peace of the RISEN LORD in their communities as well as in their apostolate with a certain spiritual maturity.
Being consecrated women means to be real credible witnesses, matured dedicated women who know how to nurture and safe guide the members of their community suporting each other to live well their evangelical commitments.
To be Consecrated women means: being free to live that solitude of life without much fear of being left alone.
They are flexible, equilibriul, zelous for the Kingdom of God, as women they are capable of pleading for justice without violance, enthusiastic, prayerful, generous in taking their commitments very seriously. Consecrated women means being a PEACE MAKER, BRIDGE MAINDER.
Finally Consecrated women are the LIGHT- and SALT… I can not imagne the life of the church without them.
Today February 13th 2008, Australia is celebrating history by ‘The National Apology to the Stolen Generations’. We live an historical and hope-filled moment and thank God for this grace and affirm that we stand with the Indigenous people of Australia.
Please join us as we journey on this Land of the Holy Spirit, in peace and unity, with dignity and mutual respect.
Dear Sisters it is truly interesting that we have been given the opportunity to follow the Chapter proceedings online. As junior sister it is indeed a priviledge and my personal duty to both understand and comprehend the issues at hand of the Chapter,that will in many ways be a guding force for the future. What interest me is the richness in which the Chpater is being conducted. I can feel the spirit of our Foundress very much in every inch of the proceedings. As consecrated womean i believe that it is vital that we live a life of authenticity of being true daughters of Christ Crucified. More so in today’s world that demands that we live our womanhood to the full. It is both a priviledge and challenge being a woman moreso a Consecrated woman in todays world. I believe that with the spirit of humility, charity and patience we can be true witnesses as daughters of charity.
Love
Sr Shanti Arokia Mary Mariadass
Dear Mother Marie & Chapter Members,
We want to assure you of our prayerful support during this Chapter. May the Holy Spirit guide each one of you in your discussions and decisions.May Mary our Mother, Our Mother Foundress, Our Universal Sister M. Bakhita and all our Saintly Mothers in heaven interceede for you specially during these days of the Chapter. This is our fervent prayer and wish for you.
Sr. Isabella Mathew and the Postulants
North India
Dearest Mother Marie and the Chapter Members,
Many thanks for giving us this opportunity to follow the daily events of the Chapter. We feel so close to you all.May the Lord fill each one of you with the POWER OF HIS SPIRIT to enlighten, guide and direct you in everything.Be assured of the prayers of all our sisters.
With love,
Srs. Lily, Josemary and Carmelina
India Centre
Dearest Mother Marie and Sisters all of the Chapter
Just share a few thoughts:
My consecration gives me a mission of being holy or else I would not need to be consecrated to Him by my vows. By my consecrated life, I strive constantly to tell the world around that nothing it offers by way of power or position, adds meaning to my life. God Alone is the meaning of my life. My commitment implies handing over of my life in all its details to the Lord, then only I am able to show that Love is more powerful than my selfish desires. This LOVE is always calling me to a closer imitation of the Greatest Love, above all to BE this most generous LOVE.
Through my vows I bring the benefits of the Beatitudes into the lives of the people. I need to symbolize my love, talents and projects in such a way that all those who come into contact with me can feel that the Kingdom of God has come into their lives. For this it is necessary that I be a free person through whom the spirit can act. As a free person I can relate myself to all. I am convinced that this is a basic requirement to make the practice of the Evangelical Counsels truly evangelising.
Assuring you more of my prayerful support,
SrJoyce de Melo – Bangalore
Dear M. Marie and Chapter delegates,
Thanks for the opportunity given to be with you with our thoughts, prayers and feelings.
It’s a privilege to be a Canossian with our vows. My vow of chastity prompts me to continue giving life, helping people grow, keeping close to the source of life who is an eternal spring to me. It is sad if we Canossians forget this, which would result only in abortions. Truly we commit abortions when we do not gife life, the life of Jesus to all around us.
May Mary guide you and bless you.
Love, Sr. Olive D’Silva
Dear Sisters,
We have all suddenly become “internet addicts” delighted to be able to share in the day to day work of the Chapter, through this page. Thank you for providing this service to us all. As a community we are offering our prayers and any small sacrifices so that each one of you may be open to what the Spirit is telling you, for us all, for the future of our Congregation and for the Glory of God. We are sure He is leading you in His way, and we ask for the grace to follow. With love,
The sisters of Omuta Community, Japan
Dear Mo. Marie and Sisters:
It is INDEED an opportune time not just to review and reflect on our Consecration as Canossians. But I find it so meaningful that we, as a Congregation, open ourselves to use all possible means to SHARE the gifts of our Consecration to and among our Sisters (INTERNATIONALLY), the poor and the world around us. Many times in the past, I found myself beating my chest in mea culpa, with regard to how I have lived my VOWS. But I realized how GOOD the Lord God is, how unconditional His Love is and I began to openly share with the young people I meet the beauty of our consecration.
During these times, there are already many “covenanted groups” composed of families and young professionals who gather as “communities”. They study the Scriptures and they zealously and selflessly serve the Church and the poor. How different are we to them? I realized that our calling to live our consecration is that prophetic sign that does not make us different but that calls others to live the FULLNESS OF BELONGING TOTALLY TO AND ONLY FOR THE LORD. With this, I continue to kneel before God.
With the nearing completion of the CCTAO Formators’ Training at the end of this month, I wish to share the GOOD NEWS of how each Sister (participant and facilitator) benefitted. I experienced the Sister-to-Sister journey, the beauty of different cultures in harmony and seeing “how they loved each other.” Many people in and outside of the Congregation have given the same feedback: we are good workers/ministers in the Lord Vineyard. But we need to strengthen the accompaniment of each Sister so that the vitality of our Consecration can truly shine in us, with our sisters in the communities and to others.
Thank you for all your sacrifices and may God bless us all!
Sr. Sally Navera, FdCC-Philippines-PNG
Coming to know the difficulties of different Provinces, we felt that the Crucified Lord has indeed visited us and awakened us to love Him more dearly, to give more, to be more daring in launching into the future with faith and trust.
There is no answer to all problems taht arise, but the love for Christ and for all our brothers and sisters help us to conquer.
We are always united with teh same charism and spirit. Coraggio!
Dear Sr. Marie and all the siters in the Chapter.
Thank you for sharing the daily events of the Chapter with us. In following the events of the Chapter, I can see so much the Spirit of Magdalene is alive in our Institute. It’s truly “Magdalene is alive if her Spirit in lived within us”.
You all are deeply remembered in my daily prayer and sacrifices.
United in Jesus Crucified.
Sr. TN
DEAREST MOTHER & SISTERS,
WE FOLLOW YOU WITH OUR PRAYERS DAILY. MAY YOU BE ENLIGHTENED AND STREGHTEN BY THE SPIRIT.WITH BEST WISHES
YOUR LOVING SISTERS OF TALASARI
For our consecreted life we need to follow the life pattern of Jesus. For that our prayer life is mostimportant
factor in our consecreated life.Our Prayer should be out of passinate love for the TRINITY.
Second most important factor is our conscious faith.We do have faith but our faith in ordinary events of life is not felt consciously.The little myracles happens in our day-to-day life, we take for granted. We pray that we grow in it. Srs Nimmy and Maggie Vaz.Proindia
FLOOD…LANDSLIDES…HUT MUDFLOW..EARTHQUAKESJN iNDONESIA.
pOLITICAL INSTABILITY, MILITARY EMERGENCY,A HIDDEN TERROR
For me being a ‘consecrated person’ means having the same disposition of heart and mind as the Blessed Virgin when she said “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord! Be it done to me according to His Word.” It means a total surrender to God of all that one is and has so that He takes over and manages the person’s life as He wishes.
Dearest Sisters at the Chapter, we assure you of our prayers and love and may all of you like Mary allow God to work through you His wonders at this General Chapter.
Calista
Dear. M Marie and all the Capitulars sisters
Greetings from us, Community Bintaro
We take this opportunity to wish you all have a good week for you spiritual exercise. we hope you will all have a good week participating in your spiritual exercise. All the sisters here will in remembrance and accompany you all during this great time for your meetings with Jesus.
we always keep you all in our daily prayer and masses
with Love and prayers
srs, Edna, Rosa, Amelia,Maria Joao, Yohana, Lonceria, Filomena, Selly, Kristina, Bernadete, Vanda, Yasinta, Margareta and Jucelina.
when we talk about consecrated life, I just remain that my , vocation to be loved by Him and to love others. And I don’t have a big heart to love yet but my foundress and my sisters in this Institute always bring me happiness and big strength to live that love. For me, this is very specialoy vocation to be a Daughter of Charity,servant of the poor.
Not easy but, God will enlighten us.
Together with you in prayer
buon ritiro
yogyaka
rta community
Christ poor, Christ chaste, Christ obedient, HE IN HIS GREATEST LOVE for me, gives meaning, life and love to me to enable me to embrace HIM in all especially the poor, to relish HIS LOVE in all especially the poor, to listen to HIS HEART BEATING in all especially the poor….
My sincere prayer for myself and each of us Canossians is that the “LOOK AND DO LIKEWISE” of Our Mother Foundress be our constant contemplation,our vision of the Kingdom of a GOD WHO IS LOVE be very clear, our “prophetic” mission to flow naturally….
Sr. Audrey D’Souza
On May 8, 2008, I will be celebrating my Silver Jubilee to which I’m so much grateful to the Lord for this beautiful gift of perseverance as a Canossian Sister. Indeed, words are not enough to express how i feel at this precious journey towards faithfulness to my Consecration. My Vows though not fully lived as i should, helped me overcome my vulnarability and strengthen my will to rise up each moment i found myself falling from my weaknesses. I call this Consecration, a BEATIFUL GRACE to behold and cherish but i believe it will only be even more shining when shared to others. As I celebrate my Silver Jubilee, I’m also celebrating the goodness of the Lord who never ceases loving me. Thank you dear Mothers of the Chapter, you are all lovingly prayed for.
Sr. Eva Oldan, Philippines
Praised be God for today’s means of communication thanks to which wherever we are we are granted to participate so closely to this XV General Chapter not only spiritually but also virtually.
Grateful to God for the gift of Canossian and missionary vocation I realize that at some moments of it, the Lord reached out to me through means of communication (the documentary for the centenary of the Canossian Missions in 1960 was one).
Don’t we feel with this the Lord is calling us to make more and more use of all modern means of communication even in our Consecrated life and apostolate? Walking with the times as our Mother Foundress exhorted us thus making our religious life more inspiring and relevant to the youth of today and tomorrow? Can’t we hear Jesus telling us like to the half discouraged disciple Peter after fishing all night long in vain, to launch the e-net for a big catch?
With prayer ed un Buon Lavoro!
Sr. Marina Rossignoli, Allahabad.
Dear Mother Marie & Chapter delegates,
We are very happy to get the news of chapter. The daily events of chapter gives us great joy and we are with each one of you .Our special prayers are with you .May Jeus and our Mother Mary help us to see the signs of the time and walk according to it as our Mothe foundress said.
Sisters of Pratapgarh –North India
To be a consecrated woman is… to show in our daily life the JOY of Belonging to God…to share this JOY with our Sisters, friends, and people we meet in our ministries of charity particularly the Poor…and to give back this JOY in Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving.
Dear Sr. Marie and our Capitular Sisters, THANK You for your untiring service of Love to our Institute. The Chapter news are really inspiring and encouraging for all of us here participating from a distance but so close with you in spirit.More power to you all. Praying for you….Sr. Vicky of Nagoya-Japan Province
Dear Mother Marie & all the Chapter members,
Dear M.Marie and all the Chapter members,
We, the Sisters of St. Anthony’s Convent, Allahabad, assure you of our prayerfull support. May St. Magdalene, St. Bakhita and all our saintly mothers intercede for us. May each of you experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit today and tomorrow in a special manner. May the Spirit lead and guide you in each step you take.
St. Anthony’s Convent, Allahabad, North India.
Canossian Sisters:
Province of East Timor and Indonesia
March 1, 2008
Dear M. Marie,
As we thank the Lord for the newly elected Mother General, we think of you with loving gratitude for all that you have been and for all that you have done for all of us and the whole the Institute. Wherever you shall be, you will always be remembered with love and gratitude. You have sown seeds of goodness, love, peace,joy and fraternity in our hearts and in our communities and the Lord will continue to give growth and fruition.
Thank you and please continue to remember us, Sisters in Timor and Indonesia in your prayers. Till we meet again!
Affectionately yours,
The Sisters of Timor and Indonesia.
CANOSSIAN SISTERS:
PROVINCE OF EAST TIMOR AND INDONESIA
MARCH 1, 2008
Dear Sr. Margaret Peter,
Rejoicing with all the Sisters of the Institute, each and every Sister of the Province of East Timor and Indonesia together with the Aspirants, Postulants and Novices, Canossian Collaborators and lay, praise and thank God for our New Mother General, Mother Margaret Peter. Our Big and Loving greetings and best wishes:
“CONGRATULATIONS, PARABENS! PROFICIAT!,
DEAR MOTHER MARGARET PETER!”
With great joy and gratitude in our hearts we continue the good bond of friendship we have with you with our prayers, support and collaboration. Together we continue to journey onwards spreading the love and goodness of the Lord in the Church and among our people, especially the poor.
Once again we say, we rejoice with you…
Affectionately in the Lord and with our Blessed Mother,
The Sisters of East Timor and Indonesia
Dearest M. General, M. Margaret Peter,
Grateful and thanks fo GOg for He has geven us a new General for our Institute. ConGratulations M. General! We pray for you and for your new mission. plase do pray for us too.Much love and pray.
canossian sisters of Kupang.
2 Maret 2008
Dearest sisters, Anna Maria Babbini, Anna Molinari, Elizabeth Chambers and Anne Tan
CONGRATULATIONS!SELAMAT!PARABENS!
Congratulations to our new vice General and all the new Councillors
It is with great pleasure that we welcome you all into your new responsibility at this time as vice General and General Councillors
We look forward in journeying with you for the same common goal knowing that you are with us at this time leading us into renewal paths. We welcome your supporting role to uphold our Canossian Charism for all of us
Once again we warmly congratulate you all and promising our prayers
into your new role in our Congregation.
May Mary our Mother and our foundress St. Magdalen of Canossa intercede for you all
United in Love
Sisters, Novices and Aspirant
Community Bintaro-Jakarta
Congratulations Dearest M. Anna Maria Babbini,
M. Elizabeth Chambers, M. Anna Molinari and M. Anne Tan
Wishing you God’s choicest blessings and fullness of spirit as you take up your mission as a team to Lead the Institute towards its wholistic growth.
Assuring you of our Prayers and support……
From Sr. Clarine and Sisters of Sacred Heart Canossa Convent – Mahim.
Congratulations!Dearest Mother Margaret Our Mother General. We praise and Thank God for the Gift of You and
M.Anna Maria Babbini, M.Anna Molinari, M.Elizabeth Chambers and M.Anna Tan. We have prayed for you much and
we shall continue doing so. May God guide you as you go
along the way.His love and ours is always with you.His
promises are true and when you give Him all your cares, He
will see you thrugh.M.Jessie,Srs.Nimmy,Maggie,India Centro.
Dear M. General, M.Margaret,
Before anything else we would like to thank you for accepting to be our spiritual leader and guide. We just received the sad news of the death of your dear Mother. Please accept our sincere condolences and assurance of prayers for the repose of your Mother’s soul. May the Lord send His healing touch on you and your family.
Love and prayers,
Sr. Jenny Aldeghi, Sr. Elisa Grignoli, Sr. Felicity Brusadelli & Sr. Teresa Norris.
Our Lady of Lourdes Convent, Sacramento, CA, USA
Dear Mother Marie,
Many thanks for the beautiful letter you’ve written to all of us. Our sincere gratitude to you for all you have done for our Institute during the past 6 years. Only the Lord can reward you in the best way. We are sorry to see you leave the helm, but we are sure that you are ready to do what the Lord has in store for you. Please keep us in prayer as we also will do for you.
With loving gratitude,
Sr. Jenny Aldeghi, Sr. Elisa Grignoli, Sr. Felicity Brusadelli & Sr. Teresa Norris
Our Lady of Lourdes Convent, Sacramento, CA, USA
Dear M. Margaret and the new councillors,
Thank you for accepting the invitation to collaborate with the Lord in building up His kingdom by being spiritual leaders and guides in our Congregation. Our prayerful wishes
Dearest M. Marie and the councillors,
A very big “THANK YOU ” to each of you.We are greatful for all what you have done during the past years of your service,for having given us Life,Love and Spirit
At this point in my life, i understand Consecration as living in the wounded side of Love. ….living in the sensitive places, in the vulnerable places, in the hidden places… living in understanding, compassion, solidarity… Living totally dependent on Providence…
Sr. Berlinda, India center
Cosecrated life is a “Way of Life” which brings life to the other
We pray that all the capitular sisters may be filled with the gifts of Spirit so that whatever decesions you make may bring about transformation in the Institute and our Foundress may feel happy to see her daughters busy in “making Jesus known and loved”.
Dear Mother Marie, M. Varini, M. Casagrande,and M. Marilyn,
We would like to send you a huge “Thank-you” for all you have done for our Institute during the past 6 years. Only the Lord can repay you in the best way. Our love and gratitude follow you in your new assignments. Please keep us in your prayer.
Love,
Sr. Jenny Aldeghi, Sr. Elisa Grignoli, Sr. Felicity Brusadelli & Sr. Teresa Norris
We are reading in the WEB that the sisters are into the vows..and interestingly how it is understood in todays context..i was recently reading an article about how the religious vows works in today’s world..uniquely even words used to express them are undergoing changes…in today;s world sadly people do not understand the word poverty anymore but rather the word freedom takes a centre stage….interesting to note that truly FREEDOM FROM and FROM TO..should be the focus of each one of us…to live an authentice life as a religius moreso as a CANOSSIAN!!!Let us have INNER FREEDOM TO FREE OURSELVES FROM OUR BAGGAGES TO FREEDOM TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Love
Sr Shanti Arokiamary Mariadass
As this Chapter draws to a close we thank God with all our hearts for guiding and enlightening each one of the Chapter members along every step of the way. We continue to pray that each and everyone of us may share in the light and grace you have received and have the courage and faith to follow that light.
A special word of thanks to those special people who made this blog and web page possible. We can only guess how much effort,energy and LOVE went into it. Reading the comments,seeing the pictures and videos has been a really comforting experience of FAMILY…CANOSSIAN,ALIVE and GREATLY BLEST.
Your sisters of Omuta.Japan