The Lace Is Not Yet Finished...

Fifteen consociates from St. Paul, MN, two sisters from Brazil, two sisters from India and one sister from Burkina Faso participated in Sr. Jane De Lisle's program, "The Lace Is Not Yet Finished," held May 23-29.

The group met in the conference room of the International Centre for lectures, discussions, reflections, and sharing.

A gifted teacher, Sr. Jane inspired and led the participants to a look more deeply into the Spirit, Spirituality, and Mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph and to discern how what they brought to the week had changed them as a result of their study and visits to Le Puy and Lyon.

Sr. Simone Sauges (France) and Sr. Maria Elizabeth Reis (Brazil) served as French and Portuguese translators, respectively.

The participants learned about the history and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and they were on the move for a good deal of the time. They explored the streets of Le Puy-en-Velay and visited and prayed in the original Kitchen. 

They visited the Living History Centre, the Cathedral of Notre Dame du Puy, the Chapel of St. Michel d'Aiguilhe, the Eglise du Collège, and the Tree of the Martyrs. 


On Sunday, May 27, they traveled to Lyon to visit the Heritage Room and graveside of Mother St. John Fontbonne as well as the Notre Dame Basilica and the church where Mother St. John prayed for the sisters she had sent to America.

Sr. Jane provided participants with a 59-page program booklet of prayers, reflections, and information on how the early sisters responded to the needs of the people suffering from devastating poverty, pervasive violence, and stifling oppression--in order for them to discover how they are called to continue to be moved by the Holy Spirit to get in touch with and claim once again the transformative power of the charism in their midst and into the future.

The "Official" Group Photo