Mission Effectiveness Scores Another Success!!

This year’s Mission Effectiveness group had more men, more French people, and more Canadians than in previous years. However, each participant’s commitment to carry on the mission and charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph was as intense as past groups. Sr. Dolores Clerico (Philadelphia—USA) has given this program over the past 13 years, and she continues to marvel at the quality and seriousness of the lay people who come to the program.

Sr. Dolores

"Each year I come away from the Mission Effectiveness experience hopeful, grateful and energized, said Sr. Dolores. “The commitment to live and work in ways that are unifying is so much bigger than the sisters. What a privilege it is for me to witness how God is moving in the hearts of our friends and colleagues around the world!"

 
Group discussions were lively and profound as participants shared their thoughts and reflections on their part in the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

Luna (India) and Lisa (USA)

Taking time to write about their understanding of the mission is a common exercise in the program. The value of sharing with people from different countries provides a quality of experience that expands each participant's horizons.
 

Suganya (India) and Alison (USA)

Sr. Simone meets with Sr. Anne (USA-Peru) and Monique and Bernard (France) in one session.











The Canadians all worked for the same health care system, Catholic Health Care Sponsors of Ontario, and knew each others' names, but they hadn't met until they came to Le Puy. Jean Phillippe and Alain of France (third and fourth from right) joined the Canadians (Donna, Ben on left with John on right) for this session.

The Mission Effectiveness program offers a pilgrimage for lay partners in mission and provides an immersion experience into the original spirit and global dimension of the charism and spiritual tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph. It invites people who are associated with the ministries founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph as administrators, staff persons, board members, and supporters. It will be offered again in 2020.

The week had been an intense and powerful experience and the sharings were honest, sincere, and heart-felt. Participants were largely confirmed in their own work as they realized they were a part of the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph. They were clearly determined to continue the mission of the sisters. 

For the closing ritual, each person was invited to light a candle signifying their presence and then to touch the water, a sign of the presence of God. They then expressed their commitment to being one with God and others in expanding unity in our world. 

Good-byes are always difficult after such a warm and loving week together. However, participants made new friends, new memories, and new commitments to their own lives and missions as associates, friends, and supporters of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

 
Jeffrey and Sr. Anne rode together to the Lyon airport. The early risers began their journeys home at 5:30 a.m.



 




John spent 3 days on the Camino. He started out at 6:30 a.m. to make it in time for the Cathedral Mass for pilgrims at 7 a.m. While this was a "test-run," he plans to walk the entire 900-mile Camino very soon.

The Lace Is Not Yet Finished

Eight sisters from three continents gathered at the International Centre to spend a week together for the program, "The Lace Is Not Yet Finished." Sr. Jane DeLisle was the presenter. Sr. Elisabete Reis of Brazil and Sr. Simone Saugues of France were the translators for Portuguese and French, respectively.

"We have been swimming in the deep end of the charism this week just by telling the stories," said Sr. Jane who pointed out that the sisters have heard the stories of the original six sisters, Father Medaille, Mother St. John Fontbonne, and others. Now it is the sisters' turn to share their stories with new members, vocations, people they work with every day.

"Our charism is one of relationship," said Sr. Jane. 

The group started out this relationship by introducing themselves and getting to know one another. After climbing St. Michel, they prayed together and looked all around them at the volcanic activity that created the landscape. They began to understand how the charism started as an explosion of life in Le Puy--and spread throughout the world. They learned how the charism was planted by Fr. Medaille and the founding sisters, which began through the Holy Spirit. 

"We've been given a mystical spirit and need to be women of prayer or none of this makes any sense," continued Sr. Jane. 

Being in the streets of Le Puy, said Sr. Jane, the same streets that our early sisters walked allowed the participants to bring their hearts to the experience of touching the ground, breathing the air, learning the stories in person. As a result, she invited them to write letters to the first sisters to help this experience of place come alive.

Being in the Kitchen was particularly moving. Being in that small space where the early sisters lived helped us to understand their simplicity, poverty, and prayer with each other, said Sr. Jane. 

"It was the place where they warmed up one another, made sacrifice as a way of life that they shared and lived together. It is now a place where we see ourselves in them through our relationship with them--and through our own relationships in our own homes. It is all about love, conviction, feeling of relationship with sisters. This is pure gift."

The group went to places particular to Mother St. John Fontbonne: Lyon, Bas-en-Basset, Monistrol, the gravesite. 

"We are tied to someone who lost everything and yet had the courage and grace to build it up again by creating new houses," said Sr. Jane. 

She pointed out that we live in communion so that all may be one. That means that we are called to inclusive, all-embracing, self-emptying love.  

"Our common language is the charism. With our love, we understand each other and consequently, have a connection with Sisters of St. Joseph from all over the world.

Participants' comments

"I thank God that I got a chance to come to France and visit Le Puy and our foundresses places. I like the place, Le Puy. It is very holy, very calm, and it has a quiet, prayerful atmosphere. I liked the Centre because at least we have one in Le Puy to keep these kinds of programs."  Sr. Anita, India

"Un petit mot qui dit tout ce que m'habite c'est le simple mercis...et juste un encouragement aux personnes de la maison que le seigneur __ tout puissant nous donne son amour, les grâce ___ vous avez besoins et le goût d'être ensemble et de revivre ensemble. Merci, merci infiniment merci."  Sr. Marie, Burkina Faso

"I was deeply touched and moved by the bare Kitchen where the six sisters gathered around the hearth for prayer, sharing and with zeal responded to God's call by reaching out to the dear neighbor."
Sr. Francis Xavier, India

My deep experience is love for the founder and foundresses and love for the congregation. Union with God and each sister in the congregation of St. Joseph. And the sacred thread which binds us together. I was touched by the life of our first sisters. Their lives brought me very close to each other. I loved the Centre and Le Puy. These were amazing experiences. And the visiting of the holy places gave me the boost for my prayer life. Thank you for this opportunity.  Sr. Felisita, India