Cultural Diversity Fall Project Begins

Sisters of St. Joseph from all over the world gathered today at the International Centre for the 10-day Cultural Diversity project. They come from places like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Congo, France, India, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mexico, Switzerland, and USA and many work in other countries--21 in all.

Twenty-four new finally-professed sisters, three translators and four project directors had all arrived by Saturday night--with the Brazilian sisters finally reaching the Centre at 1 am due to two flight delays. For many of the sisters, this was their first time out of their country or on an airplane, however, they were all jubilant to be in Le Puy, the place where their congregations were originally founded in 1650. 

The sisters lost no time introducing themselves to each other, which turned out to be very easy because even though they spoke different languages and were from countries all over the world, they all had a common bond as Sisters of St. Joseph who came to invest in and develop skills in cultural diversity.


Getting Started
It was cold Sunday morning in Le Puy, so the heavier coats that some sisters brought with them came in handy. After breakfast, the sisters began with an icebreaker--no pun intended. They formed two circles and walked to music in opposite directions. When the music stopped, they turned toward each other, and introduced themselves to a new friend.

Karin Nuernberg (USA) and Sushma Lakra (India)

Pretty Kujur (India)
and Ortencia Pascual (Argentina)

Manuella (Switzerland) and Raymonda Saade (Lebanon)

Ashaprava Kujur (India) and Marie-Christine (France)

Aparecida Andrade (Brazil) and Emma Dieme (Ivory Coast)

Ericka Salvatierra (Bolivia) and Remya Thomas (India)

Project directors Griselda Morales (Mexico) and Pepis Pilar (Mexico) led the group in the morning's icebreaker.








At 9:30 the sisters began a 30-minute walk through the city to attend Mass at the Parish of the Carmelites, the home parish of the International Centre.

Remya Thomas, Anitha Yandava and Bindu O-L, all of India

Conferences



The sisters have a grueling schedule with conferences beginning at 9 a.m. and going until the evening meal at 7 p.m.--sometimes until 8:30 p.m. Because there are 4 different languages spoken, the Centre provided translators. Here the sisters try out the head phones through which the translations are transmitted.

The English-speakers' table

 Line demonstrates how to work the head phones as Eluiza shows Elaine how the translators are to use the microphones: 

Dial 1 for English 
Dial 2 for Spanish
Dial 3 for French
Dial 4 for Portuguese






Preeti Kujur (India)

Colleen Gibson (USA)

Mary McGlone of Carondelet (standing) translates Spanish, Elaine Hollis of Rochester (seated) translates Portuguese, and Simone Saugues of the Institute (not pictured) translates French. 


Sunday Night Repas
The conference began officially with a reception of snacks and a champagne-like drink along with much joy and fellowship. 

Ericka Salvatierra (Bolivia), Mary Clare Seitz (Canada), Sushma Lakra (India), Dulce Fita (Mexico), Marie-Christine (France)

Anitha Yandava (India), Sandra Vilela (Brazil), Ashaprava Kujur (India)

Nicole Raveloarimanga (Madagascar), Karin Nuernberg (USA), Astrid Kambamba (Congo)

Colleen Gibson (USA), Remya Thomas (India), Smith Bishovi (India)

Remya Thomas (India), Anitha Yandava (India), Preeti Kujur (India), Ortencia Pascual (Argentina), Smitha Bishovi (India) Ashaprava Kujur (India)

Translators Elaine Hollis (Portuguese), Simone Sauces (French), and Mary McGlone (Spanish)

Dinner included chicken in sauce, Italian green beans, a cheese plate of brie and a dessert of pear halves in syrup.

Manuella (Switzerland), Emma Dieme (Ivory Coast), Astrid Kambamba (Congo) 

Project Leaders

Maria Del (Pepis) Pilar 

Griselda Morales

Griselda Martinez Morales is with the Mexico Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon. She currently serves as a theology professor at Escuela de Teología de la Conferencia de Religiosos en México (Theology School of the Religious Conference in Mexico). She is also the director of the Cultural Diversity Program, now in its third year.

From 2009-2014, she was United Nations NGO Representative of the Congregations of St. Joseph, which represents nearly 14,000 sisters around the world. She served on the UN's Economic and Social Council in New York and lived with the Brentwood sisters. 

Pepis Pilar is with the Mexico Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon. She was a high school principal and professor of theology and Spanish language and literature. For 10 years she served as mistress of novices and postulants and 12 years as a member on the General Council in Lyon. For 5 years she lived in Rome where she served the Union of Superior Generals as a translator for the Spanish people. Over the past 6 years she has lived in Egypt as a companion and a presence for the 14 Lyon sisters there. This year she will do the same work in Lebanon.

Avila University Professors Carol Coburn and Ken Parsons have been working with the sisters to design, refine and evaluate the Cultural Diversity & Conflict Management curriculum, which is part of a three-year grant funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

Carol is a professor religious studies and women's & gender studies while Ken is a professor of Philosophy and the director of the Center for Global Studies & Social Justice.

Avila University in Kansas City, MO, is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

The Cultural Diversity project is made possible by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation of Agoura Hills, CA. The foundation is committed to funding religious organizations that work to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world. It has taken a special interest in supporting the development of Catholic sisters.

"Catholic sisters contribute to human development through their spiritual witness and service to those in need," states the foundation's website. "More than 700,000 sisters around the world educate our children, care for the vulnerable, stand with the oppressed, promote peace, and advocate for justice. Like our founder, Conrad N. Hilton, we recognize sisters as resourceful, efficient, and powerful agents of social change."

Raymonda Saade of Lebanon thinks the Cultural Diversity project is A-OK.

Radical Oneness Retreat -- Aug 29 - Sept 6

Thirteen sisters came to the Centre for a week-long retreat led by Sr. Janet Mock (Baden) who used various religious paintings, Scripture, and spiritual writings for meditation and focusing. All the sisters were Americans with two sisters from Peru and one sister from the Congo. Interpreters were provided for Spanish and French speakers. 

 

Scenography in Le Puy
The sisters spent the afternoon exploring the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph at the Scenography display. The Scenography provides a history of the sisters beginning with the Reformation in 1550 and ending in the present day.

The Scenography is celebrating its first anniversary this month. It was made possible by a grant from the Moggio Foundation.




Line explains some details about the timeline to Donna and Celeste (Philadelphia).

Jeanne and Mary Ellen (Brentwood) examine some historical data on the pioneer sisters of 1650.

Zaida and Geno (Peru) discuss a point in the Congregation's history. The screens in the Scenography provide translations in five languages: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. 





Janet Mock (Baden) and Linda (Orange) listen to  some oral history.

Lyon

The sisters spent a day in Lyon. They first visited the Mother St. John Fontbonne History Center. 

Here is the first book where the early sisters signed their names and made a commitment to the congregation. The crossed out names were misspellings since the early sisters were illiterate. The book below is Mother St. John Fontbonne's journal.

Mother St. John Fontbonne's rosary beads

A replica of Mother St. John Fontbonne's bed.

The suspended crucifix and prie-dieu that Mother St. John Fontbonne used for prayer. The cross is missing because it symbolizes the cross we must bear as followers of Jesus.

A plaster replica of Mother St. John Fontbonne located in her "bedroom." The bedroom is supposed to represent her spirit and legacy of the Congregation. 








The Chapel of the Saint Joseph Sisters

The sisters visited the Chapel of the Saint Joseph Sisters. Here is the sanctuary and altar. The chapel is no longer used as a chapel but rather as a meeting room for the Congregation of Lyon, the direct descendants of the order that Mother St. John gathered together after they were dispersed due to  persecution of during the French Revolution. Last May, Line was installed here as a member of the Congregation's leadership team.

The fresco on the left depicts that death of St. Joseph with Jesus on his right and Mary kneeling at his side on his left. The Double Trinity is featured in the sanctuary with God as king, the Holy Spirit across his heart and Jesus on the cross. The second trinity is the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Double Trinity is key to the spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

The sisters were largely spellbound by all the artifacts in the history room and in the chapel. They spent time gazing at the rich symbolism found in the chapel as Line points out its more important features. (L to R) Joan and Jeanette (Philadelphia) and Nadine (Orange).

Grave of Mother St. John Fontbonne

"Here are your daughters," said Line, as though she were introducing the sisters to Mother St. John Fontbonne. It was a moving experience to be at the grave of the sisters' founder after the French Revolution when sisters disbanded in order to save their lives. 

The sisters are concerned about the declining numbers in their congregations. However, these daughters of Mother St. John are ready and willing to tackle the job ahead of them to re-found the congregation in new ways.



Sisters Zaida and Geno take a few pebbles from the gravesite for their sisters back home in Peru. These pebbles are continuously replenished for sisters to take with them.

It had been a long day in Lyon, however, the sisters were all smiles upon their return to the International Centre--and a nice French-style meal. Here Fabiola (Congo) descends from the bus (or giant van) that transported the sisters.

Celeste (Philadelphia) indulged herself in French escargot (snails) at lunch time in Lyon and enjoyed them immensely. During the retreat she did several watercolors of scenes around Le Puy.

Walking to Mass

Saturday night Mass at the Centre's local parish includes a 30-minute hike through the streets of Le Puy. Here are Janet Mock, retreat director, and Mary (Carondelet), interpreter for the Peruvian sisters.

Party

Before the retreat began, the sisters met each other and shared some hors d'oeuvres.

(L to R) Jeanette and Joan (Philadelphia), Geno (Peru), and Nadine (Orange)

Mary Ellen (Brentwood) and Joan (Philadelphia) listen intently to someone waxing eloquently. 

Donna (Philadelphia) and Jeanne (Brentwood) share a moment.

Janet talks with Celeste and Simone (Institute), who served as French interpreter for Fabiola.

Mary Ellen (Brentwood), Linda (Orange) and Jeanette (Philadelphia) talk about how excited they are to participate in the retreat.