Cultural Diversity Night--Africa

The African sisters begin their night with a Parade of Nations as the rest of the sisters cheer them on.


Congo:  Sr. Regine and Sr. Albertine

Haiti--Sr. Jean-Gilles

Kenya:  Sr. Mary

Madagascar:  Sr. Lucia

Senegal:  Sr. Rebecca

Chad--Ivory Coast:  Sr. Aimée

The African sisters offered gifts from Africa.

Here is the entire group of African sisters. They are members of the following communities: Aoste, Annecy, Chambéry, Instituto St. Giuseppe, Cuneo, Institute de St Joseph.

Cultural Diversity Night--Asia

Tonight was Cultural Diversity Night and it featured Pakistan and India.



Each sister was invited to have a bindi placed on her forehead. The bindi is typically applied to celebrate a joyful occasion. By tradition, it represents the beginning of creation that flows from God and forms unity among all people.


Pakistan

Sr. Kiran explained to the sisters some interesting facts and background about Pakistan's culture and society.

Sr. Kiran and Sr. Jamila later gave the sisters gifts of cards and wrist bands made by the postulants in their community.

India

Sr. Nirmala introduced India through its different regional dances.

 

Sr. Reena

Sr. Suvarna

The sisters placed a ring of flowers in the center of the floor to represent a pookalam or flower carpet. The pookalam represents everything about Nature that is attractive. It also expresses gratitude to God for food and the beauty of creation.

Sr. Jismy, Sr. Simy, Sr. Jolly

The Indian sisters offered gifts of candy, pistachios, pickled mango, purses, and key chains.

As a finale, the Indian sisters danced together and then invited all the sisters to join in the dance.

It had been a long day and the sisters were filled with joy. The group had come together as a group on the first day, but tonight the signs of unity in diversity were exhibited with friendship, fun, and a lot of picture-taking.

Sr. Romênia, Sr. Reena, Sr. Aimée, Sr. Lucivania

Sr. Ivanilza

Sr. Jamila and Sr. Josiane

Sr. Albertine and Sr. Reena

Cultural Diversity Night--the Americas

The Cultural Diversity Program holds three culture nights where the sisters provide representations of their culture. Sunday night was Americas Night and featured Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, and USA. Sr. Elizabeth of Bolivia and Sr. Josiane of Brazil.

Brazilian sisters demonstrate some dances and later invite all the sisters to join in. 

Sr. Romênia shows the group how dancing is done in Brazil.

Sr. Norma from Honduras also demonstrated her country's dances in her native dress.

Sr. Preenika from Brentwood comes from Sri Lanka. She shared a bit about her ethnic heritage.












Sr. Melinda from Springfield, MA, discussed the African American heritage in the USA and sang two songs that greatly moved the other sisters.

After their presentation, the sisters offer each other some small gift from their country. Here is Sr. Maria from Brazil.