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New council for the synodal path

N eventMonday, 22 July 2024

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Following the re-election of Sister Rekha Chennattu as Superior General of the Religious of the Assumption, discernment has begun to elect four sisters who will form its council. Together, they will accompany us in the implementation of the new orientations that the delegates to the Chapter will decide for the next six years.

We briefly introduce each of these sisters:

  • Sr Lerma Victoria Pangantihon from the Province of Asia Pacific, was born in 1970 in the Philippines. She made her first vows in 1999, taking the Cross as her mystery, and her perpetual vows in 2004, engraving her word on her ring: “Father in your hands.” She is currently the Provincial Superior of the Asia-Pacific Province. She finds joy in the simple things in life, as she herself states “contemplating nature, hiking, reading, watching a good and moving movie, teaching, praying and sharing the joy of my Sisters. Every new day, I count on the love and mercy of God and He never disappoints.”
  • Sr Sandra Elizabeth Durán Pérez has been re-elected for a second term. She belongs to the Province of Central America-Cuba, born in El Salvador in 1959. She made her first vows in 1982, taking the mystery of the Incarnation, and made her perpetual profession in 1987, engraving her Word on her ring: 'I have come so that they may have life and abundant life'. She herself writes in her presentation: “I believe in the God of LIFE who is present in creation and in his loving presence that accompanies our story. My pastoral experience has been mainly in insertions and pastoral work in popular media. In recent years I have lived this mission in the general council as a sending and a grace that has rooted my heart in our charism and in the life of the congregation.
  • Marthe Ntuyumve from the province of Rwanda-Chad. She was born in Rwanda in 1958. She made her first profession of vows in 1988 taking up the mystery of the Eucharist. She made her final profession in 1995 by engraving "He is faithful" on her ring. She has loved and lived internationally, in France (6 years), the Philippines (4 years), Chad (9 years), the United States (one year). She has studied media, although her life led her to dedicate herself to the pastoral and academic mission. As she says, "I love education in the Assumption, especially the education of girls and women." Prayer groups help her, especially the charismatic movement that formed her in her youth. Her great joy is being a sister, helping people to love Jesus Christ and give oneself for his Kingdom.
  • Sr Françoise Martin was born in France in 1952. She belongs to the province of France, where she professed her first vows in 1982, taking the mystery of the child Jesus, and her perpetual vows in 1988, engraving her word on her ring: “For Him, with Him and in Him. AMEN” After many years of educational and pastoral work in France, at the service of the Province and the Congregation, she has been General Secretary since 2019. As she says, she feels that the God who has called her “is the one who is close to daily life.” , the one who constantly makes himself available to everyone to help them discover the sublime being in each one. She adds, “This is what I have passionately discovered through my encounters with children, young people and the elderly, my work with the disabled and my catechumenate in the suburbs.”

We thank each one of them for accepting this service in the Church and the Congregation with fidelity and self-giving.

 

Sister Sr Rekha Chennattu has been re-elected Superior General

Today Sister Sr Rekha Chennattu has been re-elected Superior General of the Religious of the Assumption for the period 2024-2030.

Election day began with the same atmosphere of silence and prayer that reigned in the Motherhouse since Saturday afternoon. During Lauds, we asked for the intercession of the Saints as we sang the litany of the Saints begging them to guide this important day of the Chapter.

Monsignor Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, celebrated the Eucharist this morning, and presided over the election. The Capitulants left in prayerful silence towards the Chapter Hall, while the Sisters of the ‘diakonia’ and those coming from the nearby Communities of France and Belgium waited, like so many Communities and friends, for the beginning of the announcement of the proclamation rite in the Chapel.

It was an international, fraternal and joyful celebration, which we were able to share with so many people via the internet, which transmitted their messages of joy, prayer and closeness. Those present were able to communicate a brief word and give a hug to Sister Rekha in the traditional gesture of obedience.

The celebration continued with a snack prepared with great love and work by the diakonia community and the staff of the Motherhouse, which was followed by a special lunch in the garden. After lunch we all enjoyed a fraternal moment with Sister Rekha, during which we shared songs and dances, and she answered several questions on her vocation, her dreams, desires... Others passed on to her some of the many messages coming from some of the Provinces.

For those who do not know Rekha, she was born in India in 1963, she made her First Vows in 1984, taking as mystery “Jesus the Redeemer”, and made her Perpetual Vows in 1992, taking “Logos” as the word which was engraved on her ring.

After her studies in theology, she specialized in Sacred Scripture, her great passion, teaching at the University level. She has carried out various missions in her Province, and has been able to collaborate with different Asian and universal ecclesiastical institutions and other academic spaces..

We thank her for her great availability and joyful dedication in welcoming this new mandate that she sees as “being born anew”.

United in thanksgiving and prayer that the Lord bless Sister Rekha in her mission

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