Our foundress, Saint Marie Eugénie of Jesus, said to her sisters: "To give light, one must be nourished by light." Convinced that our charism is alive and continues to take on new meaning in today's realities, and taking advantage of the Provincial Assembly held every two years, the Provincial Council organised a session that would allow us to deepen our charism of education and to renew ourselves together in the understanding of this treasure bequeathed to us, from which we draw inspiration in all we do.
The session was led by Sister Ana Sentíes, who came from Mexico for the occasion, with the blessing of Sister Mayi, Provincial of Ecuador-Mexico. Its theme was: "Becoming co-authors of the Charism in the Assumption together." Since our charism is to work "through our whole life to make Jesus Christ and his Church known and loved," through the mission of education entrusted to us by the Church, we need to return to it continually in order to deepen it, in connection with the changes in our societies and our world. For our aim is to work for the extension of the Kingdom of God, for his glory and the happiness of humankind (Prologue of the Rule of Life). For this, we need to keep forming ourselves and to make the thought of Saint Marie Eugénie our own. This was the aim of this session on the charism, which gathered all the Religious of the Assumption of the Province, along with some thirty lay collaborators, for a week in Abidjan. The special note of this gathering was the great participation of the lay people and their joy at discovering a little more of the Congregation and its mission.
The days were marked by the morning Eucharist, Sister Ana's rich talks during the first week, and the moments of listening and exchange in small groups. We ended the afternoons with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Vespers. These times of reflection, sharing and fraternity were enhanced by a relaxing outing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, at "Petit Bassam."
Coming from the five countries of our West Africa Province, the participants saw the opening ceremony graced by the flags of Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire and Mexico. At the end of the work, what a pleasant surprise it was for each participant to receive a certificate of pedagogical training!
During the session, the assembly gave thanks to the Lord for the hundred years of our dear Sister Luzia, a Religious of the Assumption of the South Atlantic Province. Of Brazilian nationality, she was one of the four foundresses of the West Africa Province, who arrived by boat in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 1958. She was a valiant missionary in her consecration to God, for to her, "life is beautiful"!
The Assumption's work of transformative education is beautiful, for, as Saint Marie Eugénie said, "zeal, like the love from which it flows, never says: that is enough."
At Vespers on 29 July, our collaborators were sent out on mission to pass on to young people, in our various institutions, the fire of education according to the thought of Saint Marie Eugénie. We wish each participant the boldness to keep moving forward with faith, zeal and pride in making Jesus Christ known and loved! A blessed start to the academic and pastoral year to all!
Sr Marie-Madeleine