The Province of Europe has come to the end of a three-week canonical visit, which began on 12 March, led by Sr Rekha, General Superior, together with her Council. This first face-to-face canonical visit since the establishment of the Province offered a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with its identity and mission. The Province, paradoxically both one of the oldest and one of the youngest in the Congregation, draws its roots from the earliest foundations of the Religious of the Assumption in England and Italy by St Marie Eugénie, while at the same time embodying a recent and courageous response to present-day challenges. Formed eight years ago by the coming together of England, Italy, Belgium, and Lithuania, it continues to grow as a synodal journey of communion, diversity, and shared discernment, standing today as a sign of hope and renewed vitality.
During the visit, the General Council encountered the life of the Province in its many dimensions—within communities, schools, and apostolic works. It was a profound experience of immersion into the lived reality of the mission, where sisters, Assumption Together collaborators, and friends bear witness through commitment, generosity, and faith. Marked by deep encounters and attentive listening, the visit revealed a shared dynamism in building the Kingdom, rooted in collaboration and openness to the needs of today’s world.
The Province also had the joy of witnessing the solemn profession of Sr Francisca at the Chapel of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, in England. Her lifelong commitment to Jesus Christ stands as a powerful sign of hope in a world where enduring commitments are often challenged. Her generous “YES” reminds us that we are all called to be foundation stones—steadfast, resilient, and given in service for the building up of life.
As the visit across the four countries came to a close, the sisters gathered in Tournai for a time of reflection, sharing, and discernment. In her opening remarks, Sr Rekha described the visit as a moment of grace—an opportunity to revisit the journey undertaken, to sustain the communion nurtured over the years, and to strengthen both religious life and apostolic mission in collaboration with Assumption Together. Together with her Council, she expressed sincere appreciation for the dedication, generosity, and zeal of the sisters and lay collaborators engaged in the mission of the Congregation.
During the assembly, we were able to revisit important developments within the wider Congregation. In particular, we received updates on the new international community in the Canary Islands, a foundation that emerged from the General Chapter of 2018 and found renewed implementation direction through the 2024 General Chapter. This initiative reflects our shared desire to be attentive educators to the realities of our time and to embody the international dimension of the Congregation. Today, this community is gradually taking root in the south of Tenerife, an international community bringing together sisters from the Provinces of Europe, India, Rwanda-Chad, and Spain, who are generously committing themselves to this new mission, especially among the most vulnerable and migrants.
We also received updates from the Assumption Together Council, which highlighted the essential complementarity between lay collaborators and sisters in living out the Assumption charism. This shared mission invites us to journey together with creativity, mutual enrichment, and a deep sense of communion, an experience already visible within the Province of Europe through meaningful collaboration with a very committed lay working team and the significant Assumption Young Volunteers (AMA) program.
From these shared experiences, we affirm with gratitude the many blessings present among us. We recognize the richness of our contemplative life, the invaluable witness of our elderly sisters, and even our fragilities, which become places where grace is revealed and shared. These realities ground us in humility and hope, calling us to deeper communion and renewed creativity for the future.
These blessings both encourage and challenge us. They deepen our commitment to communion, strengthen our responsibility toward the Church and society, and invite us to sustain the vitality of the Assumption charism, remaining faithful to the mission of St Marie Eugénie in a world marked by uncertainty, where many seek meaning amid war, poverty, and instability.
We concluded the visit on Palm Sunday, a significant day as we joined the local Christian community in procession and Eucharistic celebration at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai. This experience became a powerful symbol of our shared journey, walking together with Christ as He enters Jerusalem, ready to give life. As a Province, we recognize that the geographical distance between our four countries is not an obstacle, but rather an invitation to deeper communion and to continue building life together with the people among whom we are sent.
Sr Danguole, Provincial Superior, expressed her gratitude to Sr Rekha and her Council for their availability and the time shared with the Province, as well as to all the sisters for their active participation. In her remarks, she highlighted the path of grace lived in building communion, acknowledging in particular Sr Marie Sophie who embraced the beginning of the union of the three provinces during her mandate as Provincial Superior. In this light, the canonical visit and assembly was truly experienced as a moment of grace, enriched by the presence and contributions of all the sisters, novice and many Assumption collaborators and friends who supported it with generosity and dedication. It’s in this we continue to be strong foundation stones of our times!