The journey continues… Following in the footsteps of Saint Jeanne Antide.
“Together we are here, happy to be called…!”
With the words of this hymn we want to express our joy at being here, juniors in Perpetual Profession, novices in Rome and in Besançon, in Sancey and in Besançon; here where it all began, at the origins of our congregation, here where Jeanne-Antide still speaks to us today.
During our stay, from 22 May to 5 June 2023, we experienced times of deepening, sharing about our charism and visited various places.
“Christian Charity embraces all times, all places and all people”.
This expression of Jeanne-Antide touched us deeply and we understood it better by living the times of sharing where the “language” of charity had a relevant place overcoming differences and where mutual understanding allowed us to weave true fraternal relationships.
The visits to the various places, following the path that Jeanne-Antide took to Belvoir, the Grotto of the Baume, Bellevaux …. were rich in emotion. We better understood why, in her prayer, Jeanne Antida often spoke of the Good Lord and why the Eucharist had an important place in her life. We were truly touched by her boldness, her trust in God; we felt her presence and we are certain that she walks with us, rekindles in us the desire to love Jesus Christ in the poor, strengthens our decision to be Sisters of Charity.
Each of us is convinced that: “When God calls and one listens to Him, He gives what is needed”; this is what we have been helped to understand and try to live in this stage of the novitiate that we are concluding in order to belong more and more to Christ in the congregation.
Let us not forget the warm welcome we have received from the sisters of the communities we have met, and from our elderly sisters who bear witness to a life firmly rooted in Jesus Christ and inhabited by Jeanne-Antide. In the face of this, we are called to guard this precious legacy left to us by Jeanne-Antide and to continue to spread the flame of charity in the world today.
And the path continues… is traced out before us by our sisters: it is up to us to take responsibility for our commitment with an open heart and spirit and with our gaze turned towards Christ. Following the example of Jeanne-Antide, let us always go forward for God Alone!
With great joy we wish to express our thanks to the Superior General Sr. Maria Rosa and her Council, to the Provincial Superior Sr. Noelle a and her Council, to the sisters who accompanied us, to the sisters who welcomed us and to all the sisters who enabled us to experience this powerful time!
