Announcing the Good News in West Africa

Journal #2

Sister Anne Lansana, SJC

This was St. Francis of Assisi Parish Bulletin announcement welcoming Sister Anne to the Parish to make her appeal on behalf of the ministries of the Cluny Sisters in Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Ghana. 

Sister Genevieve and Sister Anne drove to Fitchburg, MA and were given hospitality overnight Saturday  with Wanda and Guiermo Diaz and were happy to celebrate with the Parish the Triduum honoring the life and martyrdom of St. Oscar Romero Sunday.

Saturday, June 24  

4:00 PM  English Mass

Sunday, June 25

9:00   AM  English Mass

11:00 AM  Spanish Mass

‘Our parish has been blessed having a wonderful heritage. French Canadian families established this parish and welcomed other families to the community.  Their children grew up in the parish and their children continued worshipping here.

The former Pastor, Father Gerald Dorais, welcomed the Hispanic community 27 years ago. 

'The community has grown we now have a bilingual parish.

We welcome with open arms any Catholic who would like to worship, in English or in Spanish.

Our parish is blessed by the intercession of Saint Francis for the entire community, the poor and the needy especially.

Praise the Lord and make me an instrument of your peace.’

Saint Francis Prayer

 

Lord make me a channel of your peace

Where there is hatred let me sow love

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

And where there is sadness, joy

O divine master grant that I may

not so much seek to be consoled as to console

to be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love

For it is in giving that we receive

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life

             

Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts the third-largest city in the county, its population was 42,000 at the 2021 census - 60% whites; 30% Hispanics; 5% Black or African Americans and a small percentage of Asian, American Indian, Alaska native descent.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish has an intercultural community of English and Spanish heritage and language.  When we arrived, the Faith Community was finishing a Triduum honoring Saint Oscar Romero.  A wonderful community celebration!  We pray that God will bless this diverse community and their mission to be ‘Instruments of Peace’.

We are so grateful to the Pastor, Reverend Angel R. Matos, the staff and parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi for their generous welcome, hospitality and generosity.  

Thank you Sisters Genevieve and Anne for participating in the USA Mission Cooperative Plan and sharing the ‘Good News of the Cluny Sisters in West Africa!’

June 26 Victims of Torture

The United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is an international observance held annually on June 26th to speak out against the crime of torture and to honor and support victims and survivors throughout the world.

 

This is a day on which we pay our respects 

to those who have endured the unimaginable. 

This is an occasion for the world to speak up against the unspeakable. 

It is long overdue that a day be dedicated to remembering and

 supporting the many victims and survivors of torture around the world.

— Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, 1998

Watch Pope Francis’ June Intention Prayer

for the end to torture

https://ucatholic.com/news/watch-pope-francis-shares-his-june-prayer-intention-for-the-abolition-of-torture/

Torture: a crime against humanity

Torture seeks to annihilate the victim’s personality and denies the inherent dignity of the human being. Despite the absolute prohibition of torture under international law, torture persists in all regions of the world. Concerns about protecting national security and borders are increasingly used to allow torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Its pervasive consequences often go beyond the isolated act on an individual; and can be transmitted through generations and lead to cycles of violence.

Torture is a crime under international law. According to all relevant instruments, it is absolutely prohibited and cannot be justified under any circumstances. This prohibition forms part of customary international law, which means that it is binding on every member of the international community, regardless of whether a State has ratified international treaties in which torture is expressly prohibited. The systematic or widespread practice of torture constitutes a crime against humanity.

On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

June 26th is an opportunity to call on all stakeholders including UN Member States, civil society, and individuals everywhere to unite in support of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have been victims of torture and those who are still tortured today.

Healing through rehabilitation
Recovering from torture requires prompt and specialized programs. 
The work of rehabilitation centers and organizations around the world has demonstrated that victims can make the transition from horror to healing. The UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, administered by the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva is a unique victim-focused mechanism that channels funding for the assistance to victims of torture and their families. Established in 1981 with a mandate to support torture victims and their families, the Fund works by channeling voluntary contributions to civil society organizations providing legal, social, humanitarian, psychological and medical services. 

Beneficiaries include human rights defenders, persons deprived of liberty, children and adolescents, refugees and migrants, victims of enforced disappearance, indigenous peoples, victims of sexual and gender-based violence and LGBTI persons, among others. The UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture accepts donations.
To witness how rehabilitation services help torture survivors to heal, watch the UN Torture Fund trailer, featuring interviews with beneficiary organizations, survivors, and trustees.

'Walls full of pain': Russia's torture cells in Ukraine

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62970845

Russian troops raped and tortured children in Ukraine, U.N. panel says

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-troops-raped-tortured-children-ukraine-un-panel-says-rcna49168

Pray for Victims of Torture
God of justice and mercy,
help us remember this day, that you have created each 
and every person with dignity and worth.
We pray for every life that has been touched by torture, 
both those tortured and the torturers. 
We pray for restoration and peace.
We pray for fortitude in the face of fear and that we might 
do what is right and just. 
We pray for courage to speak out.
We pray for governments and persons who seek to prevent torture and who support survivors of torture. 
We pray that we too may play our part in ending torture
We pray for strength and steadfastness in the work 
of repairing the world. 
In all things may we honor you and the dignity of each person. 

Amen. 

USA Mission Cooperative Plan

 Cluny Sisters’ Summer Mission Journey

We’re Back!  During the Coronavirus Pandemic, we were unable to have a Cluny Sister from West Africa come and participate in the United States Mission Cooperative Plan.  

Well, Sister Anne ‘Yatta” Lansana arrived from Sierra Leone, West Africa, on June 8th and is living in the Regional House in Middletown, RI, June - September, as her base for the Appeals Program that includes Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and California.

   Holy Spirit Parish          

        Central Falls, RI

 

             June 17

   4:00 PM English Mass

   6:00 PM Spanish Mass

 

              June 18

   9:00 AM English Mass

 10:30 AM Spanish Mass

Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island with a population of 22,583 and an area of only 1.29 square miles.  It is the smallest and most densely populated city and poorest municipality in the smallest state of Rhode Island.

The racial makeup of the city has a 60.31 percent of its residents identifying as Hispanic/Latino with Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans, and Colombians.  Other racial groups include whites, African American, Native American, Asian Pacific Islander… a very diverse and multicultural city.

The Mission of Holy Spirit Parish

is to be a caring and welcoming community 

that reaches out with the love of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit.

And indeed, we experienced firsthand, a wonderful welcome from the Pastor, Reverend Otoniel Gomez, the parish staff and parishioners.  We were especially grateful to the Lectors of the Spanish Liturgies for their translation and presentation of Sister Anne’s appeal story and talk.  May God bless their generosity, interest and gratitude for the mission of the Cluny Sisters in Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Ghana, West Africa.

         Ministry Display Board and             Holy Spirit Parish Lector/Translator (L),

             West Africa Appeal Brochures               and Parishioners with Sister Anne

June 19th Federal Holiday

 What's the story behind Juneteenth

Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19th  and commemorates the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas, following the end of the Civil War, marking the effective end of slavery in the United States more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."

The moment was significant. Texas had been a holdout state where enslavement continued, despite President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery two years before, in 1863, and the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery in the US Constitution. The 13th Amendment passed on Jan. 31, 1865.

Since then, Americans have observed and celebrated Juneteenth as Emancipation Day, a day of freedom.

Emancipation Day in 1900.

At right, Civil War re-enactors in a Juneteenth celebration at the Atlanta Cyclorama

and Civil War Museum in Atlanta, in 2014.

Credit...via Austin History Center, Austin Public Library; Associated Press

Juneteenth Has Evolved Over the Years

The national reckoning over race ignited by the 2020 murder of George Floyd by police helped set the stage for Juneteenth to become the first new federal holiday since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., and had 60 co-sponsors, a show of bipartisan support as lawmakers struggled to overcome divisions that are still simmering three years later.

Now there is a movement to use the holiday as an opportunity for activism and education, with community service projects aimed at addressing racial disparities and educational panels on topics such health care inequities and the need for parks and green spaces. 

Like most holidays, Juneteenth has also seen its fair share of commercialism. Retailers, museums and other venues have capitalized on it by selling Juneteenth-themed T-shirts, party ware and ice cream. Some of the marketing has misfired, provoking a social media backlash. 

How is Juneteenth Celebrated Today

Supporters of the holiday have also worked to make sure Juneteenth celebrators don’t forget why the day exists.

“In 1776 the country was freed from the British, but the people were not all free,” Dee Evans, national director of communications of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, said in 2019. “June 19, 1865, was actually when the people and the entire country was actually free.”

There’s also sentiment to use the day to remember the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the United States — especially in these racially and politically charged days. 

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated in much the same way that it was when it first began—with parades, church services, music festivals, performances, rodeos, cookouts, pageants, and other public events. Red food and drink are common as an homage to African narratives and West African traditions. 

"It really exemplifies the survival instinct, the ways that we as a community really make something out of nothing. ... It's about empowerment and hopefulness."

Margaret Bond Credo

“I Believe”

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-trp-001&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=trp&p=bond+%27Credo%27&type=Y23_F163_212979_070121#id=5&vid=26574bbdf692a00e61600a5003b88fda&action=view

In 1964, Margaret Bonds wrote this intimate yet infinitely powerful piece of music, inspired by the words of W.E.B. Du Bois' "Credo." The feel of these notes under my fingers reminds me to reflect on the struggles and triumphs that came before us and also urges me to look ahead at the brightness of what can come next. I've put out a call to young people across the United States, asking them to share what they believe in, to create a "Credo" for our present, a design for our future.

♥ Feast of the Sacred Heart

 Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The deepest longing of Christ's Heart is that we discover how much he loves us, the extent of his tender love for creatures who, cooled by their selfishness, look only inwards at themselves, as if they were afraid to let themselves be loved unconditionally by their Creator, who asks nothing and gives all.

Pope Benedict XVI speaking of the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus…

“In biblical language, "heart" indicates the center of the person where his sentiments and intentions dwell. In the Heart of the Redeemer we adore God's love for humanity, his will for universal salvation, his infinite mercy. Practicing devotion to the Sacred Heart of Christ therefore means adoring that Heart which, after having loved us to the end, was pierced by a spear and from high on the Cross poured out blood and water, an inexhaustible source of new life” 

  (Benedict XVI, Angelus 5 June 2005).

The call which comes from this important feast day is first of all a call to Eucharistic adoration, because in the Sacred Host the Lord Jesus is truly present and He offers each of us His Heart, His Merciful Love. On this feast, we are called to spend time in the Presence of the Jesus who loves us. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has spread all over the world thanks to Jesus' revelations to Saint Margherita M. Alacoque in the 17th century:

 

“Behold the Heart which so loved mankind”

On this annual feast in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus let us pray with the Church the traditional Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

THE LITANY OF THE  SACRED HEART OF JESUS

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 

God the Father of Heaven,                          Have mercy on us. 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us

God the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, one God,

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,

Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother's womb, 

Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, 

Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, 

Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, 

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, 

Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, 

Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, 

Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, 

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, 

Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, 

Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, 

Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, 

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, 

Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, 

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, 

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, 

Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, 

Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.

Hymn: O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRd75xTt7hk

Let Us Pray

♥

Sacred Heart of Jesus, 

I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted,

have pity on us sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you,                                  through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, 

your tender mother and ours.

 

—Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

Corpus Christi

Feast of the Body and Blood of  Jesus

I am the living bread that came down from heaven,

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Reading from the Gospel of John 6: 51 - 58

I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I will give for the life of the world also is My flesh.”

Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.  This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Come

Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup

You will never Hunger or Thirst.

Let Us Pray

Hymn Panis Angelicus 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4OlTE7El0E

World Environment Day

 Plastic  Pollution

 World Environment Day is celebrated

on June 5 every year

The day aims to remind us all of our shared responsibility to protect and nurture the environment. Together, we can make a difference by adopting sustainable habits, conserving resources, and promoting eco-friendly practices. Whether it's planting trees, reducing waste, or supporting renewable energy, every small step counts.

Theme

World Environment Day 2023 is focusing on the urgent mission of tackling plastic pollution through the powerful campaign called #BeatPlasticPollution. The theme is “Solutions to plastic pollution”.

Plastic pollution and its detrimental impacts on health, the economy and the environment cannot be ignored. Urgent action is required. At the same time, we need true, effective and robust solutions.

The world produces more than four hundred million metric tons of plastic waste each year. Less than ten per cent of plastic waste ever produced has been recycled. Where does the rest end up? Buried, burned or dumped – often after just one use. In oceans, rivers and lakes. And, increasingly, in the bodies of animals and people. Plastic pollution is a grave threat to ecosystems, to human health and to the climate. Cote d’Ivoire is not immune to plastic pollution.

We must redesign products to eliminate or use less plastic – particularly problematic and unnecessary plastics. Redesign product packaging to use less plastic. Redesign systems and products for reuse and recyclability. Redesign the system for justice – so that workers in the informal waste sector and other vulnerable communities have access to decent jobs.

Tips to Reduce Plastic Pollution

1) Say no to plastic straws.  Instead of buying a bottle of water, fill up your reusable flask at the tap or a water fountain 

2) Use a reusable water bottle.  Instead of buying a bottle of water, fill up your reusable flask at the tap or a water fountain 

3) Avoid plastic carrier bags  Did you know it takes more than 20 years for a plastic bag to decompose? Make sure you and your family take reusable bags with you on your next trip to the shops.

4) Snack on fruit,  Fruit fills you up in a healthy way, and there’s no extra plastic packaging. 

5) Make green goody bags for your next birthday party. Instead of filling your party bags with plastic yo-yos and other toys for your friends, give homemade tasty treats (like fudge) and eco-friendly gifts, such as paper notebooks and flower seeds.

6) Eat your ice cream from a cone. By ditching the cup and spoon you’ll reduce your plastic waste

7) Buy in bulk.  Encourage your family to shop for snacks, cereal and pasta in the bulk, then store it in reusable glass jars for when you need it.

8) Pack an eco-friendly lunch use reusable containers, and switch from cling film and food wrap to sandwich pockets and beeswax wraps.   

9) Never litter!  But you should always reuse and recycle whenever you can, and never leave plastic in the environment.

10) Go litter picking!  help keep the natural world clean by picking up rubbish! But be careful – always wear protective gloves and never grab anything that looks sharp or dangerous.

Read the Pope’s Letter to All Peoples   Laudato Si

https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si_en.pdf

 

View on YouTube the film,  “The Letter”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rps9bs85BII

Prayer to End Gun Violence

 

Novena Against Gun Violence

by Michele Bisaillon, DHS

Loving God, You created for us a world of beauty, order and endless possibilities. But today ours is a world often in chaos: war, famine, drought, so many “isms”, lack of respect for life and for one another. In this country we face these issues day after day. One of these is uppermost in our minds these days—the horror of gun violence which continues to ravage our nation, our society, our people, even the youngest of our children.

 

Spirit God, we give you all names: Holy, Sanctifier, Paraclete, Advocate. Yet you are so much more: Challenger, Nudger, Whirling Wind and Engulfing Fire, Mover, Enabler, Lover, Breath of Life.

 

Be that for us, we pray.

Instill in us your gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, reverence and awe. Pentecost us. Enable us to be as daring as the newly inspired apostles—to be bold in our defense of the right of all persons to feel safe wherever we are, unafraid of being forever silenced by those who are armed with weapons and anger and sometimes even hatred.

Give us the courage to speak the Word. Give us the audacity to take the actions needed to end this needless violence.

In the name of our Creator God, in the name of the Word of Life and in the name of the Fire of Love. AMEN.

Friday, June 2 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day in the United States and kicks off Wear Orange weekend, a time to honor survivors of gun violence and recommit to our advocacy to end the public health crisis of gun violence in this country. Orange is the color for gun violence awareness as it is also the color worn to communicate to hunters in the woods that one is not a target for their weapon. 

 As part of the Nuns Against Gun Violence collaborative, congregations of women religious are organizing vigils and prayer services across the country on June 2. Join the Mercy Sister’s vigil Friday, June 2 at 7:30pm ET by registering for the Zoom here. Please bring a candle or light to share and wear orange..

 We will gather to lift up a wave of light and prayer that will slowly spread across the country as darkness falls. We gather to pray together for the courage to work for change, for an end to the violence, and for lasting peace and justice in our communities. 

In addition to our communal and individual prayer, we invite you to work towards an end to gun violence by engaging in any of these actions:

•  Check listings here for local Wear Orange events. 
• If you have a light in your home, communal building, or workplace, consider lighting it up orange in June, June 2–4 specifically. Take a photo of your light and share it with Nuns Against Gun Violence.
• Place a candle or light in your window at sunset on June 2 and keep it lit for an hour, holding vigil with those who are praying across the country. Take a photo of your light and share it with Nuns Against Gun Violence. 
• Commit to calling Senate Majority Leader Schumer, 202-224-6542, and House Speaker McCarthy, 202-225-2915, every day until they call for a vote on an Assault Weapons Ban to end easy access to deadly weapons of war. 
• Determine if your members of Congress have co-sponsored the Assault Weapons Ban and Ethan’s Law for safe storage. If not, call them and demand that they become co-sponsors to stop the loss of so many lives to gun violence. Find co-sponsorship information at these links from the Newtown Action Alliance: 118th Congress Senate Holdouts AWB and 118th House Holdouts AWB. 

Nuns Against Gun Violence

Catholic sisters across the United States are at the forefront in many ministries, schools, institutions, and organizations that have been deeply impacted by high rates of gun violence. The Nuns Against Gun Violence coalition was recently formed by dozens of women’s religious congregations, including the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, who have discerned that now is the moment to step forward as one, to speak boldly in opposition to this country’s epidemic of gun violence. We gather, in the light of the gospel and in defense of the sacred dignity of the human person, to demand courageous and prophetic action from our communities, our legislators and policymakers, and our church leadership, to bring an immediate end to gun violence in this country.

 

Contact information and where to send your photos:

Email: nunsagainstgunviolence@gmail.com

Instagram: @nunsagainstgunviolence

Twitter: @nunsagainstgunv

 

 Let There Be Peace On Earth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klgg0LUvDNQ