May 12th Cluny Foundation Day

As we come to the end of the Council of the Congregation we send greetings to our Cluny Sisters around the world from beautiful Reunion. Happy Feast Day! 

We give thanks to our God for the gift of Blessed Anne Marie and the young women who founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, May 12th 1807.

Council of the Congregation's Blog

The Council of the Congregation is winding down in Reunion.  The closing message was this evening (Monday local time, which is 8 hours later than EST).  Tomorrow is the closing Mass with the Bishop of Reunion.

Follow the Council's blog for stories, photos and videos. The blog is in French, however, you may get the English translation (traduction) by clicking on the US flag on the right side (one of many flags/translations).  Here is the link to the Council's Blog: 

http://javouhey.eklablog.fr/eglise-a-la-reunion-a117469948

If you have trouble viewing the videos, use the following link to the English translated blog:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=fr&ie=UTF8&langpair=fr%7Cen&u=http://javouhey.eklablog.fr/eglise-a-la-reunion-a117469948&sandbox=0&usg=ALkJrhhrvilKwVyTKg2yxuKWx0CqA2w1fw

For other translations, if you have trouble viewing the videos look for a message banner near the top (in French) and click on it. This may resolve the video viewing problem.

Council of the Congregation in Reunion

Cluny Around the World

Good Shepherd Sunday, April 26th, Sister Claire Houraeau, Superior General set the theme of the day and gives the Cluny Family News since the international gathering of our sisters in our Mother House in Paris in 2012 for the General Chapter of the Congregation. She reminded us that it is Christ, The Good Shepherd, who gathers us together on this mountain, La Montagne in beautiful Reunion. She placed the work of the Council of the Congregation within the context of Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter to Religious during this Year of Consecrated Life: To Look to the Past with Gratitude; Live the Present with Passion; and Embrace the Future with Hope.

In the afternoon Sister Claire invited four provincials to share the Witness of the Cluny Story

Sister Marie Fatima of Senegal and Niger

First was Sister Marie Fatima who gave us the story of our sisters and Christians in Niger and specifically getting out of Zinder as fundamentalist muslims were calling for a 'purification' of their faith through the destruction of all that was not muslim in their society. This Cluny Story was powerful and emotional... a first witness telling. 

Sister Christiane of Haiti

Next was Sister Christiane who updated us on the Security of Religious in Haiti. From November, 2014 - March, 2015 there has been a wave of violence and persecution of Religious Communities of men and especially religious women. One of our houses was broken into but the sisters were not there at the time. The Blessed Sacrament was desecrated, 3 dogs killed, the watchman tied up and the rooms in utter disruption... the sisters have been terrified. Something needs to radically change here!

Sister Ann of West Africa

Sister Ann gave us Ebola News from Sierre Leone and Guinea. Once the travel ban was lifted the sisters and people gathered to share their fears and concerns and in the midst of so much helplessness find creative was to respond. They provided food or those in quarantine, support for survivors, water supply to schools, educational support and kept their clinic open for non-ebola illnesses. 

Sister Dominga of Angola

Sister Dominga was one of the 10 sisters of the Congregation who went to Rome to participate in the International Congress of Formators, April 7th - 11th. The theme of the Congress was "Living in Christ, Following The Way of the Gospels". The focus was on Formation as a fully integrated program, training the young for mission especially to the marginalized poor and those needing outreach. The Clunys who attended the Congress proposed we establish an International Commission to unify our formation program in light of the 'Teacher of Nazareth'. A hopeful and uplifting presentation.

A Reflection by Cluny Global Concerns Committee

Also in response to the devastation and the trauma in Nepal, this is a reflection on the earthquake, written on the Cluny Global Concerns Committee Facebook:

 
If there is one thing...
An earthquake reminds us, it is - how fragile this life is. And how connected we are as a World Family. The tectonic plates don't care about the boundaries we draw over Mother Earth. To think that in just a split second, this reality we have built up around us can be destroyed, is a humbling thought. If today were the last day of our lives, would each one of us be truly content with WHO WE ARE WIHTIN? If not, it is time to start working towards becoming the persons we want to be. Not so much in terms of profession and designations, but as people - as living, breathing, manifestations of sole energy. This incident has truly pictured how fragile human life is, how momentary all possessions are. How confident and self assured we feel in our materialistic world. All it takes is a tremor to remind us of how vain the world is and how Mighty GOD is...

Report from Nepal

 The following is a brief report, from Sister Anna Lepcha,

Provincial of North East India & Nepal:

There are 6 communities and 18 Cluny Sisters in Nepal.  While there has been extensive loss of life and extensive damage, all the Cluny Sisters are safe.

 
The first and oldest community established was DAMAK in East Nepal in the early 1980s. This community sustained damage to a boundary wall.
 
Our school for the very poor is in GODAVARI in Kathmandu, Nepal. The four sisters there are involved in education and pastoral work.  Also in Kathmandu, Nepal the community of 3 sisters in DHOBIGHAT are in a diocesan school and do pastoral works as well.  There is significant damage to the interior of the building.
 
Near the China Border in the East Nepal there are two communities, OKHREY and HETAUDA with 3 sisters in each involved in Healthcare and the beginnings of education.
      
Basically the works the sisters are involved in throughout Nepal are: Pastoral Works, Education in SJC Schools, Diocesan and Montessori Schools, and Healthcare. 

Right now there is a lot of fear and concern about another significant earthquake and aftershocks continue in the area.  They will have to do some repairs after examining the structures that have cracks in the floor and walls of some of the convents.

Sisters and people are sleeping outside their buildings.  Their ministries will continue and are only temporarily affected.