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Message of Mother General

Rome, December 8, 2010

My dear Sisters,

Christmas is fast approaching and the Advent liturgy ushers us into the mystery of the new life offered to us: life everlasting, life with Christ, life in the Spirit.

Christmas, in all cultures, is a special time for gatherings, fraternal greetings as well as gifts. Through these signs, we indicate our desire and prayer for God’s grace, his blessings and his Peace for everyone we greet. It is thus that the Lord himself taught Moses how to invoke his blessings upon the children of Israel.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”1

Grace is nothing else but the gentle and abounding love of God. It is a love which translates itself into action - through Christ, in the Spirit- in the ordinary and extraordinary events of our life and our apostolic activities. For God can only love with a dynamic, creative and sanctifying love.

Grace - a word frequently used by St Paul - means an all-benevolent, gratuitous divine force, which he himself had experienced in his life. This is the same force of grace that completely changed him after his Damascus road encounter with the Lord. It was a decisive experience that changed him into a totally new person, an experience that made him discover this absolute gratuitous love which transformed him entirely and opened up a new life for him. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."2

Moreover, we are all the objects of that love which is always preferential and freely given. “God chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ..”3 By his own choice, God destined us to participate in his life

1 Numbers 6:24-26 2 Galatians 2:20; BL #4 3 Ephesians 1 :5

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which is essentially loving. St Paul emphasizes the aspect of a free favor from the Father in the gift of Christ and of the Spirit as manifestations of his compassionate love. “For by grace you have been saved.”4

Grace is extolled as a strength coming from God, a divine help sent in the face of human limitations most especially in activities for the Gospel and for God’s Kingdom. It is this grace that keeps us steadfast, that sustains and spurs us on, giving us back our dignity as children of God despite our faults, despite the setbacks and trials that could assail us. We can only depend on the power of grace.

St. Paul’s letters to the Corinthians strongly develop this theme: “By the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me; My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”5

What is the best manner for us to receive this gift of grace in our lives? As we have mentioned previously, all of God’s gifts are unreservedly given, even as God respects our own personal freedom. It is when we open ourselves up to God that we receive his grace. The result of grace is not passivity but rather a dynamism which is at work right at the very heart of our weakness . “We entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain…”6

We should then do everything within our power to ever deepen and renew daily our relationship with the Lord whose grace can transform us and gradually transfigure us into his own image. For what is grace if not the presence of “Christ in you, our hope of glory.”7 All these come from the Spirit who is at work in us.

“No one can say „Jesus is Lord‟ except by the Holy Spirit” ; “ Because the Spirit has been given us, we are witnesses and prophets, seeing the finger of God in all events.”8

We are all in touch with grace, each one according to the approach and moment deemed to be most conducive and helpful. For some, it may be through a mental representation; for others, a word of God or someone’s good example. In each case, it is a journey back to the source, a rekindling of the fire. Thus Paul invited Timothy his disciple: “I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you.”9

4 Ephesians 2:8 5 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor 12:9 6 2 Cor. 6:1; BL# 42,44 7 Col. 1:27 8 1 Cor. 12:3; BL # 42 9 2 Tim. 1:6; BL Ch.7 (pp 58-65) Life of Prayer

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God is love. There is but one love – God’s Agape – that we ought to spread out in the world. How? By loving one another as Christ taught us. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. .. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.”10 Christ’s words invite us to love one another, not for the love of God but to love with God’s love. We are invited to love, not for the motive of imitating, but to a loving which is a real participation in the divine life that will never pass away.

As Sisters of the same Religious family, abiding in the love of Christ who has loved us means accepting to live together and to participate in His divine life in one Community of Love. Abiding in the love of Christ means establishing a loving relationship with our Sisters, a relationship marked by forgiveness and mutual appreciation- freely given. As St. Paul affirms, God cannot but love “… nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”11 This is the principal message of all evangelization.

If such is God’s love for us, then Christian life and religious life must primarily be a “thanksgiving,” an awareness of being constantly under the loving gaze of God and allowing oneself to fully become a child of God. According to St. Paul, “You did not receive the Spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship that makes us cry out : Abba, Father.”12 Knowing that one is loved 3 without conditions is a revitalizing experience that radically changes the meaning of our life in its simplicity.

We must admit that oftentimes, we tend to be absorbed in the struggles and difficulties of our daily life and do not always have hearts that are disposed to give thanks to God. Yet, thanksgiving is an essential element of Christian spirituality. What is thanksgiving? It is expressing thanks to God for all his graces. All that we are and have are gifts of God. “What have you that you have not received?”13 Giving thanks implies a capacity to be amazed at all that the Lord does; but most all, it means to marvel at the discovery that He is a merciful God who wants to give of Himself to us freely and generously through grace and out of pure love. In giving thanks to the Lord, we render Him the grace for the gracious gift of Himself in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Eucharist is first and foremost a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We come to mass to say give thanks. United to the Son, as a Church, we thank the Father for his work of salvation. “It is truly right and just to give thanks to you, always and everywhere…” thus begins the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer.

10 Jn. 15 : 12 ; 15 :9 ; BL Ch 6 (pp 50-56) Fraternal Life 11 Rom. 8 :39 12 Rom. 8:15 13 1 Cor 4-7

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Thanksgiving is an attitude that comes naturally for St. Paul when he starts his letters. It will be good for us to follow his recommendations and the path he points out to us so that

our communities become a reflection of the Trinitarian life. “Be thankful.” “Rejoice always, pray constantly; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”14

All of the above are simply a recall of all that we have read and meditated

on at one point or another in our religious life. They are realities of our faith life that we find and rediscover in the Word of God. Are we deeply convinced of this? What impact have these thoughts had in our life? Do they simply remain as beautiful ideas that we like to read and meditate? Or have we started to integrate them, such that they inspire and transform our life daily? Let us have no fear of crying out to the Lord for help, as the father of the epileptic in the Gospel did: “I believe. Help my unbelief!” Consequently, our life can become one great song of thanksgiving moving us to sing with Mary, “she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”15

In Jesus, God became Emmanuel – God with us. May the grace of

Christmas reconcile us in His love and increase our desire to abide in his love, in thanksgiving for the graces received.

Our Sisters Assistants, Secretary and Treasurer join me in greeting you a

Merry Christmas and a Holy, blessed and happy year 2011. We assure you of our prayers and affection.

Superior General

14 CA 2007 p. 23 ; Col 3:15; 1 Thess. 5: 16-18 15 Mark 9 :24 ; Luke 1 :45

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Lord Jesus, You who faithfully visit and fulfill with your Presence the Church and the history of men; You who in the miraculous Sacrament of your Body and Blood, render us participants in divine Life and allow us a foretaste of the joy of eternal Life; We adore and bless you.

Prostrated before You, source and lover of Life, truly present and alive among us, we beg you: Reawaken in us respect for every unborn life, make us capable of seeing in the fruit of the maternal womb the miraculous work of the Creator, open our hearts to generously welcoming every child that comes into life. Bless all families, sanctify the union of spouses, render fruitful their love.

Accompany the choices of legislative assemblies with the light of your Spirit, so that peoples and nations may recognize and respect the sacred nature of life, of ever human life. Guide the work of scientists and doctors, so that all progress contributes to the integral well-being of the person, and no-one endures suppression or injustice.

Gift creative charity to administrators and economists, so they may realize and promote sufficient conditions in order that young families can serenely embrace the birth of new children.

Console the married couples who suffer because they are unable to have children and in Your goodness provide for them.

Teach us all to care for orphaned or abandoned children, so they may experience the warmth of your Charity, the consolation of your divine Heart.

Together with Mary, Your Mother, the great believer, in whose womb you took on our human nature, we wait to receive from You, our Only True Good and Savior, the strength to love and serve life, in anticipation of living forever in You, in communion with the Blessed Trinity. Amen.

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Arrival in Pertuis of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres

In response to the repeated

demand of His Excellency Bishop

Jean-Pierre CATTENOZ, Arch-bishop

of Avignon, on October 1st 2010,

Mother Myriam accompanied four

Sisters to Pertuis, to form an

international community in the village

where our founder Fr. Louis Chauvet

was born and brought up.

These are the four Sisters:

- Sister Rowena GUTIERREZ

- Sister Marie-Noël LAPEL

- Sister Elizabeth LEE

- Sister Elisa THI HONG PHUNG

We were warmly welcomed by

Father Marc LANGELLO, the pastor

of the parish, on Saturday, October

2nd at the evening celebration and on

October 3rd at the Sunday Mass.

Father Mark thanked Mother Myriam

and her Council for this grace so

longed for of having the Sisters in

the Parish.

After the words of welcome, gifts

were offered to the new arrivals.

We shared a “cup of friendship”

after the mass, to get acquainted,

and for those who wanted a meal, a

“sack lunch” was shared at the Parish

hall.

Father thanked Mother General

and all the Sisters of St Paul once

again. He stressed that for now the

priority of the Sisters was to build

their Community, to take the time to

observe what is happening in the

parish, and to get to know about the

various Christian groups and

movements, and perhaps, of gradually

getting involved in the different

activities according to their

possibilities.

Visit by the Formators

On October 31, 2010 – To mark the

300 anniversary of the death of Fr.

Louis CHAUVET and to visit the new

community, the 31 Sisters serving as

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formation directors, from the

Seminar in Rome, arrived in PERTUIS

accompanied by Mother Myriam, her

Council, and Sr. Jean-Noël, Provincial

of France. It was a great joy for

them to visit the place where the

Sisters live and to set foot on the

land of Provence the birthplace of our

founder.

Despite the autumn weather, the

Sisters went to 42, rue Saint Jacques

and visited our lovely renovated old-

style house at 10:30. Then they all

met at St. Nicolas Church for Mass,

where everything was well-prepared

by the parishioners and the Sisters

of the session. The Sisters entered

in procession, led by Mother Myriam

and the Sister Councilors. Father

Pierre-Joseph VILETTE, Vicar

General, presided at the Mass,

because Bishop CATTENOZ, Bishop

of Avignon, was unable to attend.

Father Marc LANGELLO, pastor,

thanked Mother Myriam and the

congregation for this wonderful “gift”

of four Sisters for parish services,

reiterating his joy at finally seeing

the fulfillment of his desire.

At the end of the Mass, Mother

Myriam expressed her joy at

returning to Pertuis together with

Sisters from many other countries,

on their pilgrimage in France, to the

source of our origins. She thanked

Father Marc and the parishioners for

the warm reception they gave to the

four Sisters since their arrival in

early October.

A convivial meal held at the

parish hall followed at the end of the

mass, where the priests, Sisters, and

lay people gathered in a very

fraternal atmosphere. Two Sister

Councilors thanked the people for

their assistance and everyone

dispersed with hearts full of joy and

thanks for this unforgettable day.

"The Lord has done wonders for us.

Holy is His Name..." (Luke 1, 4)

- The Sisters of Pertuis

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Formation Seminar for the Formators

September 15 to November 8, 2010

“Living the Consecrated Life in the Reality of the World Today”

The recently concluded formators’ seminar held at the Generalate in Rome from September 15 to October 28, 2010 was a graced moment that deepened our sense of our internationality and it also strengthened our sense of belonging to our Congregation. The interchange and the in-depth sharing that we had with the other formators broadened our horizons, deepened our camara-derie and affirmed our unity as a Congregation in our desire to work together for the common good of our SPC formands, especially as we face the challenges of our present world.

The theme of the gathering was: “Living the consecrated life in the reality of the world today.” There were 35 participants from 22 Provinces, Districts and Regions. The sessions were punctuated by our pilgrimages to places like Lanciano, Manopello, Siena, Orvietto, and to the Catacombs and other holy places in

Rome. Our pilgrimage to France also gave us the opportunity to be reconnected with our roots.

In her opening message, Mother General emphasized that the formators are considered the “cream” of the Congregation, because the young Sisters who are the future of the Congregation are entrusted to our care. She gave the following questions for the formators to reflect on: How can you as formators form the young entrusted to us become living witnesses of the Gospel in our world today? How do we help them develop a genuine love for the poor?

The speakers which included

the four General Assistants, Fr. Edouard Tsimba, CICM, Fr. Lucian Dinca, AA, Sr. Madeliene Rioux, SPC, and Fr. Lucas Chuffart, AA expounded the theme by presenting the relationship of Jesus and his disciples as a model for formators and the path to discipleship as pedagogy for formation. The purpose of formation

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is to form disciples who would be capable of forming other disciples for Christ.

Relationship of Jesus and his

disciples as a model for formators

Jesus Christ as teacher and

formator chose his own disciples, unlike the teachers of his own time who were chosen by their disciples. The disciples of Jesus also followed him until the end. To be his disciple was a lifetime commitment which promised no honors or rewards but hardships and persecutions.

As a teacher, Jesus taught by

his own example. He asked questions that challenged his disciples for a change of life. He used a lot of images in his teachings, especially from nature. His model of discipleship was a child who is open, simple, and totally dependent on His Father.

The disciple, for his part, must

have only one Master and teacher, whom he/she follows with a sense of urgency and for life. To be a follower of Jesus means to renounce one’s attachments and to carry the cross.

St. Paul, our Patron,

exemplified in his life all these qualities of a disciple. In fact, he claims to be the “least of the apostles,” but he is truly an apostle by grace. His profound experience of personal encounter with Jesus on the road to

Damascus is the foundation of his identity as an apostle. Paul as a teacher also allowed himself to be

interiorly formed by Christ. He is identified with his Master so intimately that Paul can confidently proclaim “Christ lives in me.”

“Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” (I Cor. 11:1)

The SPC formator is also

invited to imitate Paul as he imitated Christ and to follow the path of discipleship pointed out by Jesus. Mother General highlighted some of the characteristics that formators must have in order to become authentic disciples and witnesses of the living God.

An Authentic Disciple and Witness

Is a person of faith and charity –

faith in God who is the Ultimate Formator – with an aptitude for discernment

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Has a missionary heart Is an authentic prophet Is a compassionate listener

imbued with a deep respect for the person

Has sufficient knowledge of the characteristics of the youth today

Has a healthy sense of self – acknowledges her gifts and her limitations

Is well informed about religious life, spiritual life and psychology

Has sufficient experience of the life of the Congregation, and

Has a deep sense of belonging to the Congregation

Formation is at the heart of religious life. The journey of the disciples is also our journey … to be with Christ from Galilee to Jerusalem and to the ends of the world.

Living consecrated life in the reality of today’s world

How can we help our Sisters

live a consecrated life of Gospel testimony in the world today? First, is by the witness of our life. The young today listen more to witnesses than to preachers. We have to train them to be missionaries, as witnesses of the Gospel, like the prophets in the Bible who spoke and gave witness to the word of God.

In a world where there is so

much noise, let the formands experience the “desert”, and the formator should be capable of living the desert experience herself. It is in the desert where we waste time and

learn the art of detachment, where we can be alone with the “Alone.”

The person who loves Christ

lives her consecrated life in the reality of today’s world, following in the footsteps of St. Paul whose only goal is: “to gain Christ and to live for Him” and to “consider everything as rubbish…” (Phil 3:7-11). To live with the love of Christ is to be ready to lose everything.

This is a great challenge for us

formators. In the face of this great and noble task, we can only bow in humble prayer, acknowledging that we are but “earthen vessels,” weak and fragile, yet chosen by God to be channels of his love and grace to his people.

- Sr. Emily Louise del Castillo PHILIPPINE Province

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Thank you Mother Myriam

and Members of the

General Council

We are deeply grateful to you for

your love and wisdom in feeding us

with C.R.E.A.M.

Consecrated life was well

expounded in lectures and

exemplified by your spirit

and your examples.

Relationships with the Trinity,

other people and things

were presented in proper

perspectives.

Effectiveness of this seminar has

to be actualized in our daily

life from now on.

Attachment to Christ, our Master

and Teacher, will be

strengthened; and

Motivations of others are not for

us to judge, but ours - we

should purify every day.

Thank you and we promise to try

our best to be CREAM and also to

help the young Sisters to be so.

Yours respectfully in Christ,

-Sr. Damien of the Cross LAI

Australia

Expressing our Gratitude

How can we express our sentiments about the session in formation in a few lines? Truly, the session of formation has helped us to live the international dimension of our congregation. Besides this, in all the conferences, we have been invited to enter more deeply into our religious life, in particular, our mission – as formators!

We recall the words that were repeated to us several times: “You are missionaries – you formators – it is the Lord’s work, this work that has been given to your Congregation, not for your name. You are really missionaries; a mission has been given to you to serve within your Congregation.”

And there is a call that keeps ringing in our ears, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1) We are invited to respond throughout the entire world with our culture, and above all with our love.

May the graces received this session increase in us the desire to resemble Christ, “our only Master, our Master who is exclusive and who excludes.”

We are profoundly grateful to Mother Myriam and to the General Councilors for having organized the session, rich in sharing of the experiences of our life with other formators of the Congregation, as well as with our Sisters in the Casa.

In concluson, we would also like to thank all the Sisters of the Provinces who have permitted us to leave for more than two months, those who replaced us and to the Superiors who accepted to send us.

May the Lord bless each one with his blessings.

- The Vietnamese Sessionists

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FOLLOWING SAINT PAUL

AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS

Fr. Lucian Dinca, AA, had as

his theme: “Take me as your model as I take Christ.” (I Cor. 11:1)

A. Four conditions necessary

for becoming Disciples of Christ:

1. To have only one Master – the

Christ. Paul himself chose Christ

as the Master who is exclusive and

excludes all others. As Jesus said,

“You have one Teacher, the Christ.” (Mt. 23:10)

2. To follow the Master

immediately and for good. This is

what the first apostles did –

Saints Peter, Andrew, James,

John, Matthew… (Cf. Lk. 18:22,

Matt. 16:24, Mk. 1:17),

3. To renounce all attachments.

We could not follow Christ and at

the same time remain slaves of

earthly goods. (Cf. Matt. 6:24)

4. To carry the cross and follow

Christ. Following Christ implies

dying to self in order to live for

Christ and allowing Christ to live in

me, “For me, life is Christ,” as

we read in (Phil. 1:21:9) Dying to

ourselves means living for Christ,

for the proclamation of the Gospel.

(Cf. I Cor. 9:23)

B. Four important relationships

for the Disciples of Christ:

1. Relationship with God as Father.

This is the attitude Christ teaches

us, to pray, “Abba, Father … thy kingdom come, thy will be done …” (Matt. 6:10)

2. Relationship with Christ as

teacher, responding to the call,

“Come, follow me,” letting the

message of Christ speak to our

heart, seducing us.

3. Relationship with the Spirit as

Personal Guide. The same Holy

Spirit who inspired Christ in his

ministry, and who was promised to

the Apostles by Christ is given to

us to equip us with different

charisms, (cf. I Cor. 12) and

inspires us to live in unity in the

Body of Christ.

4. Relationship with others as

brothers and sisters. Christ

himself left us with the means to

live in a good fraternal

relationship with the other

disciples: forgiveness and love.

We should be able to offer and

accept forgiveness like a daily

bread, because it is by love that

we recognize the true disciple.

“By this all shall know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

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We left Paris for Pertuis on October 30 in the rain. The name of this town had been deep in my mind since 2007, as far as I remember when our Provincial Superior had a special talk on it.

Along our trip, I often took out a map of South France to confirm the place, on our way, being ready to visit there. The coach was full of prayer and songs by the Sisters who had already developed closer relationships through the Session; while I enjoyed the marvelous colorful scenery, which reminded me of the autumn in Japan.

When we arrived in Avignon, my expectation got bigger, because of the experience shared during the session for the Formators with the 4 Sisters who had been appointed to the new mission. They were commissioned in Rome on the memorial day of the death of Mother Marie-Anne de Tilly and they left Rome the next day, the feast of the three Archangels.

No words could describe how fortunate I felt to be able to experience the great event of an inauguration of a new community, in the year when we celebrate the 300th death anniversary of Father Louis Chauvet, our founder . With such an uplifted spirit, we stepped into St. Nicolas Church on October 31. There is a Baptismal font where Father Chauvet was baptized at the rear of the chapel and a memory-plate beside it. Before the Holy Mass started, I recollected on my consecrated life, renewing my decision as a member of an inter-national congregation: that is, to make more efforts daily, trying to do our mission

harder to recover from the desperate condition of religious vocations in Japan.

After the Holy Mass, we had lunch with the parishioners, enjoying, talking, nearly forgetting the difference in language. We were touched to meet a seminarian, Mr. Jean Chauvet, whom we believed to be a distant relative of Father Chauvet ( it seems there are many families of that name in the region). The table they had set really showed their hospitality; the home-made dressing for starters cooked by the parson, stewed meat and potatoes grown in Pertuis, and various kinds of homemade cakes were so inviting.

I was happy to hear that the Sisters were welcomed so enthu-siastically. They looked so happy and they seem to be good members of a real religious family even though their nationalities are different, only after one month in Pertuis. One of the ladies gave to all the Sisters, heart-shaped lavender pomades that she had carefully made herself. This seemed to be an expression of the warm hearts of the people in Pertuis, embracing us. The delicate lavender scent moved me to offer the same prayerful heart to Our Lord.

We visited the house where Father Louis Chauvet was born, and the well-equipped pretty convent of our Sisters, only a 5 minute walk from the church. We also walked down several streets in the town, and saw the Angel fountain, as well as rows of old time houses. Reflecting on this led me to

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appreciate how God gives the best things timely and generously to the ones tracing the history at present.

May we step forward to a new life with the birth of a new warm house of love and joy at the place, which is full of the breath of the air of our founders!

- Sr. Marie-Cécile TANIGUCHI Japan Province

PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

The Grace of Hope and Faith

Our pilgrimage was showered with graces from the Lord, especially the gifts of faith and hope in visiting the places where Father Chauvet, our founder had lived.

The villagers of Pertuis gave us a very warm welcome. They joined with us in the solemn celebration of the Mass in the same church where Father Chauvet

had received the sacrament of Baptism. For us, this was a way of thanking God who has given us such a good founder. From the bus which took us from Pertuis to Lourdes, on November 1, 2010, we were able to admire the multiple autumn colors of nature. In every village we passed through, we could see a church which reminded us of the presence of the Lord and also of the faith and the piety of the French people. In the evening of our arrival, we went immediately to the grotto in homage of the Virgin Mary .

On November 2, All Souls Day, we took advantage of the beautiful sunshine. We assisted at 3 masses at the sanctuary, prayed the rosary, and lit candles for our deceased family members, for our Sisters, friends, and for others who have passed from this world. We had the opportunity to go to confession and to pray before the Blessed Sacrament exposed. The beautiful windows of the upper church reminded us of the simple, poor, and pious life of Saint Bernadette.

After we made the Way of the Cross, one of us shared with the two others, “The Way of the Cross at Lourdes was most exceptional moment for me. I have never felt so blessed this way

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before each time I meditated on the sufferings of Jesus. First of all, the way was long and exhausting as we laboriously climbed the mountain. That forced me to reflect on my own life: the crosses, the weaknesses, the conversions, the consolations of God through the Superiors, and I thought of the Sisters, my companions, who like me, also passed through difficulties. A video on the life of Saint Bernadette helped me to discover her simplicity, poverty, and humility; she to whom the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times, giving the message of: prayer, conversion, and penitence. I understand that this message was destined for me personally too. The time has come for me to be converted. With the Lourdes water, I signed myself; I drank some praying to the Virgin to cure my body as well as my spirit.”

This was a day of graces, through the intercession of Mary – for us, and for all the people who had recommended themselves to our prayers: Mother Myriam, the General Councilors, the Provincials, and all the Sisters of Saint Paul de

Chartres throughout the entire world, without forgetting to pray for vocations and for our missions.. We are not likely to forget this day of exceptional graces.

- The Thai Sisters

Visit to Chartres November 3 - 6

Leaving from Lourdes on November

3, 2010 at 7:30 a.m., we were warmly

and cordially received at Chartres, by

Sister Solange, Sister Rose and the

Novitiate Community when we got out

of the bus. As we arrived at the

Mother House at 7:00 p.m., the clock

on the spire of the chapel sounded its

ritual ring, especially to welcome us.

All our older Sisters who were

ambulatory came out to meet and

welcome us. After a hot meal, served

by the community of the Novitiate,

we located our rooms and got ready

to have a good night’s sleep.

In Chartres, we visited six key

points:

1. The Archives

Each group was given a specific time

to visit the archives - a great

treasure which is incredibly rich! It is

a Paulinian legacy that is perpetuated

from generation to generation. What

does “Archive” mean? It means good

record-keeping of our precious

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documents. And Sister Jeanne

Hélène, the SPC Provincial archivist

of France has been the guardian for

many years. Copies of the wills of

Father Chauvet and of Mother Marie

Anne de Tilly, documents concerning

the lawsuit against the Sisters,

documents of the PDR’s, everything is

kept, filled with valuable information

that can help Sister Jeanne Hélène to

give accurate explanations. The

authentic manuscripts of all these

things are kept in safe places.

2. Chartres Cathedral and the

Mass in the Crypt

The Cathedral, a historical

monument, is one of the most

beautiful cathedrals. Currently,

certain parts are being cleaned or

restored. On its exterior, at the

entrances, we have the history of the

Old and the New Testament. In the

interior of the Cathedral, we also saw

the History of Salvation through the

sculptures and the stained glass

windows. The blue stained glass of

Chartres Cathedral is unique.

To visit the Cathedral, is also to visit

Our Lady of the Pillar and Notre Dame

de Sous-Terre in the Crypt where we

were privileged to have Mass.

3. Visit with our sick Sisters in the

infirmary

Visiting our sick Sisters in the

’infirmary, is to visit the suffering

Christ in the poor. It is also to be in

touch with our own humanity. It is to

be in communion with them and to

carry them in our prayers.

4. St Maurice – St Julien

Saint Maurice was our first

Community in Chartres where our

Sisters lived for nearly 82 years,

after their departure from Levesville.

Most probably, it was in this small

chapel, in 1727, that the Sisters

received the request to go to the

mission in Cayenne. It was in this

house too that Mother Barbe

Foucault became the first elected

Superior General of the Community.

After us, other congregations

have occupied the place. But we can

still see the floor and the fireplace

that existed in the community at that

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time. In the basement, there is a

commemorative plaque placed during

reparations to the house in 1784 -

1785 that attests that Saint Maurice

was the community of the SPC.

Other facilities were added to the

grounds and now it is the “College

Jeanne d’Arc” that is there.

Saint Julien is an old church at the

bottom of the hill near the Cathedral

of Chartres. It has been trans-

formed into a museum of paintings

and various tableaux.

5. The Mother House

November 5 was spent in the Mother

House: Mass with our Sisters at 11:15,

during which we participated by singing

the entrance hymn in English and the

final hymn in Vietnamese.

After lunch, we gathered in the

Sisters’ dining room to say thanks to

our Sisters, singing a few songs and

telling them “thank you” in all our

languages. Our tongues were

sweetened by the chocolates offered

to us by Sr. Solange. We also joined in

praying the community Vespers at 5:15.

Likewise, a visit to the tomb of our

deceased Sisters in the cemetery of

St. Cheron allowed us to remember

them and join in prayer for them.

5. The Novitiate

Meeting nine Vietnamese novices

with their mistresses at the

Novitiate of Chartres, gives joy, and

enables us to deepen our hope for the

transmission of the legacy left by

Father Louis Chauvet. They prepared

and served truly delicious food for

the Sister Sessionists. As a surprise,

they presented a short program on

November 5 that showed us some of

their talents and abilities.

In conclusion, our stay in Chartres

was excellent and allowed us to return

to the roots of our origins, to a new

missionary zeal and a new breath of

life in our different countries.

- Sister Léocadie MESSOMO, spc

CAMEROON District

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Note: See more photos and videos of the pilgrimages at:

www.stpaulrome.com

Session for New Superiors

From November 20 to 30, 2010, Provincial and District Superiors newly appointed in 2010 attended an in-service session in Rome. Present were: Sr. Marie Paul CESAR from Haiti, Sr. Maximilien CHIBA from Japan, Sr. St. François DAO from Hanoi, Sr. Agnes Jean SHIN from Seoul, Sr. Catherine de Sienne RASOANATOANDRO from Madagas-car, and Sr. Augustin du Saint-Esprit TRAN from Mytho.

Conferences given by Mother Myriam and the Assistants included Governance, Authority and Obedience, the Role of Assistants, Formation, Canon Law, Signs of the Times, Spiritual Life, and reviews of the recent General Chapters and the Councils of the Congregation. Sr. Maria Luisa and Sr. Josiane also gave instructions and went over some practical details of the reports that the PDR’s send in to Rome.

The session began with Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul-outside-the-walls, and prayer at the tomb of Saint Paul. There was also one pilgrimage to

Padua - to the shrine of Saint Anthony, Franciscan, the patron saint of Italy, and to the shrine of Saint Leopold Mandic, who was best known for the apostolate of Confessor and Spiritual Director, and was canonized in 1983.

Superiors Re-Appointed

Sisters Rose Margaret NUVAL of the Region of England - Ireland and Sr. Gloria SCHULTZ of the District of the United States were re-appointed as Superiors in October and November respectively.

Request for Prayers

We are asked to continue our prayers for Haiti, where the effects of the January 2010 earthquake are still being felt – most of the people who lost their homes are still living in tents, and even the schools are make-shift shelters. Storms and flooding have worsened conditions, and over 2,000 people have died of cholera so far. In Indonesia, the volcanoes have erupted several times, leaving about 100 people dead. In Madagascar, prayers are requested because of the political situation and threat of famine due to the long drought that has ravaged the country. In Korea, the political situation with regard to North Korea is tense and precarious.

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CELEBRATIONS WITH OUR SISTERS OF

HONG KONG AND TAIWAN

Mother General delegated Sister Mary Ann and I to participate at two celebrations, with our Sisters of Taiwan and Hong Kong. On December 7, we went, along with several Sisters of Hong Kong and also some Sisters of the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Australia, to Saint Paul’s hospital at Taoyuan, near Taipei, on the island of Taiwan, to celebrate 50 years of presence of Sisters of St Paul de Chartres in Taiwan. It was the Chinese Sisters from Hong Kong, who responded, in 1960, to the request of a Bishop, to announce the Reign of God to the people of Taiwan, with the foundation of a Catholic hospital.

The mother, Sr. Renee, the daughter,

and the nurse who saved the baby We were able to join in celebrating the joy of our Sisters on these anniversary days, in assisting at an evening of dances, performed

by the “mountain people” who had been trained by Sister Marie-Anne, a native of the area. After this we celebrated, along with the Most Reverend John Baptist Lee, Bishop of Hsinchu, Most Reverend John Hung, SVD, Archbishop of Taipei, other Bishops of the island, several priests, and the Sisters and hospital personnel, first of all, the event, at the entrance of the hospital, in calling to mind many important events and dates.

St. Paul Hospital, Taoyuan,

TAIWAN Later, in the Chapel, we participated in the Thanksgiving Mass of Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the solemnity being heightened by the singing of a well-trained choir. And, after the liturgy, we participated in a delicious, festive meal. Among our memories of this occasion, one of the most touching was evoked by the presence of a mother and her daughter, whom the hospital had saved forty years ago. The state of the then pregnant mother was very critical; the family asked that the mother be saved in preference to the baby, but both of

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them were saved, and they were present to tell this story to all of us assembled there, with much emotion and joy, to thank the Sisters and the hospital personnel. On Friday, December 10, we were in Hong Kong, and this time, we participated at the solemn opening of a building of 20 floors (Block A), the first part of the restoration of St. Paul hospital. At the same time, the Most Reverend John Tong Hon, Bishop of Hong Kong, Sister Jacqueline Ho, Provincial Superior, Sister Nancy

Dr. Kam Ying, Sr. Jacqueline, Bishop Tong Hon, Sr. Nancy – St. Paul

Hospital, HONG KONG Margaret Cheung, managing director of the hospital and Dr. Lau Kam Ying, medical superintendent, laid the cornerstone of the second building (Block B), which will be equally as large as the first, and its construction will be completed in four years.

Saint Paul Hospital, HONG KONG Block A, top right. Site of Block B –

lower right

These two celebrations for us were an occasion to get to know many Sisters and to discover their numerous apostolic activities. Let us pray that new vocations will permit them to persevere in the many works that they accomplish with such dedication and love.

- Sr. Monique and Sr. Mary Ann

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Poem : A Night in Chartres

A night in Chartres. Your first night in Chartres.

A quiet night, … cool ... Yes, God does work wonders ... out of nothing.

A night of joy: Do you find on earth where our first Sisters lived,

much emotion, gratitude to the Lord? The bell of the Motherhouse And the bell of the Cathedral,

Both punctuate the space and time of this night. Both sound, resound, and respond to one another ... Did you hear the rhythm of the beating of your heart?

Wake up at night to speak and to remember That you are a " Sentinel of Hope"

for your Sisters, for the Church, for the world ... Your room is a "box", with a curtain, not even a door,

but it is your home for tonight. A night when you were scared...

you did not sleep, or maybe a little ... but you are rested in God,

Thinking about the man that God made one of us, in poverty and

Who comes among us and prepares you to experience the humility and the fragility of beginnings ...

At night, as " Sentinel of Hope" What have you seen? What have you heard?

All sorts of noise ... But the words: Communion! Patience! Peace!

And above all: "I'm here, do not be afraid,” says Jesus, "I bring you Peace and Happiness..."

Sister Léocadie, spc

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FIRST PROFESSION

Mother General, with the consent of her Council, admits to First Profession

INDONESIA: January 25, 2011

Sr Maria Donsiana OWA Sr Magdalena DINAMIKA

SAIGON, VIETNAM: January 25, 2011

Sr Thérèse VU Thi Thao Sr Marie LY Hong Hue

TIMOR LESTE: January 25, 2011

Sr. Anita DA COSTA MARTINS Sr. Gracilda SOARES

Sr. Maria Goretti OLIVEIRA Sr. Maria de ARAUJO

DAEGU, KOREA: February 1, 2011

Sr. Euphrasia Won-gil KIM Sr. Lucia Mi-hyang LEE Sr. Theresa Yeon-ju LEE Sr. Susanna Sun-mi YU

Sr. Elizabeth Eun-hee KIM Sr. Maria Soon-duck KIM Sr. Theodora YU-mi KO Sr Angela Yun-ji LEE

FRANCE: March 5, 2011

Sr Anne Claire TRAN Thi Sac Sr Marie Agnès NGUYEN Thi Nhung Sr Marthe Lucie LE Thi Hien Sr Thérèse Cécile VU Thi Ngoi

Sr M. Pascale NGUYEN Thi Nanh Huong

Sr M. Bernadette NGUYEN Thi Quynh Diep Sr Marthe NGUYEN Thrinh Anh Dao Sr Therese Elisabeth LE Thi Kim Lien Sr M. Joseph NGUYEN Tran Thoai Ngan

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PERPETUAL PROFESSION

Mother General, with the consent of her Council, admits to Perpetual Profession

MYTHO, VIETNAM: December 28, 2010

Sr Anne NGUYEN Thi Hong Ngoc Sr Marie DUONG Thi Thuy Diem Sr Elisabeth PHAM Thi Thuy Sr Anne LE Thi Dieu Hien

Sr Thérèse NGUYEN Anh Minh Sr Agnès TRAN Thi Minh Diem Sr Madeleine NGUYEN Thi Kim Ngan

INDONESIA: January 25, 2011

Sr Teresa AVILA

SEOUL, KOREA: January 31, 2011

Sr. Angela Ok Ja SHIN Sr. Jean d’Arc Su Jung SON Sr. Theresa Feng Hua YU Sr Rosa Jung Ja JANG Sr. Theresia Hwa Su KIM

Sr. Maria Dominica Eun Sung KIM Sr. Francisca Young Mi PARK Sr. Scholastica Hae Ri KIM Sr. Juliana Sung Hyun CHO Sr. Theophila Seon Hwa LEE

DAEGU, KOREA: February 1, 2011

Sr. Anasthasia Seon-ae JEONG Sr. Gabriela Chun-mee CHOI Sr. Agatha Eun-ju KANG Sr. Maria Eun-ju JEONG

Sr. Theresa Hee-jeong KIM Sr. Lucia Hee-ok KIM Sr. Franca Seong-bun SON Sr. Catharina O-seon JEON

PHILIPPINES: February 2, 2011

Sr. Pricille LAPUZ Sr. Ofelia GA Sr. Anielyn DELICANA

Sr. Florenda ESPEDIDO

Sr. Maria Manilyn LANDICHO Sr. Michelle Cristy FERNANDEZ Sr. Maria Lenny VELASCO

Sr. Claudette YECLA

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Sisters who went home to the Father: A new season in eternity

FRANCE Nov. 7 - Sr. Pierre de St. François BERTRAND, Age 88, and 64 years of Religious Profession

CANADA Oct. 8 - Sr. Thérèse VIENS. Age 72, and 48 years of Rel. Prof.

Dec. 12 – Sr. Gemma CARON, Age 91, and 64 years of Rel. Prof.

ANTILLES-GUYANE

Oct. 13 - Sr. Marie Lubin DAVIDAS Age 84, and 54 years of Religious Profession

PHILIPPINES

Oct. 28 - Sr. Norma Carmen BEDANA, Age 64; & 38 yrs of Rel. Prof. Nov. 28 - Sr. Dominica de Jesus LEE, Age 81, & 49 years of Rel. Prof.

Dec. 12 – Sr. Maria Concordia SALARIA, Age 82, & 54 years of Rel. Prof.

SAIGON, VIETNAM Dec. 10 – Sr. Virginie de Jesus NGUYEN Thi Thinh

Age 85, and 60 years of Religious Profession

DAEGU, KOREA Dec. 13 - Sr. Marie-Josepha Hwa-ja KANG

Age 67, and 41 years of Religious Profession

DANANG, VIETNAM Dec. 1 - Sr. Madeleine de St. Francois PHAM Thi Kim Phuc

Age 66, and 42 years of Religious Profession

JAPAN Dec. 20 - Sr. Thérèse du S.C. KATOAKA, Age 81, & 59 years of Rel. Prof.

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O Mary … what did you think when God’s messenger said, Hail, O highly favored one? You are to bear a child? You will name him Jesus? He will save his people from their sins?

O Mary … how did you feel when The Angel Gabriel suddenly appeared? Elizabeth called you “the mother of my Lord”? The shepherds and the magi came? Joseph said that Herod was seeking the Child’s life?

O Mary … what was it like: To teach Jesus to pray? To see him growing in wisdom and grace? To hear of the wonders that he performed? To hear what others said of him?

O Mary … when did you learn: That he was the long-awaited Messiah? That he would be the suffering servant? That he would give his life for us? That he would rise from the dead?

O Mary … Teach me to ponder in my heart as you did. May the celebration of Christmas increase my faith, hope and love. May I be ready to welcome with joy all the comings of Jesus each day.

- Sr. Mary Ann Laurin

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(Poem of MARIE NOEL) The Baker, there in his pious lodge, April coming, received the grain from God. Put it in the shade of the humble granary. It remained there, nine months to the day. THE CHOIR: “Make us the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Make us the Bread, because we are hungry.” After thirty years, coming out of the oven, She brought her only Son, into the town, To all the hungry people around there, The new Bread, the Bread warm with Love. THE CHOIR: “Serve us the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Serve us the Bread, because we are hungry.” The baker had taken a very long road In order to go to the House of Bread, To knead it, she had worked all the night. She gave it to the world, around midnight. THE CHOIR: “Cook us the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Cook us the Bread, because we are hungry.”

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For thirty silver pieces, the merchant sold it For thirty silver pieces, a thousand teeth bit it At the great meal which was on a Friday, Served for man at the noon hour of day. THE CHOIR: “Deliver us the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Deliver us the Bread, because we are hungry.” She cooked the Bread thirty years at home, In the warmth of the loving atmosphere, In the kindness of her most gentle heart, The tender Bread, the blond Bread, the round Bread. THE CHOIR: “Bring us the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Bring us the Bread, because we are hungry.” But when he was seen murdered, broken, destroyed The Living Bread that she had made at night, As a lamb devoured by the wolves, In his great grief, the Baker sobbed. THE CHOIR: “Cry over the Bread, Mary, O Mary! Cry over the Bread, because we are hungry.”

- Marie Noel

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