13 Feb GC XXI. FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A TIME
After a day of rest, we began the day on Sunday by electing the sisters who will join the Commission of the State of the Institute, replacing the two sisters appointed as Assistants General. Inés Ruíz and Lidia Aguilar (Peru-Bolivia), together with the new Assistants and Srs. Francia Opiana (Philippines) and Gabriela Espinosa (Colombia-Panama), will also form part of the Commission on the State of the Institute.
The Commission for Postulates was also formed today: Sr. Eduarda Barata (Portugal), Sr. Inmaculada Fukasawa (Japan), Sr. Bindu Michael (India), and Sr. Ana Sánchez (Spain).
Immediately after these elections, Rosario invited us to begin work on the theme of GC XXI with a broad mind, without preconceived ideas, and with a great desire to allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit wherever She desires. Sister Inés Oleaga presented the process and the dynamics that we will follow in the coming days, which will consist of enlightenment regarding various topics, presentations by some sisters, group work and personal reflection.
Time for Listening
Following this, four sisters presented testimonies of “Sprouts of Hope” in times of pandemic from the different realities where they are present.
Sister Sandra Pinto (Chile) spoke to us about working with migrants; Sister Clarita Molina (Ecuador) about “Care and Closeness” from the experience lived in community; Sister Inmaculada Fukasawa (Japan) about “Beauty in gestures of solidarity”, and Sister Brigit Viji D. (India) about “Networking”. The presentations were very striking and we were able to feel how, from situations of such fragility and suffering, so many responses full of life and hope have arisen.
At the end of each presentation and after a few moments of silence to savor internally what we heard, we were all able to express in brief words the motions we had felt and the hopes that arose.
Time for reading and personal reflection
In the afternoon, after a time of reading and personal reflection, we gathered in groups. The sharing was done in a dynamic of “spiritual conversation” and created an atmosphere of deep listening and mutual enlightenment from each sister’s sharing.
We were guided by the questions: “What does God want us to see?” and “Where does God direct our gaze today?”.
This week, we will continue with this same dynamic and our group conclusions will be presented at the end, in a creative way in assembly. We will keep you informed.
At the end of the afternoon, we brought all that we lived and shared to adoration with a grateful heart.
To complete the day, after dinner we went “deeper” into the life of the Cuban people, where the presence of our sisters, in a constant search for new ways to help the people, is also a sign of hope in the midst of the people.
Anna Rita also presented the mission of the communities in Italy with great humor and realism. We also enjoyed listening to the whole process of the community’s search for a place to transfer the Curia from XX Settembre to the neighborhood of Lunghezzina.
How many activities we have already done in such a short time! We have shared and received so much! We thank God for helping us to make the realities of others very much our own.
