Yesterday evening Sr. M. Antonieta Bruscato spontaneously and fraternally welcomed 46 sisters, representing 50 different countries, to the Interchapter Meeting. Many of the sisters are participating in this congregational event for the first time. Besides the members of the General Government, there are 11 provincial superiors, 16 delegation superiors, 7 superiors of communities dependent on the General Government, 1 Italian provincial councilor and 2 translators (Korean and English) present for the occasion. We are very sorry that Sr. Yolanda Dionisio is not able to participate in the Interchapter due to health problems because as superior of the Philippines/Malaysia/Papua New Guinea/Thailand Province, she represents a vast area of Asia. We feel her absence and we all send her our sincere best wishes for a rapid recovery.
Sr. Battistina Capalbo, who accompanied our Enlarged Council Meeting held in January 2009 and also all the continental meetings for redesigning our presences, is continuing her important role as facilitator and guide of our Interchapter activities. Her presence will ensure the continuity of our work and of the methodology we are following.
The members of the Interchapter were introduced to the group in a very warm and creative way. Sr. M. Antonieta called each sister by name, gave her a hand-crafted tote bag (the gift of our sisters of the Peru-Bolivia Delegation) containing a portfolio and the program of the encounter, and asked her to express in one word what her hopes and desires were concerning this meeting. A wide variety of very meaningful words emerged, some of them repeatedly, such as: hope, light, life, together, innovations, the future.
Today the Interchapter officially begins with the opening address of the Superior General and a Eucharistic Celebration in the Queen of Apostles Sanctuary, during which we will also celebrate the memory of our dearest Prima Maestra Thecla. We are sure that from heaven she will accompany our work and help us to look with joy and hope to the future of our Congregation, viewing every situation in which we live and work from this perspective.
Our sincere thanks to all of you for your prayers and closeness to us in these days. We invite you to follow our activities through the www.paoline.org website.
