Perpetual profession

Today, September 14, 2021, the day on which the Universal Church celebrates the Glorious Cross, our Vice-province "Holy Martyrs of Uganda" is clothed with celebration also because of the six sisters who make the perpetual profession in the hands of sr. Beltha Ngwashi, Superior Vice-Provincial, delegate of the Superior General Sr. Paola Dotto for this circumstance.

After a long spiritual preparation in Rome and Cameroon, the six sisters are ready to pronounce the perpetual vows that will commit them definitively in the "Sequela Christi" with the specific charism of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and at the service of the Church wherever they will be sent (Cf. Cos. 56).

The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Monsignor Jean Mbarga Metropolitan Archbishop of Yaoundé in the parish "St. Anne and St. Joachim" of Nkoabang. The bishop in his homily said that we must put this ceremony under the sign of thanksgiving, for:

• the availability of our six sisters who have become docile to the listening of the Holy Spirit and to his holy work;
• their families who have offered their daughters to the Lord accompanying them in their decisions to the final choice of life;
• the Church that welcomed them through the Religious Family of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and that today confirms their definitive belongingness in the Congregation,

The bishop also encouraged them in their choices: the consecrated life is a call that can be realized only if we believe, if we have faith. Faith is the gift that we must continue to invest, even if we must suffer to be faithful to the Lord. The faith that we have received from our parents is the one that gives us the courage, the sense, the strength to respond to the Lord’s call because the Christ we confess is alive, he is here, he is with us.

He also said: “you have funded your religious life on three pillars which are the vows, which are not to be perceived as obligations, but as spiritual enrichment lived in the light of the Lord who surpasses all our human capacities.

Let us take for example the vow of poverty that leads us to the kenosis of Jesus, that is, to renounce everything that you are capable of being in order to live a continuous sacrifice of yourselves "No one has greater love than to lay his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). This is the vow of poverty! It is not a matter of renunciation of goods, the good pass away, you need goods to serve the poor, because poverty is lived being charitable. Therefore, much work is needed to support the community so that it is charitable. The vow of poverty is the gift of one’s life, giving one’s life for others. This implies understanding that your autonomy, independence and ability must produce the best for the entire people of God.

As for the vow of obedience, it is Christ himself who has motivated it: "I have come down from heaven to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me..." (Jn. 6, 38) He was obedient to his Father until his death. The vow of obedience is fidelity to the will of God and is the greatest gift to be received and lived out.

The vow of chastity is not only an expression of spiritual asceticism, but in truth chastity is lived as a generous donation to God the Father, following the example of Christ at the service of all humanity.

Be joyful of your choice of consecrated life and spread this joy to all you meet. Be followers of Christ in the world. May you be in your communities the place of universal communion (Cfr. V.C. 46), may you be a religious family founded in Christ who lives by the love that you draw from His heart pierced on the cross.

We thank the Lord for this event so significant that it brings forth our Vice-province and the Congregation all in praise and joy for the gift of sisters:

Mary Emeline Yungsi Kinyuy of the Holy Cross
Mary Prisca Nyisome Petuewoh of the Blessed Sacrament
Mary Sylvia Bong Ngehseng of the Holy Spirit
Mary Chiara Fredya Mouraguele of Divine Mercy
Mary Pascaline Yenmole of the Eucharist
Mary Juliette Fonyuy of the Divine Will

"You are our eternal life, great and admirable Lord,
God almighty, merciful Saviour"

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https://www.francescane.org/index.php/en/sussidi/item/1624-here-i-am-to-do-your-will-o-god#sigProId576d032a8c