Last month, the Committee for Youth Pastoral and Vocational Ministry of the Vice-Province of Japan organized "Berrospe 2009". It was meant to help young adults get more in touch with themselves, to be more aware of the presence of God within and to introduce to them the Congregation and the life of Mother Foundress. “Berrospe” is actually the first part of a series of “Search-Ins” planned by the Committee for those who are searching for direction in life. As the name implies, it focuses on the early childhood/young adulthood of Juana Josefa, ending with her serious search for the plan of God for her life. The second part of the series is actually the “Valladolid Encounter" which is meant for those who are seriously discerning their vocation in life.

Los días 8 y 9 de noviembre pasado se celebro en la Casa Interprovincial de Madird el encuentro anual convocado por el Equipo de Acción Social y en colaboración.

Razón tenía Mercedes cuando, al empezar el encuentro nos aseguraba que saldríamos de  él animadas y enriquecidas. 

Lo primero, una pequeña celebración ambientada con bellos símbolos, nos recordaba:

“Vosotros sois la luz,

vosotros sois la sal…”

(Mt. 21, 15)

 Y tomó la palabra Andrés Castillo, sociólogo y capellán del Hospital del Niño Jesús:

“ Hay otros mundos,

pero están en éste”

(Orson Welles)

To help each other grow in our vocation-mission, we, the young perpetually professed sisters assigned in Manila gathered at Pansol, Laguna last November 2-3, 2009. It was a time to observe our vital equilibrium together – singing, eating, swimming, playing but most all praying and sharing our faith-life experiences.  Sr. Nilda Genovate prepared our prayer module. Inspired by the experience of the woman with Jesus at the well, we were challenged to put down our water jars, set them aside so that we can personally encounter the Lord in His Word and in our rich experiences in the mission and in community life. 

Last 29-30 October 2009, 45 Hijas de Jesús mostly coming from the communities of Pototan, Iloilo City-Guimaras, Estancia, Maasin, Cebu City-Argao, Camiguin, Stella Maris Academy & Lasang – Davao City gathered together at the Colegio de las Hijas de Jesús (CHJ)-lloilo City for the FI Regional Encounter (FIRE). For the 2-day encounter, Fr. Tonet Reyes, a diocesan priest & alumna of CHJ presided over the Mass at the school chapel & the sessions which were held at the Ground Floor, Conference Room would begin at 9 in the morning with a prayer via PowerPointpresentation to invoke God & set the mood.

LOCAL "GOVERNMENTS MEETING" - BRAZIL

“The good work of the local Superior is essential so that the community may have apostolic vitality and may be to the world a sign of the God´s Kingdom which we announce from our life in common.”

We were 15 Sisters at every part of Brazil that on November 3 and 4, got together in Belo Horizonte, to help each other at the mission which was entrusted to us at the Congregation.

We started our meeting remembering the way done during the earlier local Superiors´ meeting and knowing the proposed objectives for this meeting

Fifty-six Sisters from 7 Metro-Manila Communities and some Sisters from other communities from Visayas and Mindanao gathered at Manresa School in Parañaque City for a two-day encounter on the continued restructuring as a Province. Sr. Georgita presented the objectives of the encounter, namely to look at our present situation in the different aspects of our life and mission in view of the two priorities set out this year; to analyze these present realities both external and internal and finally, discern together what could be the means we could use to respond adequately to the needs of such realities.