Paulinian Echoes - Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres

Paulinian Echoes
Mary, “Mother of the Word of
God” and “Mother of Faith”1
My dear Sisters,
Today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. God sent the
angel Gabriel who greeted her thus: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.”2
Mary, a model of faith, is one of the principal figures of Advent and Christmas by
her attentive listening, her docility to the Word of God, by the quality of the waiting and
welcome that she accorded to the Lord in her own life.
Mary’s response is an act of faith: she believed in the Word and made herself
available for God’s service: “I am the servant of the Lord, be it done to me according to
your word.” 3 She truly believed that “nothing is impossible to God.”4
Some time later, after the Angel’s annunciation, Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth
who received her in her house with these words: “ Blessed is she who believed that the
promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” 5. In Mary we find the model of a
deep faith and a complete trust.” 6
Like Mary, blessed indeed are we who have heard Christ’s call and have followed
him without knowing where this adventure would lead us. Society as a whole, the Church
and Religious life in general are going through very difficult times at present. Do we feel
spurred on by a passion for Christ with a similar zeal to make him known through the
proclamation of his Gospel?
1
2
3
4
5
6
Verbum Domini,27
Lk 1:28.
Lk 1:38
Lk 1: 37
Lk 1: 45
B.L. # 5
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Our faith is often put to the test by our own experiences of
hardships and darkness that the world is actually going through.
Sometimes they make us turn away from Him who alone could give us
life: Jesus Christ. It is impossible for us to remain in religious life, or
to be Christians or to remain in the Church without an attachment to
Christ, he who is the Word of God and who has given us divine life;
he who transfigures the face of the earth and makes all things new ( Rev.
21:5). Those who have faith have already possessed life.
Through his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the Church has the mission to sustain
the faith of the faithful and to proclaim God’s word. The Holy Father invites us to go back
to what is essential: Faith in Christ - and he announced to the pilgrims gathered at St
Peter’s Square on October 16, 2011 that the “Year of Faith” will be launched on October
11, 2012.
“I consider that it is appropriate to recall the beauty and centrality of the faith,
the need to reinforce it and to deepen it at the personal and the community level and to
do so in a perspective that is not so much celebratory as missionary, with a view
precisely to the mission ad gentes and the New Evangelization.”7 This is such a beautiful
task to be undertaken, while giving rise to questions and responses from within us:
Each one of us is invited to begin reading attentively the Apostolic Letter “ Porta
Fedei” The Door of Faith, to prepare ourselves to live fervently this year of grace. This
letter is addressed to all the faithful. May its announcement stir a very special impact in
the hearts of consecrated persons.
Who could best journey with us in this spiritual experience if not the Blessed
Virgin Mary and St Paul? Both could guide us and give us the courage of faith, the
fortitude and the trust that could overcome all obstacles from within and around us.
-
The Holy Father calls our attention to the beauty and the centrality of
faith.
The “Door of Faith”, says the Holy Father, is a lifetime path; it is meant to give a
renewed impetus to the mission by leading men and women to a life of relationship with
Christ. What then is faith? For Christians, it is a gift of God that we receive at baptism, a
gift of an encounter with Jesus Christ as a living person, a heart to heart meeting in
prayer. The Christian faith is above all a spiritual experience under the action of the Holy
Spirit as Jesus declared to Peter after the latter’s profession of Faith:”You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God!” Jesus told him, “ Blessed are you, Simon, son of John. It was
not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.”8 St. Paul himself
says: “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.”9
Faith is not only a very personal encounter with God, it is also the gift to recognize
his visitations through the events in our life or through the signs that he gives us. The
God we believe in is the God who revealed himself in history, starting from Abraham – a
man justified by faith- and who continues to reveal himself in his Church. The Christ who
makes known his presence during our intimate moments of prayer, is truly the very same
7
8
9
Pope Benedict XVI . Message after the Angelus Prayer, 16 October 2011.
Mt 16 : 16-17
1 Cor : 12,3
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Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem; who died in Jerusalem and who, for several
times, manifested himself to his apostles after his resurrection. The Christian faith
therefore is a belief, a commitment to a Person who entered in our human history. “It is a
treasure which already gives us an experience of the plenitude, the twofold experience of
Easter and Pentecost though still obscure.” 10
God manifests himself in every person’s life. For Mary, it was during her hidden
life in Nazareth. For Saul’s vocation, it happened on the road to Damascus where he was
struck down by a light from heaven and heard Christ’s voice:”Saul, Saul why do you
persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus whom you persecute.” 11
From then on, Paul’s life would be transformed by this encounter with the Risen
Christ. His life would find its foundation in Christ and the aim of his teachings was the
faith in Christ, the justification of the Christian soul. In his heart, he will always hear “I
am Jesus…”, the same Risen Christ who appeared to him and he “runs the race in order
to win the prize for he himself had been seized by Christ.”12 And nothing held him back.
He became the indefatigable voyager, creating new communities. Nothing stopped him,
neither persecutions nor dangers, nor even death “for the love of Christ impels us.” (2 Cor
5:14) “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.”13
-
Pope Benedict XVI reminds us of the necessity to strengthen our faith.
The Church is holy, but within, it is made up of sinners. Thus it is called to purify
itself, to constantly follow the slow and gradual path of penance and conversion.14 The
year of faith is an invitation to authentic conversion and renewal in the Lord. According to
the degree of one’s free and voluntary sense of responsibility, the person’s thoughts,
feelings, mentality and behavior are gradually purified and transformed along the path
that is never totally finished in this life.15
An intense reflection on faith is necessary to allow us to help those who believe in
Christ to renew their firm belief in the Gospel most especially during this particular
moment of changes in society that we experience now. 16
For us, consecrated persons, a direct contact with the Word of God is
fundamentally important. The frequent reading of the Gospels is indispensable in
knowing Jesus Christ, the Word through whom God speaks to us in the Gospels.
Ignorance of the Gospel is ignorance of Jesus Christ: St Paul forcefully reminds us in the
letter to the Philippians, “I consider everything as loss because of the supreme
advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”17
It is from the gospels that we draw the indispensable nourishment for our spiritual
life daily. When we open ourselves to receive the Word of God, we make ourselves
disposed to its message of conversion.18
10
Capitular Acts 2007 page 19
Acts 9:1-20
12
Phil 3:12
13
1 Cor. 9:16
11
14
Pope Benedict XVI, 2011. Apostolic Letter The Door of Faith no6
Ibid.
16
Pope Benedict XVI, 2011. Apostolic Letter The Door of Faith no8
15
17
18
Phil. 3: 8
cf BL # 45
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Faith draws its strength and vigor in finding God’s love in the
ordinariness of daily life. The experience of this love that is received
and communicated as grace and joy, makes the faith grow. Therefore
faith grows and becomes strong with each act of faith. In this
continuous process, one needs to entrust oneself completely into the
hands of love that becomes ever greater because it comes from God.19
- The Holy Father invites us as well to deepen our faith
on the personal and community level in the perspective of
evangelization.
The year of Faith is also a favorable time to receive the breath of the Holy Spirit so
as to give a renewed momentum to the mission of Christ in the Church for an improved
proclamation of the Good News.
According to the Holy Father, the Mission has not changed and consequently,
there should be no change in the enthusiasm and the courage that inspired the Apostles
and the first disciples. The Holy Spirit who moved them to open wide the doors of the
cenacle and established them as evangelizers is the same Spirit that moves the Church
toward a renewed proclamation of hope to the peoples of our time.
Today, having been inwardly stirred by the spiritual experience of encountering
the Risen Christ, we the Sisters of St. Paul, are called upon by the Lord to continue
walking in his footsteps along the Gospel road. Today, Christ is once again sending us to
evangelize our brothers and sisters…let us therefore renew our missionary horizons.20
“With steadfast faith and firm hope, the apostle goes ahead in spite of obstacles and
never tires of announcing Jesus Christ.” 21
Pope Benedict XVI points out that “secularization had left a heavy mark even in
the countries which were formerly of old Christian traditions”. It is manifested as a
“crisis of Christian life” and calls for a new evangelization as a response, a gospel
proclamation making use of new approaches.”
This crisis is characterized by an exclusion of God in the lives of persons, with a
total indifference to the faith and even an attempt to marginalize it in public life. In the
face of this crisis, Pope Benedict XVI insists on an adequate formation for the new
generations and invites to a “style of life” which gives a witness of authentic credibility to
believers. Moreover, the Holy Father reminds us that the Church could not evangelize
unless its witness remains faithful to Jesus Christ, that is, a witnessing accompanied by
poverty, detachment and freedom in the face of world authorities.
As persons consecrated to Christ, how do these reminders of the Pope regarding
the credible announcement of the Word of God concern us and challenge us personally?
In his Apostolic Exhortation “Verbum Domini”, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirms the “need in
our day for a decisive commitment to the Mission, with missionary outreach being a
clear sign of the maturity of an ecclesial community.” 22
19
20
21
22
Pope Benedict XVI, 2011. Apostolic Letter The Door of Faith no 7
Cf Capitular Acts 2007 pages 3 , 11
BL # 52 ; 2 Cor 6: 4-10
Pope Benedict XVI. 2011. Apostolic Exhortation: Verbum Domini N° 95
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How would you define “a decisive commitment to the Mission”? What is your
reaction to what the Letter of the Pope says about the need for “Mission ad gentes”?
Dear Sisters, God is calling our attention. Through this Apostolic Exhortation, it is
God who speaks to us with a Word of love, his living Word that gives us new life. He is the
Way the Truth and the Life. Let us listen to him as we entrust our supplication to Mary.
O Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother of humankind, you were given to us
as our Model and our Mother, and you keep watch over our Congregation since its
humble foundation in Levesville. You who have believed that nothing is impossible with
God, obtain for us a deep faith and a complete trust that made you the Mother of Him
who is God’s “Yes”. Teach us to be like you, to be attentive to the Word of God; and grant
that through the signs of the times we will know how to recognize Christ Jesus the
Savior, receive him in our life and announce him to our brothers and Sisters.
Our Sisters Assistants, our Sisters Secretary and Bursar join me in greeting you all
A
Merry Christmas,
A Good and Happy Year 2012,
with Peace and Joy
in the service of the LLord !
My dear Sisters, please be assured of my prayer and fraternal affection.
Superior General
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CAYENNE : International Meeting in 2012
ROME :18
Mother Myriam Kitcharoen, Superior General convenes all
the major superiors of the Congregation to an
International Meeting in Cayenne, French Guiana, on April
11-21, 2012. This extraordinary gathering of 25 Superiors
is a preliminary stage involving work with the Sisters of the
General Government in preparation for the General
Chapter in 2013. At the same time, the representatives of
the Congregation will commemorate the 285th anniversary
of the arrival of the first SPC missionaries to the French
Guiana in 1727. Preparations for the historic event are
keeping the Sisters of the Province busy preparing the
venue at the Spiritual Center of St. Therese of Lisieux.
SPC Students in the Generalate for the year 2011-2012
Seven new students coming from 6 Provinces and Districts
were welcomed by Sister Wilfreda and her Sisters into the
Generalate community for the school year 2011-2012 . The
new students are: Sr Joanna from Daegu, Korea, Sr Marie
Yen from Saigon, Sr Therese Minh from Mytho, Sr
Elisabeth from Indonesia, Sr Anne Christine from the
Philippines, Sr Clarisse and Sr Claire from Madagascar.
They join 11 other students who have arrived in the
previous years. Majority of the students are enrolled in
Angelicum for Religious Studies in English while others
study in the Urbaniana and Gregorian Universities where
Italian is the medium of instruction.
APPOINTMENTS : New appointments in Danang and Brazil
Sr Helene
Sr Marie Xuan Lang
Sister Hélène Gatien has been reappointed as the Regional
Superior of Brazil for a third term of three years.
On November 13, 2011 the General Council appointed
Sister Marie Nguyen Xuan Lang as the new Provincial
Superior of Danang, Vietnam for a first term of 5 years.
Sister Marie Xuan Lang was a former Formator and
Assistant Provincial.
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PHILIPPINES : 100 Years in 100 Voices
One hundred singing voices broke out in joyful
praise and thanks to God during a Concert on
November 21, 2011 that concluded a year-long
celebration of the 100 years of SPC formation in the
Philippine Province. The performers, accompanists,
musical directors and composers of majority of the
musical numbers were all Sisters of St. Paul of
Chartres in all levels of formation. Held at the
Fleur-de –lis auditorium of St Paul’s University, the
Sisters performed before hundreds of spectators.
It was a fitting thanksgiving for the 100 years of
grace of vocations, as well as a tribute to those who
have contributed to the formation through the years.
NEPAL : Mother General Visits New Foundations in Nepal
Mother Myriam Kitcharoen, Superior General, visited the two
newly-opened houses in Nepal from November 6 to 30, 2011.
During this visit, she signed the contract of agreement between
the Congregation and the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal
represented by Bishop Anthony Sharma. Mother Myriam was
accompanied by Sr. Maria Goretti LEE. The two Provincial
Superiors of Korea joined them in their visit to Pokhara and
Katmandu communities where they saw the actual needs of the
Mission. (see article on pages 39-40 ).
ROME : International Juniorate News
Sister Elisabeth Situngkir, an Indonesian Junior is the latest
addition to the International Juniorate at the Generalate in
Rome. A practicing architect prior to becoming a religious,
she now studies Spirituality at the Dominican University of
Angelicum together with Sister Teresa Kaetkew of Thailand,
and Sr Zennie Lan Phuong, from Michigan USA. The three
Juniors will renew their vows together on January 25, 2012.
They are accompanied spiritually and guided by Sr Maria
Lourdes CASAS, Directress of Formation. Sister Josefa, a
Junior from Brazil, had to return home in July 2011 to take
care of her sick mother.
MISSION AD GENTES : 4 volunteers from Madagascar
Four Sisters from Madagascar arrived in Rome on December 13,
2011 . Having volunteered for the foreign missions, Sisters Noella,
Noeline and Marie-Jeanne are now having their missionary
formation and are participating in the community life at the
Generalate prior to their send-off to different mission countries.
Sr Marie Clara, the 4th missionary, went directly to her new
community in Torpignattara. She speaks Italian fluently, having
lived in Italy for some years as a student .
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ma
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Tradition, prayers, colors and joyful atmosphere all lent a special holiday
flavor to community life experience in the Generalate,, a Christmas which was
“different” and rich in meaning. Indeed, Christmas 2011 was an experience of
the colors and flavors of the various cultures shared, given and received through
the self-gift of each one and expressed in our prayer and faith sharing. In a sense,
we have touched concretely the Incarnation mystery of Him who came to dwell
among us and share our human condition.(see next page)
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The beautiful tradition of the
“Christmas angels” started on the very
first Sunday of Advent when each one
became a “prayer angel” for another Sister
throughout the advent season. It was to be
revealed on Christmas day after the
Christmas feast together with the
Torpignattara Sisters. The feeling of
Christmas was in the air through the
decorations and the Crib in the chapel,
lovingly prepared by Sr Bernadette. This
year, the nativity scene depicted the Holy
Family under a tent. A treasured tradition
Christmas dinner
The season’s joyful atmosphere was
evident in the laughter, astonishment, and
simple joy at the moment of the revelation
of the Christmas angels.
On December 29, the ambiance of joy
continued as all community members were
Happy is the heart who seeks Jesus
Christmas meal for our friends
invited to a game, “finding the child Jesus”
where the winning team represented the
Holy Family. Then, 8 days after Christmas,
the community shared a recreative
moment in a bingo party with games and
dance intermissions.We all won something
useful for winter.
And for Epiphany, a well-known Casa
tradition unfolded, revealing the magi and
shepherds in Oriental costumes. It was a
beautiful, if amusing expression of God’s
manifestation to the nations: the Gospel
transforms us and banishes the barriers of
our divisions.
too, the midnight mass was the high point
of the liturgical celebration begun earlier
on at the basement: first a vigil, then the
candle procession to the
chapel. The voices of the
young Sisters in the choir
blended with “older voices”.
For the first time, on
Christmas Eve, a meal was
served to the personnel of
the Casa including the
workers hired for building
repairs. It was a touching
moment of service and
Epiphany:”Kings, queen, nobles and citizens” of the Casa
sharing.
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The Word was the true light which enlightens everyone…
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory, the glory as of the
Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
- John 1: 9, 14
Five Ingredients for Christian Joy
As this year draws to a close, Europe is
undergoing an economic and financial
crisis… some fundamental questions emerge
from this crisis: where is the light that is
capable of illuminating our perception not
merely with general ideas, but with concrete
imperatives? Where is the force that draws
the will upwards? These are questions that
must be answered by our proclamation of the
Gospel, by the new evangelization, so that
message may become event, so that
proclamation may lead to life. Again and
again, at World Youth Days, a new, more
youthful form of Christianity can be seen,
something I would describe under five
headings:
1. Firstly, there is a new experience of
catholicity, of the Church’s universality.
This is what struck the young people quite
directly: we come from
every continent, and
although we have never
met, we know one
another. We speak
different languages,
we have different
ways of life and
different
cultural
backgrounds, yet we are
immediately united as one great family.
2. This is the genuinely Christian attitude:
the generosity to put oneself at the disposal
of others – a readiness to give oneself
that is ultimately derived from an encounter
with Christ, who gave himself for us.
3. A third element is adoration. Adoration
is primarily an act of faith – the act of faith
as such. God is not just some hypothesis…
He is present. And if he is present, then I
bow down before him.
4. God’s forgiveness: Here we recognize
that we need forgiveness over and over again,
and that forgiveness brings responsibility.
Therefore we need the humility that
constantly asks God for forgiveness.
5. Finally, I would like to speak of one last
feature, namely joy. Where does it come
from? How is it to be explained? In my view,
it is this certainty, based on faith: I am
wanted; I have a task in history; I am
accepted, I am loved. Only faith gives me the
conviction: it is good that I exist. It is good to
be a human being- even in hard times. Faith
makes one happy from deep within.
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- Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI
on the occasion of the Christmas greetings
to the Roman Curia, 22 December 2011
Paulinian Echoes
The Christmas of a “Primitive Ignoramus” in Religion
“My Conversion”, by Paul Claudel
…
I have completely forgotten about religion and where it was concerned, I
was as ignorant as a primitive person at that time. I received the first light of truth
upon reading the books of a great poet, Arthur Rimbaud to whom I owe an eternal
debt of gratitude, and who had a major part in shaping my thoughts. Reading his
“Enlightenments” and a few months after, “A Season in Hell” was a most
important event for me. For the first time, these books were able to create a crack in
my materialistic prison and gave me a lively and almost physical sense of the
supernatural. However, my usual state of despair and feelings of being suffocated
remained the same.
This was the miserable child that I was, when I went to the cathedral Notre
Dame of Paris on December 25 1886 in order to be at the Christmas liturgical
celebrations. I was starting to write then, and it seemed to me that in the Catholic
ceremonies- which I looked upon with excessive amateurishness - I would find
something appropriate to excite me and a subject matter to write about, on
decadent practices. It was in these dispositions that, elbowed out and pushed by the
crowd, I followed the solemn High mass with little interest. Later, having nothing
better to do, I went back to the cathedral for vespers.
The choir boys in their white tunics and the minor seminarians of St
Nicholas de du Chardonnet who joined with them were singing -what I was to
learn later as the Magnificat. I myself was standing in the crowd, close to the second
pillar at the entrance of the sanctuary , on the right side of the sacristy.
It was then that it happened, the event which would govern my whole life. In
an instant, my heart was touched and I believed. I believed with such force of
conviction, with such an upheaval of my entire being , with a deep faith, so powerful
and with a certitude that does not leave any space of doubt, such that since then,
all the books, all reasoning, all adversities of an agitated life could never shake my
faith nor even touch it – to tell the very truth. All of a sudden, I had this poignant
awareness of the innocence, of the eternal childhood of God, which to me was an
ineffable revelation.
-
Source : ZENIT
(1913) Paul Claudel, Contacts et circonstances, Œuvres en Prose
Gallimard, La Pléiade, pp.1009-1010
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The Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in Asia
In the previous issues,
the Paulinian Echoes has presented a Special Feature of
the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres in the different continents: America, Africa, Europe and
Oceania. Only the vast continent of Asia has not been featured yet. Asia is home to the
majority of the houses and apostolic works of the Congregation. By this sheer
overwhelming count, it is not possible to feature SPC Asia in a single issue because it
involves 3,492 Sisters in 9 provinces, 2 Districts and one Region spread out in 15 Asian
countries. Paulinian Echoes will proceed with the presentation of all the Asian Provinces
in its Special Features in the next 6 issues . The Provinces, Districts and Regions will be
featured according to its SPC population. We cordially invite our readers to follow our
Documentation in the Special Features in the order below:
170 Vietnam : 3 Provinces ; 1 District
171 2 Provinces in Korea : Seoul; Daegu
172 Province of the Philippines
173 Province of Thailand
174 Provinces of Japan and Hong Kong 175 District of Indonesia ; Region of
Timor Leste
SPC VIETNAM
In Vietnam, the presence of the Sisters of
Saint Paul of Chartres dates back to 152
years. The abundance of vocations has
contributed to the growth of the
Congregation into 3 Provinces and 1
District. This is the grace resulting from
the opening of the Novitiate in Saigon in
1866 which accepted aspirants from
Vietnam and from other parts of Asia.
In the North, close to the Chinese border
is the District of Hanoi. At the central
portion of the country are established the
many communities of the Province of
Danang. The oldest Vietnamese Province
of Saigon is in the former capital, where
the first French missionaries established
themselves in 1860.
Farther South is another Vietnamese
Province : Mytho, with its foundations in
the Region close to the Mekong Delta. All
together, the three Provinces and one
District have 129 houses, 4 novitiates
and 1, 279 Sisters.
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Founded
in 1860, twelve years after Hong Kong, Saigon is the second
foundation of the Congregation in Asia and the first in the land of Vietnam. With its rich
history, deeply marked by the paschal mystery and its missionary experience, the
Province is full of hope and faith for the future, most especially after the 2010 celebration
of its 150th anniversary of missionary presence in the country.
Today, Saigon Province has 37 houses. With 345 Sisters of Perpetual Vows, 71
Juniors, 33 novices and 21 postulants, it has vast opportunities to spread Gods Kingdom
through its multiple works of charity among the poor and the marginalized people in
society. The Sisters work with dedication in the name of Jesus Christ and following the
example given by Mother Benjamin. Many Sisters are involved and committed in three
apostolic areas: education, medical-social assistance, pastoral ministry.
The Sisters likewise make themselves available for the work of evangelization
among adults in response to the invitation of some Bishops.
Present-day Saigon is known as Ho Chi Minh Ville. In 1859, Mgr Dominique
Lefebvre, Apostolic Delegate to “Occidental Cochinchina”, requested the Hong Kong SPC
missionaries, to send Sisters to Saigon. It was a difficult period in the history of Vietnam.
There were countless poor people, orphans, war victims – the sick and the wounded.
Many suffered from hunger, cholera and poverty.
On May 20, 1860, Mother Benjamin, Superior of Hong
Kong, sent the first two Sisters to Saigon : Sister Marie de la
Nativité LARUE and Sister Saint Lizier BELLONGUE.
In
1861, Mother Benjamin, became the Principal
Superior of the Far East Region, with its seat in Saigon where
she stayed until her death on May 20, 1884. She established
stability and inspired growth in the region, opening more
foundations in other Asian countries – a move which others
continued even after her death. These communities are:
Hakodate (1878), Tokyo(1881), Seoul (1888), Bangkok (1898),
Mother Benjamin
Laos and Dumaguete in the Philippines (1904).
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Saigon Provincialate
Medical –Social Assistance
At that time, Saigon was the
principal community for the
Regional
government of the
Congregation in the Far East.
The other
foundations in Asia were attached to the Saigon
leadership until they acquired the status of a
Province when they become directly under the
authority of the Superior General in France.
Today, the Province of Saigon serves the
local population including the ethnic minorities.
The Sisters are present in 7 dioceses: of Dalat,
Banmethuot, the Archdiocese of Saigon, PhuCuong , Xuan Loc, Phan Thiet and Ba Ria.
The following are the Medicalsocial assistance services given by the
SPC Saigon :
- Health care in public rural
community hospitals and infirmaries .
- Coordination with the diocesan
pastoral commission and with other
Congregations for the care of AIDS
patients in Trong Diem center in
Binh Phuoc Province, north of Saigon.
This is a government center for AIDS
victims abandoned by their families.
- Free surgeries for cardiac and optical
cases for poor families; Acupuncture
treatment at the Provincial House
and in other public dispensaries.
Religious men and women volunteers
at the AIDS Center in Trong Diem, Binh Phuoc
- Since 1975, the Sisters collaborate with the government through health services given
in the former St Paul Clinic, now belonging to the government and transformed into an
ophthalmological center.
Education
Gifted with the vocation of Educators, the Sisters are actively engaged both in formal
and informal education in the following places :
- In Lai Thieu, in Phu Son and in Dalat where three SPC communities dedicate
themselves to the education of the ethnic minorities from pre-school up to tertiary levels
of education, complete with follow-up when they qualify for studies in universities in
Saigon. The girls who pursue University studies in Saigon are given board and lodging in
three dormitories for young ladies namely: St Paul dormitory in the first District, in Tan
Dinh for the 3rd District and in the Thiên Anh Binh Thanh District, since most of the big
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Colleges are located in
the center of Saigon.
- In the orphanages of
Thi Nghe, Binh Thanh District, the
former home for the aged and
orphanage of Phu My is now a center
for the physically and mentally
handicapped persons of all age groups.
Those who are beyond cure will stay in
the center for the rest of their life while
those who have chances or a tiny hope
of being cured are transferred to Bao
Loc, in the Diocese of Da Lat. There, in
another center, they are taught how to
work in the garden, initiated in the
plantation of coffee, vegetables and fruit
trees as well as raising of rabbits, poultry,
etc.
They are given catechism instruction ;
lessons in reading and writing ; English
lessons adapted to their physical and
mental capacities as handicapped persons.
- The center for the Deaf-Mutes in Lái
Thieu Diocese of Phu Cuong, one of our
oldest foundations teach the Deaf mute
youths to read and write and how to go to
school like other regular student s.
In the second school for Deaf-Mutes
Anh Minh, located in Thi Nghe, the
students can avail of the secondary level of
education.
- In Giadinhin in the suburbs of Saigon,
the SPC run a Home for a dozen of
physically handicapped girls. The Sisters
assist them, teaching them simple
domestic chores and skills such as cooking,
and making flowers out of paper and silk
cloth, etc.
Pastoral Ministry
The Pastoral ministry of the Province
of Saigon is organized
through the
different
pastoral
centers
of
the
Congregation as well as the work done in
collaboration with other Congregations
and associations :
Saint-Paul Boarding School
- the Inter-Provincial Center of Formation
for Religious where the Junior SPC sisters
of Saigon, Danang, Mytho and Hanoi
pursue their Religious and theological
formation with the help of Religious and
Diocesan priests.
- Pastoral work in partnership with our
SPC Korean Sisters and Salesian priests to
help Vietnamese women married to local
men in South Korea.
- Accepting mission work in other SPC
provinces such as France, Korea, Brazil,
Italy, and Ukraine.
- Pastoral work at the Diocesan level for
the formation of Diocesan pastoral leaders
and catechists in collaboration with the
Diocesan Pastoral commission.
- Catechetical work among the youth in
parishes.
- Pastoral and evangelization work among
migrants in cooperation with other
Congregations ; Home for single mothers.
The Province of Saigon has solemnly
celebrated its 150th anniversary of
foundation in the year 2010(1860-2010).
The Sisters are grateful for this Jubilee
year which was celebrated with the
presence of all the major Superiors of the
Congregation from all over the world.
Page 16
-
SPC Saigon
Paulinian Echoes
When
the sun rises, darkness
disappears. The early difficulties of the
first stages of evangelization now all
belong to the past and have given place to
the light of re-evangelization.
After the hidden period- when the seed
was buried in the ground- our mission
has received recognition since 2003.
Invited by the Bishop, our two Sisters
Sister Catherine Le Thi Su and Sister
Marie Doan Thi Dao are working with the
Jesuits in the Diocese of Xuan Loc for
the formation of future missionaries of
evangelization .
To date, they have given
a total of 57 seminars of
formation to 4500 participants, 50% of
whom came from the neighboring
dioceses. One third of the participants
were religious men and women and the
rest came from the diocese of Xuan Loc.
Each year they hold 8 to 9 formation
seminars lasting for two weeks.
The first week covers the
following
areas :
Practice of finding the texts in the
Bible ; Guided Meditation; Discernment
and Prayer ; Shared prayer ; Daily personal
meditation; sharing on the Word of God ;
Action response .
The Mission of Evangelization and Re-evangelization
Second Week Program includes :
Meditation adapted to a given evangelical
situation ; skill in understanding the
Gospel ; Gospel sharing in 5 stages of 9
steps ; a three-day retreat.
Each year, a higher level of formation is
offered to those who desire to follow Jesus;
those who thirst for evangelization and are
working for the mission of evangelization.
The founder of this mission approach is
Father Pierre Pham Huu Lai SJ. For the
evangelization workers, he conceptualized
and developed this formation program
which is adapted to the needs of persons
and situations in the modern society. We
admire his prayer life experience and his
experience of evangelization work.
The aim of this formation is to teach
the Christians how to pray with the Word
of God, to form groups who live and
witness of the Word.
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Paulinian Echoes
Thus enriched and shaped
by God’s Word, they are
ready to be sent everywhere to give witness of their faith and
evangelize while living the state of life of
their choice. Another aim of this formation
is to bring about improvement in the
quality of Christian life where many
Christians do not know how to pray or are
not used to meditate on the Word of God
and to be deeply touched by it so as to live
it out. Some pray, but do not know how to
use the Bible nor consider knowing the
Word of God as indispensable in their lives.
Most of all, they lack sufficient knowledge
of the Word of God to be able to catechize.
From a positive point of view, the
seminar is also intended for persons who
thirst for the Word of God; for those who
desire to be transformed to become more
Christ like and to work for evangelization.
Here are some conversion stories:
One person, who for 25 years has lived
with hatred for his father who abandoned him
and his mother: after this formation, he was
touched by the Word of God and has since then
reconciled with his father.
Another person who could no longer bear
to live with her husband and who used to ask
God to call back her husband to the heavenly
dwelling place, has now found real joy after
being enlightened by the Word of God.
Still another person who experienced so
many failures in his work and fell seriously ill.
After studying the Word of God, he came to a
realization that all his losses were precious
occasions to discover God in his life.
We are truly moved before such
number of conversions. This is a great
grace of God and a joy to have a foretaste
of God’s marvels. Having seen for
ourselves the conversions of persons to
whom we have announced God’s Word, we
too, grow in our faith and trust in His
grace.
This teaching experience makes me
become sure of one thing: the more we
encounter God in prayer, the more we are
transformed. The methodology is nothing
but a simple means to help others.
Page 18
-
Sister Marie DAO, Saigon
Paulinian Echoes
Saint Paul Boarding School
The
Saint Paul Boarding
School was established by Mother
Maria de St. Jean in 2000, the
jubilee year of the Church in
Vietnam.
Living in a Church
founded with the blood of martyrs,
is a pride for Vietnamese Catholics
and they want to live worthy of the
long religious legacy of their
ancestors.
However, in a
hedonistic and consumer society,
young people are easy preys to
endless enticements of evil as
evidenced by the decline of morals like
living in couple without the benefit of
marriage, drug addiction, abortions.
St. Paul Boarding School was created
to provide a healthy environment for
young ladies, a peaceful place where they
can study well, and at the same time
deepen their moral, cultural, and artistic
formation in order to become mature and
productive members of the Church and
society.
The students of St. Paul always try to
walk in the footsteps of their Divine Master,
Jesus. With the theme for 2011-2012,
“Students of St. Paul study with Jesus,”
the boarders of St. Paul begin their school
year with enthusiasm .
Being located at the heart of the city
of Saigon, St. Paul Boarding School gives
students more opportunities
to choose and avail of courses
appropriate to their desired
specializations, thus acquire
the competence in the
intellectual professional and
artistic fields. They also have
the possibility of studying
foreign languages such as
English, French, etc.
There are currently 215 students in
the St. Paul Boarding School coming from
the countryside from as far north as Hanoi
and as far south as Ca-Mau. They are
gathered here without any distinction of
religion or ethnicity. They study in colleges
or universities in the city, and some are
enrolled in graduate studies.
It is the objective of the Boarding
School to form intellectuals for society and
for the Catholic Church, and to promote
vocations. Thus, outside of classes in the
universities, the Sisters teach them
catechism and etiquette every Sunday at
the Boarding School. To nourish their
spiritual life, a group retreat is offered
during Advent and Lent. They also study
subjects related to health and to life with
Catholic professionals and doctors.
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Paulinian Echoes
Each evening
at 9:30 p.m. they
pray the Evening
Prayer together, listen to the
Word of God and meditate on it
on Saturdays.
They
have
regular masses within the
Boarding School itself.
The student boarders are
very active and creative; they
participate eagerly in summer
programs at the SPC missions
in Ca Mau, Kuntum, and in
Cambodia, desirous to share
their general knowledge with the
poor illiterate children. In this
way they actualize the spirit of St.
Paul, “to be all to all.”
This community is the second family of the
students who are far from their homes.
To help the poor
students and the orphans
financially, so as to improve
their conditions, the Sisters
guide the students to use
pieces of crystal to make
jewelry or rosaries. They
also learn artificial flower
arrangements. Sales from
these articles are used to
provide the poor girls and
ladies with more nutritious
meals for better results in
their studies. – SPC Saigon
Indeed, they not only transmit their
knowledge to the illiterate children,
but they also serve them meals,
teach them songs, dances and games
so that the children of the rural
areas may have an atmosphere that
is pleasant and favorable for their
social, physical and intellectual
development.
In every place where the Saint
Paul students go, there is found joy,
friendship and sharing.
The love and support of one
another are always given emphasis
in the life at the boarding school.
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Paulinian Echoes
SPC Danang: God’s Fidelity and Goodness for 50 years
If we believe that each person has his own destiny, we might say without hesitation
that the destiny of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres in general and
that of the Province of Danang in particular, is the Mystery of the death and resurrection
of Christ. This is the spirituality that our Congregation has lived out in time and space and
in it we discover our own identity.
The Province of Danang was born out of the “death” of its mother-Province, Hanoi.
Yes, it came about with the turn of events that resulted in the division of Vietnam into two
after the signing of the Geneva
Treaty on July 20, 1954. Our
country experienced great
sufferings due to the separation
of families and countrymen.
The Church in Vietnam, just
like our Province of Danang,
was not spared from these
historically brutal separations
in the country.
Mother Renee de Jesus, the Superior General in 1954, immediately came to be with
our Sisters- who were caught in the painful process - to make urgent decisions under the
circumstances. Since all Christians were allowed to keep their faith, all our Sisters in
Hanoi decided to leave, but like Abraham, not knowing where to go. It was absolutely a
must that everyone: aspirants, novices, young professed and sisters of Perpetual vows –
should leave their “Saint Mary Cradle” to seek refuge in Danang! A tiny number of 19
volunteers stayed behind in Hanoi, including Mother Jeanne du Sacre-Coeur, the
Provincial Superior.
Moving out to Danang in 1954 : the small community of the Sacred Heart School
in Yen Bay street, Danang- founded in 1903, found itself suddenly grown in size even as it
Page 21
Paulinian Echoes
humbly remained in
the shadow of the
Parish of Danang. It
was then necessary to
expand so it can accommodate the
influx of religious and refugees
coming from the north of Vietnam.
Since Hanoi was cut off in
isolation and that the large part of
the Province was now in central
Vietnam, a Superior had to be
appointed. In August 1954, Sister
Ange de Saint Paul Dié
Armance was officially appointed
by the General Council as ProProvincial Superior of Danang
from 1954 to 1960.
Stella Maris Novitiate
With this new responsibility, Mother
Ange de Saint Paul courageously tried her
best using all her gifts of organization, her
creative initiatives, and most of all, her big
heart full of charity - to live up to the
challenges of the new status of Danang.
Everything was difficult at the start,
but with God’s grace, the number of
religious gradually kept on growing.
Acting on her great vision for the future,
Mother Ange acquired a large piece of land
of 58 hectares close to the Plage of My Khe,
5 kilometers away from the Sacred Heart
School. It is there that she built the
Novitiate in 1960 and farther on near the
sea, she constructed the buildings for our
old Sisters, for the pre-aspirants and an
orphanage to give shelter to all the
abandoned children.
In her great love for the
Congregation, Mother Ange – in
planning for the future of the Province
- took care of the many young women
who were in search of their true
vocation. The Province of Danang
increased considerably in number.
classes for embroidery and piano lessons.
It must be noted that Mother Ange gave
much importance to the Formation of the
Sisters: a big house – the Stella Maris
Novitiate was built on the sand dunes.
The General Chapter of 1959 obtained
the authorization from the Sacred
Congregation for the erection of the new
Province of Danang. So it was that on
February 3, 1960, the big community of
Danang became the Province of Danang
and since then its community life becamein a sense - truly rooted to this land.
Circa 1959: Reaching out to
Highlands ’ Ethnic Tribes
the
Our Sisters moved across the hills,
cutting through tropical forests and
In addition to all these activities,
Mother Ange never forgot all the
apostolic services such as those in the
hospitals and dispensaries as well as
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Paulinian Echoes
mountains to reach the highlands, into the
villages of the Ethnic tribes. These are
descendants of mountain peoples, living
simply out of the fruits of their fertile lands
and who were disposed to receive the good
seed of the Gospel. It is there that our
Sisters learned how to be “all to all” in a
real sense (1 Cor 9:22). And from the High
Plateaux, they moved on to the regions of
Cham, Go Den, Phan Rang and Thap
Cham – all those regions just waiting to be
evangelized.
Our dear Mother Ange indeed proved
herself a true “knight” in the Missionary
field of action, her heart burning with love
for Christ and for souls. Her ardently
zealous heart was that of a mother to all
the abandoned children. Impelled by her
faith and charity, she spent her entire
youth in the service of the mission in
Vietnam. We
could never forget the
beautiful example of her consecrated life,
which was completely offered to Christ, in
serving the poor and the little ones of
God’s Kingdom.
On February 22, 1969, Sister Marie
Rose Nguyen Kim Nguyet, Directress
of the School of Thanh Tam, was
appointed Provincial Superior, taking the
place of Mother Ange of St. Paul. The
future of the country and that of the
Church at the time was to be shaped by
Human education – intellectual and
spiritual, that will result from the renewed
campaign for
intellectual formation
and
teaching. Sister
Marie - Rose
worked hard to
promote this
revival of education in all
our
schools.
The teaching
of Catechism on the other hand, developed
with the return of Sr. Louis Gonzague who
introduced a catechetical program for the
Diocese.
However, just as the heaven is higher
than the earth, likewise God’s thoughts are
beyond human understanding. The events
of 1975 came unexpectedly like the cutting
of a tree while still in its development! All
our schools, pre-school, primary and
secondary,
our
orphanages,
and
dispensaries were confiscated
and
transformed into national establishments
by the government. Our hearts were
bleeding with affliction as we watched all
our 17 communities close one after
another! Our hospitals and schools were
no longer ours . Even our Novitiate and
Pre-Aspirancy were closed. What future
awaited us?
Once again, we cried out: What are we
to do, Lord?
We needed a new strength, but how?
The Lord alone knew. It was not the time
for us to indulge in self-pity. Through the
dark night of faith, we sought to know
God’s will. Manual work was to be the only
available means for us. We had to gain our
food by the sweat of our brow like all other
laborers. Was this the moment of grace
that God was showing us for the formation
of our Sisters? How does one learn and
understand what it is to be poor, to be in
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Paulinian Echoes
want and to know hunger and
thirst by experience? We had
to learn and understand how
to adjust ourselves to everything and to everyone. Our former
Secondary School became the cottage
industry shop for the production of
bamboo blinds and other activities.
Naturally, with their intelligence and
artistry, our Sisters handcrafted precious,
beautifully finished products under the
label “Thanh Tam” which became popular
and famous in the country and abroad. In
this workshop, our Sisters were able to
give employment to hundreds of local
young men and women and their families.
It was from this very workplace too, that
life in the pre-Aspirancy and the Novitiate
begun to spring anew.
favorable days to come. In 1988, by the
grace of the political openness of the
government, the Sisters gained confidence
to ask and obtain the permission to open
pre-schools. Majority of the first pupils
were children of the communist officers
and government employees. In the
Highlands, the Sisters returned, dressed
in civil attire, to take care of the lepers
among the ethnic minorities.
In 1992, after 23 years, Mother Marie
Rose asked to be relieved of her
responsibility due to her poor health. She
has guided the Province of Danang very
well through the most difficult period of
its life and she did it with a firm faith and
great wisdom. It was sheer courage to have
continued accepting vocations despite
the danger.
Despite difficulties, the tiny sparks of
hope came back to rekindle our confidence.
It was a harbinger of a new dawn that was
about to break forth! In 1984 we started to
have new vocations – sent from Hanoiand that helped to increase the number of
vocations for Danang! Deo Gratias for his
love is forever!
In 1992, Sister Saint Jean TRAN
was appointed Provincial Superior. During
this time, circumstances were more
favorable for our apostolate. The Sisters
progressively went back to the mission of
education and catechesis. Our cottage
industry workshop had to give place to the
classrooms. After such a long time of
prohibition, the work of evangelization
could not wait to be launched anew. With
the 1995 General Chapter we fully
embraced “Education of faith; Evangelical
Our fortress of strength was the
recitation of the Holy Rosary that was
unbroken from 7 am to 7 pm. In the
silence of their hearts the Sisters hoped to
return to their mission and were
expectedly waiting with attention for the
love of the poor; Building fraternal
communities.” Groups of animators were
trained to be facilitators and
formators of future catechists,
helping them to be firm in their
faith in view of the mission ad
gentes. They were also taught
to be attentive to poverty in all
its forms. All the ministries of
charity regained their former
vitality.
A woman of foresight, Sr.
Saint Jean took advantage of
the favorable time to make sure
that each Sister’s interior life
be strengthened so she will be
ready to move into a new
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Paulinian Echoes
society and proclaim the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Thus she prepared Sisters with
potentials for future responsibilities. She
organized Seminars on Lectio Divina and
the spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
Answering the appeals of the parishes,
communities were opened like in Quang
Nam. Then some Sisters cautiously went
back to their communities in North
Vietnam.
Danang, ever grateful to its
“mother Province”, gave
back to Hanoi what it has
received from it: 92 Sisters
who hail from the North
returned to their original Region to take
over and resume the interrupted mission
of the former Province of Hanoi. The old
“cradle” of Saint Marie regained its life
and strength.
Sister Marie Madeleine was named
Provincial Superior of Danang in 2001. The
government had an even more open political
agenda and, with the rapid means of
communications among other
advancements, the
pastoral apostolate and its
formation became easier. This was the time
for renewal in Consecrated life, a deepening
of the life of prayer and building Eucharistic
communities to help the Sisters become
mystics and prophets for today’s world.
In 2010 the Sisters of the Province of
Danang celebrated with joy the 50th
anniversary of the Province’s life.
Since 2002, we have “put out into the
deep” through the sending of missionaries to
far-off missions. Within the country, we
continued to send Sisters to North Vietnam
and in the High Plateaux. Communities
were put up to respond to the needs of the
Church and society.
March 1, 2010 marked the creation of
the new District of Hanoi. The Province of
Let us give thanks to God for his love
and faithfulness throughout our journey of
50 years. The breath of the Spirit invites us
today to turn towards northern-central
Vietnam, to the Diocese of Vinh, a land
thirsting for the Good News and still
forsaken to this day. It is there where we
are called to live our creative fidelity and
vibrant hope.
We move forward… where to… and for
how long? We really don’t know, but
“with steadfast faith and firm hope
she (the apostle) goes ahead in spite
of obstacles and never tires of
announcing Jesus Christ” )BL #52.
Sisters of Danang Province
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Paulinian Echoes
Braving the Highlands of Vietnam
We
joyfully give thanks
to God for the grace of
being called to serve here, in this far-off
area of the Diocese of Kontum: mission
territory in the High Plateaux. In response
to the invitation of Mgr. Paul Seitz Kimwho asked for the presence of the Sisters
of St. Paul in his Diocese, the Sisters
arrived in 1958 where they opened schools
and boarding schools for the
young
children of the ethnic minority, the Kinhs
and other mountain tribes.
The first mission group who dared the
unknown had a very good start, by the
grace of God. It took some time to adjust
fully into the new environment, new
culture and traditions without forgetting
the need to learn the language. “Put out
into the deep and cast your nets…” “The
love of Christ impels us” and gives us the
strength to take the plunge into the
beautiful mission entrusted to us.
On the other hand, we are likewise
called to “read attentively” that which is
written in the souls of the 54 ethnic
minorities of Vietnam. It is now more than
50 years that this mission territory has
known and been in developed by the
Sisters of St Paul of Chartres through
education in the faith and life in general in
the physical and spiritual dimensions.
Today, younger groups of Sisters
continue the mission: The first objective is
to orient ourselves towards the small
villages and distant areas that are most
inaccessible, gather the people into small
groups and instruct them. Learning from
our experience, we begin to think about the
children and the youth who later would
take over the responsibility of educating
their own people. It is for this reason that
we begun to build special boarding schools
for the ethnic children and youth of school
age until the tertiary level of education.
There, they receive schooling and are
helped to enroll in the school of the Kinhs.
They learn music, sewing, cooking. They
are guided and instructed how to organize
life in the family and how to work
effectively. They learn how to pray and
entrust themselves to God. Despite the
distance, rain or shine, the Sisters ford
streams and climb hills to faithfully reach
the villages every weekend for the
Catechism, the study and sharing of the
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Paulinian Echoes
Word of God while at
the same time bringing
food and medicines ,
and care for the lepers.
The Sisters also teach
the women methods
of
making
their
plantation yield
a
greater harvest. In the
far-flung hamlets, we have established 6
“Mission Posts” with a simple lodging for
us to have a place to spend the night on
occasions when we are benighted and are
obliged to stay in the village.
At the same time, we are active in the
Diocesan level through the formation of
catechists and the “Yaophu”, or catechists
who lead the Celebration of the Word of
God in places where there are no priests.
The second objective is to expand the
mission area through the education of the
young ladies in the mountains: 70 to 80
per year. The Sisters gather the girls from
distant villages and send them to the
public schools until they reach the
academic level of the Kinhs who are in
their class; every Sister teaches a subject
area to provide a holistic education and
form them in the “Christian civilization”,
guiding them to live with the dignity of
the children of God. We receive many
words of appreciation from the young girls
who show their gratitude to the Sisters for
having loved them, guided them in their
studies
and
their spiritual
life.
Teresa Y Hoa,
one of the students boarders,
wrote her impressions: “I am
thankful that I have lived in
this boarding school of St
Therese of Kontum. Here I
become a member of a big family where
there is charity; I am in a group of 70
girls, and I wish to have a good education.
I am really happy to be closer to God
through our time of prayer… I have
improved in my studies through the care
and attention of the Sisters. They are
initiating us to religious vocation, that is
why among us, there are already some of
my friends who are in the Provincial
House of Danang preparing themselves
to become Sisters of St. Paul.
One day they will return to their
native village to serve and to proclaim the
Word of God. With the example of the
Sisters’ life, I hope that I and the others
will know how to become useful to
our family, to our people and to
ourselves when we return to our
village. We ask God to protect the
Sisters and to grant them
abundant graces and strength to
continue spreading the Good
News of Christ in our place, the
Highlands of Vietnam.”
-Sisters of Danang
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Paulinian Echoes
The Beginnings of the Province of Mytho
The Province of Mytho was detached
from the Province of Saigon in 1964. On
March 19 of this year, Mother Marie-Paul
BORD Superior General appointed Sister
Pétronille Marie NGUYEN THI THAO as
the first Provincial Superior of My Tho.
The Holy See’s Decree, signed on the same
date, gave approval to this new Province.
At the moment of its foundation,
Mytho Province numbered 131 Sisters in 8
Houses, 4 of which belonged to the
Diocese of My Tho and 4 were in the
Diocese of Vinh Long. Out of the 131
Sisters, there were 60 who were between
50 to 75 years of age.
Most of these Sisters worked in
hospitals, day care centers , orphanages,
Maison Provinciale-Mytho
and dispensaries. They took care of the
sick and the elderly persons while the rest
of the Sisters were in the field of education,
teaching in the four primary schools.
The lack of competent personnel, the
meager resources, rendered the task
difficult for Mother Pétronille. It was
necessary to construct the chapel, the
Provincialate and the buildings needed for
the formation of the young Sisters and a
Home for the retired and old Sisters.
God’s grace helped Mother Pétronille
achieve all these projects within a period
of 10 years. She made use of her gifts of
eloquence and energy, with her realistic
pragmatism to lead the Province and bring
it growth and development in all aspects.
From 1964 to 1975, the Province of
MyTho continued to send the young
Sisters to Saigon to make their
Novitiate and Juniorate there.
The Provincial House is located in
the City of Mytho, in the Province of
Tien Giang a region in the plain of
Mekong called the western Region.
With its rivers and canals, the region
is favorable to transports and
navigation. Its 700 kilometers of
coastline is an important factor in
the development of the Region’s
maritime trade and tourism industry.
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Paulinian Echoes
Before long, the number of houses
multiplied and the white habit of the
Sisters became a familiar sight in hospitals,
in schools, in orphanages and most
especially known to the poor, the children
and the outcasts of society.
activities which for them was
their principal role and apostolic
mission, their religious vocation.
poor whatever small benefits they gained
from the work of their hands. Above all,
they were happy to bring God’s love to the
people. Despite their worries, and multiple
occupations in the struggle to survive, the
Sisters never neglected their pastoral
We believe that our 100 Sisters who
have already returned to the Father’s
House are the spiritual support and
strength of the Province as it serves the
pilgrim Church.
Religious Personnel Data 2011
Today, there are almost 200 Sisters in
the
Province of Mytho. The Sisters have 26
However, the turbulent events of 1975
houses
and 5 mission posts and are
changed all that - we lost everything:
present
in
four Dioceses: My Tho, Vinh
Schools, dispensaries, day-care centers and
Long, Long Xuyen and Can Tho .
nursery schools. We had to rise above the
God has blessed the Province with
situation to persevere in fidelity to our
many
vocations for the mission : there are
consecration. In the spirit of daring and
138
Perpetually
dynamism like St Paul,
professed
Sisters;
only
a few Sisters
47
Sisters
of
remained in the city.
Temporary
Vows
The others moved out
– ten of whom are
to the rural areas,
in Saigon for their
where they formed
theological studies
small communities and
at the SPC Interworked
with
their
Provincial House
hands: tilling the soil,
of Formation; 25
raising hogs and poultry.
Novices; 10 PostuLiving among the poor
Sr Augustin (center) with her Council
lants
and
12
brought them great joy.
Aspirants.
They shared with the
150 years of SPC Mission in the Diocese of My Tho
Apostolic Activities
Given the political situation of the
country, the apostolate of the Sisters are
regulated by what is authorized or
tolerated mostly in the field of education
and pastoral –religious activities.
Education
In less than 28 years after the 1975
event, the government allowed us to open
pre-schools. We are obliged to teach in line
with the program of the state. With no
schools nor classrooms left, Sisters held
classes inside basements, old garages, and
verandas, etc. In addition to their material
worries, the Sisters have to bear with
socio-ideological and religious difficulties.
Gradually, the situation improved and the
Sisters
were
authorized
to
build
classrooms to accommodate the growing
number of pupils.
Page 29
Paulinian Echoes
People who are mostly nonChristians, including policemen,
like to entrust their children to our Sisters.
In 2011, we had the joy of receiving more
than 1,900 children in our nursery and
Kindergarten
and
welcomed
95
handicapped children in the center for deaf
–mutes.(Children affected by agent orange
used during the war- still in the atmosphere).
The school is the most favorable milieu
for our apostolate. Prevented to speak
about God, the Sisters proclaim the Gospel
by their presence and attitude. Every
parent and pupil is an object of their
apostolic mission. For poor families, the
teacher asks to be catechized and to receive
baptism.
Pastoral Activities
With their weekdays being devoted to
school children, it is during Sundays that
the Sisters go out to the 15 parishes to
devote their time for Pastoral activities.
They organize themselves according to
activities :
preparing
the
liturgy ;
practicing the choir, teaching catechism to
children and catechumens and preparation
for the sacraments. They also help in the
distribution of communion.
Early at dawn, rain or shine, a dozen of
young Sisters leave by two’s on bicycles in
the direction of small parishes 20 to 40
kilometers away. They lead and coordinate
the parish activities and bring communion
to the people. On the other hand, older
Sisters guide the 2nd year Novices to
participate in the pastoral activities at the
Cathedral of Mytho by helping in the
Sisters reduce or totally do away with
payment of school fees and provide the
children with school supplies.
They likewise have a good relationship
with the teachers and the parents, most of
whom are non-Christians. The people are
kindly disposed to the Sisters. On
Christmas eve, many of them come for the
celebration of prayer and songs and join
the procession for the Mass with the
community. Once in a while, a parent or a
sacristy, preparing the altar, teaching
catechism and distributing communion.
They also go to visit the elderly in their
homes, bringing them holy Communion
and preparing them to receive the
Sacrament of the Sick.
– SPC Mytho
Page 30
Paulinian Echoes
History of the Sisters of St. Paul in Hanoi
Hanoi Province developed rapidly.
Many hospitals, health centers, schools,
orphanages, hospices, dormitories, and
sewing centers were built to meet the
demands of the society.
In December 1883, in response to the
request of Doctor Harmand, our Reverend
Mother Benjamin
Le
Noël
de
Groussy sent six
Sisters from the
south of Vietnam
to minister to the
sick
in
two
hospitals of the
French
government in Hanoi
and Hai Phong.
There,
the
Sisters
started
working in badly
equipped infirmaries, taking care of the
wounded and sick soldiers. They devoted
themselves to the work so passionately
that they were named “Soldiers of the
combat of Love.”
Not so long after the
arrival of the first six Sisters,
Hanoi witnessed the growth of
these missionary Sisters both
in number and in apostolate.
The establishment of the
Provincial House of Hanoi in
1891 marked a new turn in its
history. Sainte-Marie became
not only the Mother House,
but also the Novitiate to form
the native vocations.
Undoubtedly, for the Sisters, it is
difficult to forget certain events which left
deeply painful traces in their memory. One
of them was the dismissal of the SPC
Sisters from the government hospitals
which took place in 1904 due to the
passing of the French secularization laws.
Nevertheless, the Sisters left with their
faith and hope intact as on the day they
first
arrived.
Undiscouraged,
they
concentrated
their effort and
energy on the
education of the
children and in
helping the poor.
The other event
which is most
painful in the
history of the
SPC in Hanoi
was the Division
of Vietnam into
two in 1954, in
accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Consequently, most of the Sisters moved to
Danang. Only 19 Sisters, 8 of them
Europeans, voluntarily stayed in Hanoi,
Page 31
..
Paulinian Echoes
living
and
working
witnesses - in silence.
as
Hanoi, which had seemed
to sink into oblivion, began to change since
the visit of the Superior Provincial of
Danang, Sister Marie Rose, in 1991. Since
then, the reparations to some damaged
houses and new constructions were done.
A sign of a promising future for Hanoi was
gradually visible with the establishment of
two houses for the youth at Sainte-Marie
and Hang Bot where many young girls who
were interested in religious life came to
live. New communities were founded one
after another.
The Sisters tried to carry out, whenever
possible, their normal activities such as:
distribution of soup for the poor,
kindergarten classes, home visitations and
assisting people living in distant places,
organization of vigils in parishes. A new
life was brought forth by the lively and
effective presence of the Sisters in the
north of Vietnam.
On December 26, 2009, the Sisters in
Hanoi joyfully received the good news
from the Generalate in Rome informing of
the decision of Mother General Myriam
Kitcharoen and her Council to re-establish
the District of Hanoi.
Hanoi, on this same date in December
126 years ago, witnessed the arrival of the
first Sisters. Today, once more, it sees the
rebirth of the District after a long winter of
55 years. Moved by great joy, the Sisters
originally from Hanoi returned to their
home land to rebuild the District. At the
present, the District of Hanoi has 18
houses with 99 Sisters, 50 of them are
juniors. Though being very young and
facing a lot of difficulties in starting from
nothing, all of the Sisters of the District
resolve to be united in one heart and one
mind to fulfill their mission in this part of
the country since they firmly believe that
“The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing
I lack… Even when I walk through a dark
valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side.”
(Ps 23, 1-4).
Spring time is fast returning to the north
of Vietnam! With many young Sisters, 20
aspirants and a lot of young girls at the
moment, the SPC of Hanoi go forward in
thanksgiving, joy and trust in God for “the
Mighty One has done great things for
them.”
Page 32
- Sr. Anne Huyen Hanoi District, Vietnam
Paulinian Echoes
SPC Hanoi : Impelled by Christ’s Love
In the afternoon of November 20, an
autumn day in Hanoi, the community of
Sainte-Marie was extraordinarily cheerful
because of the laughter, the performances
and the dances of the children of Anh
Duong Kindergarten on the occasion of the
Vietnamese Teachers’ Day.
In 2008 the government officially gave
the permission to open this private
kindergarten, the biggest kindergarten of
the District under the direction of the
Sisters. Its staff of 8 teachers takes care of
120 children. The school is quite well
equipped, and the school personnel are
improve the professional knowledge of the
teachers.
Today, Anh Duong Kindergarten
officially rekindles the fire of the mission
of education which used to be the main
concern of the SPC in the early years of
their presence in Hanoi.
The District of Hanoi is rising to new
life - out of the seeds sown silently more
than 50 years ago. With the District’s reestablishment on March 1, 2010, the
Sisters returned to the north of Vietnam to
bring to a realization the dream of the
Congregation in Hanoi.
It is the same Spirituality and
Charism, the same Spirit and love
received from the roots of the
Congregation in Levesville, which is
now being rekindled: the fire of
education as the Book of Life puts it:
“Our first mission is to raise the human
and spiritual level of the people by
teaching young girls, visiting the poor
and the sick.” (BL Introduction) .
Twelve communities and six
mission posts of the District are
starting anew in love and hope with
the Kindergarten schools that
opened in mission places such as:
Hang Bot, Cat Thue, Phu cat, Khoan
Vy, Vong Phan; as well as in the
Highlands of Cao Bang and Lang
Son.
constantly trying to improve the quality of
their teaching. Currently, their goals are to
enlarge the space for the children and to
Several of the Kindergarten
schools pupils are children of the
officials in Hanoi, but “the love of
Christ impels us.” So that burning
with love for Christ, and impelled to
walk in the footsteps of Saint Paul,
our Patron, the Sisters, silent but
strong, humble but brave, receive
the gifts of God with simplicity,
confidence and trust, since “self-effacement
does not rule out the tranquil daring of
those who trust in God alone.” (BL 3)
Page 33
Paulinian Echoes
As prophets of God today, the Sisters’
main concern is always the pastoral work
of faith education . They engage more and
more in catechetical instruction in the
parishes and providing pastoral activities
for the youth.
Strengthening
family
life
and
marriages are also important in the eyes of
the Sisters, who want to help families to be
conscious of the presence of God in all
aspects of their lives. The Sisters also
dream of opening a school for the
handicapped, an integrated kindergarten
school so that the handicapped children
can have access to a “normal” education.
In the poor regions of the countryside,
the Sisters prove to be faithful to the spirit
but creative in adaptation “serving the
needs of mankind with a special love for the
most neglected” (BL 7).
Besides teaching in kindergarten, the
Sisters also give tutorial lessons in
computer skills, piano and organ lessons
for children of different age levels. All
these activities are aimed at developing the
knowledge and spiritual level of the
children.
Today, here and now, the Sisters are
conscious of the mission that the
Congregation entrusts to them: “to renew
our missionary dynamism, recapture the
audacity of our predecessors by being
ourselves, creative and flexible.” (AC 2001)
They are reliving the experience of Father
Louis Chauvet, the Founder, and of the
first young girls in Beauce. The spirit of
Levesville continues to light up all the
paths of service of the Sisters.
Page 34
– Sisters of Hanoi, Vietnam
Paulinian Echoes
Our Experience of the East Japan Earthquake
By Sr. Marie Antonie AOKI, SPC
In the wake of the Great East Japan
Earthquake last March in 2011, we were
very much encouraged by the great
kindness of Mother General and the Sisters
of St. Paul of Chartres all over the world.
We are sincerely thankful to have received
your many prayers and donations which
have been used to support the victims.
Here in the Morioka convent (with 7
Sisters), the Sendai Izumi convent (7), and
the Sendai Murasakiyama convent (11), all
the Sisters have been fine because our
three convents, a college, and schools are
located sufficiently far from the coast and
the effects of radiation in
Fukushima.
This 9.0 magnitude quake, the most
powerful in Japanese seismographic
history, sent tremors ranging in intensity
throughout the northern Hokkaido region
down to the southern area of Kyushu.
About 40 minutes later, a massive
tsunami generated by the quake crashed
into the Pacific coastal regions of northeastern Japan leaving a trail of destruction
in its path. In cities and port towns
throughout Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima
Prefectures, over twenty thousand citizens
lost their lives as cars and buildings were
washed away and instantly turned into
rubble by a wall of black water.
But, I would like to report
to you about Sendai Shirayuri
Gakuen High School, which is
in Miyagi Prefecture, the most
damaged area of our three
SPC educational sites.
As you surely know from
the media reports, at 2:46 pm
on March 11, a massive
earthquake occurred off the
Pacific coast of Eastern Japan.
Over an hour after the earthquake hit, the after
shocks seemed to quiet down. Outside, it was such a
cold evening with gently falling snow.
Page 35
Paulinian Echoes
transportation services. There was no
electricity and thus no lights outdoors,
just a beautiful moon and stars to
illuminate the dark city. We had
never seen such a beautiful night sky.
A lot of rice- balls, crackers, fruit, and
drinks were kindly brought to the
pupils by neighbors of the school.
Under the dim candle light, they ate
them while sharing with others. I was
moved to see this and recalled the
words, “We don’t have enough when we
fight over things, but we have more than
enough when we are willing to share.”
The Library
On top of all these immense losses, the
people of the Tohoku region next had to
confront an invisible enemy, radiation,
Unbelievably bad news from the
radio continued to arrive through the
night as hundreds of bodies were
washed back ashore by the gigantic
tsunami. It was so awful for us that
deep silence fell into the staff room.
The next day the relatives of a 16year-old student came to the school to
take her home; her mother and sister
had been victims of the tsunami.
from the Fukushima Nuclear Power
Station. As you know from the news
reports, radiation spread as far as Tokyo
and adjacent prefectures, and the power
outage led to massive confusion for
commuters and stoppage of public
transportation facilities. Many people had
to spend the night at their workplaces or
schools.
That afternoon (March 11th), the girls of
our high school were still in class when the
earthquake struck. Our students hid under
their desks to avoid fragments of flying
glass and falling ceiling tiles. The gigantic
earthquake continued for about three
minutes, followed by aftershocks for a
prolonged time. About 90 minutes later,
we confirmed that every one of about 900
people in our school were safe. That night,
about 250 pupils and over 50 staff stayed
at school because of the collapse in
Page 36
The ceiling of our Gymnasium
Paulinian Echoes
As the results of the quake were widely
made public, Japan was filled with great
sorrow and the hardest conditions. As for
our Sendai Shirayuri Gakuen, sadly we lost
a student who was about to enter our
school in April. She and her mother were
both killed in a car hit by the tsunami. A
number of our students’ family members
and relatives also died or remain missing,
and/or their parents’ homes and
workplaces were seriously damaged or
swept away. Our school’s facilities such as
the auditorium, several of the gymnasiums,
and the bell tower were also heavily
damaged. Thereafter, the school was
closed for several weeks.
As a result of basic utilities being cut,
only a little food could be bought in town,
and only after standing in lines for hours
outside shops. Frequent visits to
designated evacuation sites were needed to
obtain fresh water. There was no gasoline
available, so cars could not be used. These
were days which made everyone realize
how precious our “normal lifestyle” truly is.
At our convent, while the shortage of water
was always difficult, we were truly grateful
that everything turned out all right due to
donations of food and other provisions.
On April 18, the school opened, and our
children and students came to school with
all kinds of thoughts and
impressions. There were so
many sad stories, but even
more heart-warming ones.
The cold wind blowing
across the world’s borders and
oceans seemed to unite people
and bring hope to everyone in
Japan. There were lots of
people saying, “Pray for
Japan,” “Ganbare, Nippon!” and
“Cheer up!” Courageous rescue
teams from around the world
converged on the disaster areas
and rescued many people,
despite the danger.
Beyond our expectations,
many of our sister schools
and friends from other
countries sent us gifts and letters. Even
impoverished countries donated money to us.
We strongly felt that we were all “connected”
to each other. And we have been thinking
deeply about God’s aid in a time of need.
How good of Him to reply to the prayers of
the people!
A message from a Korean to a Japanese
friend was very impressive. It said, “You’re
the only country in the world to have fallen
victim to nuclear attacks. You lost the Second
World War. Every year there are typhoons.
Earthquakes happen. You’re even struck by
tsunamis. You’re just a tiny island nation, but
you wouldn’t be Japan if you didn’t get up
again every time. Stay strong, stay very
strong.”
I felt a deep sense of respect for him.
“This huge quake caused total destruction in
some areas, but Japan made a remarkable
and complete recovery.” That’s how we want
this event to be recorded in the history
books of the future.
Catholic Sendai Diocese set up the
“New Creation” plan in April 2011 in order
to stand together with the numerous
victims. St. Paul says, “Whoever is in
Christ is a new creation” (2 Cor.5:17). The
Sendai Diocese Support Center is our
major ministry, and the whole diocese
S
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hiiin
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maaakkkiii C
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meee fffrrro
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Page 37
Paulinian Echoes
O
O
n
g
w
o
h
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o
m
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n
o
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naaag
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waaa iiisss aaalllssso
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heee h
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meeettto
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offf ssso
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meee o
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ntttsss... T
Th
heee ttto
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waaasss ccco
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pllleeettteeelllyyy d
deeessstttrrro
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promotes its activities. We as a Church
desire to confirm that “we are one in the
Lord,” and walk toward an even better
creation, with the same spirit of Christ in
our hearts.
As for the SPC Sisters, we thought
about what we should do and what we
could do. Now in our community, the
Sisters sometimes visit the parish base
camps, and pray at mass with other
Christians, listen to or talk with quakeaffected people, or provide material goods
in collaboration with other volunteers.
We
started
the
second
semester
on October 3. The Sendai city area is
vibrant again, and a sense of normality has
been restored at our school. However, as of
November 30, the number of dead and
missing in Tohoku still stands at 19,447,
while some tens of thousands of evacuees
remain.
To conclude this report, we would like
to ask all of the SPC members to continue
to pray for Japan, and express our heartfelt
gratitude for your prayers and strong
support. Truly, thank you very much.
May God bless you all.
Repair of our broken facilities was
finished by the end of September.
At this Japanese language class in Lyon,
France, students write kind messages of
support for students of our school
Girls at Sendai Shirayuri Gakuen are very happy
and encouraged by the messages from France.
Page 38
Paulinian Echoes
In this photograph, you can see only one man with Mother Myriam, Superior General
and our four Korean Sisters. He is Mgr Anthony Sharma, the only Bishop of Nepal, a
country of 7, 371 Catholics in a population of 29,519,114 inhabitants with 80% Hindus.
In 2007, he received the Episcopal ordination, the first Nepalese ever to become a
Bishop. Coming from a Hindu family, he studied with the Jesuits in India. As the Bishop
of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, Mgr, Sharma was given the responsibility, by the Holy
Father Pope Benoit XVI, to guide the “little flock” of this Mission established since 1983.
He was the one who invited the SPC to do mission work in Nepal.
Conversion to the Christian Religion is Illegal
The above statement is surprising, but it is true. Indeed, in Nepal, the law prohibits
conversion to the Christian religion. What work then could the missionaries do ? Arriving
in Pokhara in 2009, and in Katmandu in 2010, the Sisters of the Province of Seoul
proclaim the Gospel by their many apostolic activities. They knew where to find the poor
in the slums, and very simply, they went there to serve the sick and the suffering. In the
field of education, they created a special program to upgrade the educational level of the
poor children so that they can pass the qualifying examination to enroll in the Jesuit
High School and College. With their efforts to improve the human level of the poorest
people, the Sisters of St. Paul were able to win the trust, the friendship and respect of the
Nepalese. With kindness and love, they do their missionary work in spite of the
prohibition to convert to Catholicism. But in their hearts they know that it is God who
touches the heart.
Àt St Paul’s Happy Home, the children from the
slums of Pokhara receive a free meal and study
help. Above, the Mobile Clinic brings basic health
services to the poor.
Page 39
Paulinian Echoes
Mother Myriam, Sr. Maria Goretti and Sisters visit the site of the future Clinic in
Pokhara. The Annapurna peak of the Himalayas can be seen in the background.
Attention to the neglected and who have no access to health care:
Mobile Clinic with Sister Martha PAK and Sister Seraphina CHOI
Sisters Lydia, Sophia and Gemma-Lucie take charge
of the social assistance project of Xavier Collège. The
poor children participate in free remedial classes
held in the classrooms 2 hours before classes start.
This remedial class will later qualify them for
admission in the Jesuit College.
Page 40
Paulinian Echoes
BETHLEHEM UNIVERSITY
‫جامعـــة بيـــت لحـــم‬
Office of the Vice President
for Development
‫مكتب نائب الرئيس للتطوير‬
Participation in the Mission of Education in Bethlehem
Through
the “Suore di San Paolo
Scholarship Fund,” Mother Myriam
Kitcharoen, Superior General, affirms the
support of the Congregation
for the
Mission of education of Bethlehem
University. The graduates express their
gratitude.
Dear Sr. Myriam,
Rasha SHOMALI
I would like to thank the Sisters of St. Paul of
Chartres, Italy for their commitment and
support to Bethlehem University and its
educational mission in the Holy Land
through the Suore di San Paoo di Chartres
Annual Scholarship.
Our graduate student Rasha Shomali - who
received your most generous scholarship in
the Spring 2011 semester, January-June
2011 and in the Fall 2011 semester,
September-December 2011 - is very grateful
for your support and she is now trying her
best to get a job and support her family.
Please find attached a thank you letter from
Rasha Shomali where she tells you more
about herself and her life.
Merna Elias Bannoura who received the
Suore Di San Paulo Di Charter Annual
Scholarship in the Spring 2011 semester,
graduated with honors in June 2011. Merna
would like to share with you the attached
picture of her and her parents during her
graduation.
Rasha Shomali
I am writing to thank you for your generous
support to me through the Suore di San Paolo
di Chartres Annual Scholarship.
I was thrilled to learn of my selection for this
scholarship and I am deeply appreciative of
your support. My name is Rasha Shomali. I am
married and I have two children (a girl and a
boy). I am proud to inform you that I am
graduating in June 2012. The Fall 2011
semester was my last semester at this
wonderful University. I’m looking forward to
my graduation day from the prestigious Faculty
of Business Administration at Bethlehem
University.
Thank you again for your generosity and
support. I am now trying my best to get a job.
So, I am spreading my curriculum vitae
everywhere, hoping to get some attention and
get a decent job. I will always be grateful for
your help.
Yours sincerely,
Rasha Shomali
May God bless you always.
Gratefully,
Shahinda Nassar
Shahinda I. Gregory Nassar
Development Office
Bethlehem University
Merna Elias Bannoura with her parents
Page 41
Paulinian Echoes
P
PE
ER
RP
PE
ET
TU
UA
AL
LP
PR
RO
OF
FE
ES
SS
SIIO
ON
N 220
01122
Indonesia : January 25, 2012
Sr Bernadette SEA
Sr Maria Yosefa Domingga DATON
Seoul, Korea : February 2, 2012
Sr Isabella Noel Jeong Hui CHA
Sr Agatha In Hwa PARK
Sr Bernadetta Gyeong Im SEO
Sr Anna Paul Song Gyeom KIM
Sr Theresa Jian Xia SUN
Sr Maria Chun Min HOU
Sr Marie Joseph Yun Mi KIM
Sr Elisabeth Seton Yun Ha SEO
Sr Marie Celina Yu Suk CHOI
Sr Lucia Yeong Hui HONG
Sr Christine Jeong Nam KIM
Sr Maxima Sang Hyo CHO
Daegu, Korea : February 2, 2012
Sr Clara Hyung-dul PARK
Sr Theresa Theresa KIM
Sr Theresa Hyun-sil LEE
Sr Enda Hyo-ju BAEK
Sr Martha Ji-hyun PARK
Sr Theresa Min-Jeong KIM
Sr Bona Eun-kyeong O
Philippines: February 2, 2012
Sr Mary Joy COSTUDIO
Sr Marie Josephine SOMBRERO
Sr Mary Eileen Grace SUACILLO
Sr Mary Rochelle PINANGONANG
Sr Maria Theresa Andrea MALLILLIN
Sr Maria Honorata PALOMAR
F
Fiirrsstt P
Prrooffeessssiioon
n 220
01122
Sr Yuspina RANTE
Indonesia : January 25, 2012
Sr Yuliana SONDOK Sr Venisuela FLORA NIAN
Peru-Colombia : January 25, 2012
Sr Maria Ana GUZMAN FLORES
Sr Mayela Melchorita FAJARDO QUISPE
Sr. Diana Carolina PICON MERIÑO
Timor Leste: February 2, 2012
Sr Maria Madalena TJONG
Sr Agrifina MENDONÇA
Sr Veronica SOARES
Sr Petronela SOARES
Seoul, Korea : February 2, 2012
Sr Crescentia Yeong Nam KIM
Sr Hellen-Jean Kyeong Seon LEE
Sr Stella Su Jin LEE
Sr Cecilia JANG
Sr Susanna Seon Hwa SIN
Daegu Korea : February 2, 2012
Sr Jeanne d’Arc Myeong-suk JANG
Sr Pia So –yeon JU
Sr Sophia Geun-yeong JO
Sr Veronica Ha-na PAK
Sr Clara Kyung-seon KWON
Sr Ophelia PAZ
Sr Recel CACHUELA
Sr Marivic CORDERO
Sr Katrina BOTER
Philippines: February 2, 2012
Sr Maria Cerelina GALEA
Sr Christy Joy SALIMBAGAT
Sr Maria Kristina BERGONIA
Page 42
Paulinian Echoes
GOING HOME TO THE FATHER
A new season begins in eternity
Antilles-Guyane
September 19 Sr Suzanne de Marie PLOCOSTE, 90
December 7
Sr Sainte Jeanne BASTE, 96
58 years Rel. Prof.
69 years Rel. Prof.
Hong Kong
October 23
Sr Marietta de St Paul MA, 94
67 years Rel. Prof.
Japan
October 4
Sr Emmanuel SASAKI, 89
66 years Rel. Prof.
Seoul Korea
November 6
December 2
Sr Agatha HONG Mi Pyo,68
Sr Veronica KIM Martha, 85
33 years Rel. Prof.
56 years Rel. Prof.
Daegu Korea
September 21 Sr Jean-Therese HEU Jeung –Ja, 81
September 21 Sr François d’Assise LEE Bong Soon, 90
57 years Rel. Prof.
69 years Rel. Prof.
Philippines
October 7
October 14
October 30
Sr Rose Mary LOPEZ, 95
Sr Maria Lourdes BATERINA,65
Sr Ellen du Rosaire PEREZ, 85
73 years Rel. Prof.
41 years Rel. Prof.
57 years Rel. Prof.
Mytho Vietnam
October 11
December 31
Sr Amélie de St Pierre NGUYEN Thi Hoa,87
Sr. Renée de Marie NGUYEN Thi Kiem, 87
63 years Rel. Prof.
64 years Rel. Prof.
Saigon Vietnam
October 30
Sr Marie Victorine NGUYEN Thi Hiep, 96
Page 43
72 years Rel. Prof.
Paulinian Echoes
Book Excerpts : “ Deux mètres carrés” Part 2
by David Sauleman pages 345-351
The author, a Jew, pays tribute to a Sister of Saint Paul
whom he had known during World War II
Under the circumstances, I prayed like
any twelve year –old child. Obviously, there
was no way for me to pray in the synagogue,
besides, I didn’t know whether there was
one in Houdan at that time. In the evening of
the Kippur, knowing well that I fasted since
the previous day Denise, the daughter of the
family, instead of giving me my meal, said,
“You, little Yid, since you are fasting today,
you’ll skip supper.”I extended my fasting till
the next day. Later, when I learned what
happened to my parents, I wondered who
was listening to my prayers.
Maurice, my brother, joined me by midAugust 1943. He was not treated any better
than me. We were maltreated, badly cared
for and starved while the family C. ate well,
denying themselves of nothing. Denise
behaved in a sadistic way towards Maurice
whom she dealt with cruel beatings.
Consequently, the two of us got sick. In
December 1943, I was hospitalized due to my
weakened condition. I was undernourished,
had pulmonary problems and scabies. During
my hospitalization, I was able to notify Louise
Tabak about the situation, and I think that she
was the one who alerted the UGIF for Maurice
to be taken and hospitalized and for Mme Suze
to come and fetch me later.
In January 1944, a nurse of the UGIF
came to fetch Maurice who was too skinny
having been underfed like me. Whereas he
walked around very well when we were with
our Mama, after a few months in Houdan, he
could hardly walk and would often fall. His
legs were too frail to hold him up. Maurice
had to stay several months in the Children’s
Hospital in Paris.
I did not see my brother until 1945, in the
house of Maurice Tabak, the brother of
Louise. Maurice Tabak and his companion,
Berthe, took him from another hospital, the
Herold hospital in Paris where he was
transferred and hidden by the UGIF. When
the Allies arrived in 1944, the Tabaks took
my brother with them to hide in
Mondoubleau, Loir et Cher.
During this whole period, the only place since that horrible night of the raid on
November 5, 1942 – where I found some
human warmth, was in the hospital of
Houdan. In this unsafe shelter, a religious
nurse, Sister Saint Edme, treated me with
affection. She was very active and firm, the
patients were afraid of her, whereas she was
very gentle with me. She found ways to hide
me from the local authorities (there were
many Germans in this hospital: the military,
Doctors and patients) and cared for me with
kindness and attention.
As far as I can remember, Sr Saint Edme
was very young compared to the other
Sisters. They all wore this enormous white
headdress called the cornette which was a lot
wider than their head from all sides. I have
already seen these ladies in black before, but
this is the first time that I actually lived in a
milieu of practicing Catholics. The rules of
this religion surprised me. For the least
reason, the Sisters made the sign of the cross.
It was habitual to see them kneeling before a
statue. Upon entering the chapel, they dip their
hand in the water of a font, make the sign of
the cross and after genuflecting, they would
kneel again at the prie-Dieu. Then, they would
sing in a language I have never heard before –
latin.On the walls of the chapel, were paintings
of the faces of saints which shocked me, as I
was shocked to hear that God had a son.
Statues, images in a place of prayer violated the
commandments. Compared to the sobriety of
our Jewish vestments at prayers, the Catholic
religion baffled me.
Moreover, my parents were arrested and I
was in hiding due to my religion; it was so
strange for me to learn from Sister Saint Edme
that the “baby Jesus” had Jewish parents
and that he himself was a Jew. How can a 12year old child understand how some people
can persecute the Jews simply because they
were Jews and at the same time venerate a
God who was a Jew?
(to be continued)
Page 44