news from the generalate extended council meeting

Ursuline Sisters, Generalate, Rue Musin 1, 1210 Brussels 1

l-r Srs. Ellen Doyle (facilitator), Nirmala, Jane,

Lucienne, Hildegarde, Philomena, Bimla, Esperance,

Joanne Kneeling: Suchita, Bernadette, Maria

News from the Generalate

Extended Council Meeting

The four members of

the Congregational

Leadership Team along

with the four

Provincials and Vice

Provincial make up the

Extended Council. The

meeting took place at

the Generalate from

April 1-6.

A wide range of topics

was discussed, all

centering on the life

and mission of the

Congregation. Under

the professional guidance of Sr. Ellen Doyle, OSU, this year’s meeting achieved its

goal of covering all the agenda items. A feeling of loss surrounded all the sessions,

as the Sisters remembered Sr. Lillian Gaboury (Canada) Sr. Teresita Panna, (Gumla)

Sr. Monica Kevin and Sr. Cecilia Moloughney (US) who passed away just before,

during and after the meeting.

Ritual for the entombment of the heart of the Curé of Tildonk

April 6th will be a date to remember. The heart of Fr. John Lambertz was laid to

rest next to his grave in the Tildonk Cemetery. Father Steven Wielandts officiated

at the ceremony which included readings, intercessions, homage to the heart and

singing. A large number of Sisters participated in the moving ceremony. A lunch

followed in the former Tildonk Convent.


Excerpts from the ritual is worth quoting here:

Today we will place the Ursuline Sisters’

most precious relic of the heart of our

founder, Fr. John Cornelius Martin

Lambertz, in a grave next to his mortal

remains. The heart has been stored for

150 years in a reliquary which is like a

shrine that houses a relic. A First-Class

Relic refers to the physical remains of a

saint. In our case, the heart is a First-

Class Relic of our founder. It has been respectfully reserved by succeeding

generations of Ursulines next to the Church in the convent in a room dedicated to

his memory.

By having preserved his heart the Sisters have kept his memory alive and Sisters

have been making pilgrimages to Tildonk to pay homage to our venerated founder

and praying in front of the heart. For all these years it has been a priceless

treasure that links our present foundation with its founding father.

Other venerable objects associated with Fr. Lambertz are Second-Class

Relics: items that the saint owned or frequently used, for example, his well-worn

rosary, prayer books, etc.

Each year on May 12, our Sisters mark his death anniversary with reverence and

prayer and gratitude for God’s gift of the Saintly Curé to us. This year, 2019, 150

years after his death, is a special day of commemorating his life and death. Now

he’s alive all over the world in the presence of Ursulines and Associates who accept

the invitation to live contemplative spirituality through the lens of the spirituality

of Father John Lambertz and to draw strength from his exemplary holy life.

Ambikapur Province

International Women’s Day - Mother Mary as the model for women

“A woman is a symbol of love, God's

finest and beautiful creation”. This is

what the students of Ursuline Hr. Sec.

School Ambikapur expressed lovingly to

their teachers, mothers and other

women as they celebrated the

International Women’s Day on March 8th

on the school stage.

The programme began with an invocation, seeking God’s blessings through scripture

reading and a prayer dance. Ku. Rita Rajwadey, a student, said in her speech that


“International Women’s Day reminds us of the roles and powers of women and the

importance of empowering women in every field of society. We have been

witnessing the achievements of women in the field of science, civil rights,

journalism, sports, arts, technology and beyond for centuries.”

Gender equality was highlighted under the theme “Be bold and courageous for

change”. During the day we had a debate and speech competition to create

awareness of the importance of women in society.

Sr. Jyoti Xess congratulated and expressed appreciation for the student’s

programme. She took Mother Mary as the model of women and highlighted the

qualities of women. Sir Nitesh Rajwadey proposed the vote of thanks. The

celebration came to an end by distributing sweets to the students and staff.

Sr. Muktilata Tigga, OSU

Ursuline Hr. Sec. S. Ambikapur

DRCongo Vice Province

Children from l'Ecole

Maternelle Angèle Merici

Lubumbashi gave joy to the

residents in a home for the

Aged during Lent.

Sr. Colette Mwami

Guyana Mission

We started our Lenten season with Holy Mass offered by a Consolata Missionary

Priest from Brazil and a Consolata Missionary Sister Kibnesh in Karasabai.

Our PLAs (Parish Lay Assistants) led the Communion Services in their respective

communities. We four Sisters divided ourselves in groups of two. Srs. Helen and

Cresencia went to the villages to give the Lenten retreat for the faithful which

went very smoothly. People were very happy to have this kind of special time to

know and experience more about God's Love. They enjoyed the company of Sisters

and the Sisters were glad to spend time with the people.

Srs. Sosan and Nishi stayed at Karasabai and took care of the Pastoral needs of

people. We are extending our pastoral care approach to the people here in different

forms. We are busy doing some Fund Raising for the new hostel for the students.

Slowly people are coming to understand the situation and coming out to contribute

their part. Different villages are bringing the wooden materials and ladies of our

village are putting their creative cooking talents together to raise funds.


We shall have the Easter Vigil Mass for the first time and on Easter Monday we are

going to celebrate with a Mini Church Fair with football and cricket teams from

different sections.

Thank you dear Sisters for your prayers and loving concerns for us. Special thanks

to all those communities who provided necessary things for the community and

faithful here. People, especially the Eucharistic Ministers are glad to have the

ciborium. With the words of Fr. John Lambertz I conclude our news “Take care of

God's interest and He will take care of yours.”

Sr. Nishi Susana Kujur, OSU

Ranchi Province

History and Development of the Ursuline Lace School

The original Lace School was founded by Loreto Sisters of Calcutta in 1890. Later

the Loreto Sisters handed over the enterprise to the Ursulines in Ranchi. The

Ursulines accepted this challenging work with great love by visiting the families and

villages of Adibasis. They learnt that most women were labourers. They were

illiterate, living in poor hygienic conditions with no access to formal education. The

Sisters made up their mind to give them dignity and respect. They began educating

women and children, conducting literacy programmes, running a dispensary to teach

hygiene and giving good health care. The Sisters started the Ursuline Lace School

including cutting and tailoring, knitting and embroidery.

Mother Ursula, Mother

Angela, Mother Emilia,

Mother Barbara, Srs.

Lucy, Martine, Sophia,

Pushpica, Veronica,

Ancilla and many others

contributed to the Lace

School giving their

valuable services

In July 1906 a noble lady

from Thailand began to

make lace with 4 Adibasi

women on the school

veranda of Ranchi. The

number of women grew to 27 making up the first group of women for training in

cutting, tailoring, embroidery and faith formation. Thus they gained a sense of

equality and recognition besides earning a livelihood.


In 1935 the Ursuline Lace School celebrated its Silver Jubilee. In 1941 under the

leadership of Mother Angela, 11 women offered a gift of an embroidered flag to the

Ursuline Convent School. Mother Angela was a model for missionaries. She had love

and compassion for the poor. She provided them with a livelihood, helped them find

jobs, cared for their spiritual, intellectual and developmental needs. She gave them

a strong foundation of Christian faith.

Over the years the demand for the products from the Lace School has increased.

Many come to visit from North and South, East and West and put up exhibitions of

beautiful items from the Lace school. In the course of time many skilled women

have left the lace school and started a business in their own homes. At present, the

30 women working in the Ursuline Lace School work mostly on embroidery, church

linens and Mass vestments. This is possible because of the selfless and untiring

effort of the Sisters.

The Lace School is making progress in training women by giving them the skills and

confidence to stand on their own feet, to earn a livelihood and support themselves

and their families. At present Sr. Rosa Jhori is in-charge, assisted by Sr. Regina

Minj.

Sr. Matilda Dungdung, OSU

A Pilgrimage to Tildonk

During the International Formation Programme (Brussels 5th - 11th March) we had

the privilege of going on a Pilgrimage to Tildonk and visiting the Ursuline heritage

and studying the charism of the founder, Fr. John Lambertz. It was a heart-

warming experience to be there on the holy ground where he prayed, worked,

walked, toiled day and night to gain souls and started the great work of our origin.

The amazing Tildonk Convent building speaks a lot in silence. One cannot but thank

and praise the Lord for its being there for the glorious history of Ursulines of

Tildonk.

Srs. Grace Kullu and Dorothea Kullu, OSU

Tezpur Province

Entrance to Postulancy :

We are happy to have six

postulants this year. They had a

retreat for three days under the

guidance of Rev. Fr. Pius Xalxo,

SJ. We had a very simple

ceremony of the entrance to

Postulancy.


In this ceremony the candidates expressed their desire to join the 2nd stage of

formation which is Postulancy.

We had a simple prayer session through which these candidates were accepted. The

prayer was conducted by the Postulant mistress, Sr. Cecilia Murmu, which was very

meaningful. The candidates were accepted by the Provincial along with her

councillors to enter into the period of postulancy. We congratulate these six young

girls for their courage to accept the call of God and wish them all the best to go

ahead in the step they have taken.

Graduation from NAV SADHANA P.G. College

We feel proud of Sr. Lilly Ekka because she has completed her graduation in Music.

The 17th March was her day of the ceremonial assembly.

In the morning there was a meaningful

Eucharistic celebration. The Bishop of

Banares was the main celebrant. There were

other priests as well. The celebrants were

escorted to the altar by dance. Before the

offertory the students had to offer their

special costumes for music and dance. The

parents of the students offered many things.

The Bishop, who was once the director of this

college, gave an enriching sermon to the

students.

The ceremony of convocation was in the evening. Certificates were given out during

a grand celebration. So many big dignitaries were present. The graduate students of

dance and music came forward with flowers and placed them around the lighted

candle and then they proceeded to the stage to take an oath.

Sr. Lucienne Kakanatt, OSU

UN days of importance

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15)

World Refugee Day (June 20)

news from the generalate extended council meeting

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