“HOW TO THANK THE LORD FOR ALL THE GOOD HE HAS DONE ME”
It is with great joy, satisfaction and gratitude to God that we, the novices in the canonical year of the inter-African novitiate, in Angola, wish to share our experience at the beginning of our journey in the novitiate.
From the first moment of our arrival at the formation house, we felt welcomed by the sisters and the other formation companions. On the day of our arrival, we were welcomed with songs, drums, flowers and symbols of integration into the community. On this day we felt that it was the Congregation welcoming us to begin a new stage. The welcoming ceremony ended in the chapel to thank God for our arrival, after all without Him nothing is possible.
In our African culture, feeling welcome in a home is very important. As usual, when someone arrives in a new place it is necessary to make an integration, so also for us who are in the phase of integrating little by little, because the novitiate is a special moment for us and for the Congregation. It is a unique and important moment in the course of a life which wants to respond to God’s call to Consecrated Life, clarifying and strengthening our vocation, offering us diverse experiences and challenging us for various rich cultural and learning moments that each one of us needs.
The beginning of the novitiate was also another unforgettable experience. On March 19, feast of St. Joseph, patron of our community, we took another significant step towards our vocational life, which is the beginning of the novitiate. The celebration was attended by many sisters of the Congregation, aspirants and postulants. It was a unique moment to take another decisive step in our vocational discernment. So far, we have felt supported and accompanied by all the sisters. Our thanks!
Since the novitiate is the fundamental stage of formation that invites us to deepen the values of religious and missionary life. We have as elements of formation: prayer, where we enter into an intimate relationship with God and find the answer to our vocation; the study we have in the community and in the Inter-Novitiate; the insertion in the pastoral and in the various community activities and responsibilities; the themes linked to the Congregation and the Order that have helped us to deepen ourselves on the Charism and spirituality.
This is what we have to share. We take this opportunity to send our embrace to all the sisters and we count on your prayers and accompaniment in this new adventure.
May Mother Ascension Nicol intercede for us and for our journey.
The first year novices
Kameme Gras, Juliana Ginga, Valentina Tchocalie and Inês Nambulo
Viana – Angola
