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Congregation Mission Priorities
The 2014 Congregation General Chapter mandated the CLT in consultation with all the leaders and members to develop a Congregation Mission Plan (CMP) for 2014-2020. This CMP forms the basis for ongoing implementation in the congregation.
At the Enlarged General Council (EGC) held in Bangalore, India, August 30 to September 18, 2015 the following mission priorities were formulated and approved by the members:
Reflecting on our CMP, we have been deeply moved by the ever growing wave of the refugees and migrants from diverse parts of the world. As religious we feel compelled to act; therefore we pledge ourselves to:
Canada: For some years, the sisters in Canada have sought to live from the insight that they are living the “grace and the gift of fewness” and they desire to live that grace as creatively and as intentionally as they could. They invite sisters from the congregation to work in a parish in collaboration with the Canadian Oblates to establish a new mission to work with indigenous people in Winnipeg. The parish also has the presence of people from overseas. The aim of this is to continue the presence of the congregation in North America, attract vocations, and create a climate where something new can happen. It is an opportunity to experience a collaborative way of being in mission and to learn about the culture of Canada.
France: St Rambert house was opened by the RNDMs in 1949 as a hostel for welcoming young Eurasian girls from Viet Nam who were brought to France under the protection of an association: the Federation of Charities for French Children of Indochina (FOEFI). Following the end of this mission in 1979 the Abbey was opened up as a House of Prayer and Hospitality. The goal of this endeavour was to offer a place of peace where all people, Christian or non-Christian, could come to seek God.
St. Rambert is the closest community to Lyon, the cradle of our congregation and has space for congregation renewal programs and formation courses. The main building needs renovation and modification as per Government standards to enable public use.
India Central: Gwaltoli is situated in the Indo-Bangladesh border where many tribals who work in tea gardens are poor due to unjust wages. There are also many migrants from Bangladesh and Nepal. The immediate need is to build the Sisters’ residence and a center for women’s empowerment, vocational training and eventually start a school.
The province also has a plan to reconstruct Our Lady Queen of the Missions School, Park Circus, Kolkata which is nearly 100 years old. This school has provided quality education to many students for over 70 years. It is a source of sustenance for the province.
The province envisages relocating the Provincial House to Rajarhat, Kolkata where the RNDMs care home is under construction. The present location of the provincial house is inconvenient for the sisters in many ways.
The sisters began the mission in Kuchinda, Odisha in 2010, in response to the needs of education, women empowerment, pastoral care and vocational training. The ground floor of the school is underway and sisters need more funds to complete the construction of the school.
India North East: The RNDMs accepted the invitation of the Bishop to work for the indigenous people in the Barak Valley, which is a border of Meghalaya and Assam. The indigenous people are Jaintias who have no opportunity to live their own culture. The sisters intend to give better education to the people by opening an English Medium School. Other ministries in the area would include women empowerment, pastoral care, awareness programmes for parents, youth and children.
Kenya: The RNDMs presence in Kenya is over 45 years and they felt the need to expand their mission to Bajone, Diocese in Meru. In this area, people are poor, there are no health care facilities and a great number of children suffer from malnutrition. The sisters plan to build a Convent, a center for the empowerment of women and youth and a health care center.
The RNDM started their first mission in Africa in Machakos diocese, Kenya, where they minister till now. On the occasion of 150th foundation of our congregation, the Diocese gifted 3 acres of land in Tala, Machakos to the sisters. They plan to construct a convent and a building for women empowerment in the near future.
Ngong Road, Nairobi is a growing area with many business centers and education institutions around. There is sufficient space beside the provincial house and the sisters see that this would be an opportunity towards sustainability by constructing a building for rent on the property.
Latin America: Boca de Sapo, Ilo in Peru, is a developing area with many migrant workers. There are over 1500 families in this place. Since there is no school in the area, the sisters intend to purchase a piece of land and build a Kindergarten in this place.
Vietnam: It is a growing province and the current chapel in Thu Duc is too small to accommodate the sisters, novices, aspirants and students. The sisters also offer space for students from different universities in the surrounding areas for gatherings and recollection days. They plan to build a bigger chapel and a meeting hall to cater for these needs.
Phu An, Gia Lai is a developing area where a big number of ethnic minority students come for education from villages. The sisters plan to build a home for girls to accommodate these students and accompany them in their education.
The house and the kindergarten in Nha Trang are in a very bad condition which is not safe for the sisters as well as the children. The sisters plan to re-build the residence and the kindergarten.
Senegal: The RNDMs presence in Senegal is over 40 years and the sisters felt the need to expand their mission to Kounkane which is in Kolda Diocese. In this area, people are poor, there are no basic health care facilities and a great number of children suffer from malnutrition. The Diocese has given the sisters a piece of land for the use of their ministries. The sisters plan to build a convent, a health care center, a multipurpose hall to conduct empowerment activities for women and youth, nutrition program for children and faith formation.
Philippines: Bantayan Island, Cebu is in a remote place and the local government school in the area is overcrowded. There is a need to offer Catholic education for poor and marginalized children. The sisters are invited to administer an existing English-medium school, Silvino Y. Du Sr. Memorial which is the only Catholic School in the Island. Other possible ministry in the Island would include micro-credit for the fisher-folks.
Myanmar: The experience of education since 1965 has been rote-learning or spoon feeding. The children are marginalized in terms of good educational opportunities. The sisters see this as an opportunity to offer good education to the children and to encourage more interaction and critical-thinking. They plan to build a primary school in Pyay in order to meet this real need.
Prayer for Refugees and Migrants from the EGC
Merciful God, our hearts are moved by the suffering of your people uprooted from their homeland, the 20 million refugees across our world, each one of whom reflects your face. Let us remember that with your grace there are enough loaves and fishes to go around. Give us the courage, compassion and creativity to embrace all in the name of Your love, Amen.
A blessing to support our work for refugees
God bless our eyes so that we will recognize injustices.
God bless our ears so that we will hear the cry of the stranger.
God bless our mouths so that we will speak words of welcome to newcomers.
God bless our shoulders so we will be able to bear the weight of struggling for justice.
God bless our hands so that we can work together with all people to establish peace
