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During the past year our Associates of the Hawkes Bay region have held their quarterly meetings on the afternoon of the third Friday of the month. We made this change for the convenience of the majority of our members. Our meetings start with some RNDM input followed by prayer. A regular focus for our prayer is peace, especially peace in the Holy Land. The gathering concludes with a friendly chat over tea or coffee.
Our first meeting was in February. Sarah Greenlees prepared a paper on the situation in Myanmar and the plight of our Sisters and their families. Susan’s recent writings on the history of that province were used and we were very surprised to learn that one of the early sisters, Mother Mary Jesus Adolescent, who endured extreme challenges during World War 11, was a past pupil of Sacred Heart College, Napier. Heeding Pope Francis’s suggestion to pray Mary’s prayer during Lent, we prayed most earnestly Fly to Thy Patronage for care and protection of our Myanmar Province.
At our next meeting we belatedly welcomed Barbara Henley to Napier who spoke to the group and presented lots of memorabilia of her life! Barbara shared her family life and her work as an RNDM. We really enjoyed her entertaining presentation. It brought back lots of childhood memories, lots of laughs… she even showed her Holy Pictures collection and First Communion prayer book! We closed with our Associates prayer.
Carmel Cole of our Leadership Team spoke at our August Gathering. Carmel collated all the news of our new Foundation in Tanzania. On a large map she described the location of the new mission. We will follow this new venture with interest and the support of our prayer. Carmel also updated us with news from Myanmar, and we concluded with prayer and afternoon tea!
For our final meeting in December, Anne Sklenars shared with us the experience of her Franciscan Camino, The Way of St Francesco. Her reflection and power point with its scenes and symbolic images gave us an awesome insight into not only St Francis’ life but her own ‘hard slog’ through the mountains and valleys and into her own inner spiritual landscape.
A surprise visitor to our meeting, was Ngahina Transom, our new Principal of St Joseph’s Māori Girls College. Ngahina, herself a past pupil of the college, was surprised and delighted to meet Cath and Pam who worked as Hostel carers while Ngahina was a boarder. Such a great reunion! She shared her Whakapapa, her impressive vocation in education and her sincere privilege of continuing the Mission of the Sisters at the College. Her enthusiasm and joy for her new appointment was shining!
At prayer we remembered the passing of our loyal member, Annette McCelland. RIP.
A Festive pre-Christmas afternoon tea followed!
We hope our next meeting will coincide with the visitation of our Sisters from Generalate, giving them an opportunity to meet with the associates.
