Our News – January 2022
We wish to share with our readers that on December 8, 2021, our Sister Noemi Valdes celebrated 60 years of vowed commitment in the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix. Noemi was born in Cuba and came to the United States as a young adult. During her many years in the community, she lived in several different SMR community and was dedicated to pastoral ministry in parishes of Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Texas. Since 2012, Noemi has been a resident in Cabrini Elder Care in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She says it is “wonderful” for her to be there.
As we come towards the end of the first month of this new year, we wish to share some news of our international congregation, Sisters of Mary Reparatrix. Our secretariat shared that as of December 31, 2021, we were 403 vowed members of our congregation.
Last year there was one sister from the Region of Uganda/Kenya/Congo, Ruth Namusoke, who made her final profession in SMR.
Three sisters made their temporary profession in SMR, two of whom are from Madagascar
Zafinjaza Celestine Ratolojanahary
Alice Perpetue Rasoanirina
Mathe Rosine Kahindo from Uganda/Kenya/Congo
Our General Chapter of 2019 recommended a discernment for the place of our international novitiate and the creation of an international formation team. During this past year the place as has been decided in Nairobi, Kenya and three sisters have been invited and accepted to be the formation community for the novices. Carmen Garcia is a native of Mexico, Beatrice Atukunda and Teopista Babirye are from Uganda. We believe that interculturality is a call from the Spirit, so these women will have daily opportunities to live that since they come from different lands!
The women have spent the last three months settling in and becoming community. The process involved personal and communal discernment, team building, and goal setting. Members of the Congregation Leadership collaborated with them to formulate an orientation process for the novices as well as guidelines and criteria for the novitiate experiences. There are currently five women in preparation to begin their novitiate experience. Four of these women are from the Region of Uganda/Kenya/Congo and one woman from Madagascar.
Please pray with us that the Spirit will be active and present to all these women during this significant time in their lives.
Margaret Hoey