World representatives of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts gather for a photo with Hawaii sisters in January. (Photo courtesy of Sisters of the Sacred Hearts)
By Sister Helene Wood, SS.CC.
Special to the Herald
The USA-Pacific Province of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary hosted in Hawaii, Jan. 17-30, a meeting of the order’s major superiors from around the world.
The purpose of the gathering, called the Council of the Congregation, was to determine how the decisions of the 2012 general chapter are being carried out. This meeting was particularly important because the general chapter (a religious congregation’s main legislative meeting) decided that we needed to work toward a “new face of the congregation.”
When we learned that the Council of the Congregation would be held in Hawaii, the sisters of the province were excited, but also a little apprehensive about how we would accommodate the participants. We were not sure how many would be coming, and whether or not we would be able to communicate with them with our limited knowledge of French and Spanish.
Sister Joan Rita Cosme thought it would be a good opportunity for the sisters of South America and other places to experience our beautiful islands and culture. It would also be a chance for us in Hawaii to meet our global sisters as well.
Beginning with the daily prayer for the Council of the Congregation, and the communications and questionnaires coming from our congregation’s general government and planning commission, we began to realize how important and historic this meeting would be. Sister Angela Gregorio shared that with the “constancy of our community meetings each week, our provincial assemblies, we had to think of times past and ask for guidance of the Holy Spirit that we would be willing to try to understand.”
After the arrival of all 27 participants, the council began in earnest with a retreat led by Jesuit Father Xavier Quintza. For most of the sisters in the province, it was as though the participants were hidden away since they followed a very strenuous schedule. However, daily newsletters gave us a general idea of what was happening and we could be united with them in prayer as they worked.
We were happy that they were able to go to Kalaupapa and visit the place where St. Damien de Veuster lived and ministered to the people suffering from leprosy. Taking a break from their deliberations on Jan. 28, the sisters, along with Jesus Garcia and Javier Osorio, visited our historic Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace where the Sacred Hearts Fathers and Brothers resided when they arrived in 1827 and where the relics of St. Damien and St. Marianne Cope are enshrined.
We were overjoyed to be able finally to meet and talk with our sisters, who had come from around the world, when they came to dinner at our central infirmary of Malia O Ka Malu. Hawaii Sister Mary Dolorine Pires said, “for those of us who are ill or infirm and unable to go out, the visit of the participants of the Council of the Congregation was a joy and especially hopeful.”
Sister Mary Dolorine and Sister Juliana Costa Brum were also touched to be remembered by sisters they had met while in Europe. Sister Juliana was happy to learn more about the missions our sisters have in Africa and to meet our African Sister Madeleine.
Perhaps Sister Angela summed it up when she said, “I am grateful to witness the council here in our midst; diversity of persons, cultures, age, background, yet a joy in service to our congregation. Even though the challenges of language, culture and differences of understanding are present, there is an underlying love, persistence, commitment and risk-taking, as we move forward to find or live God’s will for us at this moment.”
