ITEMS OF INTEREST

JOSEPHITE PASTORAL MINISTRY GROUP. S.A.

Four times a year our group, consisting of Pastoral Workers and those in the Aged Care Ministry, meet at Hectorville convent for lunch, prayer and ministry sharing.  Angela Maher is our PLT contact person.

The sharing results in support and concern we have for one another and it keeps us aware of other ministries. Many work alone. It was good having the Aged Care Ministry people as they brought with them their particular skills.

Photo:  Back:  Kerry Keenan, Margaret Murphy, Maria Hennekam,  Marcella Myers.

Front: Carmel Clarke, Marie Victory, Margaret Tully.

A VISITOR FROM PERU

Maria Cecilia Paiva Huaringa, the first Peruvian to be professed as a Sister of St Joseph, recently visited the South Australian Province as part of her first visit to Australia.

 Maria Cecilia spent a week in Adelaide followed by a week in Penola. She was able to see for herself many of the places associated with the early history of the Congregation and to walk in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop in some of the significant South Australian pilgrimage sites. During the busy time whilst with us, she was able to see also a bit of the countryside as she travelled south to visit places like Morphett Vale, Willunga and Yankalilla, north to the Riverland to visit Berri and then south east to Penola as well as many other places in between.

As Maria Cecilia was with us for Australia Day, we invited her to join a small group that went to Elder Park for the Australia Parade and concert. It was a perfect day and a lovely evening and gave her a taste of the multi faceted Australian culture. She enjoyed a paddle on the River Torrens and the fireworks display that concluded the evening. On Saturday, Maria Cecilia joined the Sisters of the SA Province at their Province Day. She was able to meet most of the Sisters and the Sisters appreciated being able to meet her. Maria shared in and contributed to the discussions and reflections of the day before heading off down to Penola.

In her reflection on the visit to Penola Maria Cecilia wrote:

              “I feel very grateful to God and the Josephite community to have been in this  first school of Mother Mary. This woman of incredible fortitude, so young.

For me the heritage received from our Founder and Foundress is not only for us but also to share with others in the mission.”