In October 2024, we pray with Pope Francis for the prayer intention, ‘for a shared mission’. We also commemorate World Mission Day, otherwise known as World Mission Sunday, on 20 October.
As Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart and according to our Chapter Statement, we realise “the potential of our charism for connecting us with others in God´s mission and engage with the opportunities this offers”.
Perú is a country where we believe that the way to do our mission to make possible God’s will, is by working with others in a ‘Synodal lifestyle’.
We are immersed in distinct parts of Perú through different kinds of missions. Schools, parishes and universities are the field where we find God in the most vulnerable people. Those places are not only jobs but are also spots of encounter and where we meet people from different backgrounds. We share the importance of being present, praying together, supporting each other, and dreaming together for a better world.
The schools in Puno and Junín are the base where teachers, parents, children, Sisters, and priests set up projects and create new ways of living in solidarity and communion. It is always a challenge, but we do not give up because we hold each other in love and, our main goal is contributing to the building of the kingdom of God.
Parishes are the opportunity to build communities and take up or launch new ways of creating welcoming homes for everyone. We share a community where everybody is engaged in attending services, preparing others for the sacraments and liturgy, offering services to attend to children with special needs, and doing some social work. We work together with Josephite communities of Companions and Covenants who work sharing friendship, prayer and service.
The Jesuit university, where a Sister works, is the institution where she teaches, does counselling, spiritual direction and pastoral care. Most of the students come from the interior of Perú, because they received a public scholarship. Many of them come from families whose members never had the opportunity to study at the university or did not have the choice to finish school. This institution is a community where everyone is committed to the community mission “to educate not to the best professionals of the world but to the best professionals for the world”. (P. Arrupe SJ)
As Saint Mary MacKillop said, “There where you are you will find God”. We find God in everyone with who we share life in our ministries. Walking together along the journey of the mission and believing that we are just companions sharing the precious gift or our life, is walking in synodality.
Sr Jenny Mori León rsj