Sister Maria Lúcia Barbosa de Oliveira, SFP

With great joy we met from July 28-31, 2010 at Casa São José in Goiânia for another Assembly. Nearly all of the Sisters  were present.  How good it is to have these occasions to update each other on our experiences!

The theme was “How We Can Flourish in Maturity.” Gerontologist Carmencita Balestra explained the various aspects of aging.  She spoke about how the word “old” is overused and prejudice-laden, especially in Brazil.  Due to consumerism, we resort to euphemisms such as “the elderly,” “the best age gap”, etc. 

Sister Lécia spoke about the same theme, emphasizing the physiological process in aging, the alterations at cellular, tissue, organic and morphological levels. She also emphasized the factors and steps that favor healthy aging.  Both presentations were very helpful.

Sister Maria Helena guided us through a process to choose the participants of the Congregational Conference: “Gift of Healing: Today and Beyond,” planned for June 2011 in Cincinnati, USA.  She distributed written information so that each Sister could discern through prayerful reading about their own possible participation or suggest which Sisters would be best fit for that task. We gathered in small reflection groups to verify who met the necessary criteria.

Planning for the 50th Anniversary
Since in December 2010 we will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the SFP presence in Brazil, the Sisters shared what they are developing in their communities in preparation for this important event. The initiatives were very inspiring.  Without any doubt, we will be plunging into our past to rekindle the vitality that our dear founding Sisters brought to us -- for which they will never be forgotten!

Here are some comments from some of our Sisters regarding this Assembly. . .

These were days of prayer and reflection in small groups and sharing about how to age while maintaining a good quality of life. We spent time with each other and had the daily gift of Eucharistic Celebrations, community prayer and fraternization. This was an  important time to be together and talk about our lives. We often recalled our American Sisters who were missioned to Brazil as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the 50 years of the Brazilian foundation!” - Sister Júlia Batista Rocha

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“The most important points were the sharing by our Sisters in Temporary Vows, Lécia and Thalyta, who brilliantly passed on to us what they absorbed during the Summer Course on Franciscanism in which they studied our Franciscan and Clarian roots.  This practice gives new strength to our ministries and prayer in which we deepened the theme of healing. We learned that we must engage in physical exercises and continue collaborating with the preservation of the environment to have a good quality of life.” - Sister Marta Gomes Pedrosa

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“An Area Assembly is always a time of many graces. I missed our Sisters Helena Paula and Daniel Marie who could not be present.  We spent pleasant times praying together and reviewing the steps and events that are being undertaken by our Congregation to allow us obtain greater achievements in our common journey.” - Sister Terezinha de Jesus

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“The Assembly was a grace filled time; the moments of prayer, sharing and our reflections deepened in me the desire to become a better person in all human dimensions so that I may better serve God’s people.

I believe that the talks related to flourishing in maturity contributed to the enrichment of all the Sisters both at personal and communal levels.  I was able to evaluate my past life and consider how I am living in the present, and how I would like to live in old age. This exercise helped me perceive that to have a quality of life in view of the future, I need to live the present more fully and seek the necessary balance This helps us in our relationship to God, the other, all creatures around us and within our own selves.”  - Sister Thalyta Pereira Lima