TRAVEL REPORT ON THE GENERAL CHAPTER [Sr. M. Gudrun Müller, SPSF and Sr. Irmtraud Thurn, SPSF wrote a comprehensive report (14,000 words) for their Congregation about our recent General Chapter. What follows are excerpts. To receive a copy of the complete report (available in English), contact SFP Congregational Communications.] Sr. M. Gudrun Müller, SPSF and Sr. Irmtraud Thurn, SPSF Dear Sisters,
For months we had waited for this day and then it arrived! Sr. Gudrun and I were able to make our journey to the General Chapter of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Congregation in Goiânia in Brazil. . . . We sat at the [airplane] window and were able to look out frequently. The moon was a small crescent in the night sky. Its light fell on the clouds beneath us, which surged and moved like the ocean. Over all this stretched the vault of the black sky with millions of stars. This was a fabulous sight! . . . On September 25 we celebrated Vespers and Mass with the Benedictines. This was attended almost exclusively by young people whose complexions were widely different. Brazil is a melting pot of peoples. They sang accompanied by guitars, brightly, loudly and enthusiastically. The convent has such a large influx of new religious, that it transfers the young monks to other monasteries. . . Today, September 26, we experience some of the vastness of Brazil. For three hours we were driven through the countryside to visit the Sisters in Ipamerí and Pires do Rio. On the road riddled with holes our small bus was jolting along over countless small hills. The Sisters in Ipamerí receive us joyfully in their beautiful and well kept house. The kindergarten children are waiting for us expectantly; they want to show us something and have prepared a gift for each Sister. They are dressed up in costumes and sing and play the well known song in Portuguese: “Sleeping Beauty was a Beautiful Child!” Today, September 29, is the opening day of the General Chapter. The theme is: Then the Areas follow, in the order of their date of foundation. We Germans are the first ones, dating back to 1845, followed by the US, dating back to 1858, then Italy (1939), Brazil (1960) and Senegal (1978). On both sides of the entrance are Associates with a bowl of water in which float small pink blossoms. This is for the blessing of the entrance door and of all the Chapter members. In the hall we go to our places.
The Litany of the Saints is sung by two Benedictine monks and accompanied by a guitar; all respond. Then dancing girls accompany a statue of Mother Frances, which is brought in and placed in the center of the candle, Bible and cross. Sr. Tiziana solemnly opens the General Chapter. A text of Mother Frances from 1862 is read aloud. After a prayer for love and a moment of silence follows a prayer of thanksgiving for the foundations in all countries of the congregation. Each group brings its own symbol of wounded creation to the middle of the place. An appropriate song concludes the ceremony. Each in her own language speaks a pre-printed promise with regard to the Chapter. . . . After the prayers each Chapter participant is called by her name and answers in her own language: “Here I am.” In this way she expresses her readiness to be completely available. Now, Sr. M. Gudrun reads the letter of greeting from the general leadership in Aachen:
The Sisters are very happy and applaud heartily. The spiritual opening of the day was followed by a short greeting by Sr. Tiziana who gave the floor to the moderator Sr. Dorothy Monikowski, an amiable lady who had tremendous personal appeal. She is a Sister from another Franciscan community in the US. She declared the most important issue to be tackled by the Chapter participants was the 49th birthday of Sr. Tiziana! In all languages the individual areas sang the song, which was also known to us as “Happy Birthday to You” for the current Congregational Minister. On behalf of Germany, Sr. Gudrun played this song on her recorder; this was joyfully received by everyone.
On the Feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2, Sr. Josetta Lonnemann joined us. She had been working in Brazil for twenty years before she returned to the US. Together with our interpreter, Sr. Elfriede, she mediated between the languages represented: English, German, Italian and Portuguese. . . The Bishop of Ipamerí, Dom Antônio Werlang came for the Mass. His ancestors had emigrated in 1825 from the Hunsrück Mountains in Germany, and the family had greatly increased since then. On October 3, the Feast of the Transitus, the birds were quiet until the sun rose. But then they sang and screeched loudly in all different keys. Every day this was a new experience and the sky always showed in different hues, red, pink, blue, depending on how many little clouds the still invisible sun was shining on. It was just lovely, and every morning I was waiting expectantly for the new performance in the sky! . . . For the Transitus ritual, the worldwide connectedness across all continents was palpable. In the hall were representatives of North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia - because Sr. Armida hails from the Philippines! Our text booklet was in English – but we were able to follow it quite well. The daily practice does help. . . .
Saturday, October 4 – Feast of St. Francis - Today, a large number of people waving flags lined our way to the meeting hall. Loudspeakers made noise in the morning hours; the political campaign for tomorrow’s [Brazil national elections] had reached its last phase. After having arrived at the meeting area, the rallying cry changed to “Frohes Fest – happy feast – bona feta – boa festa – buona festa!” St. Francis replaced politics and became the center of attention. Today, October 6, the second week of General Chapter meetings began. Sr. Dorothy addressed the delegates again and said that they should all humbly ask for the will of God and open themselves to God’s answer. During the afternoon the Chapter participants drew up the final list of nominations, which went surprisingly swiftly, so that the program for the next day could be changed and was brought forward. As usual, this shared part concluded with the celebration of Mass, today again in the African mode, and joint dinner thereafter.
October 8 is Election Day!. . . .Here during a Chapter it is customary that the candidates who have been nominated for an office will explain to those present before the election how they understand the office, which abilities they have, how they want to play their part, what they need for the office and what their limitations are. Afterwards the voting Sisters shared some information among each other and after that came the elections. . . .
On October 9, these Sisters were elected: Italy- Sr Gianna Giovannangeli, Senegal - Sr. Laura Cantello, US - Sr. Joanne Schuster. . . .During lunch there were celebrations. As usual, the food was wonderful, but they also served wine and even better desserts than usual. Some Sisters congratulated with much ado and with two bottles of champagne. They let the corks shoot through the entire hall. Then, everyone who wished got a symbolic sip of champagne. October 10 is the last day of the General Chapter – this rings in the end of a wonderful time. . . . During this last assembly day, the decisions of the Chapter were visualized for all on the large wall and were read aloud. After all possible questions had been asked, the Chapter participants confirmed these well formulated decisions that had been written down. This was followed by some work in groups during which the Sisters were to think about how they would communicate in their surroundings the events, the importance and the spirit of these days, how they would live the direction taken here so that everything could evolve in the community and in their surroundings. With the last session of the Chapter in the afternoon began the closing festivities. Sr. Tiziana thanked all: individuals, groups and all together for their participation and that they had come. She particularly thanked the Brazilian Sisters who by their dedication had made this Chapter in Goiânia possible. She also thanked the translators, photographers, the technicians, who also thanked her. They said that they had never experienced something like this Chapter and that they had been deeply impressed. They felt it would have a wider significance for them. Even the architects and engineers who had built this building with great effort in time for the Chapter were not forgotten. During this period of giving thanks, we also thanked Sr. Tiziana and all Sisters: Dear Sister Tiziana and all Sisters: We sincerely thank you for the invitation to your General Chapter. We were glad to come. Thank you. We have experienced much hospitality, love, courtesy and warmth from all Sisters in this beautiful country. Mother Frances has daughters on five continents and in eight countries. We are glad that this more theoretical knowledge has now been filled with life. We knew many names. Now these names have faces. We learned many new things, for instance the tolerance and love between cultures and languages, the unity in the succession of Jesus in the spirit of St. Francis and of Blessed Mother Frances. The seeds we collected here we will take with us in order to sow them in the native country of Mother Frances. We hope that they will grow and bear fruit and that we together will live our vocation in an ever deeper way, Then came the grand liturgical finale with a Mass celebrated by Dom Washington Cruz, Archbishop of Goiânia, during which a professional music group provided the music. To the melody of the ‘Ode to Joy,’ a Brazilian Sister carried the Gospel book high above her head into the hall. In a procession followed the seven newly elected Sisters of the leadership team, holding a colorful ribbon several feet long that emanated from the Gospel book. This was such a deep and symbolic act.
This Mass celebration was international. The Sisters working in Senegal brought the Eucharistic Gifts to the altar. This was accompanied by a Senegalese dance presented by Associate Justin Senghor and Sr. Marie Augustine. At the end of Mass, Sr. Tiziana declared the 13th General Chapter closed. The Archbishop blessed us and the recently constructed building. The evening ended in a real Brazilian party. A Brazilian feast day usually celebrated in June in honor of St. Anthony, John the Baptist and Peter and Paul was celebrated for us in October. There were many booths offering local specialties, fresh corn on the cob, savory pastry pockets with slightly sweet filling, many types of soup with spices from sweet to hot and more….and whoever wanted to get rid of these calories just eaten could do this on the dance floor accompanied by Brazilian sounds. Lively dances were demonstrated. Even a Samba with Sr. Thalyta, a young professed member from Brazil! On October 11 some Sisters have left already and the remaining twenty others who will depart tomorrow morning were able to make use of the time and go out. So, a small bus drove to Cristalino, a city known for its jewelry. For four hours we were jolted through the Cerrado. Sr. Irmtraud suggested that I count the cows that we saw. I estimated directly 3221 – and termite hills in the millions. It now looks a little greener since some strong thunderstorms and rains have soaked the ground. Before this, there had been six months of dry season!
On the morning of October 12 we said good-bye to a large group of Italian Sisters who left for the airport already at 9 am. This day was largely a departure day. Sr. Tiziana as well as many U.S. Sisters left Goiânia. On our way to the airport we once more gazed at the surroundings, observed the roads lined with palm trees and flowering trees, but also the humble houses behind their walls and the dust of the hot road. We were met at the airport by Srs. Katharina Maria, Susanne and Maria Ursula, Martina Maria, Arsenia and Maria Honoria. We had really not expected such a welcome by so many. We thank you for your prayers with which you accompanied us. We were so well protected and sheltered. God be thanked! Fond greetings to all of you. Yours, Sr. M. Gudrun and Sr. Irmtraud |
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