Fr Javier & Sr Kathleen visit the Province
27 -31 May 2010 Fr Javier Alvarez CM, Director General of the Daughters of Charity, and Sr Kathleen Appler DC, General Councillor, arrived from the Mother House in Paris to visit the Sisters of the Province. Their stay is part of the Province's 350th Jubilee Celebration of the deaths of our Founders - Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. These special days provided an opportunity to link with the Company worldwide and to renew ourselves in the spirit of our vocation.
Programme
27th May - arrival at Glasgow
Airport
28th May - day with the Sisters in St Catherine's, Lanark
29th May - day with the Sisters in Christopher Grange, Liverpool
31st May - day day with the Sisters in Mill Hill, London
The visit also included stop-overs to the Sisters' communities of
Muirhouse, Southport and Warley.
Helping with the translation from Spanish to English and vice-versa were Sr Christine Mura from the USA Province of Albany, along with Sisters Joyce Howard and Bernadette Ryder from our own Province.
They were joy-filled days providing opportunities for mutual sharing and the chance to pause awhile and reflect on the meaning of our lives and vocation. Fr Javier singled out 6 touchstones:
- The centrality of Jesus Christ
- Being Daughters of the Church
- Capacity to adapt to changing times
- Trusting the laity
- Simplicity of life-style
- Continually working at our own formation
As we waved "Goodbye" to Fr Javier and Sr Kathleen we were saying farewell to "family members" - a much loved brother and sister whom we hope will come back and visit again soon!