Amerindia Province: from Mary Ward Week to the conflict in Ukraine

Spiritual Exercises 2022

During the Mary Ward Week, we are always in the time of the annual Spiritual Exercises. This year we were four Countries: Argentina in one group (and one sister isolated by COVID), Brazil, three groups in different cities, Chile two groups and some sisters alone and Peru two sisters in different places. This is possible thanks to the virtual reality: united in dispersion! Our SE were guided by Sister Gemma Simmonds CJ England. It was a beautiful experience of praying in synodality as Mary Ward women. Once we gathered for the SE some of the groups took the opportunity to pray together for Mary Ward Week and on 30/01, we celebrated Mary together with our sisters Maria Celia who celebrated 25 years and Francisca who celebrated 60 years of consecrated life.

Here is a short video of this wonderful experience:

Some were encouraged to attend the creative proposal of MW Week.

What about our schools?

Each College chooses a date to celebrate MW week. Some in August and others in the last week of October, and from this work, very nice things come out that we can share later.

In one of the schools in Brazil, the MW week starts on Monday 21st, praying and reflecting with the teachers, and these same teachers will then do the same with the students.

For now, from the communication area, we are raising awareness about the war: #Wearewithyou sending good energies to the Mary Ward Family and to the people of Ukraine. On Monday 21st, some lay people (teachers) and some sisters, we met by Zoom with a sister from Slovakia… a space to share and support our sisters who are closer to this reality and who have touched the pain of God’s people.

Veraní CJ