Our hearts are filled with joy and a song of thanksgiving for the gift of the days spent together with Sr. M. Clementine Kazadi and Sr. M. Louise O’Rourke, general councillors, who visited our Delegation from the 19th to the 31st May.
Their presence made us feel the closeness of the entire Congregation as we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the presence of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master in Australia on May 23rd, the Pauline Feast of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. The thanksgiving Mass, which took place in our chapel in Strathfield, was presided over by the Most Rev. Anthony Percy, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, and concelebrated by the priests of the Society of St. Paul, as well as by Fr. Joseph Lu OFM, the parish priest of St. Dominic’s Church, and his assistant priest, Fr. Harry Chan OFM. The Sisters of the Australian Delegation were joined by the community of the Daughters of St. Paul and several invited guests. The Eucharistic celebration was rich in different cultural elements and languages, which highlighted the beauty of the internationality of our communities.
In her welcome speech, Sr. M. Anetta Szczykutowicz, Delegation leader, said: “We are here today to celebrate and thank God for the 70 years of the presence of the Sister Disciples in Australia. We owe it to the obedience of Mother Annunziata Stanizzi and Sr. Laurentina Bertero to the Founder, Fr. James Alberione, to start the community in Australia. They arrived in Sydney on February 26, 1956. The opening of this mission truly stands as a testament to deep faith and profound obedience to Blessed James Alberione’s vision. Mother Annunziata and Sr. Laurentina arrived in Australia without knowledge of the local language and with minimal possessions, they relied entirely on the spiritual preparation gained through long hours of Eucharistic Adoration. Many other missionaries followed and contributed to the weaving of our specific charism into the fabric of the Australian Church and society. We pay a special tribute to the three remaining members of the very first pioneer community: Sr. Ilaria Oyama, Sr. Angelica Shirota, and Sr. Bernadette Abdilla who are still here with us.”
Sr. Clementine and Sr. Louise, together with the greetings of our Superior General, Sr. M. Bernardita Meráz Sotelo, brought the Blessing of Pope Leo XIV, and the gift of a new chalice for our chapel. We were also blessed to receive the first edition of the Letters of Mother Scholastica.
During the Delegation Assembly on the 24th and 25th of May, we had the opportunity to take the time to look at the past with gratitude, consider the present with realism, and look to the future with hope. The encounters, animated by the general councillors, allowed us to savour the beauty of being one Family of disciples united in the school of the Divine Master, who assures us, “Do not be afraid. I am with you until the end of the world.”
Now we set out with a renewed desire to live as true missionary disciples sent to bring the balm of God’s love to those who await us on the roads of great and promising Oceania.
