The New General Council. From left to right: Sister Huguette PROVOST, Sister Louise TOUCHETTE, SG and Sister Anne-Marie FREARSON.
“A bud is emerging from the old tree rich in 200 years of history. Providence has many surprises in store for us!” This is the symbolic echo heard during the General Chapter of the Sisters of Providence of Saint-Brieuc that has just ended from 3rd to 13th May 2022, in the White Island, in Locquirec, Finistère, France. A new General Council was elected: Sister Louise TOUCHETTE is the New Superior General, assisted by two Councillors, Sister Huguette PROVOST and Sister Anne-Marie FREARSON.
In particular, the request for the integration of young women from Nebbi, Uganda into the Congregation was received positively. Placed under the sign of this phrase of the Acts of the Apostles: « In this World that God loves, Seeing the grace of God at work, He was in Joy. He urged them to remain firmly attached to the Lord» Acts 11, 23-24, the 14 Capitulant Sisters lived this Chapter with the help of Bro. Yannick Houssay, Apostolic Assistant of the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence and Sister Micheline Tremblay, Animator.
Let us dive into the heart of a Historical Chapter of the Congregation whose Founder is Jean-Marie de la Mennais.
The Capitulates carried by the inspiring and invigorating air of the Seaside.
The faces of the Daughters of Providence will look younger!
“The request for integration of the young women of NEBBI was at the heart of our journey, testified the Sisters Louise, Huguette and Anne-Marie, members of the New General Council of the Congregation. The YES that we gave in favour of this request coloured the other items on the Agenda.
The faces of the Daughters of Providence will «turn younger» and we will have some adaptations to make, habits to dust off. Making room to welcome the one who comes is full of promise but also comes with its demands… The message of the Chapter that you receive gives a lot of space to this novelty: let us open our HEARTS to welcome it!
YES to the integration of the Sisters of Nebbi
The following is published in the Acts of the General Chapter, in the inspired Spirit of this moment:
In the Chapter of 2014,
“We recognize that the Spirit brings the Congregation into an unexpected path of fraternal alliance, with an emerging Community group.
Let us give thanks to the Lord for this open path of trust and abandonment to Providence. We ask Him to show us the best ways to live this mutual brotherhood.”
In the Chapter of 2017,
“The Sisters of the young Community are nourished by our Spirituality, rooted in our history, discover our charism. This fraternity is a source of Joy and Dynamism for our Congregation. We see the signs that Providence is ahead of us in this adventure and invites us to move forward with trust.”
In December 2019, Bishop Sanctus Wanok, Founder of the Nebbi group, made an official request to our Congregation to integrate young women, who had been on their way to Nebbi since 2012 in the Congregation of the Daughters of Providence of St-Brieuc.
With the messages of our last two Chapters, discernment and information shared in the Chapter of 2022, we recognize that Providence always calls our Institute to move forward with trust.
Notre Dame de l’accueil: statue in the Chapel of the White Island: a symbol.
The Chapter of 2022 gave its full agreement to integrate into the Congregation of the Daughters of Providence of Saint-Brieuc, the young women who are already on the way in Nebbi and to welcome women the Lord will go on calling according to our charism!
The Chapter wants the ‘Nebbi Group’ to become a Sector on the same basis as the other Sectors: Uganda Sector.
Group of Sisters, Novices and Postulants in March 2022 in Nebbi, Uganda.
Rendez-vous on September 8th and December 8th, 2022
The establishment of the Uganda Sector will be done in stages: opening celebration of the Uganda Sector, ideally on September 8th, 2022, day of the Birth of Father Mennais and the Religious Professions in the FDLP Congregation on December 8th , 2022.
The General Council will also be surrounded by an International Finance Committee.
With the integration of the Nebbi group, we become aware that we are becoming a more International and Multicultural Congregation. It is for us a source of joy and hope, certain that the Spirit is at work, that He has preceded us.”
During these days lived in the White Island, the capitulates allowed themselves to be challenged by all the contributions coming from all the Sisters and Sectors. We could feel that the Institute was animated by the same Spirit and that it facilitated decision-making or policy-making.
“Seeing the grace of God at work” in this World that God loves and especially in our journey with the young Community of Nebbi, we were filled with JOY. We feel called to share this Joy widely in a World so sorely tried, lacking in Joy and Hope. This mission is possible and invigorating if we remain with a “firm heart, attached to the Lord”.
Sister Louise TOUCHETTE, New Superior General.
Let us continue our Mission, united in this drive to make Jesus Christ known and loved in this World that God loves!”
