From August 30th to September 1st, at the Saint John Paul II Pastoral Center in Garoua, a regional assembly of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was held with the following theme: “Repercussions of the 2019 General Chapter”.
After the sisters who were capitulars and those who were at a distance took time to share their lived experiences of the Chapter, the Acts of the Chapter were presented, one at a time, under the following headings: Integral Ecology, Associates, Constitutions, Governance, Formation and Economic Viability… In the assembly, as well as in small reflection groups, each point was the subject of discussion with questions and answers. However, in light of the situation of our Region, we reflected and put greater emphasis on “Economic Viability”. With the help of a social development consultant and the experience of the Chapter capitulars, we were made aware of how human and financial resources contribute to the life of the Congregation. To arrive at this, we began to make an inventory of the things we could do, on our level, for the upcoming pastoral year: emphasize salaries, the renting of available bedrooms and meeting rooms, the creation of other activities for the generation of income whenever possible. “Subject to the common law of work, each sister accepts the demands of the task entrusted to her. With others, she tries to promote more just and more fraternal conditions of life.” (RR. 29.1) May each sister be concerned with contributing toward the support of others. Mission is not possible without the basic means for living and fulfilling it.
In conclusion, we can say that this initial feedback from the 2019 General Chapter has allowed us to become more aware of our human, material and financial participation in the life of the Congregation in general, and in our life as a Region in particular. This awareness, and the choosing of concrete means, marks the beginning of a long journey of conversion in our way of living as Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.