Symbols for our Unity

Editorial

      The theme of this new issue of Sharing Trentaprile is rather special in that it presents the symbols which unite us as one family: Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and Missionaries of Africa, born of a common apostolic project. They are able to rekindle our sense of belonging, stirring up in us along with some emotion, a recall of our history. To remember does not only mean to evoke a past. It also means to recall our origins and to motivate us to resolutely turn towards the future!

      It is true that this theme does not appear to come directly under the heading: Millennium Objectives for development, which all the issues of Sharing wanted to bring to mind since the beginning of 2007. These Objectives continue to challenge us since they also focus on Africa. Africa defines our identity in comparison with other missionary Institutes. If others like us are inspired by the " All to all " of St. Paul, they chose to open up to the whole world. This, however, was not the first objective of our two Lavigerie families founded especially for Africa, this characteristic which Msgr. Lavigerie and Mother Marie-Salomé after him, have always wanted to conserve very preciously. By the simple fact of its charism for Africa, the Congregation has felt itself directly challenged by these Objectives and their realisation in Africa and for Africa.

      Africa? It is already such an integral part of our name, that which justifies the place Our Lady of Africa holds in our religious family. It is truly our part of the mission of Christ. For all of us, is it not like "A seal on our heart" as is so well stated in the lovely title of one of our MVA brochures? It is one of the points arising in the responses received from the three provinces. But it is not the only one. Discover the others having a relative importance as seen in two parts herein: the "Main theme" and the "Walk through the Archives".

      You may find several important points concerning the origins of these symbols, what they represent for us, the value we give them and how we use them in our encounters. We have also to know that some among them, notably the Pelican, are not exclusively ours. By the very fact of its significance for the person of Christ, the Pelican is often used by others, as on the base of works of art in Catholic churches throughout the world.

      The "Walk through the Archives" completes the history of these symbols. It concerns more especially those which have been transported from our former Mother-House in Algiers to the actual Generalate, first in Frascati and now in Rome; or those, though staying in Algiers, are still part of our patrimony after leaving St. Charles the cradle of our first steps.
 
      The reading of all these texts may help us to become more aware of the artistic dimension of what was the spiritual life of our first sisters. That is indeed the aim!
      As usual, "Sharing of Life" offers us reading matter on two aspects of what some among us have lived these past months, as well as the notice of a new book published by one among us.
      These "Communications " present another aspect of the life of the Congregation, and in their own way, build up communion among us.

      You will receive this issue approaching the summer holiday season and time new beginning for each one. So, happy holidays! Make the most of it for both spiritual and physical renewal...

Lucie Pruvost

The MSOLA and their preferred Symbols

Thanks to a consultation launched through the Provincials, it is possible today to present how some of us perceive the different symbols which can demonstrate our charism to the Churches and individuals we encounter. Five sisters chosen from the different regions of the Congregation were asked to respond to a common questionnaire. They were: Madeleine Lacoursière (82), 60 years professed, Canada ; Marion Carabott (73), 45 years professed, U.K. ; Ingrid Hager (47), 16 years professed, Mexico ; Lucile Habimana (37), 8 years professed, West Africa ; and Anafrida Biro (36), 3 years professed, Mauritania. We are grateful to them all for taking part.

      The diversity of ages and lengths of time in our MSOLA family enables us to show the variety of approaches. One of the responses (Anafrida Biro's) was prepared in community. The others are individual responses. All five are grouped here by themes around three points:
I. The different symbols and their origins.
II.  What does each one represent for us?
III. How are they used, in the Church or elsewhere, and among ourselves?

Partage Trentaprile

I. OUR PREFERRED SYMBOLS AND THEIR ORIGIN

      The enumeration given by the responses allows us to draw up a list of 14 symbols. There was unanimity for Africa, the photographs of Our Lady of Africa and our new Cross. Next came the photographs of the Cardinal and Mother Marie-Salomé (4); the Pelican, sometimes accompanied by the Caritas motto (2); Our Lady of the Vow, whose statue stands in the garden of the Generalate (2); our Constitutions (2); "esprit de corps" or the Body (cf. St Paul) (2); and finally, with once each, the Sancta Maria, Prayer to Our Lady of Africa, "All to all", our MSOLA name, our ring, the four bells brought from Algeria to the Generalate, a beehive and, for the LMNDA, a circle of friendship. While some respondents were content to provide a list, others expanded on the origin of these symbols and their history.

      Our first name has been the "INSTITUTE OF THE FARMING AND NURSING SISTERS OF VENERABLE GERONIMO", placed under the patronage of Our Lady of Africa. This name expressed the major activities of our first sisters who mainly worked in the fields to give food and care to the orphans and the sick.
      Venerable Geronimo, an Algerian martyr, gave his life preferring to be killed than to apostatize. He was buried alive in a block of cement in 1569, when a fort, called "The twenty-four hours" was being built. In December 1853, the fort was demolished and there they found his body. This event gave a great hope to the missionaries who were touched by the unshakable faith of this Algerian young man. Lavigerie promoted the process of beatification of Venerable Geronimo, but in 1870 the dossier got lost, and the name gradually disappeared from the titles of our missionary societies. There was no longer any trace of it in 1875, and both, the Society of the Fathers and the Congregation of the Sisters have remained under the protection of Our Lady of Africa.

      Then, little by little, our name was transformed. Already in November 1869, we were called the
"SISTERS OF THE FOREIGN MISSIONS" and in January 1871 the Cardinal also called us the
"SISTERS OF THE MISSIONS OF AFRICA". In 1876 he gave us a new name:
"SOCIETY OF THE RELIGIOUS OF OUR LADY OF THE MISSION OF AFRICA OF ALGIERS", then in 1882,
"SOCIETY OF TEACHING AND NURSING SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF AFRICA". In 1886, we became
"CONGREGATION OF SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE MISSIONS OF AFRICA OF ALGIERS". New change in 1887: "CONGREGATION OF MISSIONARY SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE MISSIONS OF ALGIERS" once more transformed in 1895: "CONGREGATION OF MISSIONARY RELIGIOUS OF OUR LADY OF AFRICA". Since 1910, we bear our actual name: "CONGREGATION OF MISSIONARY SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF AFRICA".

Ingrid Hager

     
      The content of our name was analysed by several respondents. Africa first of all - this continent is a fundamental part of our historical patrimony and of our charism. Ingrid Hager presented its origin.

      In November 1866, after the death of Bishop Pavy, Lavigerie received a letter of consultation from Marshal Mac-Mahon then Governor General of Algeria. The latter invited Charles Lavigerie to come to Algiers and to take over from the late Bishop. Lavigerie accepted after discerning God's will for him and envisioned Algiers like an open door to the African continent, ready to welcome the Good News.

      Marion Carabott joined another symbol - our MSOLA Cross on an outline of the map of Africa.

 

The story of her origin can be summarized in short way. The first Bishop of Algiers, Right Reverend Adolphe Dupuch, obtained a copy of the statue entitled 'Mary, Virgo Fidelis', sculpted by Gallien Choiselat, France, and brought it to the bishop's residence in Africa. The second Bishop of Algiers, Right Reverend Louis-Augustin Pavy decided to build a pilgrimage church to Our Lady, above the Bay of Algiers. He chose the title of Our Lady of Africa for the shrine. He began to build a bigger, permanent shrine which his successor Charles Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers, completed. On the 4th May 1873, Archbishop Lavigerie transferred the statue to its permanent shrine. In 1876, Pope Pius IX bestowed the title of Basilica on the shrine and Archbishop Lavigerie crowned the statue. (Cf. R. Deillon, With open arms, Rome, march 2007, pp. 3-4).

      The statue of Our Lady is black, adorned with a golden crown and a rich vestment of blue velvet embroidered with a golden thread in 'Mejboud' style (Algerian embroidery inspired from oriental arabesques). The statue is placed on a pillar built and decorated by an Algerian artist giving it an oriental character. His art expresses the intention that varied cultures move towards a union of all believers, Muslims and Christians, around Mary, the Mother of all. This outreach is reflected in the gold-lettered inscription which says: "Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Muslims".

Since the very beginning we were put under her protection and finally we came to bear her name as a religious congregation. The hymn "Sancta Maria" has been known at that time and people were used to sing it to Our Lady.

Ingrid Hager

      The Sancta Maria, a gathering hymn used on certain occasions, which takes us back to the early days of the Congregation (Madeleine Lacoursière).

      The statue of Our Lady of Africa was offered to the first bishop of Algiers, Mgr Dupuch, when he visited a school run by religious sisters in Lyon, France, on 5 May 1840. The pupils offered it to him as  a  gift for Algiers. At that time, the statue was often called simply "Our Lady". It was Mgr Pavy, successor to Mgr Dupuch, who named it "Our Lady of Africa". Mgr Lavigerie, who succeeded him, inherited Mgr Pavy's love for Our Lady of Africa. Today, the statue still stands in the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers (Anafrida Biro).

The same sister combines it with Our Lady of the Vow: When Cardinal Lavigerie prepared a "dissolution order" for the Congregation, Mother Marie Salomé and her assistant threw themselves at the feet of Our Lady of Africa, speaking to her like children to their mother. They made a vow to have a statue of the Virgin erected in front of the Mother House, if she saved the Congregation. The favour they asked for was granted and a statue was erected bearing this name.

      The Pelican with its young and the word Caritas were chosen by Mgr Lavigerie at the time of his episcopal ordination (Anafrida Biro).

      When he was appointed bishop of  Nancy, the future Cardinal Lavigerie, who was  also the future founder of our Congregation, chose the Pelican for his coat of arms. He explained the meaning by taking for his motto the word "Caritas", which later expanded for us by repeating very often, "Love one another, remain united in thought, truly form a large family, have a strong "esprit de corps". ( Madeleine Lacoursière)

      Since ancient times the lion has been a popular symbol of strength and power. Our founder, however, chose to symbolize strength and power with Caritas, and the Pelican that pricks open its heart so as to feed its young with its own blood. The pelican is indeed an old symbol. Already in 1601, Shakespeare, in Hamlet, makes Laertes say:  "And like the life-rendering Pelican, I feed them with my blood."

Bishop Lavigerie came to choose the Pelican for his coat of arms through a growing love for God and the missions. In May 1844 the seminarian Lavigerie listened to a conference given by Bishop Emmanuel Verrolles, Member of the Society of the Foreign Missions and Vicar Apostolic of Manchuria, China. Bishop Verrolles came to Paris sent by the Central Council for the Propagation of Faith to make known the distress of Christians in foreign lands. At that time Lavigerie felt for the first time his vocation for the missions - and this bishop had the pelican on his coat of arms...
      A few years later, the first bishop of Algiers, Bishop Adolphe Dupuch, came to Paris. Lavigerie who was preparing a celebration of first communion asked Bishop Dupuch to preside the Holy Eucharist. Bishop Dupuch spoke to the children in such burning terms that he lit the fire of zeal in Lavigerie's heart, - and he chose the pelican for his coat of arms...

      Our founder chose the pelican and "Caritas" as his motto, because that has been the inner source during all his life. Charity is the Law of the Gospel and its practice constitutes in itself a preaching of the Gospel. He insisted that novices, both Sisters and Fathers, would be trained in this virtue: "Of them too one may say what Our Lord said to His Apostles: The sign by which the world will know that you are my disciples is the love you have for one another. May this thought inspire all their actions, stimulate them in their work; may it console them in their sorrows, make them ready for any sacrifice, and strengthen them so that they recoil from nothing" (Novitiate Rule, Feb 1884).

      "Love the people to whom you are sent. Love Africa (...) I have loved everything about our Africa... Do not allow yourselves be taken for anything but genuine apostles, inspired by an impartial love for all the races and nations. This is the law of the Gospel... My ambition is that people will say of your Society that it is eminently Catholic" (1890, Cf. Document Lavigerie 1825-1892, November 1991, pp 17-18).

THE INTERNATIONAL CHARACTER of missionary communities is perhaps one of the finest expressions of the principle of being "all to all", and a living missionary word of witness. The decision of making oneself "all to all" can be found already with St. Paul in 1 Co 9:22.  It implies total commitment, total gift of self and total dedication. Ingrid Hager

Initially, we wore a big crucifix with a red cord symbolizing our ardent love of Christ and of the peoples of Africa, not recoiling before any hardship, even death and martyrdom, for the good of the Kingdom. In 1966, at the chapter of aggiornamento, there have been various changes and renewals. It was then that the shape of the cross was being changed to the present one. ( Ingrid Hager) "The Cross is the way of truth. It is a sign of God's love for all of us and for everyone... - a love which renounces power and strength, a love which expresses itself in weakness and renunciation" (André Beauchamp).

    The Crucified One on our original cross was visible and this aroused controversies in Muslim countries for whom, according to the Koran, Jesus did not die on the cross, but another person was substituted for him. Towards the 1970s, in order to defuse the controversy aroused among people from different religions about this representation, Mother Mechthildis, the Superior General at the time, had a cross-made in Germany. It is this one which we now wear and which goes very well with our lay dress. ( Madeleine Lacoursière)

 

5. "ESPRIT DE CORPS" OR THE BODY, an image to which the Cardinal was very attached.

      I remember an old picture of our sisters who were still at St. Charles in Algiers and who were in a circle around our Lady of the Vow... I think it was the time of departure of the general Council from Algiers to Rome at the time of the transfer of the Generalate to the Holy City. Later on I saw a new version of a group of our sisters in lay dress around our the statue of Our Lady in Viale Trenta Aprile... Being united in a circle around our Lady conveyed to me this sense of our belonging to one family, and expressed the "esprit de corps" (Marion Carabott).

The image of the Body originates from 1 Co 12:12 and stands for unity and interdependence.  This image is used in the young Kizito-Anuarité movement, showing how to help one another and live in solidarity.       A beehive - Many bees live together in the same hive. They all have the same "vocation" to help carry the pollen from flower to flower and from tree to tree, while also bringing enough back to the hive to produce the honey. They truly have an "esprit de corps". (Anafrida Biro)

6. ANOTHER SYMBOL

Let's mention another important symbol for the MSOLA/LMNDA, namely the circle of friendship, which is very meaningful.  This symbol offers opportunities for reflection. We belong to a large family and keep in mind the wish of the Founder and of Mother Marie-Salomé, who reminded us often to "Be united among yourselves, be sisters to one another". This is why we try our best to form a good Lavigerie family. (Madeleine Lacoursière)

II. WHAT DO THESE SYMBOLS REPRESENT FOR US?
     
1. INGRID HAGER

      The Cross: Whenever I see a sister wearing this cross, whether I met her before or not, I know immediately that she is one of us. It gives me a sense of belonging, of membership and joy. I feel at home wherever I find a house with sisters of ours, united in the same vocation. We didn't choose one another, but each one of us has been called to live as one family of sisters. Following Christ, who loves us and keeps calling us, we allow him to form and shape us into the community of believers he dreams of. We learn to dialogue and to grow in unity respecting our differences. The cross is part of life, and by taking it up with love and faith at every moment without avoiding its pain and dying to something, we receive the gift of new life, of resurrection. Like Christ we are called to become Eucharistic persons, bread to be broken and shared.

      The cross also reminds me that we are women apostles proclaiming not a doctrine but a person; we give witness to the living Christ who always and truly loves us, who had been crucified by us, human beings, and raised from death to life by God, and now is the Lord of all, God of all.

      The Pelican: To me, the pelican expresses total love, total gift of self so that the others may live. Life comes from the very heart, from the pierced and opened heart, from a wound. The pelican gives the very blood that is essential to live. Christ, represented by the pelican, does not only give a bit from his blood but all of it, because he loves to the end and without condition. It reminds me of the Good Shepherd, who said that there is no greater love than laying down one's life for others - Jesus did it. By shedding his blood and dying for us, he didn't lose his Life; on the contrary, he gained it and is alive in the ones whom he fed. In fact, God gives birth to a new people that is filled with His/Her own Spirit and Life. At times, especially during encounters when the image of God resembles rather a judge, a policeman, a dictator, etc. , it is good to reveal the heart of God which is full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, longing and thirsting for us.

Africa: Already since my childhood, I feel a great love for Africa and its people. I enjoyed hearing the stories and experiences told by the Missionaries of Africa who came on home leave, and in my family, we prayed daily for the mission in Africa and for the missionaries.       In Mozambique I heard a song sung by a Zimbabwean lady, Mai Charamba, with the title "Africa, restore your identity." She sang: "People say that Africa is a continent of hunger, disease, war, a continent cursed by God; and God says that Africa is a continent created with love; its people are precious and redeemed by Jesus, a continent blessed by God". Then follows the crucial question: "Whom do you believe? The people or God?" This song touched me a lot and reminded me of the words in our Constitutions, n°11: "Through him, each person is saved. In him, each person is loved and called to communion with the Father and with all humankind."       I also hear Jesus saying: "Your faith has saved you". After my short missionary life in Africa, I came to the conviction that the new life and real hope in Africa are found in the many people who come to meet the living God (not religions or denominations) who is Love, believe in Him/Her and let themselves be transformed into new, loving, free, fearless beings.

      Our Lady of Africa: Allow me to tell you my "eye opener" experience in Espungabera in October 1995: Our community, together with Odile Striby, prepared the celebration of her perpetual vows. We studied the local customs and symbols because we intended to use them to express her "Yes" to the covenant she was about to sign between God and her. The Vandau people use to sniff tobacco in their ceremonies to express their union with their ancestors in the invisible world. For most people, however, it was impossible to use African traditional symbols in a catholic church, because these were two very different faith traditions. Although we tried to explain that we all belong to one God and that the local tradition is not evil, they kept insisting of keeping the two religions apart. Just about two days before the feast, we had a last preparatory meeting and were ready to drop our desire for an inculturated Eucharist for some time later, when one elder of the village stood up and said: "So far we turned in prayer to Our Lady of Fatima (Mozambique was colonized by the Portuguese) and so we adapted ourselves to her. These sisters here, however, are the ones of Our Lady of Africa, and this Mother knows us, understands us and accepts our tradition". At that moment, everybody accepted the use of tobacco for our profession ritual.

      And I asked myself: who really is Our Lady of Africa? I never saw her as an African Mother, as someone who could have such an impact on the people in the process of evangelization. I started to investigate about her so as to know her better and love her more. Here is something of my discoveries... from "the prayer to Our Lady of Africa":

      Right from the beginning, she is called the "Mother of us all". It means, she is a MOTHER and all the children are hers, and not even one is excluded. She is the Mother of all because she said to the God of all "I am all yours".

"Mother" means she is open and receptive to God's grace so as to give birth to holiness in the world. She conceives and bears forth life into the world - and all women too. She is filled with the same desire as God: uniting all the children into one single family in which everybody belongs and finds true happiness.
     
      Being a mother, she tells them where they come from and where they'll go, their history which goes far back to the ancestors, the wisdom of the people and of life. She cares for her children and has a special love for the weaker ones; she teaches with her own example, with poems, songs, stories, art, parables, colours, music, dance, riddles, and many other creative means. She is concerned about each one's well-being, not only physical but also spiritual and emotional. Children are gifts from God to the world and manifestations of God's love. Usually they are many and each one is unique, and she relates to each one personally. She does everything so that they may mature, develop their skills, relate like true brothers and sisters, and when needed, she challenges, encourages, corrects, defends, teaches to forgive; in short, she prepares the young ones for life.

      Our Lady of Africa is also a QUEEN. She, the "Queen of Peace", is crowned and governs her people under the law of Love. Her project is to obtain the gift of Peace for all nations and be actively present where the Church is being built, the family of God, the new society, struggling in the process of shaping a civilization of love. She calls for prayer where people are afraid, locked in and paralyzed by fear (Pentecost), waiting with them for the power of the Holy Spirit, intercedes where people want to celebrate, but have no wine, accompanies faithfully to the end where innocent ones, like her own son, are condemned to death and carry one's cross, not condemning the aggressors or sinners but drawing them towards God, towards healing, offering her Son into the difficult situation and letting the Pascal Mystery transform it into life. She unceasingly collaborates in God's work of redemption with total trust in God's great project of love, being a peace-maker where there is hatred, resentment and racism; she reconciles peoples, heaven and earth, and brings reconciled humanity back to the Father. When for example in Algiers, in the basilica of Our Lady of Africa, Christians and Moslems pray to the same Mother and Queen, then I recognize 'reconciled humanity' already being a reality.

      When her Son's law of Love wins over and unites all the hearts, then we shall sing together with her the glory of God, participate in the banquet prepared by the Father and celebrate the re-unification, the real communion. Our Lady of Africa, like the African women, is a deep and passionate lover of life and all its gifts. Although she shed tears for her children and knows sorrow and grief, she does not stay there. She knows that the power of life is invincible and so, she is a happy being and expresses her joy in dance and celebration.
I admit that although I love her, I still know her very little, Our Lady of Africa, the one who is familiar with the African traditions, cultures and symbols, and I feel the desire and need to understand her more from within her African context.

2. MARION CARABOTT

The pictures of Our Lady of Africa and that of the basilica in Algiers touch me in a special way because they bring back memories of our origins in North Africa, the beginnings of the Congregation and our first sisters. They are a link with the past, and also give a special sense to the name of our religious family: Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa.

          Our Lady of the Vow is very significant to me as it reminds us of the struggle of Mother Marie- Salomé to keep the Congregation in existence. It is the fruit of her prayer, of her love of the Congregation, of her desire that it should survive, and of her conviction that its members are truly called by God to be at the service of Africa. We would not be here today if it were not for Mother Marie-Salomé's endurance and perseverance to keep the Congregation alive.

      The pictures of Cardinal Lavigerie and Mother Marie-Salomé bring back memories of those who inspired the charism of our Congregation and kept it in existence.  They are our ancestors and they are the ones who made it possible for us to come together, to give our lives to the service of Africa. We owe them our very existence as a Congregation.

      The Pelican is the symbol of the choice we have made to give ourselves completely to God "to become All to ALL" in order to be fully at the service of Africa - Our founder, in his writings, always exhorted us not to do anything by halves, but to be ready to even give up our lives, if our vocation and circumstances demand it...this is also reminiscent of the red cord which we used to have to hang our old crosses - a symbol of martyrdom. Martyrdom is not necessarily giving up one's life by being killed on the spot, but dying to ourselves in our daily life in order that others may live more fully, more abundantly. Our mission for the Africa of today which is beset by so many hardships gives us plenty of opportunities to put this in practice.

      The silhouette of our Lady of Africa is significant for us because it reminds us of our choice to serve this continent with great commitment and love, as the Cardinal said "I loved all...". It is also particularly significant for outsiders, who associate this symbol with our name and with the continent on which we have been called to serve.

      Our MSOLA Cross - is also meaningful to me as it signifies my belonging to a religious family with a particular charism, to a family to whose members I am bonded by the links of a common vocation and call to live the charism bequeathed by Cardinal Lavigerie, a love of Africa and a common desire to give myself as a apostle (" Be nothing but apostles") with other women who share the same ideal and call. It is significant to outsiders too as they recognize our cross and become aware of our belonging to the same religious Congregation.

      The symbol of the four bells is a reminder of our beginnings at St. Charles and the origins of our Congregation with all which that entailed.  This is significant to our older members, but I have never felt that it was particularly meaningful to younger members, with the exception of a few who were very sensitive to what was lived in the beginning of our Congregation and particularly interested in the origins of the Congregation.

Our Constitutions, which outline what we all, aspire towards living as MSOLA.

3. MADELEINE LACOURSIÈRE
     
      Our Cross : I see the cross as a support in my sorrows, my difficulties, as well as in my joys.
     
      The Map of Africa: It is a souvenir of all the persons with and for whom I have worked: the sick, nurses, etc., a reminder of the customs and manners of the people, especially the values that I have assimilated during my stay over there.
     
      The Pelican: The Pelican incites us to love one another, to give ourselves to all persons who are in need in the way the Pelican does in feeding its little ones. It calls us to the gift of ourselves out of love.

Since my entry into the Congregation, it is thanks to the photos existing then that I came to know our Founder and Mother Marie-Salomé. These photos reminded me of the determination of two persons important in my life. First the Cardinal, his love for Africa and the Africans, the insistence with which he reminded us to work for the promotion of women, especially in Africa; his views on justice, on ecumenism, on our presence to the Arab world; the importance of forming initiators, "It is the Africans who must form their own..."

      As for Mother Marie-Salomé, I retain her tenacity facing the Founder and pleading with him to keep the Congregation alive. She saw the importance of giving ourselves to everyone. With the Cardinal, she would often repeat the "all to all" of St. Paul. She would often say to us, "Love one another, be good to one another, remain united, and keep 'l'esprit de corps'..."
      Our ring is for me the sign of my commitment to Christ. Throughout the years, I have often had the occasion of speaking to my nephews and my nieces of my choices, of my missionary life, of my beginnings. I was always conscious that my choice was freely made and at the moment of my vows, I was sealing my covenant with the Lord.
      Photos of Our Lady of Africa:  The Virgin holds an important place in my life and the lives of a good number of us. The Virgin of the Vow represents an important part of the history of our Congregation. This photo is with others in our house. We have also adopted one of the photos, that of the black Virgin of the basilica of Our Lady of Africa, to give it to the LMOLA, who wish to become part of the Lavigerie family, as a sign of belonging to our family.

 

4. LUCILE HABIMANA
     
      The Cross is our sign of belonging to Christ and to the Congregation. The Pelican along with the motto of Lavigerie seeks to make very concrete the gift of self. Our Lady of Africa makes very concrete our devotion to Mary who is our model and protector. She represents also some key moments in the origins of our Congregation. The map of Africa represents our field of apostolate and specifically this continent so loved by our Founder.

5. ANAFRIDA BIRO
     
      These symbols have a deep meaning for us as a community, and they touch us all deeply:
      Our Cross without the " Corpus Christi " represents the resurrection. With it, we feel invited to announce the Risen Christ, and also to resurrect and renew the world through fraternal love. This cross also "is us", the only distinctive sign uniting us wherever we find ourselves.  
     
      The Map of Africa signifies that this continent represents many things for us: 

      Africa is the 'raison d'être' of the MSOLA. In Africa, whatever our origins, we feel at home! It is a continent rich at many levels: geographically, economically (with much left to explore), culturally (diversity of languages, religions, customs, and ways of doing), with also lots of space. It is a welcoming continent, to receive the other with wide-open hands, without many complications.   But it is also a continent with many needs at different levels: development in general, health, education, leadership, etc. It is a continent needing the Risen Jesus through his disciples of today and all persons of good will. For me, Anafrida, being of African origin, Africa is my continent and represents "home".

The Pelican and " Caritas " symbolise the spirituality, which the Cardinal wanted to transmit to us, the gift of ourselves in the image of Jesus.

      The Photos of Cardinal Lavigerie, of Mother Marie-Salomé and of Our Lady of Africa remind us of our beginnings, our history and of our mission. Think of the invocation, "Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Moslems".

      The Virgin of the Vow recalls the perseverance of Mother Marie-Salomé when the Cardinal wanted to suppress our Congregation. Our Constitutions unite us and call us to fidelity.

 

III. HOW ARE THEY USED?
     
      1. INGRID HAGER

      Here again, Ingrid Hager shares generously from her experience.
In our MVA activities we use our symbols so as to identify our Congregation. When the girls come to our house and participate in the weekend encounters "Come and see", they discover our name, the pictures of Our Lady of Africa and of our Founder, some photos of our international and intercultural communities, of the African countries, where we are present, and the cross that we wear. We show them pictures and videos about our way of life in Africa as women apostles becoming all to all. In order to hear about Africa as a continent we give personal witnesses, wear African dresses, teach African songs and show African pieces of art.

      In union with our whole CUM province, we pray for vocations every Wednesday and use the prayer to Our Lady of Africa.

      In Vocation expositions, we present the continent of Africa, our intercultural communities, Our Lady of Africa, and pass on flyers that are decorated with our symbols. Once, on the occasion of the mission month (in 2005), we organized a mission procession with five floats representing the five continents. On the one for Africa, we had Our Lady of Africa in person, people dressed like Christians and Moslems in dialogue, a flag saying that 'Salvation is for all', praying the rosary and drumming and singing in African languages.

      The continent of Africa as a symbol is used by many congregations, as well as companies, enterprises, groups, arts, etc... People see and know our cross, although we don't usually talk about it. We sing the "Sancta Maria" on the feast days of our Congregation within our community, not in public. The Name "Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa " and the shape of our cross are reserved to our Congregation.

On the other hand, I have seen the Pelican in many places in Germany, especially in churches, on or near tabernacles. Here in Morelia, (Mexico), I have seen it at the foot of an altar, and in Joigny, (France), it can be seen at the birth place of Madeleine Sophie Barat, the foundress of the Sacred Heart Sisters, as a precious piece of embroidery made by her, when she was 16 years old.       Our Sister Maria del Carmen Ocon comes from the parish of "Our Lady of Africa", in the south of Spain. In Zimbabwe, there is a congregation called "Sisters of Our Lady of Africa" who might have her statue as well.

Symbols used in our celebrations

  

2. MARION CARABOTT

      I have seen the MSOLA Cross in a church in Cendajuru, (Burundi), mission where our sisters formerly worked but eventually left.
      Many of us have seen the Pelican in churches and some of us have also seen it in the chapel of the Sisters of Mary Ward at the "Bar Convent" in York. For those sisters too, it is a symbol of total self-giving.
      Yes, I have used the symbols when speaking with others about our Congregation and trying to explain our charism and call. When I was involved in formation, I often referred to these symbols in order to foster a greater sense of belonging. I have obviously often referred to the Constitutions.

 

3. MADELEINE LACOURSIÈRE
     
     
      The map of Africa is important for us. We have one on the wall at the entrance of our house. An Algerian delivering a packet recognized his home in Algeria. As a result, we engaged in a very interesting dialogue, and he became our friend. We often use the map on our formation days with the LMOLA and on the occasion of visits to schools where the map is often already displayed on the walls.

The Pelican: Statuettes in different shapes and materials, and more or less stylised, represent the pelican feeding its little ones.       Prayer to Our Lady of Africa: This prayer was handed down to us from the beginning of the Congregation. It has several times been revised. We pass it on to the LMOLA. We recite it often during our evening prayer or recollections times during retreats, in our celebrations and on the feasts of the Blessed Virgin.       The Sancta Maria is used on the feasts of Our Lady, of our Congregations and also at the funerals of sisters. To pray it is to remember, to take the means to return to the heart of our experience. The pelican decorates the lectern at a celebration of Final Vows

 

   4. LUCILE HABIMANA
     
      Our Lady of Africa is in many of our chapels in different countries. Here in Burkina, she is well represented in a new church of the Missionaries of Africa. There is even a cloth with Our Lady of Africa, a great success.

      The Pelican, here in Burkina, is found drawn on the walls or entrance doors of the houses of the Missionaries of Africa, on the walls of houses of formation and even at a centre of formation for students. In our own chapel, there is a lovely one made of copper. The image of the pelican is also printed on a scarf, which is worn by associate members in Bukavu.

      We find the photo of Lavigerie on the wall of the Charles Lavigerie Technical School started by our sisters. The girls studying there wear a uniform, a T-shirt and cloth with the photo of Lavigerie. The photos of Lavigerie and of Mère Marie-Salomé are very visible in our communities.

      I have several times used these symbols and pictures:
in our community prayer, in celebrations of first vows, renewal of vows, Missionary vocational animation outings, giving the cross, prayers uniting us on the occasions of important Congregation events (Chapters, jubilees of missionary presence, of religious life.)     

 

5. ANAFRIDA BIRO
     
      We often use these symbols and pictures during important moments of our life together: community prayer, intercommunity meetings and Chapters; for vocation animation and renewal of vows, jubilees or Congregation feasts. We also use them to explain our Congregation to persons who visit us and who see these symbols in our house.
     
      We all find it important to remember that four of these symbols characterize our MSOLA FAMILY, for ourselves as well as for others:  our Cross, the Pelican, Africa, and Our Lady of Africa.
           
And, Anafrida  proposes a new presentation :
    On a map of Africa, present as follows:

- At the top on the right (Libya, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Egypt) place the Pelican. - At the left of the Pelican, draw in our Cross, large enough so that it is a bit longer than the northern coast of Morocco, and to the West of Africa (Mauritania), with the southern part of the cross touching the Ivory Coast. - Then at the feet of the Pelican, a large "Caritas" written in like a rainbow turning upward; then circling the "Caritas", a real rainbow with five colours representing the five continents where we come from: Africa in green, America in red, Europe in white, Australia and Oceania in blue, and Asia in yellow.

Hands of different colours laid one on the other, fingers intertwined in the middle and around, with the remaining hands joined in a circle to represent our 'esprit de Corps', our unity in diversity. And something new:      Rosaries made with white and black beads, a "round" of ten, like the rosaries of our first sisters representing our 'esprit de corps'. The rosary as the sisters were wearing it formerly

SHARING LIFE

FROM ANNAMARIE TO PIERRETTE
the service of communion is transmitted.
     
      After three years of service in the community of Rome where she has given so much of herself, ANNAMARIE HIMMELRICH will now be able to benefit from a period of real rest before taking on another assignment. Before her departure from Rome, the community really wanted to thank her for her presence in our midst, so peaceful, fraternal and discreet with her sisters and the many people coming from the exterior: those who devote themselves in the daily services in the house; the numerous MSOLA who, in transit in Rome on different occasions enjoy the family house; finally the families and friends of each one who are always warmly welcomed for a visit, a meal or more...

      Is not the word "welcome" a key word in our Apostolic Project? Annamarie has always known how to apply it with benevolence and availability to each one. This is what we, - together with the sisters of the General Council present at the time in Rome - wanted to express in a special prayer prepared for the occasion, and during which we were invited to "keep the memory of the Lord alive". The recall of the Project to which Annamarie largely contributed helped us to do so. Each one could freely express the reasons for thanksgiving for these three years lived together. Let us not forget the festive evening with its small gifts, which will remind Annamarie of this Roman period.

      Before her departure, she was able to welcome with us the new " superior ", PIERRETTE COUDÉ, arriving in the city of Rome which is not new for her. In fact, she had occasions to visit it during her stay of six years in Frascati, when she was secretary general. She had another shorter stay in Rome last year, after her return from Africa and seven years in France, for two services as superior, when she participated in March 2007 in the session for the 60-75 year old. The situation is, of course, not the same. Pierrette is now called to a new service.

      The handing over from one to the other was done on 30 April, feast of Our Lady of Africa, during the daily Eucharist. It was made tangible with a symbolic gesture during the offertory. The community chose, to represent itself, the plant which had been entrusted to Annamarie and which she now offered to Pierrette after having watered it one last time. This gesture signified the care she has taken of our community during these three years of presence, fostering its growth and growing in unity. Finally, Annamarie received as souvenir a small jug, a copy of an ancient Rome piece of art, filled with water for the occasion.

      There remains only for us to thank Annamarie for the manner in which she fulfilled her service of communion in our midst, and Pierrette, for having fully accepted her new assignment. We wholeheartedly welcome her in her new community.

The Community of Rome

THERE STILL IS FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!

      Last Mission Sunday (October 21, 2007), the liturgy of the day reminded us of the question asked by Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago: "When the son of man returns, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk 18:8)  It is a question that I ask myself a lot, and never leaves me indifferent. I don't want to get used to accepting the unbearable by answering: " NO, Jesus Christ will not find faith on earth". This great need to believe inhabits everyone.

      I always feel challenged by these words I once read: "Go, give my people an idea of who I am". "My people is "here and elsewhere", as Robert Lebel says in his theme-song for the 2008 Eucharistic International Congress in Quebec: "From here and elsewhere, from the four corners of our world, may all the people celebrate in prayer their Shepherd!".

      One day, Jesus of Nazareth asked his apostles: "Who do you say that I am?" And today, He invites me to personally answer this question to know whether I really want to live as a Christian...Do I really know Jesus Christ? I think this is an urgent call to reawaken my faith in the Scriptures, especially the four Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. They represent the experience of faith handed down to us from the first Christians, starting off again from Jesus Christ! Renew the contact with the Scriptures of which Jesus Christ is the core.

      What a treasure the Bible is! It remains the biggest success in the world with over 30 million copies sold every year. It speaks for itself...! The Bible is translated in full or partially in more than 2400 languages. It is tremendous! The Scriptures are written to educate us: "Put yourself in my school", said Jesus of Nazareth, so that we may keep the hope (and Lord knows how much we need it today), thanks to the perseverance and courage given by the Scriptures (Rm 15:4). It's there that I learn how to be a Christian. I slowly discover the attitude I have towards Jesus of Nazareth, at the same time one of us and God's Messenger, His only Son.

      I myself learned "religion" in my family, at school, in my parish, but it took me time to get rooted in Christianity. I followed religion but was I following Jesus Christ? I was not very familiar with the face of the God of Love - whose "calling card" is Mercy. Having received this face, I took to it very quickly without having the time to digest it, to question it, to hesitate to believe, etc. To centre my life on Jesus Christ, of whom we say: "He went about doing good" (Ac 10:38); to put Jesus Christ at the heart of our culture and to continue to open the doors of our hearts to universal fraternity, "Ephphatha... Open up!" (Mk 7:3').

      In an article, Nelson Mandela wrote: "The goodness of a human being is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished". I would add that also faith in the human being is a flame that can be hidden, but never extinguished; like fire under the embers. So it is for us in Quebec; it's part of our heritage. It's hard to evacuate the religious elements of our patrimony.

      I was reading with joy what M. René Tessier wrote in the Pastorale Quebec magazine: "There is an actual progression of the religious sentiment on the planet and a resurgence of the religious at the four corners of the globe. Globalization and democracy have played in favour of God". Were we expecting that?

I LOVE TO WATCH THE GLOWING EMBERS WAKE UP FROM UNDER THE ASHES; indeed the fire still burns under the ashes. I believe that the future of the Church and of Humanity is in all those fragile shoots that surround us and which we can so easily overlook and count as nothing. I also think that the young and the less young love to express their faith in poetic and symbolic language. For example, a young Zambian woman was telling me at the end of a directed retreat: "I felt that my faith in God was there like embers under ashes; you have helped me to clear away the ashes and the fire started again. Thank you!". And another said, while showing her Bible as a symbol, that for the first time, she had discovered the vital bond between her every day life and the Word of God, an essential link to make if she really wanted to be Christian.

      I like this adage from Jean Martucci: "As long as they are faces turned towards the future and not only towards the past, not only towards the present and not only towards the sky, a gaze capable of believing that tomorrow is already worth living, that there is life after death and a whole world beyond the world, then the Jesus affair will continue."

      I would like to conclude with these words from our Founder, Cardinal Lavigerie. In 1870 an Algerian Muslim asked him, "Who are you?" The Cardinal's reply: "I am the disciple of a Master that nobody was ever able to lock up in a tomb". "Will the son of man find faith on earth when he returns?" (Lk 18: 8) I say Yes! This is the Christian Faith!

Gaby Lepage, Lusaka Chilenje, Zambia

A WALK THROUGH THE ARCHIVES

SHORT HISTORY OF OUR SYMBOLS
     
     
      The different contributions making up this issue of Sharing offer a good introduction to the origins of symbols, which accentuate the history of our MSOLA family. "A walk through the archives" adds a few details to this scenic tour through our symbols.

      The 'insignia' of our MSOLA family: the silhouette of our Cross:
      As told us in the History of the Origins of the Congregation (H.O.), the cross which completed our religious habit has been transformed throughout the years. Our very first sisters, the "Geronimites" wore, sown on their white scapular, a red cross in the shape of the "Malta Cross" (Cf. H.O. p. 80). According to the historians specialized in these matters, this was a very ancient symbol worn on the choir mantles of the order of the Knights Templars, a religious and military order, founded in the 12th century in Jerusalem for the conquest of the Holy Places.
     
      However, this cross was soon replaced by a crucifix of black wood on a background of silver, in a style which was current for the religious of that period. According to the Constitutions of 1876, when the Congregation was still made up of two classes of sisters, only the "professed Mothers" wore the crucifix suspended on a violet cord, while the "Auxiliary Sisters" had a red cross on their scapular (H.O. p. 175). In 1879, these two classes became one, habit and cross becoming the same for all the sisters. In 1887, the violet cord was replaced by a red one, at the request of Pope Leon XIII. The Cardinal had met him at the time of the first approval of our Constitutions. On this occasion, the Pope had told him: "Why not give them a red cord, since they are destined to go into a land, where there have already been so many martyrs?" In telling about this interview, the Cardinal added, "I received this word as coming from God himself, red is the colour for cardinals, but it is also that of martyrdom... Up to now, you have worn a violet cord (...) signifying humility (...). Henceforth, you will be sent to the land of martyrdom, whereas up to now, you have been in the land of labour" (H.O. p. 461).  The reference to martyrdom was not new for our Founder. Had he not inscribed at the end of a request for admission by the first MAfr, "Visa pro martyrium"? The Constitutions of 1882 foresaw this perspective. The formula was taken up anew in our actual Constitutions, "Become all to all, and recoil before no hardship, not even death itself, to help bring about the Kingdom of God" (Const. N° 9).

      The general Chapter of aggiornamento gathered in 1965 in the wake of Vatican II was to bring notable changes to the cross, as well as to our habit, which had changed very little since 1887. It was a question of lightening up the ensemble for a better adaptation to the mission. The capitulants had expressed the desire to replace our silver cross with a smaller one. With a concern for poverty, a wooden one was considered first, but after reflection it was decided to adopt a heavier material. Thus, at the request of Mother M. Mechtildis, newly elected superior general, a new cross was designed in Germany. For the sisters working in Moslem territory, this insignia appeared also to be more discreet. The Moslems, in fact, consider the crucifix to be a symbol of what they term a very grievous error and even blasphemy. According to the Koran, Jesus did not die on the cross, but was elevated directly to heaven.  This cross is received at first profession as a sign of belonging to our religious family, while the traditional silver ring worn since the origins is given only on the day of perpetual vows, as a sign of the definitive covenant with the Lord.
     
      The Antiphon of the Sancta Maria was adopted in 1876. It expresses our attachment to the Virgin Mary, for both MSOLA and MAfr. "Evening prayer finishes with the singing of the Sancta Maria, so as to place the Mission under the protection of the Very Holy Virgin" (Const. 1876, p.39). We are speaking of a very ancient prayer composed by St. Augustine (354-430), bishop of Hippo (Algeria), and brought back into the spotlight with the creation of the pilgrimage to Our Lady of Africa. It was among the antiphons of the "Small -Vespers" sung every Sunday evening at the basilica.

      The Cardinal loved it, and he passed it on to his missionaries. These, first the Fathers, later the Sisters, leaving for sub-Saharan Africa, faithfully concluded their evening prayer with it on the boat carrying them. They thus placed their mission under the protection of the Mother of all who feel small and poor. Thus, the Sancta Maria has become the traditional hymn of our two religious families.     

As for Our Lady of Africa, she is really the patron of our religious family (Const. no. 4).  We know very well the story of this statue and of the sanctuary that shelters her (See With Open Arms, Rome 2007, p. 3-5). A reproduction, painted on enamelled metal by a Mexican artist, welcomes visitors entering our Generalate in Rome. An Arab calligraphy in wrought iron states clearly the title:  "Queen of Africa".   Another statue that is precious for us is linked to this Virgin. It is the Our Lady of the Vow, installed by Mother Marie-Salomé in 1885, in the interior courtyard of the Mother-House of St. Charles. She had made a vow, in the course of the long and ardent supplication at the feet of Our Lady of Africa, when the Cardinal had decided to dissolve the Congregation. In accordance with this vow of "Vénérée Mère", the statue followed the Generalate in its three transfers. After having passed 29 years in Frascati (l964-l993), she is now in the garden of our house in Rome.

      Our Lady of the Vow resembles Our Lady of Africa. Mother Marie-Salomé would always invoke her under the title of Our Lady of Africa, as she explains it in a Circular Letter of 4 July 1898: "In the 29 years since the foundation of our little Society, how many graces have been granted us through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa! None of you ignore how many times the humble barque of our Congregation has been threatened with shipwreck, and how Mary saved it from the perils. It is in thanksgiving for one of these deliverances, maybe in the greatest danger that the Institute ever experienced, that in 1885, we placed the statue of Our Lady of Africa in the courtyard of the Monastery of St. Charles" (À l'écoute de Mère Marie- Salomé, p. 55).  Every evening after night prayers, up to the time we left the monastery in 1964, the sisters have gathered around the statue to sing the Sancta Maria, before dispersing for the night.

Lucie Pruvost, Rome