Holy Spirit Novitiate, Ilesa Community…
Ilesa Region
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT NOVITIATE 1987 TILL DATE
The Daughters of the Holy Spirit Congregation has been in existence for over three hundred years in Europe and marking 50 years of our presence in Nigeria , makes it worthwhile to recall those years in the Novitiate and how the formation of the young women in Nigeria began in the late 80’s.
Daughters of the Holy Spirit Novitiate, Imo Ilesa , Osun State. Established in 1987
The pioneer Postulants/Novices
Obembe Agnes
Ugorji Helena
Anukem Cecilia
Amama Philomena Bernadine.
Names of the pioneer African sisters: February 1991
Agnes Obembe
Helena Ugorji.
Sr. Cecilia Anukem was encouraged to join the second set of the Novices.
Pioneer Novice Mistress: Sr. Kathleen O’Sullivan, Irish sister from English Province. Assisted by sister Paula Despathy USA assisted her, 1989-94.
Others sisters who participated in assisting the formators in the novitiate included:
Srs. Yvonne Coutouy - French
Joan Harrison - English
Veronica Hanrahan - Irish
Sr. Paula Despathy (USA) became the 2nd Novice mistress 1995-96
Sr Kathleen came back to the Novitiate in September, 1996 -1997 assisted by Sr. Priscilla Madumere the first Nigerian sister to work in the Novitiate.
Sr Anna Mear from France became the 3rd Novice Mistress assisted by Sr Priscilla Madumere the first Nigerian sister to work in the Novitiate while studying and Sr Jeannine Legere. USA
Sr. Monica Anyi became the first Nigerian sister and the 4th to take on the responsibility as a Novice Mistress in the Nigeria Vice-Province from 2003 -2012. Assisted by Sister Marie Madeleine Autret.
Sister Cynthia Azughara is the present Novice Mistress whose mandate began in May 2012 and the 2nd Nigeria to take up this responsibility. She is being assisted by Sr. Priscilla Madumere.
MISSION / ACTIVITIES / APOSTOLATE IN THE NOVITIATE:
The mission entrusted to the Novitiate Community is the formation and Education of young women who are searching for meaning in their lives as they discern a possible call to a Religious vocation in the Church. Daily life in the Novitiate includes , building Community ( caring about each other), prayer, meetings and meals and study program both within and with other Novices outside the novitiate. All of this is related to their religious formation preparing them to become professed members of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit.
Some of the activities enabling group dynamics includes, domestic chores, catering, raising of animals, gardening and care of the earth in the planting of flowers and trees. We believe in team work, acquiring skills( tailoring, knitting, and Computer). We recreate and play together with the hope of fostering good relationships as a family rooted in the love God.
Apostolic out reach in the Novitiate takes us to the local Church for Catechesis, children’s liturgy, Eucharistic
ministry, Choir, home- visitation, and working with youth and women. In this way we share our Charism with others and participate in the work of evangelization in the Church.
Coming together to grow Stones must come together in order to be rubbed on each other. There wouldn’t be disturbances or pain if the initiation of rubbing stones was not there. It was difficult because it takes a lot of efforts and strength. The robbing of stones generate hotness and noise which causes drops of particles, rays of fire, smoke, dust, odour and powdery substances to fall off. This also causes the face of the stones to be smooth, sharpened and transfigured. The above can be related to our calling to religious life and living together in the community. If God did not take the initiative or put the desire in us, nothing would have attracted us. He brought us from our different families to live together. Reflecting on this experience, we discovered that attraction is a force or energy that brought us together. Living together is difficult and with it comes effort, strength, pain, trials, challenges and temptation. As we try each day to interact and rub minds together, it sometimes generates noise, hotness, dust, odour and these cause us to let go of our personal opinion which could be the particles falling off and to have an unanimous agreement in order for us to be transfigured to the life of Christ and to have good relationship. According to Rule of Life Art 41:3, if one wants to grow, one must be ready for necessary change and development.
Picnic to Erin-Ijesha water fall, Osun state and to warm and cold water spring, Ikogosi, Ekiti state. The daughters of the Holy Spirit Novices (Cameroon/ Nigeria) had the opportunity of having a time of relaxation (picnic). What an international picnic that took place in Nigeria! It was held Erin-Ijesha water fall, Osun state and to warm and cold water spring, Ikogosi, Ekiti state. What struck us individually as wells as communally was that the warm and cold water came together but did not mix immediately the Glory of God was unfolded to us when we identified the hot water flowing parallel with the cold water coming from different sources showing the mysteries of GOD In creation Struggling to climb the hill of Erin Ijesha waterfalls reminded us our struggle to understand one another’s language. But eventually, we did meet at a point just as the hot and cold water met and became a warm water spring to provide life giving water to all. This picnic brings to mind our internationality and our unity in diversity. It helped us to see more clearly and to understand more deeply the Spirit of God alive and at work among us and in our involvement with others. Like the mystery of the warm and cold water meeting but not mixing immediately, we too connected to each other in different languages without blending together immediately. It was a privilege having our Cameroonian novices among us during this picnic like a new Pentecost, we opened ourselves to learn from one another a new way of communicating beyond language itself.
P.O.Box 1175, Ilesa, Osun State.
Email: dhsnovitiate@yahoo.com
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