The international bursars’ session came to a close on 21 June 2019. The conclusion of the session featured some practical points addressed by Malinie Jayamanne the general Bursar, and the presenting of the calls heard by the participants during the session. These were read out in the 3 languages which after some amendments were accepted by all.
A meaningful closing prayer was the climax, during which everyone was given the space to express their feelings of gratitude, what they wanted to carry with them from the session.
Then Malinie expressed her appreciation of the participants for their commitment, hard work, and collaboration to reach this fruitful end. Sentiments of gratitude was also expressed by one on behalf of all the participants acknowledging the efforts of the administration of Goods team for organizing this session.
 
Click here to view the opening prayer video!
 
    

This Trinity Sunday (16/06/2019), was a special day for us as members of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles’ Family as we celebrate the 199th anniversary of the birth of our Foundation. Besides, it is the opening of our bicentenary (200) Jubilee year an event which will be celebrated in 2020. At the Generalate, this moment was a double joy because the international group of bursars was present with us. Though a simple celebration, it was an experience of great cultural diversity of the Family that was brought into the Eucharist celebration – with Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas adding their colour in song and dance!
Click here to view the video!
 

The Holy Family Sisters came to Livingston in August 1976. Holy Family Lay Members began after the arrival of Sr Patricia O’Hara, who joined the Livingston Community in Scotland in 1991, having spent many happy years in Wrexham. There, she had built up a very enthusiastic group of Lay Members, whom she was sad to leave. However, arriving in Livingston, one of the 1960s/70s New Towns, she did her best to adjust to her new Holy Family community, as well as the local community.
It was no small task tuning in to Scottish accents, having just left the Welsh. Patricia did this with a good sense of humour, we recall. She saw an opportunity by way of our local St Philip’s Parish, Lanthorn Community Centre, which is the hub of the wider community in that area of Livingston.
To Patricia’s great disappointment, there were no Holy Family Lay Members in Livingston. Having endeared herself to Lynette Buchan, then Chief Cook and problem solver at The Lanthorn, there evolved a way forward. Because of her centrally located position, Lynette knew everyone who came through the front door. In what seemed like a very short time, she invited a number of us round to her home one Friday evening for some eats and to meet Sr Patricia.
Patricia presented her outlined diagrams and basic information on P.B. Noailles and the Holy Family of Bordeaux structure and charism. We all looked, listened, and had a jolly nice evening as photos show. Patricia then invited any of us who might be interested in hearing more to come along to the Convent at a later date.
Those who felt drawn did attend and from then on looked forward to monthly meetings in Formation at the Convent, with Sr Patricia as our Leader. The other sisters used to join us in the sitting room for the closing prayer and a cuppa, which all appreciated then. While some in formation discontinued, others joined us as the years went on.
We were introduced to our first British Annual Assembly in a venue in Yorkshire to give us a feeling of being part of the bigger picture. This trip, which meant leaving by minibus at 5 a.m. and returning the same evening, was not ideal, but it did achieve its goals. After a couple of years, Sr Patricia was replaced by Sr Louis Marie, then Sr Josephine Kemp. It was all very cosy meeting in the Sisters home, but years later, all that changed when the Sisters circumstances changed and they moved out of Livingston. We met for a short time in one another’s homes. It then became clear that booking a room in The Lanthorn Community Centre each month would be the best way forward. This arrangement works well, so we continue to meet there happily to the present time.
Over the years, we have lost members to their change of location, to their eternal reward and a few to lack of interest in the earlier years. Our group has always been very interactive both in discussion, sharing ideas and enthusiasm and, as far as fitness allows, to attending the Biennial Assembly. There has always been a great love of P. B. Noailles. One deceased member used to say, “I have a great devotion to Pierre Bienvenu and I love going to Martillac”. He is not alone in this view.
Anne Connolly, (Livingston Lay Associates Group)
 – unit Newsletter – Britain and Ireland

“Trafficking seriously damages humanity as a whole, tearing apart the human family as well as the Body of Christ”. (Pope Francis)
“Talitha Kum networks” who work globally to end Human Trafficking organized a conference in Rome. Nearly 200 members, including Bishops, priests, men and women religious, project coordinators and pastoral agents, representatives of Catholic organizations and foundations and trafficking experts from various parts of the world participated in this International Conference on Trafficking, from 8 to 11 April 2019 held by the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD). This was a huge opportunity to strengthen the collaboration between the Religious. The reflections done based on the Pastoral guidelines against traffic king of people were very enriching.
Our two representatives; Vivian Fernando (Philippines) and Melanie O’Connor (South Africa) were among the 200 participants.  On the third day afternoon, they concluded their conference in the new synod hall Vatican. “This Synodical way of being Church, walking together with God’s people in following Christ and doing his work is very important for us as we conclude our conference in this hall, in a way we contribute this work in our own respective churches”, said Father Michael Czerny. During the Audience with the Holy Father, Pope Francis addressed to Participants said, “Your presence, dear brothers and sisters, is a tangible sign of the generous commitment of many local Churches in this pastoral area.  The numerous initiatives which put you at the forefront of efforts to prevent trafficking, protect survivors and prosecute offenders, are worthy of admiration.  I feel I should express special thanks to the many religious congregations that have worked and continue to work, also through networking, as the “front line” of the Church’s missionary action against all forms of trafficking”.
The end of the Conference dedicated to the implementation of the Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking, prepared by the Section for Migrants and Refugees of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and Holy Father approved it.
Part of this article was given by Vivian Fernando (HFB)

The EGC participants in Rome were very happy to give a warm welcome to Densilla James the Unit Leader of Pakistan, who joined them 3 days into the journey due to her delayed visa.
After sharing their thoughts of the previous day Matthieu began the day by explaining to the participants – ‘what it means to be a member of this EGC’.  This was done through a reflective exercise, designed to help each one to grow in the consciousness of the whole ‘Body’, being aware of the role of an EGC member and taking to oneself the responsibility for the whole
The morning continued with personal reflection and sharing in their small groups on “The purpose of our being on this earth – the special thing we as Holy Family bring to this world, what the world will miss if we did not exist. 
During the sharing at the Plenary, the groups expressed the spirit of who we are – each point written on a small piece of paper.  And these were gathered into a basket kept at the Centre of the hall. 
Around it were the main headings of the commitments made at EGC 2018, regarding ‘what can no longer continue’:
Leadership       
Structures           
Apostolic Responses
Financial model
Community life
Dynamics of compensation
Calling sisters who are not trained
The participants were invited to place under the relevant headings the specific commitments made in their own Units.  This enabled them to become more aware of where the ‘Institute Body’ is at present.

For the second time in just over a year,  the Unit Leaders, Vicariate Council members, and General Leadership Team members gathered once again in Rome.
On the morning of March 20th,  27 of them (Densilla from Pakistan was not there), embarked together on this special 12-day 2019 EGC journey, full of hope and enthusiasm.
Spring marks the end of winter and the transitional period to summer. The significance of spring or new life was expressed in the opening prayer, which included a beautiful circle dance; then the participants representing their Units, offered a plant in full bloom adding beauty and meaning to the little garden prepared as prayer corner. It was also a moment of awareness of how the ecological changes touch their reality; to see the possibilities/changes in the journey together.
Ana Maria in her opening address explained that this EGC “is in continuity with the previous one; it precedes and prepares the General Chapter which will take place in 2020.” And so in the process, the group will explore where we are as ‘body’, look at the lived reality so far and discern what has to be the focus of the 2020 General Chapter.
Taking the floor, the facilitator Matthieu Daum then explained the program and took charge to move the session forward.

The opening of the Novitiate, the installation of Dolcita KALEMA as Novice Mistress and the reception of the Pre Novices was taken place on 3 March 2019 in Uganda.
It is with great joy and gratitude that we come to share with you how the celebration of the opening of the Novitiate, the installation of Dolcita KALEMA as Novice Mistress and the reception of the Pre Novices took place yesterday (3 March 2019). We were happy that our four communities were represented with Joaquina from Gikongoro, Weronika from Rushaki and all of us from Buhara and Kitumba itself.  It was indeed very sad that our Rwandan sisters were not able to cross the frontiers due to the barring of all Rwandan nationals from travelling to Uganda. The President of Rwanda says he has reached zero tolerance of his people being harassed, tortured, molested, exploited and imprisoned for no reason in Uganda because of being suspected to be spies.
Mass was celebrated by the chancellor of our diocese who was delegated by the Bishop. Our two priests from the parish were with us. We were joined by our neighbouring religious from different congregations around us. We had Mass in our chapel since we didn’t have a big crowd of guests.  The novices themselves took charge of facilitating the liturgy with beautiful singing in different languages with voices that were amazingly harmonized. After the Eucharist, we entertained ourselves with delicious meal prepared by the Sisters and the novices themselves.  Singing, music and dancing followed with a lot of creativity. The priests and the religious who came to celebrate with us shared on how amazed they were at seeing such a beautiful and simple organization of the whole celebration especially the liturgy and the installation of the Novice Mistress. Their words were full of encouragement and assurance of support.
It was a very special day for us in the Unit. The dream of having a Holy Family novitiate in Uganda came to reality.
(The text below is expressed to the General leadership team)
We are grateful for the beautiful message you sent us through Eithne. It brought to us your love, support, encouragement and communion. We found the message so powerful! Thank you for accompanying us thus far. We still remember vividly the reflections we had at the beginning of 2017 when you informed us that the novitiate will be transferred to Uganda. We expressed our different feeling and you were there to listen to us and support us. We thank you for involving us in the discernment.  You prepared us to own this project and assume full responsibility.  We now go forward with courage knowing that challenges are inevitable.
With love and gratitude for prayers and support,
Joaquina, Winie, Vincentia, Julia
The names of the novices are:
Cecilia Matsooana LIFALAKANE, Julia Masake MAEEANE, Christina Maipato MOSOTHOANE, Pascaline MUKAKANANI , Emerance NIYONAMBAZA, Donatha NYIRANDAYAMBAJE,  and Marie Claire UWAMARIYA.

Sr. Vivian Fernando, HFB from Talitha Kum Philippines participated a seminar that was organized by the Office of Human Development (OHD) of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). 40 participants from 11 Asian countries have gathered in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from 11 to 17 of February 2019 for the seminar entitled “Migrants, Refugees, the Displaced and Human Trafficking and Renewable Energy Options in the Asian Context.” 
Click here to read her experience in participating the seminar and working for human trafficking…

“Together against Human Trafficking!” 8 February 2019
Let us together remember the fifth World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking.
Prayer:
St. Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child and endured untold hardship and suffering. Once liberated from your physical enslavement, you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church. O St. Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Those, whom man enslaves, let God set free. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith. Help all survivors find healing from their wounds. We ask for your prayers and intercessions for those enslaved among us. Amen.
(Pope Francis, 12 February 2018)
Only together can we walk the long road to freedom, promote the dignity of every person, only together can we fulfill our potential as persons, together, as sisters and brothers, daughters and sons of the same Father. Yes, “Together, against trafficking”!
 

Almost 30 sisters from Britain and Ireland gathered at Provincial House, Aberdare, on 1 December 2018, for the inauguration of the new Leadership Team consisting of Sr. Catherine Lavery (Unit Leader), Srs. Claire McGrath, Margaret Muldoon, Lucilla Bonaventhoor and Maria Crowley.
Service, Relationships, Mission, Thanksgiving were recurring themes in the deeply meaningful prayer reflection that preceded the reading of the Ordinance installing the new Team. We prayed that the quality of their relationships with God, the source of all goodness and mercy, with one another and with all creation would inspire and guide them in the challenges that would inevitably lie before them. We prayed that, as a Unit, our hearts would be open to the wonder that life sets before us confident that, with God’s guidance, we would embrace the journey before us as a great adventure.
Gemma read the Ordinance from the GLT. Then, Jesus’ mandate to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you… Go, make disciples of all nations… and remember I will be with you always till the end of time”, served, not only as a reminder of Jesus’ abiding presence, but also as a reflection on the meaning of mission. It is a journey with others on a basis of equality and respect for all who travel the same road, a journey into the unknown but undertaken in hope as people called to bring life and promote communion to all.
At the conclusion of the prayer, Catherine thanked Gemma for her vision and service as Leader over the past six years done with the help and dedication of the outgoing Team, members of which had served for three, six and twelve years.
The time for table companionship arrived. The food offered was Michelin star quality. Heartfelt thanks and praise are due to the hard work of the members of both the outgoing and incoming teams who worked for the best part of Friday preparing all the ingredients for a delicious meal to be cooked on Saturday morning under the direction of the chief chefs. Special mention has to be made of Kathleen’s chicken and Lucilla’s rice and the trifles, but there were lots more to savour and enjoy. The Oblate priests from the parish and vicinity came to join us, as and when their duties allowed, adding to the conviviality.
By late afternoon many who had long train journeys to take, had left and others were beginning to depart. The day had been a lovely and, may we say auspicious, beginning to a journey that, with God, will be a great adventure.
Síle McGowan
Britain and Ireland