On the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2022, the youth of the  Holy Family of Bordeaux in Montreal, Canada, went to meet our homeless brothers and sisters.
We gathered in the church and prepared bags with food and health-care items, with hot tea in water bottles.  Our parish priest, Fr Andrew, gave a beautiful prayer, highlighting the feast of St Joseph, the guardian of the Holy Family and his brotherly love for humanity.  With suitcases and trolleys, we set off to the metro stations, looking for homeless brothers and sisters – to talk to them and respond to their needs.   And above all, to show them that we care and love them.  There were eight of us. It was an extraordinary spiritual experience, as well as giving us great pleasure.  Seeing their beaming faces brought us inner peace and satisfaction – Sr. Doreen Philippiah
Participants’ experiences
Mary Jancy Amalathas: I am grateful to have participated in this act of charity because I had the opportunity to do something I had never done before. I felt happy and excited to talk to new people and meet their needs by communicating with them. The most touching moment was when they blessed us. Their kind words make us want to continue rendering such service. Overall, I really enjoyed the day and had a great experience.  I am really happy to be part of Holy Family Youth with my friends at Our Lady of Deliverance Church, Tamil Mission.
Mystica Jeyathasan: Hi, hello, I had a great experience with the poorest people by interacting with them. Rather than avoiding them, to engage with them as we would with any other member of our community. Everyone is human. A smile, a kind word can make someone’s day. This experience encourages us to do more outings like this and help many others who are in need. We all bought something and went to 3 different metro stations. We found many poor people, thank God they were all open hearted and some told us about their life experiences. I wish I could do more trips like this to get more experience.
Jennifer Selathurai: Helping the homeless has increased my happiness and satisfaction. It has made me realise how blessed I am by God. I truly believe that the only meaning of life is to serve humanity as well as God. And thanks to this opportunity, I was able to experience this. This charity work also brought me closer to other young people. As we were living the same emotions and convictions, we were able to share them openly with each other. Seeing a smile on the faces of many homeless people gave us joy and positive energy to continue doing this good work. I would be willing to do this charity work again and I will always thank God for all the blessings he has bestowed on me.
Sophia Jeyarajah: Helping others makes me happy. There is no better feeling in the world than putting a smile on the face of someone in need. I was lucky enough to have this experience which I really loved, on the 19th of March which was also St. Joseph’s day. I hope I will have other opportunities to do this kind of experience again.
Abarna Athiruban: When I reflect on the charity activity that we all did together as Holy Family youth, it was really interesting. At first it seemed a bit difficult for me.  But when we started to meet the needy people in the metro stations, I felt really blessed.   Helping the poor in their need gave me great satisfaction.  Moreover, seeing a big smile on their face made me even happier. This particular experience taught me one good thing, as Jesus says: “Give to anyone who asks you, no matter what the person looks like”. At the end of the day, I had a great peace in my heart, because I had helped someone and made them happy. To conclude, this experience was something new for me and I am definitely thinking of doing this kind of charity work again in the future.

New beginnings are part of the history of the evolution of our Holy Family, where we know that every end is at the same time a new beginning. With grateful hearts, the Generalate community gathered for a special prayer marking the end of the “handing over” process from one Council to the other.  The incoming Council members each received one of the crosses handed down through the generations. The crosses, blessed by Pope Pius IX, were brought from Rome by our Founder and presented to our Early Mothers. They evoke the memory of these first Sisters, and all those who have gone before us, giving their lives for the common mission in the service of animation and leadership. We congratulate our dear Sr. Ana Maria Alcalde the Superior General, Sr Malini Joseph, the Vicar for the Contemplatives, Srs. Geni Dos Santos, Jesmin Fernando, Christa Mariathas and Georgine Mufogoto the Councillors who said ‘Yes’ for the will of God and for the common mission. The nomination of the General Bursar has not yet taken place.
We gratefully thank the members of the outgoing Council, for their selfless service to our Family to carry out the mission of communion.

Humanity is afraid to die. The fear of death is inherited, but the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has given our contemporaries a very vivid awareness of human fragility, radicality and general questioning and reassessment.

It is quite clear that “The Covid-19 virus has totally changed our way of living in community, our interpersonal relationships and even our spiritual practices”.
The light of inspiration comes essentially from hope in faith. All is not lost
Our Founder, Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, taught us to discern the presence of God, in joy or sorrow, through everyday events.
The global health crisis is a call to conversion to a new way of life, in awareness of our human frailty.
A painful ordeal like the Covid-19 Pandemic can generate in us a specific charism offered by God for the salvation of humanity.
The pandemic makes us aware of human frailty:
Pope Francis tells us that we must never forget that we are like “vessels of clay” in which to cherish the treasure that God has given us: the revelation of the mystery of the Incarnation. When we forget this, we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are something other than clay; this turns our heads and we think that we are greater than we are.                                                  

 
We are like clay vessels that contain an immense treasure.
The apostle Paul, a simple, frail and physically challenged man, renounced the grand phrases suggested by human wisdom. Yet it was to him on the road to Damascus that Jesus fully revealed himself, inviting him to make His light known to all. Paul was the first to realize the gap between the greatness of his mission and the weakness of his own person: a treasure hidden in a poor clay pot. We often make the same observation nothing our poverty, our inadequacy, our powerlessness in the face of situations that are beyond us. We perceive our tendency to evil, and the difficulty of resisting it because of the weakness of our will. Like Paul, we feel we are vessels made of clay.

We have shared our personal experience during this time of the epidemic:

In general, we have lived it with difficulty. We of course have to obey the rules imposed by the government to protect others and ourselves. The constraints of isolation before, during and after the contamination … remembering that we live in a community … being deprived of Mass, community meetings, apostolic activities (such as taking communion to homes, etc.) Repeating the instructions and constantly warning of the danger sometimes created tension. But at the same time, there is the awareness that this time calls us to live in communion with the sufferings of people around the world. It calls us to recognize God’s love and blessing upon us, to live in thanksgiving. 
Because of the coronavirus, the Sisters of the Marino community have gone through a difficult period with successive times of isolation, quarantine, and transfers to other more suitable healthcare structures.
On April 4, 2021, the feast of Easter was lived in the joy of the Risen Lord, but in the suffering of not being able to participate in any liturgy, not receiving the Eucharist, not living “together”. But there was no shortage of greetings and contacts, transmitted by internal telephone or by the service personnel.
The community suffered a great deal from Covid, because of these repeated times of isolation, but what was hardest to live with was the death of three Sisters in the space of 20 days.
However, life goes on… We wanted to boost our morale, so after so many months of isolation we took the risk of organizing the 2021 Jubilee celebrations of the Italian Province in Marino, the house of the elderly Sisters.  We celebrated our 4 jubilarians: Daniela PALLOTA and Giovanna PAPA 60 years of religious life, Gertie PEIRIS, 50 years and Jacqueline IMBUNGU, 25 years. On September 25, all the Sisters of the Italian Province, together with Ana Maria, the General Council, and the local community of the General House, gathered to give thanks with them and to surround them with our affection and our prayer, in the presence of our older Sisters, who are precious in our Holy Family Institute.
We also thank the Lord for having allowed us to live this celebration together, despite this pandemic and after so many months of absence. It was a great joy for all.
Looking at the clay vessels that we are, we could lose heart. But what is valuable – and what we want to focus on – is the treasure we carry within us!
St. Paul knew that his clay vessel was filled with the light of Christ, which gave him the audacity to dare everything for the spreading of the Kingdom.
As Sisters of the Holy Family, we too carry an infinite treasure: the Holy Trinity.
If we look within ourselves, we can discover an immensity, a divine sun shining within us and around us.
Let us go beyond appearances, beyond the “clay pot” that we see in others, let us also discover the treasure that they are. 
Sr. Maristella Arokiam – ITALY

Once every three months, each one of us taking turns to host the meeting and plan the day with topics for study and discussion, such as the fascinating New Story of the Universe and other I was delighted when Sr. Áine asked me to contribute an article for the Unit Newsletter Family Links. During my long years in London and, as one without another priest to associate with in the Holy Family, it was the Sisters, especially the ones at Woodford Green, who helped me to keep my identity as a Priest Associate. It is they who made me feel at home in the spirit of the Good Father and kept me updated with new ideas and the emerging trends that would make the apostolate meaningful and relevant. I am therefore, in a way, duty bound to ‘report’ on how I am faring now here in my home diocese.
It’s three years since I returned to Jaffna. I was appointed to the same parish where I had served before going to London three decades ago. The parishioners themselves were evicted from their traditional homes in 1990 by the security forces as the ethnic conflict intensified and were  allowed resettlement twenty-eight years after their eviction and nine years after the end of war. Resettlement was never going to be easy.
 
Made welcome :
As I took charge of my new mission, I was given a pleasant surprise by the Priest Associates in the diocese. They came together at short notice to welcome me into their fold. There were fourteen of them.
They came with a truck load of plants to begin a tree planting campaign as part of one of their   projects. I was happy to be part of a team once more. Before the pandemic we used to meet   current  issues related to our ministry.
At national level, we are about fifty Priest Associates and ‘Live-in Sessions’ are organised once a year. These sessions help deepen our understanding of our charism and spirituality in the light of the vocation we have received and to  review our life and mission in order to make it more fruitful and meaningful. The fifty of us come from the two major ethnic groups that have been at war for so long and yet the friendly atmosphere that is created by the familial spirit is one the Holy Family could always be proud of. In our own way, we set the tone for peace and reconciliation and are an example especially among those priests and  religious who find it difficult to be open and understanding of each other.
Disappointingly, the attitude of some of the diocesan bishops in the country towards the  Association is at best ‘tolerance’. They seem to feel that the diocesan priests’ spirituality is good enough for our sanctity and ministry and that there is no need for another association which, in their judgement, is a distraction.
The matter was discussed at one of our meetings and the host of the day rightly pointed out what Pope John Paul II had to say about this attitude.
“Other insights or reference to other traditions of spiritual life can contribute to the priest’s journey towards perfection, for these are capable of enriching the lives of individual priests as well as enlivening the priesthood with precious spiritual gifts. Such is the case with many old and new Church associations which welcome priests into their  spiritual family”. (Pastores dabi vobis1992 no. 31).
 
Parish Ministry:
As for my Parish ministry, I have had to deal with two major issues. The first is the resettlement of my parishioners and the second is helping my  people cope with the lockdowns and their impact on every aspect of their lives.
During the long-drawn-out war and multiple displacements, these people had lost access to their productive assets. The painful reality is, that   returning to what was their traditional area, they still feel ‘displaced’ because there were no land marks left to identify their home places.
Their houses, Churches, schools, convents and even cemeteries had been bulldozed and razed to the ground for reasons best known only to the  Security Forces.
Headline housing schemes and vocational training centres alone cannot provide solutions to people who have been subjected to brutal violence and displacement. It takes a far more comprehensive approach and a thoughtful strategy to rebuild a war-battered community. It must be one that    appreciates the intimate link between the lives of a people and their land and livelihoods, and in keeping with their current realities. But my parishioners have had to and continue to put up with a rather messy resettlement process, counting only on their resilience.
With their harrowing experiences over the years of war and multiple displacements, they had lost all sense of belonging to a community. This has   continued to be a serious drawback that needs to be addressed as a matter of utmost importance by pastors like me committed to their cause.
 
The Impact of Covid19:
The restrictions imposed to prevent or minimize the risk of Covid-19 have made matters even worse for my already beleaguered community. Without the means to earn an income during lockdowns many are unable to feed themselves and their families. This could further exacerbate undernutrition and micronutrient deficiency for the  poorest and most vulnerable in society.
I have six village communities to look after –around 450 families – all of them struggling to get settled and now to survive through the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic. The task is heavy and multifaceted.
People have come to depend on their priest to take up their cause with the authorities in matters of housing and resettlement, of their right to life and livelihood security, facilities for the education and well-being of their children. And now, during the pandemic, they depend on us to seek and provide relief assistance from the State, NGOs and  well-wishers.
My little parish house has become a haven for people irrespective of caste and creed where they feel their woes are listened to and, where possible, addressed with sincere devotion.
 
 

The committee that has been working on the experience of synodal journey within the Holy Family, met via zoom on 21 January 2022.  This was in preparation for the forthcoming Synod.  The members from the different vocations – from Latin America, Spain, Congo, South Africa and Philippines shared their experiences of “walking together” as Family within Holy Family and in their own parish/diocesan contexts. 
Sharing stories of living synodality, the dreams and the images of a synodal Church, the steps to be taken to strengthen this ‘journeying together’ were the main content of their sharing.  The fruit of this work will be the contribution from the PBN Family to the Synod – an expression of living synodality!
 
      

The fragrance of our charism of communion is Spreading in the soil of Rwanda
“Go forward there is nothing that can stop you.” PBN
According to the words of our Good Father, the sisters of Rushaki community took the  initiative  to begin the group of our Holy Family Lay Associates in 2013. Sr.Scholastique started accompanying them, later in 2019 Sr. Vincentia continued until now when they were able to commit themselves.  On 14th of November 2021 18 Holy Family Lay Associates made their commitment. All of them were a couple making a total of nine couples. The whole Rushaki parish witnessed this beautiful event of generous self-giving of lay people to God through our Charism. Their joy was beyond expression. The journey of reaching this day was long but they never faltered on the way. They kept going with joyful hope that one day God will fulfill his promise in them.
The intensive preparation for their commitment was commenced on 7th of November with 3 days of retreat which was guided by Fr. Biabandi Deogratias. The theme was “Eucharist” since we are in the process of preparing for our Bicentenary of Miraculous Benediction. Sr. Vincentia prepared them on the practical activities that were necessary for the celebration. The last day was facilitated by our unit leader Sr.Julia MABITSO who emphasized the importance of self-giving for mission. She said this self-giving requires a deepening of the spirituality of every member of the Holy Family  which consists of imitating Jesus, Mary and Joseph whose lives were centered on God Alone. Our Founder’s Motto:  “Glory to God Alone, through Mary and Joseph” needs to be a way of life for each member of the Holy Family. She also spoke of the importance of the Eucharist and the Word of God in the life of all the members of the Holy Family. Sr. Julia  also  stressed that all the members of our five vocations are Full members of the Holy Family. She told our Lay Associates that they  are NOT   just associated with us the Sisters. Now that they  were making a commitment, they are full members of the Big Family that is founded by Pierre Bienvenu Noailles.

Then on 14th the Holy Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Bishop  Bahujimihigo KIZITO who was assisted by the parish priest of Rushaki  Fr. David. The Bishop  spoke eloquently  about the Holy Family of Nazareth, the model of all family life. He made an exhortation to the whole congregation to implore the Holy Family to heal us  from this pandemic of Covid 19. After their commitment each one was given the beautiful icon of the Holy Family and the Image of our dear Good Father.
To add joy to the celebration and to witness to the family spirit,  some  sisters and the associates from Gikongoro also joined them. During the reception the representative of the lay associates of Gikongoro expressed their joy by gifting our lay associates  the image of the Holy Family. Like the birds that sang in one voice on the tree in the dream of our Founder, his motto was repeated every now and then by our lay associates of both groups, Rushaki and Gikongoro: “Glory to God Alone! Glory to God Alone, through Mary and Joseph.”  The lay associates who made commitment felt they were ready to  go and spread the fragrance of our Charism  to other families in their places. Many who witnessed the celebration were in a rapture of Joy and amazement. Some started making enquiries of how to join this beautiful family. We truly thank God for all that has been.
Glory to God alone in Jesus Christ, through Mary and St. Joseph.
Thanuja VENISMERIN, Gikongoro community-Rwanda

In response to the Chapter’s call to work on our relationships in community, we the Overport community decided to spend a week together in the Drakensberg mountains, giving us time to reflect on and share on the questions on community life while spending some quality time relaxing and enjoying the beautiful surroundings!
While we, Tshidi, Marion, Colette and Cathy, were settling into a much needed holiday, we received news that there was a spree of looting, and general mayhem taking place back home in Durban (and Pietermaritzburg) and also Gauteng specifically.
It seemed that madness had taken over in two of our Regions namely KwaZulu Natal and parts of Gauteng. Television reports showed scenes of police being outnumbered by the looters and standing by unable to contain the situation. We watched in horror and helplessness as anarchy reigned for a few days when no-one seemed to be able to stop the mob mentality of looting, destroying and burning shops, pharmacies and just about any building that stored or sold goods.
Ordinary South Africans were afraid to leave their homes as they watched the streets taken over by mobs of angry young people, and not so young as they too were caught up in the mob mentality of destruction.
It was a concerted and planned effort to destabilise the country and the alleged people behind it were supporters of the former president of the country who was imprisoned because of contempt of court. He refused to answer questions regarding corruption charges against him by the presiding judge of the State Capture Enquiry.
It seemed that the dream of Nelson Mandela, our first democratically elected president of our Rainbow Nation was fast going down in smoke as buildings stripped of their goods were set alight, especially shops! The majority of South Africans watched in horror and fear the nightmare that unfolded during that week from the 11th to the 16th July.
This was a Kairos moment for South Africa! While we are still relatively young as a democracy, 27 years, that week taught us that we have a very long way to go in building a truly democratic Rainbow nation where every person’s dignity is upheld and respected.
As a nation, we had been slumbering and that week was a rude awakening! Yes, we are saddened by the corruption within government and politicians, the ongoing violence against women, the poor service delivery, the growing poverty, etc. etc. Do we face the challenges or do we continue to bury our heads in the sand and hope that it won’t happen again???
    
Unemployment stands at 34.4 % and youth unemployment at 64.4 %, given this reality we have a massive youth population open to manipulation for whatever ends when promised a way out of their current bleak situation! Unless we as a country take active steps to change this bleak reality, especially for the unemployed and often time unemployable youth, fear and riots could erupt at any time. There has to be an alternative to seeking employment to that of creating employment!
South Africa is a land of sharp contrast! After the initial shock, communities began to organise themselves as they came together to support and care for one another. Food, especially bread and milk, given freely to every family irrespective of their need. The horror of the week was diminished by the generosity of people especially our Muslim sisters and brothers. One organisation that is ever ready to go wherever the greatest need is, is the Gift of the Givers founded by Imtiaz Sooliman, organised food parcels that would last a family for a month and distributed these to a number of affected towns, especially rural communities.
In some communities, people formed human chains to protect shops owned by foreign nationals. Towards the end of that week, it was heart-warming to see the Rainbow Nation truly at work as people with disabilities, the elderly, people from every community coming together to help to clean up the streets and rebuild what was destroyed! Everywhere people sang the National Anthem as they came together to prove that unity is strength in cleaning up and rebuilding. Unfortunately, a number of the smaller shops did not have insurance or the means to rebuild!
Disasters, dark times, have a way of bringing out the best in humanity! One of the organisations we are closely involved with, the Denis Hurley Centre (DHC) where Cathy ministers, has since the start of the pandemic experienced a great outpouring of generosity from people of every faith group, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Christian and people who just want to make a difference.
The DHC works with the homeless people of the inner city providing meals, showers, laundry service, a medical clinic, counselling and referral to a government funded rehab for substance users, empowerment projects, advocacy, and services for refugees and asylum seekers. Sunday evening, following the week of riots, a 4 ton truck arrived at the DHC with a variety of food items: fruit and vegetables, bread and cakes. By the Monday afternoon, food was donated to various groups, children’s homes, homes for the elderly and disabled, community feeding schemes, refugee families, etc.
Where there is great suffering, even greater compassion abounds!
Our prayer for our country and the world – that we may be those candles of Hope burning brightly in the midst of what seems like darkness, that we may see the spark of divinity in each creature – that we see God’s goodness everywhere!
Marion, Colette, Tshidi, Cathy
Overport Community, South Africa
 
         
 
 
 

 
In your Spirit, gather us,
In your Spirit open our hearts,
In your Spirit, O God,
Guide and direct our path
This was our prayer as the Capitulants, led by the Chapter Facilitator, Matthieu Daum, entered into a Zoom meeting on November 12.  “Memories connect us” was one phrase in the prayer – and then the text from the 2014 Chapter  that inspired our “Exodus”, our desire to set out together, to reach the other shore:  With your belt around your waist, your sandals on your feet… your staff in your hand…
Noon in Europe, and some African countries – 6am in Peru, 7pm in the Philippines…  This is the time spectrum we were living today – and which we will maintain throughout the Chapter. 
The meeting was in some senses a rehearsal, a practice – helping to further familiarise us with Zoom procedures and technical skills, so that all can change our screen names, raise our virtual hands to vote or speak,  and learn how to use the official  voting platform that will be in operation in just two weeks’ time!    
Matthieu, referring to the fact that this “Telematic” Chapter is a totally new experience for us all, in which many of us will remain in our own communities, stressed the need for strict confidentiality, and reminded us that the timetable provides for four hours’ work together, leaving ample time during the rest of the day for the prayer, deep reflection and discernment that should characterise every Chapter.
Unanimously, we approved the Chapter Directory and the Chapter program,  and voted that the Facilitation Team that worked during the Process of February-March 2021 should continue to “guide and direct our path” throughout the Chapter.
We looked at some of the matters that will need immediate attention as the Chapter begins, in order to prepare ourselves for the necessary votes, and finally we confirmed that our personal reflections on each of the “working documents” from the Preparatory Groups will be the springboard from which our dialogue and Chapter decisions will emerge.
 
May God’s Spirit of Wisdom be with us all as we launch out into the deep!
 

On the afternoon of Tuesday 21st September 2021 the community of Pietermartzburg had a Rosebush planting celebration as part of our journey towards being a transformative community and also to respond to the invitation to celebrate 1st September to 4th October  – The Season of Creation. It was a very chilly afternoon, which is not supposed to be the normal as it is springtime down south.
We all gathered in the garden, sang the hymn, All Creatures of our God and King followed by praying Psalm 104. When this was over, Theresa and Violet who were assigned to do the planting proceeded to put the rosebush in a well-prepared hole done by Violet. While they were planting we sang the hymn again, said the blessing of the Soil Prayer and processed back into the house singing Lead us on O Lord.
This was a beautiful experience for us all to be and pray together in our garden. Due to the corona virus lockdown, we had not been able to spend time together outside as the whole community. We thank and praise God for this beautiful experience as community.
 
Pietermartzburg Community
South Africa
 
 

Heartfelt gratitude for God’s blessings
Lord, it is good to give you thanks.
With joy and Gratitude, we remembered on the 14th July 2021, the 25 Years’ Journey of the Holy Family Life and Ministry in Matatag Community in Manila and our presence in Barangay Pinyahan. It was a day of remembrance to give thanks to the Lord for His Bountiful blessings and graces that we received from Him for our life and mission.
As our Good Father Says: “MAY EACH COMMUNITY REFLECT THE HOUSE OF NAZERATH”. We believe and give witness that these words were lived and being realized in this Community. From the beginning until now, this house resembles and reflects the simple and humble house of Nazareth. All those who entered this house experienced the warmth welcome and hospitality and the spirit of simplicity of the Holy Family. This house became a home and shelter for so many people locally and internationally. The Visitors, our own Holy Family Members and Student Sisters, they all have experienced the family spirit, love, care, and simplicity above all God’s presence in the silent and quiet atmosphere. Moreover, our presence in this community radiated through our ministries among the poor, youth and children, who have received our love, care and support. Poor and the marginalized are our first choice. Through our simple presence being united with and among them, we witness to God’s love and communion.
On July 14, 2021, we gathered together as Community with few of our Lay Associates to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Community. At 10.00 am we gathered around the Table of the Lord to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and we offered our thanks to God’s continued presence and guidance that we experienced during the past 25 years of our journey. The Thanksgiving Eucharist was celebrated by our Parish Priest Fr. Adlai S. Barre and concelebrated with Fr. Maxi one of our Priest-friend from Sri Lanka. We were happy that even in this pandemic, we were able to gather to thank God and celebrate the Anniversary, observing the protocols. The Celebration of the Thanksgiving Mass was relayed online for the PBN Family in the Philippines to join in to give thanks to the Lord. It was a joy-filled, simple but meaningful Family Celebration.
         
 
During the Eucharistic celebration, we not only thanked the Lord for the blessings that we received, but recalled the many blessings showered on us through so many people who had been part and parcel of the Life Journey in the past from its Foundation, for their presence and ministries undertaken for the success of our Mission. Particularly, we lift our hearts to God in honour and gratitude for all the sisters who have been part of and served in this Community. Especially we remembered the first Three Sisters:
Sr. Eithne Hughes
Sr. Catherine Coonghe
Sr. Bernadette De Silva
who formed the Community in the year 1996. They put all their energy, love and hard work in common to build this community and turn it into a Home. With gratitude and respect we remember Sr. Catherine Coonghe for her untiring service that she offered to the community and to the people. May God reward her in his kingdom and may she rest in peace. We were happy to have Sr. Bernie De Silva in our midst for this celebration.
With joy we thanked our Parish Community for their love and acceptance of us and for being companions on our journey and in our ministries. They became part of our life journey and who are always there for us to support us in everything. Special thanks to our Lay Associates for their continued presence, support above all being partners in living our mission of Communion. As we continue our life and mission in this Community, we ask God to continue to be our guide and shower His blessing to live our life with zeal and dedication and to witness to our Mission Communion, in following the footstep of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
 
        
 
July 15, 2021 continued to be part of our Silver Anniversary Celebration of Matatag Community. We as a Community planned to celebrate the Foundation’s Silver Anniversary with a specialty of living our Option for the Poor, particularly in our area and we very much wanted to celebrate this memorable event with them. It was a unanimous decision that we share food with the Youth around us who are unemployed and are jobless at this time of the Pandemic and who are doing odd jobs here and there when there is something for them to do. We selected the group of Youth working temporarily for a couple of hours in “CAR WASH & GARAGE” to be our Anniversary Recipients to share in our joy. We made 50 Packs of choicest Food – of course of Filipino Menu – and were ready to share it with them. July 15th by 10.30 am we were ready and one of our Parishioners with a Tricycle joined us for the distribution of the same. It’s our way of journeying with the Youth who are at cross roads without hope and direction, trying to find a way to understand, to be of companions and to make them feel at home with us. It was a surprise for them and it was a welcoming gift, which they received with smiles bubbling in their faces and with a heart of gratitude. We were doubly happy that Pandemic is not always to be viewed in the negative. It has the challenging power to make us think and act differently.
It is our prayer that our Little Community will always remain a Home of Nazareth, radiating the spirit of the Holy Family and create for us opportunities to be with and for the Poor.
 
“Glory be to God Alone!
Matatag Community, Philippines.