Month: June 2015

Feast of St. John the Baptist

We can see in the Gospel of Lk. 1: 57-66.80 two important aspects: the mercy that makes sterile elderly parents able to conceive and bear a son, and also the name chosen for this son, John, which mean “God shows His Love”. “The mighty One who is merciful and compassionate”. Ps. 145 The scenic village of Ein Karem is located in the mountains of Judea. This is the place where the elderly Elizabeth and Zachary lived, where Elizabeth was visited by her cousin, Mary, a young virgin who was also pregnant in an extraordinary way and who stayed there for three months. John is humble, simple, known to be an instrument to proclaim the Word, but he is not the Word. He denounces injustice and lack of love. He shows courage because he knows that in speaking the truth he might die, but he does not care about it, as he knows that his mission is to prepare the way for the One who will remove sin, corruption and who will spread love, solidarity and …

A Week of Celebration

Happy Birthday Everyone! Since we would not be together during our birthdays in the Novitiate house, we agreed to have a big party for all of us last June 15 (Monday). We had a lovely meal and a delicious birthday cake. Oonah, Darlene and Marge joined our celebration. Oonah’s Visit at the Novitiate House We were privileged to have Oonah with us for a few days. We had a meaningful and encouraging talked with her individually. It was nice to have a conversation with her. She also shared with us about her experience as a superior general and how she is leaving it. Finally We had Holidays! Last Wednesday ( June 17) we went to the Old Jaffa to have our long awaiting holidays. We stayed in the Old Jaffa Youth Hostel for three days and two nights. It was a moment of rest, enjoying good food, relaxing, reading books, sight seeing, chatting and sharing with one another, walking along the beach, sitting peacefully as the sun set to its setting and playing games. We …

Deepening our Sion’s charism and spirituality

This week, we have studied the history of our Congregation for the second time. We were well-fed by the information given to us, and we have learned how the Congregation has started. Moreover, it was also fun for we did the socio-drama, which really helped us to remember each detail of our Sion’s history. Somehow, we refreshed the history of the Congregation through the socio-drama for we acted out by ourselves. It leaves ambiguous memory in our heart, which we will carry wherever we will go. From our socio-drama, we have discovered that we have the talent of acting. Personally, I am deeply moved living in the land where the Ratisbonne´s brothers did lots of sacrifices for the Church and her people. To be in the place what we the sisters of Sion call the Heart of our Congregation with so much memorable memories from the past up to the present is, indeed, a wonderful blessing from God. Written by Joey

Session about Louise Humann

We started our studies and reflection on Tuesday 2nd of June 2015 with Sister Patricia Watson from Australia. Sr. Patricia is sharing her deep knowledge and searching about Louise Humann and Father Marie Alphonse here in the Novitiate House. Louise Humann was born in Strasbourg on September 27th, 1766 and died on September 29th, 1836. She was intelligent even as a child. She knew 6 languages, among them Hebrew, Latin and Greek which she learned in order to read the Bible in the original languages. Her passion and love for the Bible gave her the motivation to go forward. She learned the catechism quickly so she was able to teach her brothers and sisters. She was the eldest of her siblings. At twenty one years she decided to enter the convent of the Augustinian Sisters but after six months she left. After she left she was sad and she met Fr. Louis Colmar who encouraged her to teach catechism to children, to visit the sick and the poor. She was a serious reflective young woman …

Joey’s apostolic experience

I am almost in my 6 weeks of staying here in Ecce Homo Sion’s Pilgrims House. Hospitality is very alive in this house, and, indeed I have experienced the hospitality of my co-sisters, the staffs, and the workers. Because of my good experience in my new community, my disappointment of not having a visa to Egypt was completely gone, and it boosts my energy to devout myself in my apostolic year. I am delightful living in a different environment where Muslim prayer wakes me up in the middle of my deep sleep which reminds me also to pray with them. In the Guests house, I work every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I am assigned to some tasks especially preparing the meals which I have to wake up early in the morning to prepare a breakfast. I am also assigned to the reception. I have also some works like doing laundry, ironing, cleaning the house, watering the plants, and among others. These works keep me busy, but I find joy in doing those works. I feel …

Breakfast as a challenge

In this article in the Catholic Newspaper of the Diocese of Linz our friend Josef Wallner reports about the first year of the Congregational Novitiate in Ein Karem. Sr. Juliana visited him during her holiday in Austria. The six young women who have recently joined the congregation Notre Dame de Sion hail from three continents and from four different countries. Sr. Juliana Baldinger has now been with them for a year as director of the novitiate. The diversity of origin has been a great challenge for all of them. The six young women who have recently joined the congregation Notre Dame de Sion hail from three continents and from four different countries. Sr. Juliana Baldinger has now been with them for a year as director of the novitiate. The diversity of origin has been a great challenge for all of them. For the six novices of Notre Dame de Sion it is a special chance to be able to prepare for life in the Congregation in the Land of the Bible. The director, Sr. Juliana …