Month: April 2016

A Day with Our NDS Brothers

On April 24, our NDS Brothers, Ratisbonne community invited us (the Novitiate community) for lunch. This was special for us, the Novices, because it was our first time visiting the Brothers since we arrive in Jerusalem this year. We enjoyed the Brazilian food especially the Salpicao salad. We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying our singing, playing guitar with Br. Joel and having our karaoke, and then watching a movie while having our special cake made by Br. Cristóvão. We ended our day having our Sunday Mass at Kehilla, the Hebrew speaking community. Everything was so special and we were very happy for this encounter with our Brothers. Maria Malau NDS, novice Congregational Novitiate Ein Karem, Jerusalem April 25, 2016

Music Lesson 2016

From April 16 – 23, we were privileged to have Fr. Werner Hebeisen SJ, a Jesuit priest from Austria for our music lesson. Fr. Werner taught us some basic guitar chords and we had practices every day. Most of all, he taught us the right way to sing; for instance, doing breathing exercises, listening and identifying our voice. He taught us how to play guitar and violin. Most of us enjoyed learning guitar. This was a new experience for most of us and we found it difficult but all of us were eager to learn. We were able to learn and sing about fifteen songs including the songs from the country of our origin; Spanish, Portuguese, German and Indonesian. Full of joy and energy, we sang and performed the songs in our community Brothers, Sisters and friends at Ein Kerem on Saturday night. It was really a real mini concert for us. At the end of the song presentation, we took the opportunity to thank Fr. Werner for spending his time and gifts of music, …

One day in four amazing places!

We had the privilege of visiting four beautiful places in only one day; three National Parks: Masada, Qumran and En Gedi, and Nabi Musa in the Jordan valley. We shared this excursion with a group of priests and sisters who are studying for three months here in the Holy Land. Masada was the first place that we visited. The Masada fortress was built around the year 30 B.C by King Herod. The most impressive structure on Masada is King Herod’s palace, located in the northern part of the complex. It’s amazing to observe how King Herod the Great designed and built twelve entire water systems to save every drop of rain keeping it in tanks, in the midst of the desert, in an arid climate where there is rarely rain. Masada is an important place because it tells the world that the Jewish heritage cannot be erased even when it is at its lowest point. It is destined to revive and rise again. The En Gedi, Nature Reserve was the second place that we visited …

Entry into our canonical year, 2016

We had our mass at 11:00am with apostolic sisters, brothers of Sion and friends of Sion. It was a marvelous day since it was the feast of annunciation and our official entry into the novitiate. We had in our mass three special symbols: a candle, bibles and medals (Virgin of miracle), each novice receive one symbol. We really enjoyed this shiny day and it was very special, since it is spring time and all creation joined us in this day with beautiful flowers around. “Sing and rejoice, O daughter Sion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord.” (Zech. 2, 10) Also, we felt quite joyful to entry into our canonical year. It is a special time of being with Jesus “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”.(Jn. 16,6) and Mary “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”. (Lk. 1, 38) On April 4th, 1853 Father Theodoro in his sermon about the feast of annunciation said: “Here …

Magnificat – We answer God’s call

We hope you know that our day was special because you were there with us, among us in our celebration, and because you where with us in spirit. With your presence and with your well wishes you have given us a reason to be thankful as you made visible what without your presence would have been meaningless. Thank you by the Novitiate Community St. John in Montana In a special way Lucia, Andrea, Maria and Nancy

Retreat in Gethsemane

From April 1st to 3rd we had three days of retreat in a very beautiful place. We enjoyed a lot this time of reflection, pray and silent. The view of Jerusalem’s city, the garden and the guidance of Sister Maureen helped us to be more open to the voice of God. The first day we could meditate in the Mount Sinai Revelation, the important of God’s revelation to Moises and what is it going to mean for us during this canonical year? The second day we reflected in some texts that talk about Ayekah (where are you?), the God’s revelation to Adan and then to many others women and men in the bible. The point was how to identify ourselves through these texts and how we will respond to God’s revelation to us. Finally we finished our retreat reflecting on the Mount Sion, the mountain of the Lord. With the character of Mary as a daughter of Sion we mediated in this question, what is the call of a Sister of Sion? Our call is …