On July 3^rd, we arrived in the region of our founders: at Ploërmel, in Brittany, staying in the house of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, who very kindly welcomed us.

We are 20 sisters of different nationalities: from Congo, Ivory Coast, Haiti, Belgium, Chad, Honduras, Cameroon, Vietnam, Colombia, and France. We were immediately welcomed by the Forum organization team: sisters Marie-Thérèse Le Floch, Deysi O. Nadège Alarba, Gelsomina R. and Anne Thirion. Some of them were filming or taking photographs, which gave the strong impression that we were about to begin this special meeting. There was a lot of affection and joy during this initial gathering, because we were meeting once again sisters we already knew, and we also felt thanksgiving for the new faces of sisters who had recently entered our Congregation.

The opening was marked by the message of Sister Marie-Thérèse Quéré, our Superior General, who invited us to live this meeting in the dynamics of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, (Lk. 1: 39-50) under three aspects, as follows:

To have a real encounter, we should go out of ourselves. It is not only Mary who moves: Elizabeth does so too, when she hears Mary’s voice, and she goes out to welcome her cousin upon her arrival. But the journey is above all internal, because we arrive with our gifts and our limitations.

Mary’s meeting is not only physical; they meet not only to chat: they go much farther; to the revelation of the mystery which each of them carries. It’s God’s manifestation of himself in each one. We are invited to share from what we are and what we have.

Zachary, figure of the man who contemplates only the beginning of the promise, sees what is accomplished by God who prepares the way. We are also invited to contemplate silently God’s work in us and our hope for the future.

The starting point shows us the sure way, following Jesus of Nazareth, who has revealed himself and continues to make himself known!

Viviana Carolina Forero Angulo, F.J.