On 17 and 24 June 2021, great days at Kermaria France. It is the feast of our Jubilarians: an opportunity to get together after several months of confinement.
Thursday 17th June
It had been raining since early in the morning but the Sisters called out to each other in a joyful hubbub. There were shouts of gratitude and laughter under the masks, and everything said that it was a feast day at Kermaria. The jubilarians were celebrating 50, 51, 60, and 61 years of religious life. All were there, except for seven whose death was remembered by a votive light on the altar, and a few others who were absent due to ill-health or distance.
Jubilee, shout for joy
At 10.30 am, the chapel was well filled, and the Mass began. The song “Jubilee, shout for joy” launched our hearts into thanksgiving. The welcoming words of Sr Anne, our Provincial, united us even more. The Word of God reiterated the basis of our fraternity and the celebrant exhorted us in his homily to be free. We joined in as the jubilarians renewed their vows, prolonged by the singing of the prayer of Saint Ignatius “Give me, give me, give me only to love you“.
Thanksgiving
It was a beautiful feast where one could feel the joy and communion of hearts in thanksgiving.
Finally, a good meal brought the jubilarians together under a grey sky that did not darken our hearts. St Joseph had certainly ensured that the day went well.
Sr St Paul, Tonneins, France
Thursday 24th June
The Eucharistic celebration began with the song “Here we are before you, O our Father, gathered before you in his name. Here we are before you O our Father, servants in every place, of your greater Glory. “
In her welcoming words, Anne, our Provincial, told us again, “It is in the here and now, today, that the Lord manifests himself. To celebrate a jubilee is to experience great joy“.
The African celebrant, a priest in Locminé, reminded us of the importance of fidelity. “It is He who has chosen you, be faithful to Him. “ Then came the time for the renewal of vows. Our celebration ended with the singing of the Magnificat.
A time of conviviality
The Sisters then assembled in the Sacred Heart room for a delicious and convivial meal. This was punctuated by a song in Occitan from the region of Cahors, in the south of France: “Se canto, que canto, canto pas per iéu, canto per ma mie, qu’es aluen de iéu. “, which means: “If it sings, let it sing, it is not singing for me, it is singing for my love, who’s far away from me.“
Some of the Sisters then began a Breton dance called the “Laridé”.
At the end of the day, each one went home with joy in her heart and thanksgiving.
Agnès Miquel, fj, Pontivy, France
0 Comments