Children and staff in the
church of Bom Sucesso Mission Sunday Supplement
LOUISIANA
“Our mission as Dominican women is to study, share, proclaim and witness to the liberating Word of God in order that right relationships be restored between God, People and the Earth where these are broken due to lack of knowledge and distortion of the truth”
We presently serve in Ireland, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal, and Louisiana, USA.
The Sisters began the mission in 1968. Up to August 2005, they were primarily engaged at St Leo the Great Parochial school and other parish ministries. However, after Hurricane Katrina, this changed as many schools and parishes in the surrounding area were severely damaged. Until 2021, sisters continued to serve in school and parish ministry. Sister Lilianne Flavin is still serving in New Orleans. She works in Hope house which is a neighbourhood centre in St. Thomas-Irish Channel area of New Orleans. Programmes offered include adult education, emergency assistance, youth recreation, etc. The mission statement is: “We strive to be a gospel people, a visible sign of Christian community, to live and work with the poor, to manifest the human concern of Jesus for all people, to foster dignity and respect for all, and to help build a society where justice and truth abide.” Lilianne is seen here holding an award she received for her faithful service, which includes prison ministry.
LISBON, PORTUGAL
In Lisbon, Portugal, the mission of the Congregation begun in 1639, continues today through FORSDI – Foundation of the Social Works of the Irish Dominican Sisters. This Foundation was set up in 1993 and its mission is to continue the work and mission of the Congregation through the commitment of our lay colleagues in Education and Social Action. It consists of three Centres – the College of Bom Sucesso, the Creche of Our Lady and the Holy Family Centre.
Arco Iris
Arco Iris Community House is a social organization which has as its main objective giving services to the community of Cuartel V. The local people run the Primary school and secondary school for adults; workshop for knitting, a workshop for healthy relationships.
DOMINICAN SISTERS IN MISSION IN OUTER BUENOS AIRES AND IN BARILOCHE, ARGENTINA
Our present mission includes accompanying two parishes in Buenos Aires ensuring faith formation through bible courses and reflections on the Word of God. And care for the most vulnerable by providing meals, helped by local volunteers, for those who are most affected by the current social and economic crisis.
Together opening up pathways (Juntos Abriendo Caminos- J.A.C.)
This is a project that has been operating for 9 years. Its purpose is to strengthen the academic progress of students in Higher Education, using tutorials, workshops and integral and holistic accompaniment throughout their studies. The students come from poor families so a small monthly subsidy is helpful to ensure they do not abandon their studies.
SOUTH AFRICA
Dominican Sisters, Cabra currently have a presence in Capetown and its Southern suburbs, in Port Elizabeth and in Gauteng province. We are committed to working for a more just society and this is integral to our ministry. We have a strong sense of service to the poor and underprivileged.
Education remains an important aspect of our ministry although all schools are now under lay management. We serve as Trustees on the Catholic Schools’ Trust and as board members of the schools, and as members of National and Provincial Catholic School structures.
Implementation of child Safeguarding Policy, Restorative justice and the building of peace within the school community is a priority.
We remain faithful to St. Dominic and his dream which has a strong focus on working together “on the healing of the human community so as to turn hostility into friendship and break the spiral of violence that surrounds us today. We need to create communities of viable life in this kind of mission which inspires hope”. (Hope for a World: Mission in a Global Context). The decades between 1970 and 1980 were marked by opposition to the apartheid regime. The sisters established night schools to offer education to adults and Hedge Schools to offer education to older children in black communities. Many Sisters worked for Justice and Peace commissions and some were arrested for participating in illegal marches against apartheid. The 1976, Dominican schools defied the government by opening up all their schools to children of all races. To remember the first voting by African people, we offer this poem by Sr. Dorothy Balfe who was a UN observer at a polling station.
SUFFRAGE
An old leather-skinned man has travelled three days to the township
from his home in the hills.
He has arrived at the polling station.
He stands in the doorway
“This way, Sir…”
The old man cannot stir, because with his bare feet swollen from walking
He must savour this doorway.
He must close his eyes and sigh,
And lean his whole voiceless life into this doorway.
”This way, sir…” first he fingers the number. This too has to be caressed
”This way, sir…” Bowing like an acolyte, he takes the voting paper in both hands.
A stillness falls in the polling station.
The old man X’s his paper, folds it, holds it, over the ballot box. He cannot let it go.
BARILOCHE (PATAGONIA)
SALÓN OBRA DE MARÍA- CAPILLA MADRE DE LA UNIDAD
We Dominican Sisters came to Bariloche 5 years ago, and work with the Diocesan agency of Caritas and Social Development; whose coordinator is Mrs. Laura Velazquez.
Some activities we provide are:
Support teaching for primary and secondary school pupils
The EMMAUS programme for Adolescents on Saturday afternoons 12-14 hours with time for play, reflection, sharing the mate tea drink, and practice working together building up the group.
CLAR (Conference of Latin American Religious) invites us to “await the dawn of a synodal Church, helping this new time of salvation to emerge.” This is a horizon of hope, in the hands of Women of the Dawn, women who even in the darkness of life, seek light, life and Resurrection, and do not deny the action of God in our history.