The first Provincial Assembly (WestIndianProvince) of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, their Affiliates and Associates, took place from March 23 to 28, at Emmaus Centre, Arima with some 200 participants from Trinidad and Tobago, St Vincent, Grenada, Dominica and St Lucia. Rose Osuji reports on what took place on Thursday, March 27.

Purpose of the Assembly

The purpose of the Assembly was to assess how the charism and spirituality of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, foundress of the congregation, have influenced our lives in our everyday activities and to chart the way forward in light of the dwindling number of the Sisters and by extension of priests.

Following Mass and the recitation of the Rosary, participants moved to the Hall, beautifully decorated for the occasion. Three life-sized images of Sisters clad in the original religious habit of the Congregation, made us feel that Anne Marie was physically present there with us.

Two mounted large posters gave an account of the local history of the Congregation in Trinidad and Tobago and a list of the names of schools once managed by the Sisters.

There was also a family tree depicting the various countries where the Sisters operate. The smaller posters/flyers carried inscriptions such as: “A Light to enlighten the nations”; “I am the Resurrection”; “Peace begins with me”; “He died to set our people free”, etc.

Sr Jean Devenish-Huggins, the emcee, welcomed everybody and said the opening prayer invoking the victory and glory of the risen Christ and the blessings of Blessed Anne Marie in her service to the poor and the needy, on our deliberations.

Guest speaker

Sister Clare Stanley, a native of Sierra Leone, now resident in Paris, was the guest speaker. Her namesake, Sr Clare Harris, introduced her. In her address Sr Clare Stanley expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome she received and the need for the Lay Associate programme, which is now a more formal enterprise to share the mission and spirituality of Blessed Anne Marie and the Cluny Sisters.

Sr Clare Stanley delivers her address

Drawing on the experiences of Blessed Anne Marie, she urged the participants to seek the Will of God in all things and all matters in our everyday lives no matter the situation. Our spirituality is reflected in the way we live our faith.

Our faith should be such that we are willing to die for what we believe in. Our religion is a way of life.

In doing God’s Will we should be open to whatever prompts God’s love and to liberate people from bondage just as Blessed Anne Marie did.

In God’s work and will there is room for everybody. The qualities of Blessed Anne Marie, a woman of courage and charisma, dedication, perseverance, creativity, deep faith and prayer, should be our guide. Pointing to the need today to live her mission and bring the Good News to the needy, the poor and the marginalised and build God’s kingdom, Sr Clare said that we must ask ourselves “Am I bringing Good News to the people I encounter everyday?”

She urged us to liberate ourselves from what enslaves us today – violence, crime, oppression, poverty, etc. and to love others in the context of our daily lives in the home, school and workplace. Blessed Anne Marie met all challenges relying on her deep faith and prayer.

We must make a conscious decision to live her mission and spirituality, to search for God’s Will, to explore the dark side of realities and make a difference.

Like the prisoner in a dark cell who clings to the rare light that enters the cell, so we must escape from darkness, from the tomb by coming to the light of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Light. The message of the Resurrection is the message of light over darkness, of good over evil.

She concluded her address by wishing that the blessings of the light of the Living Lord who is the Light of the world, may enlighten us in our search for God’s will.

The question, group session and reports

One of the groups of Associates at the assembly

What does the life of Blessed Anne Marie, her charisma and spirituality, hold for us in light of the declining numbers in the Congregation and the Church due to ageing among other factors? How do we continue the Cluny legacy?

These were the questions addressed in eight groups after Sr Clare’s inspiring address. The group’s discussions of the questions were given in terms of 1. Duration of association with the Congregation 2. Influence of the life of Blessed Anne Marie on our lives and 3. The way forward.

Duration of association

Duration of association with the Cluny Sisters ranged from two months to 18 years. Most of us said that we were invited to join the Lay Associate Programme and did so because we felt the urge to give back to the Congregation what we received, especially in the area of education.

How the congregation has influenced our lives

The groups reported that their association with the Congregation has influenced their lives in very many different ways. Some of these ways included a deepening and strengthening of faith and prayer life and enhancing personal spirituality.

The consequence of this was taking action to help the elderly, shut-ins, visiting the sick, organising prayer and Bible Study groups, doing Lectio Divina and Evening Prayer with the Sisters.

Others, drawing on the way Blessed Anne Marie dealt with obstacles, leaving her comfort zone (family) to venture into the unknown to work among the underprivileged by trusting in the Lord, acknowledged that Blessed Anne Marie served as an example to them in dealing with their situations and accepting God’s will.

Association with the Congregation has also helped many in filling a void in their lives.

The way forward

The ways forward suggested by the group discussions to ensure the preservation and transformation of the Cluny Congregation also varied.

A few of the many suggestions: organising inter-island visits yearly close to Blessed Anne Marie’s birthday, submitting articles to the Cluny magazine, recruiting/attracting new and young members, making Trinidad the headquarters of the programme, praying for vocations and family life, having a Junior Associate group from which future religious could emerge, getting students more involved, training Associates and allowing them to reach out to the younger people to feel the call to do God’s will, holding sessions in schools with the younger ones after examinations to strengthen religion and family life, participating in Catechesis and other parish ministries, helping the poor.

The youth

Group after group emphasised the need for encouraging and reaching out to young people and getting them involved. The case of the “Nanette” group, which operates in schools in Trinidad and St Lucia was cited.

Another case was the recently launched “Youth in Focus through Prayer and Example” which attempts to motivate, inspire and empower young people in the Government schools to make a difference in their lives, homes, schools, Church, and the society.

The focus of this programme is to get students, teachers and parents/guardians to come together to pray and celebrate Mass monthly in the schools. Since the programme started in Trinidad in November 2007 it has been making good progress and the priests are responding very well in spite of their numerous obligations.

An invitation was extended to the participants from the other islands to do the same.

The morning session ended with Sr Clare Harris giving a history of the formation of Associates in the Church which started during the seventh and eight centuries through to the 13th century (the period of Sts Francis and Dominic) up to the 20th century under Pope John Paul II.

Sr Gabrielle Mason

After the lunch break Sr Gabrielle Mason, Provincial Superior, addressed the Assembly, describing the day as a regional day when the Cluny Family came together “to bring joy, to give joy”, she said, “Joy is truth. Joy is beauty.

The way forward is to bring joy, move with the times and leave the baggage behind. Do away with depression. Love and forgive, to forgive is to free yourself.”

Entertainment

Similar to the activities of the day, entertainment took many different forms. Ordain Graham of St Vincent provided music at different times with his guitar and mouth organ. Students from the different Convent schools entertained us with different items. Each item, in addition to displaying some skill, imparted some moral values. They were all well received and appreciated.

The students of St Xavier’s Private School Folk Choir sang Wake up Johnny, Come and Let us Go and Cosmopolitan Land composed by Stephen Khelawan and conducted by Bernadette Sorzano, both from the same school.

St Xavier's Private School performs

Later, students from this school performed a dance and played four pieces on the steelpan to the delight of the Assembly. Their pan teacher, Rosaline De Gannes, conducted the steel orchestra.

From Maria Regina, Orion Watkins and Cyan Jones sang Mary, did you know that your baby son is Lord of all creation? Alicia Ritchins of SJC, St Joseph rendered two items on violin. Jael Paul of Providence Girls’ sang two calypsos Dear People and Why I Came. Her sister Jewel Paul accompanied her.

A trio, Malania Moffett, Maygan Wells and Anya Carty from Port-of-Spain Convent sang Ships of Arcady beautifully, while Corinne Acosta of St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando rendered a melodious Via Dolorosa and Chantelle Foote of the same school sang El Shaddai.

The last item was a dramatisation of the life of Blessed Anne Marie based on a poem Sister Javouhey written by Stacey Ann Jones of St Joseph’s Convent, Grenville, Grenada. It was composed for the closing ceremony of the bicentenary year.

Sr Rose Leon from St Lucia depicted the legacy of Blessed Anne Marie in her numerous roles in South America, Africa etc. as an evangeliser, liberator of slaves, a crusader, a freedom fighter, a revolutionary, etc.

Three Sisters took turns in reading the poem while another Sister beat the drum. The rhythm of the drum changed to correspond with the role bring dramatised. We were all delighted.

The Assembly came to a close with a stirring rendition of The Tribute by Sr Bernadette Ramharack with Sr Jean Devenish-Huggins on the key-board.

Victor Poyotte of St Lucia gave the vote of thanks and we dispersed, encouraged and motivated to continue the work of Blessed Anne Marie in doing the Holy will of God.