Dorothée Sindani rscj recounts how the Province of RDC-TCH celebrated the centenary of Madeleine Sophie’s canonization and commemorated the jubilees of six sisters in the province.
On July 5, 2025, the RDC-TCH Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus had the grace to experience a memorable double celebration during a solemn Eucharist, presided over by His Excellency Bishop Jean-Chrispin Kimbeni of Kisantu. This celebration marked both the centenary of the canonization of our holy foundress, Madeleine Sophie Barat and the jubilee of several of our sisters, who are living witnesses of God’s faithfulness throughout their years of consecration. We gave thanks for: Sister Teresa Aura: 25 years since her first vows, Sister Brigitte Combier: 50 years since her first vows, Sister Ursula Bugembe: 50 years since her first vows, Sister Anne Mawete: 60 years since her first vows, Sister Agnès Nseki: 60 years since her first vows, Sister Albertine Fila: 50 years since her perpetual vows.
These jubilees are a profound source of gratitude and thanksgiving for our Society, bearing witness to the wonders of God and his faithfulness manifested in the lives of our sisters. Their total commitment to Christ, to the service of the Church and to the education of youth, embodies the charism of our foundress in the dynamic of the educational and apostolic mission that we continue to pursue.
In his homily, Bishop Kimbeni issued a vibrant and timely invitation to all Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ): “Let us always make St. Madeleine Sophie Barat present through our service to the Church. The Lord’s call to harvest remains urgent and vital.”
This call finds particular resonance in the words of our foundress herself: “For a child’s soul, I would go to the ends of the earth.” This mission remains more relevant than ever today, in a world marked by fragility, suffering, and division, but still imbued with God’s blessing. Our vocation commits us to be light, love, consolation, joy, humility, and gentleness in the heart of this wounded world. Through our witness of life rooted in the Heart of Christ, we can truly make a difference.
The Eucharistic celebration was followed by a fraternal moment shared with our mission partners, our students and former students, associates, families, and many other friends of the community. This conviviality helped to strengthen the bonds of togetherness in an atmosphere of joy and gratitude. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be glorified forever. May the memory and legacy of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat live on, and may the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus prosper in fidelity to its mission.
Sister Dorothée Sindani, RSCJ
Province of RDC-TCH
Section |International News|Society Celebrations: Centennial of the Canonisation of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat
Province |Chad|Democratic Republic of Congo/Chad
