Sr. Anita Nazareth, an RSCJ in the Province of India, has written this letter of gratitude to St. Madeleine Sophie.
Dear Holy Mother,
As I gaze upon an image of you, prayerfully seated in your attic, holding a precious book on your lap, you appear to be in the Divine presence, enlightened and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Your letters to Philippine ignited a fire within me, and encouraged me to write this letter to you.
I am overwhelmed by your courage and confidence in being ready to traverse the globe for the sake of educating one child – a sign of your single-minded commitment to evangelization. Through education, you communicated the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and empowered girls to live with dignity and to work tirelessly for the welfare of their poor and needy sisters and brothers. You lived always under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and instilled this spirit-filled lifestyle in each of your daughters, teaching us that spiritual discernment is our way of life.
Your spiritual guidance continues even from heaven. I was deeply moved when I saw your châsse in St. Francis Xavier Church, in Paris. Though you are no longer with us in bodily form, your relics continue your mission of evangelization – proclaiming the good news of the sacrificing love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
My heart overflows with gratitude to you, Holy Mother, for accompanying and guiding me during my moments of doubt and lack of clarity with regard to my vocation. I experienced your strengthening presence at various stages of my religious life. I humbly acknowledge that I remain an RSCJ today because of your gentle guidance and motherly encouragement.
While still a novice in Patna, I was privileged to meet Sr. Patricia Quevedo, my first Superior General, who tenderly questioned me: “Sr. Anita, who is Jesus for you?” I reflected for a while and confidently responded: “Jesus is my companion on my spiritual journey.”
Our Society gave me the unique opportunity to live in Rome during my formation. I was enriched by my heart-to-heart interactions with our sisters from various continents and diverse cultures. Visiting the Mother House and meeting our then Superior General, Sr. Kathy Conan, was like a dream come true. She and the General Council struck me as being very simple and humble sisters, easily approachable and very appreciative of all our efforts to live the RSCJ way of life.
Under the leadership of the next Superior General, Sr. Barbara Dawson, our Society entered a new era with courage and confidence. We have awakened to new possibilities with hope for a pioneering future while technology has given us the immense joy of connecting with our RSCJ sisters across the globe – reminding us that we, though many, are One Body, all united in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Thank you, Holy Mother, for founding our little Society, and entrusting us with the mission to discover and reveal God’s love in the heart of the world through the service of education. Your charism continues to uplift, motivate and inspire people around the world as we strive to live lives that are wholly contemplative and wholly apostolic. As we celebrate your birthday, Holy Mother, we seek your blessings on our earnest endeavour to share God’s love with our students in Haregaon and, through them, to evangelize the world.
With deepest gratitude,
Your humble daughter,
Sr. Anita Nazareth, RSCJ
Section |International News
Province |India
Tags |Madeleine Sophie Barat|Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat|Sainte Madeleine-Sophie Barat
