As of 31st March 2020
Dear Sisters, on behalf of my Province I assure you of the prayer and solidarity with all of you. Everyday we look for signs of stopping the virus in all parts of the world.
As in all your countries, in Poland our life has been changing day after day. So many new challenges, restrictions, and decisions that have never been taken before.... In this time only the simple order “stay home” can stop spreading the virus and maybe save someone’s life. So we are in quarantine, leaving home only for these reasons: pharmacy, doctor, grocery store. The elderly sisters are well taken care of. Humbly, with love they accept the consequences of this never before lived situation, such as celebrating the mass on TV. They teach us to contemplate God present among us in our painful realities and to embrace what is fragile and weak in our world.
Many things from our plans were postponed except one - LOVE. Love is our mission. So we are trying to live our call in this new situation, believing that Jesus is very close to us, giving us life in the Spirit. Our Spirituality Centre is closed, but we will give the retreat in daily life online. We continue the scheduled meetings on Zoom. Some of our RSCJ teachers are working online, preparing lessons and executing the school program. Some of us offered meetings online for lay people who need support, who need to talk in this time of crisis. Some of us continue working in the strategic places, like nurses, doctors, and addiction therapist.
Because we can't go outside – we try to “come inside.” There is a longing for deep prayer, both personally and together. We listen to the retreats and conferences on TV and online. We pray with the Pope, joining any prayer which is transmitted on TV, like the one when Pope was praying alone in St. Peter’s Square. Each community has prolonged Adoration of Blessed Sacrament. We also have more meals together, and these give us the opportunity to build communion among us.
We are trying to remain in communication and connected with one another. Many of us have started to learn how to communicate using Zoom platform, which we will probably use more often in the nearest future.
We are united in prayer with each one of you, with the whole Society, and especially with the ones who are most affected now. It is hard for everybody. Our healing depends on the healing of others, and your healing depends on us. It somehow makes us all one.
Deeply connected with the whole humanity, we ask God for the healing of our world.
Jola Olczyk, on behalf of the sisters in Poland