The Polish Provincial Chapter began its deliberations on March 22. The first day, was a day for recollection and prayer. During the day of recollection, we were accompanied by Bishop Jacek Kicinski. On the following days, the sisters will discuss important issues in the province. The Chapter will end on March 25.
Wednesday of the 4th week of Lent
First reading – Isaiah 49:8-15
“I will never forget you”. How consoling is this Word of God! God will never forget me. And He describes that His relationship to me is better than the relationship of a mother to her child. So how much personal and intimate is the relationship of God to us! This is the reality that should be the driving force of our life. His love is very concrete as we can see in the words of the prophet. He will answer when we call. He will help me when I am in need. I will be freed from the prison of my darkness. I will never be hungry or thirsty. Wind or sun will never plague us. And He leads us to the springs of water. And He will prepare the way for my journey. Look, how concrete is the love of God. This concrete love must be responded by us with our gratitude. This concrete love, we must acknowledge in our life. In this intimate love, we must find consolation and joy. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to acknowledge more and more the intimate and concrete love of God.
Tuesday of the 4th week of Lent
First reading – Ezekiel 47:1-9,12
“This water flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome”. Here we read the effect of the grace of God in our life. The grace flows from the temple. It flows to all directions. It grows in abundance and becomes a river impossible to cross. Then we see the effect of the water all along the way it goes. It brings richness, fruits, lavishness, and even medicinal. Now we must think this in our life and the effect of grace of God in our life. The grace comes from the tabernacle. Our relationship to tabernacle makes this effect in our life. The grace begins to flow in all directions. It grows into abundance. Nothing can cross this river of grace. No sadness, no crisis, no problems will be greater than this grace. Then, this grace will produce fruits of grace in our life. It will bring the fruits of love, generosity, and kindness in our life. By this our life of grace becomes medicinal for others. All this begins with our relationship to the tabernacle. Let’s reflect: Lent is the time to re-establish or deepen our relationship with the tabernacle, the source of grace.
Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First reading – 2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-14,16
St. Joseph gives us always a lot to meditate. St. Joseph accompanies in our way. St. Joseph strengthens us when we are in doubts. St. Joseph intercedes always for us to keep Jesus safe in us. “Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me, and your throne be established for ever”. This is the promise given to the People of God through Prophet Nathan. The presence of God will be always there with us for ever. And God chose Joseph to be very important instrument in His Plan. Joseph fostered Jesus as a father. And St. Joseph continues his vocation in each one of us. God wants to establish His sovereignty in our hearts, and He wishes that our heart be His throne. In the life of Joseph, we can see how he welcomes the plan of God in his life changing his own plans to establish the sovereignty of God in his life. We can see how he embraces with courage the plan of God. Let’s reflect: Do we have the courage like St. Joseph to embrace the plan of God?
March 19, 2023 was an important day in the history of our Congregation. The previous German Province was restructured into the German Region, because the number of Sisters continues to decrease and the Sisters are more and more in need of help.
In the previous Provincial House, in the Convent of St. Augustine in Berlin, Archbishop Heiner Koch celebrated a festive Mass together with Prelate Stefan Dybowski on this occasion. At the end of the Mass, Superior General Sr. M. Sybilla Kołtan read the decree establishing the German Region. She then presented the new Regional Superior, Sr. M. Cordula Klafki, with the Decree of Appointment and an icon of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is a religious patron of our Congregation and the Superior General entrusted the German Region to the protection and assistance of St. Joseph.
The new Regional Superior, Sr. Cordula, had already held the office of Provincial Superior since 2006 and the Superior General thanked her for her many years of faithful service and her willingness to continue to help shape the destiny of the Congregation in these difficult times now also as Regional Superior.
After the service, the Sisters sat with the Archbishop and Prelate Dybowski over coffee, cake and a joyful exchange of ideas. Sisters from the other branches of our Congregation also came and there was a lively sharing.
This memorable day ended with vespers together.
May St. Joseph be a good and faithful companion of the new Region of our Congregation.
