When we think of missions, distant continents often come to mind. However, Mission Week reminds us that the heart of mission beats wherever love, presence, support, and a Gospel perspective are needed. Today we want to share the story of the unique ministry of our missionary sisters in Germany, where mission takes on a completely new and beautiful form. Sisters from Poland and Tanzania serve together in our German missions. In Berlin, they are: Sr. Bakhita Mazengo, Sr. Getruda Gabriel Ashapira, Sr. Małgorzata Dąbrowska, and Sr. Pia Iriszek; in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Sr. Josephina Kilawe; and in Treis-Karden: Sr. Goretti Komba and Sr. Vianneya Rogowska. Their presence is an invaluable gift to the older German communities. The missionaries care for their sick sisters with love and devotion, offering them daily support in their frailty and ensuring their safety. However, this care has, above all, a profound spiritual dimension. It is a time of shared prayer, of sharing the faith, and of building unique, diverse evangelical communities. In this way, they demonstrate that diversity does not divide but enriches, becoming a living sign of the universality and unity of the Church. By breaking down cultural and language barriers, they create vibrant, international communities that become signs of the unity of the universal Church. Our sisters’ ministry also extends beyond the walls of their convents, going beyond their daily involvement in the running of our religious houses. They work actively in nursing homes for the elderly, and Sister Pia recently began her ministry at a Berlin hospital. There, they serve both as professional caregivers, attending to the physical health of patients, and through pastoral care. In a secularized world where God is often pushed to the margins, their work becomes a profound act of the new evangelization. The sisters become a source of comfort, hope, and God’s peace for the sick and the elderly. Their presence is especially important as the time of death approaches.
During Mission Week, we thank God for our Sisters from Poland and Tanzania who have taken up ministry in Germany, and for their dedication to building bridges between cultures and strengthening the unity of our Congregation.