FMOL: 25 years of our presence in Angola

Look at the past with gratitude, live the present with passion and approach the future with hope. (Pope Francis)

We are coming to the end of 25 years of our presence in Angola. These words of Pope Francis: "Look at the past with gratitude, live the present with passion and embrace the future with gratitude." (The Power of Vocation) resonate in our hearts. To celebrate a jubilee is to remember, with gratitude, the marvels of God in our lives, to be able to perceive God's presence in the various circumstances of our history, to be certain that "the Holy Spirit precedes us on our mission", that he himself opens up paths before us, that he allows us to "dream with open eyes" and to "draw a future full of hope", faithful to the will of the One who called, consecrated and sent us.

From our hearts, in celebration, come hymns of joy and gratitude to God for allowing us to be part of this history, in the lands of Angola and to walk side by side with a people who carry within them the strength of Faith, the courage of the martyrs and the audacity of the heroes who speak in the name of Love. Being where our presence can be of help by being witnesses and artisans of unity and communion is and will continue to be our great challenge in this crisis-ridden society; it is in the darkness that we want to recognise where the LIGHT can enter and continue to be a sign of hope. This LIGHT points out in our history today what we can change and have the courage to, like St Francis of Assisi, "START AGAIN" with the firm certainty that there is no future without a past and no present to begin a new history that challenges us to live reconciled and passionate about life and mission.

This jubilee is a time of grace, an intermittent sign where the voice of the most vulnerable reveals itself: "GOD WITH US" and urges us to walk with our hearts open to listening, to dialogue, to life, attentive to the realities that surprise us every day, mark our history and invite us to have "bowels of mercy". In living this Jubilee Year, we feel that we must continue to be "guardians of the tradition that moves to the rhythm of LOVE and Flexibility." (Pope Francis) We want to continue to live in synodality, to welcome differences and to live the interculturality that springs from our charism: "unity and communion", in the firm certainty that this is the greatest witness we can give today. 

The only word that comes out of our hearts is: gratitude! Gratitude to all the Sisters who have preceded us in the mission, gratitude to God for looking at the smallness of his servants and making us part of this great mystery. 

Sister Benilde Lopes