The pandemic ‘Covid-19’ with its unprecedented devastation of lives has made everyone fragile and fearful gripped by a sense of uncertainty about everything in life and not less the future. The words that continue to ring in our ears to this very day: wash your hands, keep social distance, stay home and stay safe. In a certain sense, at least in the beginning, finding oneself tied down by this emergency, a feeling of helpless to reach out to human suffering through closeness and humanitarian service loomed large everywhere.

“Covid-19” may be unparalleled for its nature of a worldwide threat it poses; but for the Sisters of Charity, known as ‘Sisters of Maria Bambina’ it is not so in spite of its dreadfulness. It only evoked their memory of the ‘Cholera outbreak’ in Lovere in 1836 and the undaunted response of St. Vincenza Gerosa, (to read more download PDF) the first daughter of the Institute in whose able hands the Institute conceived by St. Bartolomea Capitanio began to grow and take shape.

Cherished memories not only pave way to nostalgia but they become secure roadmaps on the journey when we feel lost and they indeed serve to root us to our Origins. They give wings to soar above, enabling us to become faithful to the founding Charism: “to do everything possible, suffer everything and even shed their Blood for the good of their neighbor … a distant imitation of the consuming love of our Redeemer in dying for us.” (CF 14)

This Charity – “the love of God poured into our hearts” cannot be obstructed by any force in the world as we read in the book of Song of songs: “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.” Once more in the face of Covid-19, for the daughters of SS. Bartolomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa, Charity proves stronger than death and they with a courage born of humility manifest it in concrete gestures often giving way to creativity of closeness to the suffering through their loving care and ardent prayer. A response in unison that has bound the whole Institute Family spread in 20 countries of the world.

The News Letter of this month of May (to read more download PDF) collects all these instances of Charity as a way of acknowledgement of the services rendered by the sisters in faithfulness to the Charism. In this manner, we also give thanks to God for the grace offered to us in becoming an instrument of His unfailing presence at this time of distress and desolation caused by the pandemic.

 

SCCG MYANMAR & COVID -19 (Watch the video)

SCCG SECUNDERABAD & COVID -19 (download PDF)