CREATIVE CHARITY

We, the sisters of the community of «Bartolomea Home», were set on fire with love and creative charity by the animation of our dear Sr. Pauline Joseph, co-ordinator of the mission in Ethiopia. Thanks to her inspiring charity, we planned to animate some Sudani boys and girls studying at the university. They are Catholics, but since all our liturgical celebrations are in the local language, they go to the churches of other denominations, where the services are in English. After having talked with the bishop, we were given the permission to celebrate Mass every Saturday morning in our chapel; we prepare and animate it together. We are grateful for this golden opportunity to bring back nearly twenty youth to Catholic Church.

But one Saturday only four students were present, because one of the girls had lost her father and they remained in the hostel. Therefore, we planned to visit her, as she could not go home for funeral. However, when we arrived at the hostel we were not allowed to get in and so we, 4 sisters and 17 students, went to the nearby coffee shop. There we read the word of God and, after a short time of personal reflection, we shared the Word, prayed for the departed and tried to console the young girl. All the students were surprised that we went in search of them. The following Sunday, solemnity of Palm Sunday, their number increased in the church. We were happy that we could be attentive to the signs of the times and go to the peripheries to find and serve Christ. We thank the Lord for this new opportunity to be apostles of charity and for having brought back about twenty students to the Catholic Church.