Summer in the Eastern Europe
For God there is no border…
From 3-13 July 2011 the sisters from the Eastern Europe Countries had a workshop in Żytomierz, in our main convent in Ukraine. From Belarus participated: Srs. Natalia Pieckulin, Olga Rynkiewicz, Sr. Snieżana Weryszko; from Russia – Sr. Irina Cziczerowa, and from Ukraine – Srs. Julia Wolska, Galina Klimenczuk, Galina Soroczyńska, Galina Szpilowa, Katarzyna Gołub, and Jadwiga Puchalska. From Poland there were Srs. Mirosława Włodarczyk, Blanka Sławińska and Monika Szupryt. The Pallottine Family would not be complete if there would be a lack of a lay person. To our sisterly circle beautifully fit Ms. Izabela Owczaruk, professor of Psychology at Warsaw University and UAC member.
Thanks to Sr. Mirosława, Provincial councilor, who organized this workshop and was responsible for it, we could together pray, reflect on Bible passages, deepen the knowledge of ourselves through psychological sessions, and to build better relationship among ourselves and with others. We had also an opportunity to reflect on our beginnings and to rekindle our Pallottine charism. The aim of this gathering was to build communion. Working together and in the small groups, we got to know our countries better – the histories, culture, traditions and religion.
Ms. Owczaruk, guided a psychological and educational workshop based on the following topics: systematic thinking about communion among people, opportunities and barriers in understanding ourselves, feeling guilty and being hurt, contact with others, norms for good communication and dialog, constructive acceptance of opinions and crises, life in a community with others, etc.
Srs. Blanka and Monika, pillars of the Province were also unique gifts for us. They not only prepared interesting sessions, but showed their talents in the kitchen by making delicious meals for in a very creative way.
An enriching point of the program was the celebration of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, which is one of our Congregational traditions. Sr. Monika animated this evening in such a way that each one of us felt as one of the Twelve Apostles gathered around Jesus in the Cenacle in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Every gesture, sign, prayer, psalm, followed by eating the lamb and drinking wine from the chalice – all this brought us to the reality of the Bible, united us and deeply moved our hearts.
On 7th July we celebrated the renewal of vows of Sr. Irina Cziczerowa at Holy Mass celebrated in our chapel by the pastor, Fr. Jarosław Olszewski, SAC. We offered our prayers for Sister and her home country of Russia, and enjoyed the joyful atmosphere of the day: liturgy, wishes, gifts, songs, meals and certainly the cake.
Besides the spiritual and theoretical content of these days, we gave testimony to religious life outside by our participation in the liturgy in the Pallottine parish chapel in Malowanka. On the first Thursday of the month we lead the Adoration for vocations in the parish of Divine Mercy, where many others willingly came. With joy we remembered the pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine of Blessed Mother of Fatima in Dowbysz. On Sunday the annual youth day organized Fr. Waldemar Pawelec, SAC took place. Many young Catholics from Ukraine came to deepen their faith and to better understand the meaning of Christian vocation. On the way, we visited the parish in Jabłonne, where our sisters teach catechesis and do pastoral work. After the Holy Mass we met with the parishioners and with the family of Sr. Julia Wolska who is from this parish. Later we stopped in our convent in Kamienny Brod for dinner. Sr. Anna Karpińska took us also around to see the parish of St. Therese of Infant Jesus, where Pallottine Fathers and Sisters work together.
In Dowbysz we had many occasions to speak with young people. In the evening in the light of the candles and before the Blessed Sacrament our group of sisters lead the adoration with the topic: Liberty of man and his task. We returned home in the middle of the night, tired but happy.
Concluding, I want to say that these ten days of being together were rich in spiritual experience. The last session of the gathering was the Bible Circle; during which we had a missioning ceremony. Each participant received a Word of God and a burning oil lamp for the apostolic mission to our own people. We are very grateful to our Lord God for this experience of unity in the diversity. We want to express our gratitude to Sr. Mirosława who organized and prepared this meeting, for her warm and motherly heart. With great hope we look forward to the future of our communities, parishes and countries. We believe that God will give us another opportunity to experience such a wonderful time again.
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Sr. Galina Soroczyńska, SAC
Photos by Sr. Mirosława Włodarczyk, SAC
