Dominican SiSterS of the PreSentation

Province of inDia

voL iX iSSUe 2 octoBer 2017

A Half Yearly Bulletin

We commUnicate

Message from the ProvincialDominicans express their love of God and neighbor by engaging in the primary work of the Order: to preach the gospel for the salvation of souls. Over the course of nearly eight hundred years, this preaching has been lived out in various cultures and has assumed many forms. The four pillars of Dominican life: Community, Prayer, Study and Preaching have been a spiritual cornerstone for the mission of Holy Preaching throughout last 800 year history of our Order. This Charism continues to be deeply integrated in the apostolic life of each preacher.

Last General Chapter asked us to “continue to deepen the Dominican charism of Marie Poussepin”. I am very happy that each community, having taken this recommendation seriously, reflected on it choosing the 4 pillars as a starting point and is sharing the fruit of their reflection through this issue of “We Communicate”. The reflection was started with the preparation for the Feast St. Dominic and we have gathered the reflections in “We Communicate” as we get ready to celebrate the feast of Blessed Marie Poussepin. May both St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin enrich us with their wisdom.

Our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude to welcome our Superior General, Sr. Maria Escayola Coris, Sr. Mariamma Paul Ollukaran, Sr. Rosario Amelia Garces Del Castillo, Sr. Blanca Aurora Marin Hoyos, Sr. Maria Fabiola Duque Cifuentes and Sr. Diana Gisela Dolorita to our Province of India for the canonical visit. We had been preparing ourselves and eagerly waiting to receive them for the past one year. I am sure that this is a time of grace for each one of us to draw inspiration, guidance and support from our sisters of the General Government. This is also a moment of blessing for the entire Province to know, understand and experience the joy and vitality of our congregation as a Presentation family. Dear Sr. Maria and sisters we are delighted to have you during these coming weeks with us. Once again Hearty welcome to each one of you to our Province of India. May you have a wonderful time in all our missions as you visit them. I wish everyone a very Happy feast of Blessed Marie Poussepin. May she intercede for us and guide us that this time of canonical visit truly be a time of grace and growth for the Province.

Sr Philomina Vengachottil O.P.

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Message from the ProvincialSr. Philomina Vengachottil

EditorialSr.Daisy RosePeenikaparamban

Dominican Community LifeJeevadhara Com

Dominican Community LifeKarehally Com

Dominican Community LifeDuliajan Mission

Dominican Prayer Life-3Pro. House Com

Dominican Prayer lifeBasti Com

Dominican Prayer LifeParuthiyoor Com

Dominican Prayer LifeSoganur Com

Dominican Prayer LifeVaradiumCom

Dominican Prayer LifeBucheon Com

Dominican StudyMarie Poussepin Home Com

Dominican StudyKhargone Com

Dominican StudyNagpur Com

Dominican Study Dourdan Com

Dominican PreachingDalmadih Com

Preach through LifeHosaundavadi Com

Dominican PreachingRanchi Com

Dominican Preaching Formation Com

Dominican Preaching Dhulkot Com

EditorialDominic’s brothers and sisters in the Order are called to follow in his footsteps by imitating his mercy and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all sorts of different ways that meet the needs of the times. Because the truth of the Christian faith is passed on to us in the Scriptures and the Tradition of the Church, study has always been part of our calling, together with the common life of liturgical prayer which Dominic knew from before he founded the Order. Living a common life of prayer and study, our faith

is nourished and we are moved to communicate what we have contemplated to others, and to encourage them to contemplate with us the mystery of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the project and statutes 2015, the province of India we read “Strengthen the Dominican Charism in the style of Blessed Marie Poussepin”. “The same generosity and self-sacrifice which guided your founders…”, St. John Paul II once said: “must now inspire you, their spiritual children, to keep alive the Charisms which, by the power of the same Spirit who awakened them, are constantly being enriched and adapted, while losing none of their unique character. It is up to you to place those Charisms at the service of the Church and to work for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom in its fullness.” (Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter to All Consecrated People)

A Charism is part of the permanent heritage of a community, which includes the rule, mission, history, and traditions kept by the religious institute. The Charism of a community is such that if all written records were destroyed, it could be re-created through the living testimony of its members. In her own way, Marie Poussepin found herself within the spirituality of St. Dominic. In a spirit of joy and simplicity, and with constant recourse to prayer, thousands of Dominican Sisters of Presentation have witnessed to the Dominican Charism since 1696. The essence of what it means to be a Dominican Sister of Presentation is summarized in the Ratio Formationis, which outlines our program of initial and ongoing formation. The four pillars of Dominican Charism are Community Life, Study, Contemplation and Preaching. This issue of “We Communicate” comes to you with a sharing from all the communities on these four pillars of Dominican Life and how each one of us contribute in strengthening the Dominican Charism in the style of Bl. Marie Poussepin.

Sr. Daisy Rose Peenikaparamban OP

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Jeevadhara, Kuttikad

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DOMINICAN COMMUNITY LIFE

We are called by the Lord to live together the Missionary Project which Marie Poussepin entrusted to her Congregation and which is marked from the beginning with the zeal of charity. Passion for Christ lead our Mother Foundress to have Passion for humanity. So Marie Poussepin envisioned a Community. The fraternal community is the flowering of a communion kept alive by mutual trust and full participation (cf. R.1). This spirit follows from St. Dominc. For St. Dominic,

“The heart of Dominican life is brotherly love. “In community life this fraternal love is given full opportunity to manifest itself ” (Dominican Spirituality,P.119). The principle end of our congregation is the personal sanctification of sisters” (D. Sp., P.3), are the words of St. Dominic as he founded the congregation for sisters. He continue to talk about the other part, that is, the salvation of others. This same double purpose is clear in the words of our Foundress too, “He drew …(Gene. Rule 2nd para)To live our consecration in a Dominican Community implies that we understand the dynamics which exists between: to praise, to bless, to preach, and the service of charity as basic aspects of the proclamation of the Kingdom (Gen Ch. 2009). Marie Poussepin perceived the presence and the will of God in everyday life, in persons, and events. This enabled her to praise and acknowledge the marvels of the Creator, to bless Him for His work and to preach Him because she carried Him within her. The General Rules for the conduct of the sisters of the community of Sainville expresses it thus: Keep the presence of God in all your actions and, in order to do this, Speak to Him often , speak of Him often and often renew the intention of doing everything for His glory.

Sr. Maria Escayola Coris is born in Barcelona, Spain. She was a student at one of our colleges, she entered the congregation in 1967 and professed on May 17, 1970. She was director of School for many years and responsible for training in the Province of Spain. She was a local superior, Provincial councilor, and archivist. She is an educator and had been director of our schools in Spain many years. In 2004 she was elected to the General Council as a Councilor. She was in Charge of the CEMP program of the Congregation. After ten years of dedicated service in the General Council, she was elected as the first Superior General from Spain of the Congregation in 2014. She has a great love for the Charism of Marie Poussepin and she transmits it in her life and words. She loves history and has great knowledge of history of the world, Church and the Congregation. Her mother tongue is Catalan. She also speaks Spanish, French and Italian well. She understands and communicates in English. She stands out for her great capacity for work.

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The community structure is at the basis of Marie Poussepin’s institution. “The common life makes many contributions to the temporal and spiritual well-being of the member of a religious order. (D.Sp.,P 120). The Dominican spirit of Marie Poussepin’s work is manifested through the solidity of its institution. The fraternal Dominican community had a true unity between missionary action and community living. Like St. Dominic, she knew how to draw from three different sources in order to inspire this project of evangelical life in the Church: A spiritual strength, A regular form of life: fraternal community, A preparation in Study, A mission: preaching of the Word, service of charity. All of it encompassing Dominic’s particular way.

Fidelity to the evangelical counsels:Community life, built on the three vows, enables Dominicans to workfor the purposes of the order” (D.Sp.,P123).

Contemplation: The common life of the convent is a school of contemplation…"Living in a community prepares him for higher prayer….” (D.Sp.,P123 &124). "Contemplate and give to others the fruit of their contemplation” (D.Sp., P15). In the spirit Marie Poussepin says, speak to him often and speak of Him often".

Steadfastness in study: The Dominican constitution place ‘the assiduous study of sacred truth’ among the essential means of achieving the Oder`s end(D.Sp.,P.100) St. Dominic had a deep appreciation of learning, study and preaching.

Perseverance in regular observances: St. Dominic also adopted the monastic observances…(D.Sp. p. 44)

Unanimity in common life: “Community, rule, superior and community assembly were the element guiding and enabling the original vision of Marie Poussepin”(Marie Poussepin and her community, P. 32). Dialogue is an important characteristic of St. Dominic. Democracy is very much alive and practiced. Superior is the unifying factor in a community. She encourages and supports all the missionary activities of community.Organized, prudent, and reasonable community which is constant in charity allowed Blessed Marie Poussepin to channel her generosity without losing the originality of the project. A Dominican community at the service of charity. Her organization made it easy for us to live all this, yet it challenges us to continue it with the same spirit. In today’s world we try to live it but we need to acknowledge that we have our ups and downs. Spirit enables us to continue.

Sr. Rosario Amelia Garces Del Castillo is born in Cartagena, Colombia. She joined the Province of Medellin and made her first profession on December 8, 1971. She is educated to be an English language teacher and had been serving as an educator in different schools in Colombia. Later, she served as a Formator of the Postulants in the Province of Medellin. She was elected to the General Council in the General Chapter of 2009 and has offered her services efficiently for the past years. She was elected for a second term in 2014. She has an added responsibility in the administration of the Congregation as Sr. Rosario was appointed as the General Secretary since 2015. Her vast knowledge of the Congregation and great sense of belongingness is noteworthy. Her dedication and commitment offering services in the secretariat keeps the office up to date. She has great capacity to learn many languages and she speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian well.

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Dominican commUnitY Life KarehaLLY commUnitY

Called by the Lord, we are gathered in His name to know and announce Jesus Christ according to the project of the congregation. We realize it primarily in local communities, each with its own characteristics and distinctive mission. The Dominican community that Marie Poussepin wanted was, to have Charity as its soul. A community based on the virtue of charity would be a witness of love of God and neighbour. In order to create an atmosphere of love in service, Marie Poussepin, like St. Dominic, drew the strength and inspiration from three different sources:- 1.Spiritual strength through prayer, 2. Regular form of life through community that is fraternal, 3. Mission by preaching the word of God through service of charity.

Dominican community is formed with the strong pillar of prayer. We are united in the name of Jesus Christ. Word of God and Eucharist are the centre of the community. We, the daughters of St Dominic and Marie Poussepin, continue the same spirit by participating in the daily mass, preaching and sharing the word of God and bringing the gospel in our daily life, through community and personal prayer, adoration, reconciliation etc. Living together in community demands from us the spirit of fraternity. Shouldering the various responsibilities of the community enkindle in us the attitude of belongingness. The activities of the community demands from us freedom within and with others. Fraternal corrections and confrontations done with sensitivity and sisterly affection are the moments of growth. Community of Marie Poussepin formed in the spirit of Dominican community had the preaching ministry as its centre. We too strengthen our community life on the fraternal and spiritual level to guarantee the quality of our missionary effectiveness. Each ones mission is the mission of the community. When we have a healthy and happy community this will be a reality. We preach by our very life, this is a challenge!! We as a community try to build our community that is open, simple, joyful, and above all hospitable as we are awakened by the teachings of Jesus. Truly I say to you as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. (Mt 25:40)

Sr. Diana Gisela Dolorita is born in Curacao, one of the Caribbean Islands, a Dutch dependency of the Kingdom of Netherlands. She joined the Congregation in the Province of El Caribe and made her first profession on September 7, 1986. Her Mother Tongue is Papiamentu and she also speaks Dutch, English, Spanish, French and Italian. She has offered many services in Pastoral and Youth ministry in Curacao in the

Diocesan level and in Venezuela. She has participated in the missionary meeting of the Congregation held in Jerusalem. She was a member of the Provincial Council of the Province of El Caribe when she was elected to the General Council in 2014. In addition to the regular work of the General Council, she is responsible for the CEMP Sessions (Centre of Marie Poussepin) in the General Government

and she accompanied the different CEMP programs conducted during the past years. She has great love for the youth and has a great capacity to accompany the youth in their struggles of facing the modern world.

Dominican commUnitY Life DULiaJan miSSion

All though river flows from one place to another crossing hills and valleys, villages and cities, bushes and hedges, mountains and rocky places, roots and trees, plains and lonely deserts, one thing that knits it together is the water itself. This shows that God is alive and active. He is rich in relationship, communication and love. This dynamic life flow of Trinitarian life is seen all through the history of religious. Human community can never reach this perfect Trinitarian communion of love, but must strive to realize it more All though

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Sr. Blanca Aurora Marin Hoyos was born in Santo Domingo, in Antioquia, Colombia and made her first profession on December 8, 1988 in the Province of Medellin. She is a professional Nurse educated in the University of Medellin and she has her Master’s degree in Theology and Master’s in Pastoral Care from the University of St. Camillus in Rome. She has served many years in the Hospital belonging to the Congregation called “Clinic il Rosario” of the Province of Medellin. She was the coordinator of the pastoral care in the hospital and she was also the coordinator of all the commissions of different missions in the Province of Medellin. She was present at the General Chapter 2014 where she was elected to the General Council. In addition to the regular work of the General Council, she is responsible as Coordinator of the Commissions for the Social Means of Communication and the Web Page of the Congregation. She has great love for Marie Poussepin and breathes her spirituality in all her being, and loves the Charism of Marie Poussepin. She sees her profession as a Nurse in the example of Marie Poussepin in caring for the sick poor as the best way to spread the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Whenever she talks about Marie Poussepin she is enthusiastic and she transmits her love for Our Foundress in her life, words and mission.

river flows from one place to another crossing hills and valleys, villages and cities, bushes and hedges, mountains and rocky places, roots and trees, plains and lonely deserts, one thing that knits it together is the water itself. This shows that God is alive and active. He is rich in relationship, communication and love. This dynamic life flow of Trinitarian life is seen all through the history of religious. Human community can never reach this perfect Trinitarian communion of love, but must strive to realize it more and more completely. The religious are called to do this in a striking manner by their vowed and community life. This is what we see in the life of St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin. Dominicans likewise, promise to live this in

the manner by which St. Dominic conceived. They live their vowed and community lives by love, sharing, participating in prayer, study, regular observances and mission of preaching. This is the theological foundation of Dominican community. Blessed Marie Poussepin was inspired by this spirituality and the missionary work of the 3rd order of St. Dominic in her Parish at Dourdan. Marie Poussepin desired to follow St. Dominic and like Him she wanted to live out the apostolic charity and mercy. She did all these with faith, passion and infinite patience. Till the very end of her long life, her community was totally All though river flows from one place to another crossing hills and valleys, villages and cities, bushes and hedges, mountains and rocky places, roots and trees, plains and lonely deserts, one thing that knits it together is the water itself. This shows that God is alive and active. He is rich in relationship, communication and love. This dynamic life flow of Trinitarian life is seen all through the history of religious. Human community can never reach this perfect Trinitarian communion of love, but must strive to realize it more and more completely. The religious are called to do this in a striking manner by their vowed and community life. This is what we see in the life of St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin. Dominicans likewise, promise to live this in the manner by which St. Dominic conceived. They live their vowed and community lives by love, sharing, participating in prayer, study, regular observances and mission of preaching. This is the theological foundation of Dominican community. Blessed Marie Poussepin was inspired by this spirituality and the missionary work of the 3rd order of St. Dominic in her Parish at Dourdan. Marie Poussepin desired to follow St. Dominic and like Him she wanted to live out the apostolic charity and mercy. She did all these with faith, passion and infinite patience. Till the very end of her long life, her community was totally.

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PRAYER LIFEProvincial House Community

The closer we come to God the more of an individual we become,which is borne out of the fact that saints,as they advance in sanctity become more and more themselves completely different from any other saint. Read the life of a saint and see how true it is. This is an extremely important principle of the Dominican spiritual life. (St. Thomas Aquinas, Dominican) Both St. Dominic and Marie Poussepin, like our present day saints, St. Mother Teresa, St. Alfonsa, St. Euphresia were living saints while here on Earth. Their life was a life filled with Holiness which they attained through spiritual exercises: the Holy Eucharist, Word of God, Divine Office, devotion to the Rosary, penance, praying for conversion of souls, and Contemplation.Contemplation is the outcome of one's vocation at the service of the church. It helps us to love God and the love of God urges us to make Him loved. One’s action is enlightened by contemplation.

The Word of God is spirit and life, but it tends toward and must end in charity, in which, is the true perfection of the soul and which necessarily includes the love of neighbour and zeal for the good of one's neighbour. The preacher studies to contemplate and so to better love and then to preach to save others. St. Dominic used to rise from reading to prayer and from meditation to contemplation. He hardly spoke other than with God in prayer or of God and he exhorted his brothers to do the same. He devoted much time for secret prayer accompanied by various gestures to support his prayers. Preaching was the cry of his continuous prayer. The whole purpose of the Order was zeal for souls and the good of souls. To combat the great evil of Albigensian heresy, the Blessed Virgin Mary chose St. Dominic to spread the good news of her son, Jesus Christ by his preaching and by promoting the Rosary.

Blessed Marie Poussepin, our Foundress, the Social Apostle of Charity, “inspired by Divine Providence” leaves Dourdan to the town of Sainville to care for the youth and the sick poor. She saw what was right in the eyes of God and did it. In her heart there was first and foremost Jesus Christ, as a fixed idea, as the central point of her life and contemplation. Said she ‘Live in such a way that you will never let a day go by without deserving to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist' . Marie Poussepin is fully in the Dominican spirituality, which is the spiritual union with God through Jesus Christ. At the centre of Dominican contemplation, in fact, there is the Incarnated Word. At the very outset Marie Poussepin had resigned to the fact of establishing a community of the Third Order of St. Dominic under the protection of the Blessed Virgin. She preferred the prayer of the heart to that of the lips naming it as a continuous prayer of the heart. She kept the presence of God in all her actions,’ Speaking to Him often and often speaking about Him.

What is our role as a Dominican in the world that we see and experience today? “The aim of the sisters is to imitate by their conduct the life that our Lord led on Earth. Charity is of all the virtues, the one which our Lord recommended the most to us. All His actions were done with the sincere desire to please God. The manger and the cross have been like the pulpit from which the Divine Master taught us the science of humility. Everything is made easy by humility, because it draws attention to our prayer, sends us help from heaven and makes us masters of ourselves” (Reglemens) We who are proud to call ourselves “Dominican Sisters of the Presentation” are called to be “People of the Word” who feel a particular draw toward Christ as thelogos, The Word-made-Flesh. Therefore, Dominican Prayer should be focused on encountering the Word particularly in the Liturgy and in the Eucharist, in scripture and in contemplation and meditation. May our Father St. Dominic and Our Foundress Blessed Marie Poussepin intercede for each one of us that we may make strong this pillar of Prayer Life.

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Sr. Maria Fabiola Duque CifuentesSr. Maria Fabiola is born in Rionegro, Colombia. She joined the Congregation in the Province of Medellin and made her first profession on October 13, 1973. As a young religious Sr. Fabiola was sent to the mission in Peru and thus joined the Province of Los Andes. She was a member of the Provincial Council and served as the Treasurer of the Los Andes many years. She was invited to collaborate in the mission of administration in our Generalate and assisted the General Treasurer for many years. She has offered services as local superior of the Permanent Community in our Generalate. She also had opportunity to offer services in the Treasurer’s office in the Mother House. Besides her responsibilities in the General Council, she is in charge of the laity of the Congregation. She speaks Spanish, Italian and French. Hearty Welcome to you.

DOMINICAN PRAYER LIFE BASTI COMMUNITY

Prayer is the greatest weapon of Christian life. It is gift. God speaks to us in the silence of our hearts. Prayers considered in itself the familiar conversation with God. It is a channel of graces which produce virtue in us. It is the nourishment of the soul. The light which illuminates the darkness of our spirits. When we see the life of St.Dominic the relationship with God in his prayer life, St. Dominic drew strength to do his mission through his personal encounter with God and from Blessed sacraments, Which enabled him to do his mission effectively, and speak about God to non-believers persistently.

It is the same experience of ours being in this non Christian area. We too draw strength from our personal prayers and Eucharistic celebration, which makes us more vibrant and faithful in our mission of faith-formation, pastoral work education and social work. Marie Poussepin was the social apostles of charity. Her heart moved with compassion for the needy, painful, sick and suffering. She took care of them with love. This she was able to do

only because of the inner strength that she had, which she gained through her close relationship with God. Following her example we also radiate the ray of hope to the poor and the marginalized through our mission. Marie Poussepin has said in rule of Sainville “one must always pray and never tire. They must see this holy exercise as one of their principle duties.” Inspired by the prayer life of Marie Poussepin, we the sisters in Basti community live our commitment faithfully and find meaning in our commitment in spite of all the challenges of our prayer life and the mission. Prayer is the bond of unity which inculcates in us a call to respond to the suffering humanity and be united in their suffering. Thuswe become the inspiration for others

DOMINICAN PRAYER LIFEPARUTHIYOOR COMMUNITY

St. Dominic, who was an ardent disciple of Jesus, had first embraced the canonical way and later the mendicant way of life. He was deeply immersed in the life of prayer and contemplation in ceaseless communion with God. He lived out the words of St. Paul, “Pray at all times” (Eph; 6: 18). His interior life of profound prayer and contemplation was the source of his own personal life with God and mission among the people. St.Dominic was a man who walked faithfully with God.

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St.Dominic and Marie Poussepin were both CHRISTOCENTRIC. “Contemplate and give the fruits of contemplation to others” is the Dominican motto. Both Dominic and Marie Poussepin have the same idea of speaking to God often and speak of Him often. For Marie Poussepin prayer was the central theme in her life. She trusted in the providence of God for everything. St.Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin reveal the hidden meaning of our life. The quality of our ministry and life depends upon the quality of our prayer. At the same time the quality of our prayer reflects in the quality of our ministry and life.A very important dimension of Dominican life in the

community is communion with God in prayer and contemplation. It helps a person to know deeply at the core of his/her being, God who is the source of their life. In fact it is a person’s life line to God which provides him/her the strength and wisdom to walk faithfully in the service of God’s people, offering them the Word of hope that brings meaning and that saves and liberates from the vices of the world. We can see that St.Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin always walked in the Gospel way of truth. Their way of life and prayer is a great example for us. This aspect of living one’s faith in prayer brings the truth of one’s own soul and the souls of others on contemplation.

For Blessed Marie Poussepin contemplation is an encounter with our Father in an attitude of filial simplicity. Our relationship with our brothers and sisters in our community and mission is in relation with our dependency on God, not only community prayers, meditation, Lectio Divina (Spiritual reading) are the sources of our union with God, but also our eagerness to be with God at every moment of our life. We need to be in continuous touch with the Lord in all our activities.

St.Dominic and Marie Poussepin has great role in our spiritual journey to the Lord. We are also remindedoften, to keep our complete trust and confidence in God. Participation in the daily Eucharist deepens our relationship with god and with one another, and we are refreshed and renewed to receive Christ anew every day. This enables us to go to our brothers and sisters with a renewed heart and enthusiasm to carry out our Charism of Marie Poussepin in our day today life. As we live in and around the fisher folk, it is a constant reminder for each one of us that we are sent to read the signs of the times and to act accordingly.

DOMINICAN PRAYER LIFE SOGANUR COMMUNITY

Marie Poussepin a woman of hope and courage established a community of the Third Order of St. Dominic. Mother Foundress taught us to be strong and firm in our call and in the mission, to instruct the children and to serve the sick poor of the country side. Marie Poussepin traced the path; we, the heirs of her spirit and charism, strive to respond to the call of our time, the urgency of evangelization by maintaining the original vision and giving priority for the poor, rendering our service to the parish and educating the rural students. The jubilee of 800 years of the Dominican order was a favorable time to strengthen the community spirit and communion among members. “How wonderful and how pleasant it is brothers live in unity”. Ps 133The heart of Dominican life is sisterly love.This fraternal love is given full opportunity to manifest itself in community life. Fraternal community is the flourishing of the communion kept alive by mutual trust, respect for each other, sensitivity, acceptance of one another, availability and charity etc. Our community is made up of sisters belonging

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to different cultures. We have to still grow in spirituality, in simplicity and openness with each other .Common life makes contribution to our spiritual and temporal well being, as it brings us to the fellowship with each other in the community. Our community life not only helps us for contemplation and apostolic life but also it helps us to live our religious life. We try to be faithful to our community prayers, personal prayers, meditation, times of adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, monthly recollection to get strength and courage from the Lord. We know and understand that our strength is in the Lord alone. Our fraternity grows as

we work together in the community by cooking, cleaning and gardening etc. It gives us occasion for availability, forgiveness and charity. It calls us forth for commitment and hard work. Community Assembly is an important occasion when the sisters in the community meet together to discuss and share community matters and apostolic concerns. We are strengthened to live our consecration to the Lord through our vowed life. Community helps us to live our vows of obedience, poverty and chastity. Our community is involved in the apostolate of teaching like our Blessed Marie Poussepin which gives us opportunity to be tender, loving and kind to the children. We go for family unit prayer once a week and meet people in their family . We listen to their sorrows and joys. We say the rosary and share the word of God . Our daily participation in the Eucharist gives us strength to nourish our daily life. On Sundays we have the opportunity to meet more people. As we reach out to the substations we also meet people of other religions too. Though the language is a barrier for us it helps us to know the situation and the culture of the area. We also try to serve the best way to respond to the mission and needs of the people according to our gifts and responsibilities. None of us are perfect. We should try more to come out of ourselves. Our fraternity shows our openness and communion lived in the community.

DOMINICAN PRAYER LIFEVARADIUM COMMUNITY

Let us walk in joy and think of our Savior”. All of us have heard these words of our Father Dominic many a times. Also we know that Saint Dominic preached during the day and spend the night in prayer. The brethren peeped through the small window to the chapel of Santa Sabina at night, to see our Father Dominic in prayer, and gave us the pictures of nine ways of prayer of Saint Dominic. Saint Dominic lived the words of Saint Paul ‘pray at all times’ or ‘pray unceasingly’. We have Dominic, a man of prayer.

Our mother Blessed Marie Poussepin was attracted to this spirit of Dominic through the words and guidance of Father Mespolie. She tells us ‘keep the presence of God in all your actions and to do this ‘Speak to Him often and speak of Him often’. She received the call to answer the needs of the time. Sainville became the chosen place to preach by catechizing the children and to revive the faith of the villagers. The condition of the lives of the faithful propelled her in works of mercy. She was accustomed since childhood being an active member of the association of Saint Vincent De Paul. If we read the Reglemens of Sainville again and again and try to live the rhythm of the life and work of our first sisters, we will be in a state of bewilderment. Prayer, spiritual reading and the works are interwoven to fill the day worthwhile and for us very exhaustive to live. Restless is our heart until it rests in you”. This insight of Saint Augustine links our life. There is no Dominican life imaginable without moving forward, without taking risks, without spiritual itinerancy. But this process of growing is in need of stops, pauses, and self-adjustment as well. There is a need for one’s own efforts as well as for the challenges from outside. Father Alvitto Fernandez OCD tells, without practice of virtues it is impossible to have experience of God. The only way to practice virtues is by frequent

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Sr. Mariamma Paul Ollukaran was born in Pudukad, Kerala, India. She joined the congregation and made her first Profession on 1985. Few months after her profession, she was sent to Rome for study in Religious Sciences in Regina Mundi. On return to India she made her final profession in 1990. She is an educator by profession and a Formator by choice. She served the congregation in the region of India as postulant mistress and in the Vice Province as Novice mistress for several years. She carried the animation of the Province one term as Vice Provincial and one term as the Provincial. At the general Chapter of 2014 she was elected as first General Councilor. Sr. Mariamma is a jovial and friendly person. Her commitment as a religious and as the member of the congregation is remarkable. Her hard work and love for her sisters have made her endearing among the sisters. Welcome Back Home dear Sr. Mariamma.

examination of conscience and by spending time in front of the Lord in great desire for Him. Spending time in front of the Blessed Sacrament and doing all the liturgical prayers and praise, without a change in our attitudes and relationships is futile. We often set aside the notion of practicing virtues. There are plenty of opportunities to practice humility in our daily events. But each opportunity we cast off justifying ourselves. Numerous chances are there to practice the virtue of patience in each hour of our ministries and community life. There also we tend to justify ourselves and lose the chance to practice the virtue . Often when we say prayer and contemplation, ‘contemplation’ is used just in contrast to ‘action’. For the Dominican Nuns contemplation is listening in one’s breath, working diligently, studying the truth eagerly, praying intently and pursuing the common life. Thus according to Dominican understanding ‘contemplation with ‘action’ is what ‘contemplative life’ is all about. This is the same our Mother Marie Poussepin wants her daughters to live. Though Dominic did not leave behind any books or documents, what he did leave behind was the Dominican spirituality, unceasing prayer, Contemplation with action – which is one of the pillars of Dominican life. 483 years later another star, Marie Poussepin (pioneer among women) is born to live the same life of contemplation with Action, bringing joy of the gospel to the ignorant, sick and the poor of many countries.

Let us praise the Lord for gracing us to be the partakers of this great joy

DOMINICAN PRAYER LIFEBUCHEON COMMUNITY, KOREA

What happens when we walk with someone? Imagine that you and a close friend are enjoying a walk down a country lane. You are in close proximity. You talk, laugh, listen, trust and share your hearts; your attention is focused on this person to the exclusion of almost everything else. You are in harmony, and you both enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Walking with God is like that. St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin who walked with God, entered into an intimate relationship with God through faith. God becomes their heart’s greatest desire. Knowing Him, hearing His voice, sharing the hearts desires with Him and seeking to please Him

become all-consuming focus. St. Dominic said “Speak to God and Speak about God” His interior life of profound prayer and contemplation was the source of his own personal life of communion with God and mission among

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DOMINICAN STUDYMARIE POUSSEPIN'S HOME COMMUNITY

St. Dominic made study an essential part of sacred preaching, When most of the clergy were uneducated, St. Dominic himself sent his brothers to the new universities of Europe, Paris, Bologna and Oxford to study, teach and acquire the truths of the Gospel that they would require to serve the Church as convinced preachers of God’s Word. This was no small innovation in the 13th century. St Dominic intimately linked study to the salvation of souls; one’s own salvation and the salvation of others. This dedication to study and teaching continues today in the Dominican order.

In the context of Dominican life, study leads to prayer, which inspires the preaching of the Gospel. Dominic regarded study as an activity by which we discover the presence of God’s action in our lives, enabling us to live in the fresh and liberating perspective of God’s Will.The goal of study is not accumulation of facts and figures but sharing in wisdom. The two great sources of Dominican study are creation and scripture. Since these were imbued with the divine presence, Dominic exhorted his brothers to be fervent in cultivating both the attitude of discovery and the discipline of enquiry.

Only a mind enlightened can direct the heart and keep it moving outward, in love and desire to God. For the Dominican, study is the point of connection between prayer and ministry. Dominican study enhances the encounter of the face of Christ in the scripture and the natural world, which leads to contemplation. From this contemplation flows our mission. St. Thomas Aquinas puts it well when he noted that the Dominican life is characterized as contemplating and then sharing these fruits of contemplation with others. Thus study leads to holiness of mind. For those inspired by

God’s people. He took up the challenges of his time by rooting himself in the life of Christ and walking with Him. He lived in deep communion with the Lord who himself remained so intimately united with his heavenly father that he could claim” one who sees the son, sees the father” (Jn. 14:9). Blessed Marie Poussepin would say “Keep the presence of God in all your actions and in order to do this, speak to Him often, speak of Him often and often renew the intention of doing everything for His glory. She invites the sisters to pray at all times and with this continual prayer of the heart, to do everything for the love of God.

Do we walk with Jesus? Or do we allow Jesus to walk in our life journey? Do we speak to God in the silence of our heart and speak of Him? The rapid developments in the networks of human communication and media, globalization, digital and technological advancement, individualism and materialism in the midst of all these we walk with Jesus and Jesus who is ever faithful to walk with us. Our personal and community prayer, daily Eucharistic celebration, liturgy of the hours, adoration of Blessed Sacrament, meditation on the Word of God and reconciliation are the means to walk with God. Jesus Christ is the center of our life. The more we spend time in prayer and meditating on the Word of God we drew strength and courage to live our commitment and to be faithful to God. The daily nourishment of the Word and Sacraments strengthen and renews each one of us to share our life with children, youth, laity and aged. We pray to St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin- May God give us eyes to see God, ears to hear God and hands to bring God’s work into the world. May we walk with God and preach the word of God to all.

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Dominic, we love to study and we study to love. Let us see how Marie Poussepin who was a member of the 3rd order of St. Dominic who so ardently desired her Congregation to follow the spirit of Dominic incorporated the virtue of study into the life of her sisters. L’Abbe Preteseille in his conference to the chapter members reminds us “Marie Poussepin was a woman of great intelligence. Her works show it and she was gifted with psychological sensibility, eminently aware plus a remarkable intuition about persons and events.” But she was not a great intellectual in the right sense of the word; ‘…her well balanced intelligence was more regarding practical realities than speculation of the spirit”. So we do not see her sisters being sent for studies in the higher places of learning as Dominic did. In the General Advices Marie Poussepin exhorts us to remember why the Lord has brought us to the congregation i.e. to work out our own salvation and also in the way that is possible for us to work out the salvation of others. The means that she recommended to her sisters were the works of mercy. In her rule she strongly recommends that sisters should be competent and prepared before they are send out for teaching or care of the sick. They should have the necessary knowledge which is useful for the apostolate in which they are involved.

We see in the Rule of Sainville the importance Marie Poussepin gave for the interior life of her sisters. She gives a well regulated schedule giving time for prayer and spiritual reading. To nourish her faith, hope and love, Marie Poussepin opened herself to God’s Word which she shared with others; she asked the superior to do the same. ‘She must adhere to reading good books especially the Gospel and letters of the apostles”. She insisted on the same for all the sisters. “Read the Holy scriptures. They would not let one day pass without giving reading the required time.” The Word of God as nourishment and as a challenge to conversion is the food for the journey which allows bringing wherever we are called the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His mysteries. The first place is

given to Lord’s word to guide and direct the whole day.. Reading is one exercise of piety which members of the community should never omit. Marie Poussepin accomplished what she saw right in God’s eyes. She put into action what she discovered. The word became deed, intuition became reality. This gave to the life and work of our Foundress a strongly marked characteristic of realism. Study enlightens and helps one to aspire for contemplation. Contemplation helps us to make Him loved. Contemplation is thus the outcome of our vocation at the service of the church. Our action is enlightened by contemplation. Marie Poussepin practiced and encouraged the ministry of compassion and consolation. For Marie Poussepin interiorization meant not only a manner of living with God and for God but also a way to look at others and to be concerned about their salvation.In our constitutions, study is summarized as follows: Following the example of St. Dominic, who learned charity in the book of the gospel, we are intent on listening to the Word, keeping and pondering it in our heart deepening it in the scriptures, and sharing it in our community and apostolic life. As we open our minds to the wisdom of god, we receive the Truth allowing

it to set us free. This habitual attitude of our whole being In search of God makes us also seek the Truth in current events, listening to others, and in all our activities. Study thus understood encompasses our entire life.” (C 13)

In today’s world study has wider context. In order to be messengers of the Word today through our life and ministry, we need to know Jesus, the Word deeply in the scriptures and we need to seek the truth in the current events as well. Constitution 87 says; “A serious Formation, constantly updated ought to enable us to respond effectively and with justice to the demands of the mission.” Professional preparation of the sisters sent for the ministry not only enables them to respond effectively to the demands of the mission but also it is a question of justice. But that we be informed and updated is a personal responsibility. Unless we take time to read scripture and other spiritual writings and interiorize them we will not be able to preach either by our life or by our words. It is often said that a Dominican should have Bible in one hand and news paper in the other. In order for our ministry to be fruitful we need to contemplate the face of Jesus in the Word and in the world. We are called to be lifelong learners in order to work out our own salvation and of those who are entrusted to our care.

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DOMINICAN STUDYNAGPUR COMMUNITY

Dominican study brings a deeper grasp of commitment to the truthfulness of God’s word which reveals his loving plan of salvation. It communicates truths that give life which build up his own life in Christ and prepares him to proclaim the truth to others. Dominic’s study brings him the inner strength to speak with conviction and courage about what he has seen and heard and touched in faith.Dominican study is a search for truth, begins with faith and leads to faith. St. Dominic’s study fostered his personal holiness as well as the community witness of the brothers in the convent that would be became a sacred preaching where school and cloister were fused into one. His dedication to study is partly penitential because it disciplined him to spend long hours prayerfully reflecting on the scriptures. Marie Poussepin was a woman of great intelligence and psychological sensibility. She has stressed in her rule that sisters must be “educated in their religion” or "the truths of salvation”. She took great care to teach the orphans where ignorance was great. It is her generous desire to serve the people who are in need. Charity is the virtue which gives all value to life and action. Study must flourish in a continuous exercise of faith and charity that unites us to God. Marie Poussepin wanted to listen to Him with respect

DOMINICAN STUDY KHARGONE COMMUNITY

For St. Dominic study was the first and most spiritual exercise which is closely related to the worship of God. Prayerful study makes us quest for truth about God and his loving plan for our salvation. Study does not aim at information but a growth in intimacy with God. Prayerful study makes our thinking right and reasonable and our preaching, teaching and writing become prophetic. St. Dominic gave himself to serious reflective study and contemplation right from earlier days. He carried the gospel of Mathew and the letters of St. Paul always. Study leads to contemplation; this made him to reach out to people with compassionate love. For him the

study brings the inner strength to speak with conviction and courage about what he has seen and heard and touched in faith. His study of the truths of truth begins with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who is the truth itself and leads back to him. God is the direct object of his prayerful reflection, God who has gathers and uses truths found in other secular branches of knowledge. Dominican study in common is a communitarian observance and an important aspect of the religious life. Marie Poussepin had ardent love for God as St. Dominic. She wanted her daughters following the example to deepen their faith, hope and love. She was attuned with the word of God. She insisted her sisters to read the good books especially the Gospel of Mathew and St. Paul and also other scripture readings. They should not let a day pass without giving reading the required time. She stress us to do the readings which has got two fold purpose to find means of growing in virtues and then to be example for others. The word of God, as nourishment and as a challenge to conversion is the food for the journey which allows to bring wherever we are called, the knowledge of Jesus Christ and his mysteries.

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DOMINICAN STUDYDOURDAN COMMUNITY

The Dominican spirit of Marie Poussepin’s work is manifested through the solidity of its Institution. St Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin gave importance for the study. As Dominicans study is beyond every things else a permanent attitude of our being open to wisdom. Study is the encompassing act leading our whole being to truth. It is the appreciation of a loving heart, of a conscious intellect, of a will in search of God. Our Father Dominic is the light of the church, the teacher of truth, and the water of wisdom, shared the fruits of contemplation and study of truth without cost with others through the mission. St. Dominic was eager to learn and to know the word of God. As we are Dominican Sisters of the Presentation we need to know the word of God and the truth to deepen the Dominic an charism of Blessed Marie Poussepin . The study is the center of our life.

Following the example of Saint Dominic, who learned charity in the book of the Gospel, we are intent on listening to the Word; we keep the Word and ponder it in our heart and deepen it in the Scriptures,

and share it in our community and apostolic life. As we open our minds to the wisdom of God, we receive the Truth, allowing it to set us free. This habitual attitude of our whole being in search of God, makes us also seek the Truth in current events, in listening to others, and in all our activities. Study thus understood encompasses our entire life. ( C 13)

and converse with Him heart to heart, She also wanted to speak to him often, and speak often about Him. This shows that she lived a contemplative life. We, the daughters of Marie Poussepin, try to live her charism through our various mission .Our personal study help us to contemplate the divine truth in the exercise of charity. Our mission helps us to open the way to enlighten the truth. Marie Poussepin wanted the teachers to be competent. We must do this effort not motivated by an intellectual appetite but by a generous desire to serve the mission.

In today’s consumerist society no one is patient to spend time in reading rather they depend on Google world without even knowing whether the fact is right. It is an alarming situation we face in the life of children today, they love to clarify everything with Google rather than referring to a book. We take great care to inculcate the values and knowledge in the children and encourage them to be lifelong learners. We try to live the vision of Marie Poussepin through our mission of teaching.

Wish you all a very Happy Feast of

Blessed Marie Poussepin

14th October, 2017

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St. Paul says ‘for if I preach the gospel that gives me no ground for boasting'. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” Christ chose His apostles to be companions and to send out to preach.” The mission of the church is to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ by her very life. (Mk 3:14).The purpose of the Dominican order and its unique ambition is to praise God, exalt Him, Bless. Him and preach Him everywhere. For a Dominican witnessing Christ means expression in preaching, which comes from the contemplation of the word of God and it goes hand in hand with teaching the faith in the apostolate that one is involved. St. Dominic was an apostle in every way. An apostle is “one sent” a messenger who witness to the truth of the gospel. They are to proclaim, to preach and to witness. St. Dominic wanted to continue the mission of Jesus who came to save souls through his death on their behalf, and sent the apostles to carry out his mission. St.Dominic chose preaching as his mission, to win back the souls which were lost under the darkness of heresies. St. Dominic’s ideal was Christ the preacher, the Word sent by the Father. Inspired by the providence of God Marie Poussepin left her native city by seeing Sainville was still in darkness, she began to preach the word of God through her little act of mercy and compassion. She proclaimed God, the Merciful Father through her every deed. She read the signs of the time, and saw what was right in Gods eyes and did it. She invites and challenges today “to search for justice in solidarity with the poorest, with them, we fight misery, ignorance, and disease down to their very roots in order to live thegospel with them” - Constitutions 27

Today the world has become a place where people are denied for human dignity and right, a world wherejustice, truth and sincerity are less practised. The society has failed to accept people as persons created in the image and likeness of God. At this situation we religious face innumerable challenges to build a just society where kingdom values exist. So today it is our prime duty is to share with others the love and compassion of Christ, which we experience in our lives. Today is the favourable time for each one of us who are the daughters of Blessed Marie Poussepin to see, to form, to dedicate, to proclaim, to witness, to the peripheries that we are send forth. Mother Foundress’ zeal for the work of mercy is very outstanding through which she preached to the poor and needy. It challenges us today to proclaim the mercy of God in all our ministries and to quench the thirst of our brethren, who are in darkness. Today we affirm our call as a blessing to quench the thirst of our brethren who are in darkness, searching for a spark to come out to the main segment. Our presence in this modernised world bring blessing and meaning to the people around us and we witness Him through our ministries. Just like Jesus said ‘’A grain of wheat remains no more than a single grain unless it is dropped in the soil and dies ’’.So we strive to be a preacher of His WORD by our every effort of nurturing others by our ministries that we are involved. May our every single deed make Him alive in and around us.

Teach us Lord, to serve the needs of others, read the signs of the time. Help us to give and not count the cost. Help us to be a minister of your Word, by our VERY LIFE.

DOMINICAN PREACHINGDALMADIH COMMUNITY

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DOMINICAN PREACHINGHOSAUNDAVADI COMMUNITY - MYSORE

"Praise, Bless, Preach" are in the heart of Dominican ministry of preaching. The purpose of our call is to preach Jesus Christ. The Dominican notion of preaching goes beyond liturgical preaching because the foundation of preaching the Word is preaching by example. Simply put, the way we live our lives is itself a homily. When St. Dominic began to preach, he saw the ineffectiveness of those who preached the gospel of Jesus, not able to give Christ, but lived contrary to their own preaching. St. Dominic, a man of prayer, chose a different path.“Contemplate and give the fruits of contemplation.” Dominic was able to attract and convert many to Christ, proclaim the true and merciful Jesus to others through the instrument of preaching was successful and effective because he lived the word he preached. We are all called to preach the Gospel. Yet, preaching the Gospel simply entails communicating the truth and love of Jesus to others. In every era preaching will look different,

and the ways that Dominicans have preached are many. St. Thomas Aquinas preached through his teaching, St. Catherine of Siena through her zeal for uniting divisions and mediating disputes and St. Martin de Porres through his care for the sick, poor and marginalized. They had a harmony of word and action, a balance between preaching and the power of example.Blessed Marie Poussepin, who was a leader of Dominican 3rd Order of Fraternity in her younger days, was inspired by this Dominican way of contemplation and action. She showed us so clearly that life can preach more powerfully than words. The Word took root in her life and brought forth its fruit through her service to the poor widows, the sick and the orphans. Through her life example and witness Marie Poussepin preached the truth and love of Jesus to others. Like Dominic who went out of his time through his exemplary zeal for God through his preaching and became

the famous ‘Preacher’, Marie went out her time, out of passionate for God and his people through her service, became ‘Social Apostle of Charity’. Marie Saw what was right in the sight of God and did it. The only contemplative aim of Marie was to know and announce Jesus Christ. Through her powerful ways of preaching the word through her deeds, she became a model for her daughters to respond to the signs of the time. “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). Preaching / the apostolic work was at the heart of Blessed Marie Poussepin. She never wanted her sisters to be cloistered. Marie Poussepin commanded her sisters to remain spiritually close to the great Order she loved. She wanted her sister to be known as Dominicans. Her desire to be approved as a Dominican apostolic community was fulfilled only many years after her death in 1897. Dawn through the centuries her daughters continue to be authentic in living her desire, dream and vision for the community she established. Today her daughters preach the love of Christ in the field of Education, Health Care, Social Work, Pastoral Care and Retreat Centre. As the “O.P.” after our name suggests, preaching is at the heart of Dominican life. Let’s carry this motto of ‘Preaching’. The Dominican preaching today is to be zealous for preaching the gospel by the witness of our words and deeds and discover creative ways through which we can both respond to the needs of our day and invite others to experience the power of God that is present in our lives.

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DOMINICAN PREACHINGFORMATION COMMUNITY

Dominican preaching is based on the Scripture, for to announce Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters, “is not a reason to boast, for an obligation has been imposed” (1 Cor 9:16). According to Bl. Marie Poussepin, we announce God’s Word by: 1) Testimony of our life, 2) Direct evangelization and 3) The service of charity (Ratio p. 41). In this article we would like to enumerate these points through which the members of the formation community preach God’s Word in today’s context as a path to God.

Testimony of our life: St. Dominic was a God-centred person. All he said and did was directed to praise, to bless and to preach. His contemplative life was so deep and intense that he spent all night praying for the salvation of sinners. He only spoke to God, spoke of God. We see blessed Marie Poussepin’s life was Christo-centric. In the Rule of Sainville, she tells her sisters, our only aim in life is to imitate the life our Lord led on earth. She tells us that wherever we are sent we should bring the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His mysteries. We announce Jesus in the community by our life of prayer, interceding for others especially those in needs, being united with one another and supporting others in their mission above all caring for each other like one’s own family.

Direct Evangelization: Marie Poussepin translated Dominic’s itinerancy in the adaptability of her work and the mobility of her sisters according to the needs and the new calls. So too, sisters in the formation community are involved in direct evangelization and re-evangelization by preaching God’s Word in the Parishes, Seminaries, and religious houses. We also preach by giving value education to the children and women through Crèche and Pass, by faith formation classes, and giving hope to the people during house visiting.

Service of Charity: Charity is the root virtue of our congregation. In the beginning Louie the King of France authorised our congregation in the title of “Community of Charity of Sainville” (from letter Patent, Reg. Pg 10). “Charity must be the soul of the community”. This is the essence of Marie Poussepin’s intuition for a community. When Marie Poussepin wrote this to her sisters I am sure the inspiration is from her mother’s involvement in Fraternity of Charity and the examples of St. Dominic. In his life, St. Dominic more valued human life than of dead skins (his Books). The incredible and daring act of selling his valuable books to help the poor is directed towards his great charity. What he preached he practiced in his life. So too Marie Poussepin wanted her daughters to live with the same spirit of charity. In her life she also gave us the example of caring for an elderly woman, Marie Olivier and cared for her till her death. So we see through the life examples of St. Dominic and Marie Poussepin that preaching does not mean mere words but rather with action. It is only possible if God is the central person of our life. A God-centred person’s words and action will go hand in hand. In the formation community we practice charity within the community, and in our diversity of missions. We also can be proud that as the daughters of Marie Poussepin all our mission is directed towards charity and we value human life than the dead skins.

Conclusion:Whatever Marie Poussepin did, she did it for love of Jesus. I feel her charism is very much alive in all our ministries. The love of God and love of brothers and sisters is manifested in the diversity of our apostolic activities. The direct evangelization of our sisters helps the needy to be more open and welcoming. We are also announcing Jesus

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DOMINICAN PREACHINGRANCHI COMMUNITY

The Dominican notion of preaching the Word, is preaching by example. Simply put, the way we live our lives is itself a homily. In every era this will look different, and the ways that Dominicans have preached are many. St. Thomas Aquinas preached through his teaching, St. Catherine of Siena through her zeal for a united Church, St. Martin de Porres through his care for the sick, poor and marginalized, and Bartholomew de las Casas by fighting for the rights of the indigenous people of America, Blessed Marie Poussepin by founding an apostolic congregation unheard at that time, to care for the poor and marginalized people affected by war and famine especially the girls. In all these examples, we see a harmony of word and action, a balance between preaching and the power of example.

St. Dominic whose charism Blessed Marie Poussepin wanted to live radically, compelled her to get out of the conventional notions of religious life of her time. Instead of staying inside the four walls of the convent, she ventured out to wipe the tears of the suffering people. Reading the signs of time and to respond to it creatively is one of the prominent marks of the charism of St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin which we their daughters are called to live and witness. If the aim of preaching is to set free the people who are suffering from various types of bondages, then we the members of the Ranchi community have been dared to walk into the lives of

the prisoners and their families; to listen to their silent cry for acceptance, justice and comfort by caring for the children. We have 8 girl children with us in the age group of 8 to 15 years. There are many untold and unhealed wounds these children are carrying due to the fact of having either one of their parents or both of them are incarcerated. To help these children to come out of the rejection, non acceptance, scorn and mockery the society has inflicted upon them by offering them a home of love and acceptance is the aim this home. We assist them to build upon their lives excelling in all areas of life inculcating love for study and value system. The children are overjoyed by the visit of our community members and are very happy to come to the community. They have felt an acceptance from all the members of the community. They feel as part of the community and are very happy to be called the sisters’ children. Some of them are doing extremely well in their studies and others are picking up quite fast. It had been a tedious work but we are very happy now. we feel that we are able give flesh to the vision of these two great personalities who through their lives brought difference in the lives of thousands.

through our acts of charity. Anybody can do charity out of surplus; but the widow’s might was more appreciated by Jesus. A heart rooted in Word of God can never close the eyes from the needy. We are called to be preachers of the Word, through our prayer, with our time, talents, energy and sharing all that we have and are.

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Editorial Team:Sr. Rose Mary Kadampattuparambil O.P.Sr. Daisy Rose Peenikaparamban O.P.Graphics: Sr. Daisy Rose Peenikaparamban O.P.

e-mail: daisyrosepeenikaparamban@gmail.com

Web: www.presentationopindia.org

Published by Sr. Philomina Vengachottil O.P., Provincial Superior, Dominican Sisters of the Presentation,80 Feet Road, Indiranagar P.O. Bangalore – 560038, Karnataka, INDIA

DOMINICAN PREACHING DHULKOT COMMUNITY

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn (Is 61: 1-2).

What is preaching? Preaching is a noble task, a sharing in the mission of Jesus the prophet. The preacher is the aroma of Christ to the entire nation. ‘’How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news’’. (Rom 10: 15). St. Dominic was a grace filled preacher. Dominican order is known as order of preachers. St. Dominic got this grace to preach- preach the gospel of truth for the salvation of all by rooting himself in the life of Christ. His personal integrity and faith made his preaching more attentive. What does it mean to preach today? Like St. Dominic we are called not to be afraid to listen to God’s Word as it unfolds in today’s world. We are called by our preaching to contribute in the building of a culture of truth and relationship and thus to replace the culture of lies, to discern what is destroying and what is giving life, what is salvation and what is not, what is truth and what is illusion or lie. St. Dominic, the itinerant and mendicant preacher could wean the people away from heresy which was prevailing and restore the people to the Church. Marie Poussepin, a simple and ordinary woman full of love and enthusiasm to give herself for the service of others was being inspired by the spirituality of St. Dominic. To make Christ known she spoke to Him often and spoke of Him often. In order to speak of him she left her hometown with all its richness to a village where famine, epidemic and ignorance

were wide spread.

We, the Dominican sisters of Charity of the Presentation, are called to announce Jesus Christ (C.82). This proclamation gives meaning to our mission; “to preach’’, that is to talk to the world about the God that we carry within, who fills us with joy and leads us to the service of charity. As the daughters of Marie Poussepin we too have left our homeland and have come to the interior and remote village, where Ashirwad convent is situated. It is a blessing to be here as the name expresses; and we in turn bless the people through our different ministries. We take it as our privilege and prime duty to make Christ known where Christ is known very little. Through our different mission of education, healthcare, care of the young hostel girls, parish ministry and family apostolate we make the difference that we are someone set apart for Christ and we are the bearers of Christ. we spend

more time with the slow learners, being gentle and firm; gives tender, loving care to the patients. We make the people understand that we are interested in them by listening to their problems, accompanying them in their difficulties, making ourselves available whenever they come to us. We become mother to the little ones who stay with us by meeting their spiritual, psychological and physical needs. While we go on inventing new methods and techniques in preaching, let us not forget the most certain and important technique which Christ taught his disciples, and which St. Dominic and Blessed Marie Poussepin adopted to the fullest: “as long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing"(Jn: 15:5).

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