Word of Sr Patricia Byrne for Vo-Pédakondji inauguration

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Inauguration of the Cenacle in Vo-Pédakondji (VOGAN – TOGO)

March 8, 2014

 

To begin, I Thank God for the gift of this beautiful house.

Today is an historical moment in the life of our Congregation as we inaugurate the first Cenacle Spiritual Centre in Togo and on this great African Continent. 

My heart is full of gratitude for Bishop Hounnaké who called us to come to Togo, and in particular to his diocese of Aného, and also for Bishop Dossavi who supported and encouraged us as Bishop Isaac-Jogues Gaglo continues to do today.  Bishop Gaglo, Thank You so much!

I also want to thank all of you for coming to join us today for this celebration of Thanksgiving

There is a term in French used to describe the moment when the foundations of a house have been put down and the walls are just beginning to be built.  It is said that the house is en train de sortir de terre – beginning to come out of the earth.

 

This image touches me deeply. It is so dynamic and so very rich, connected to the fullness of life that springs forth. 

In the context of this spiritual centre of Vo Pédakonji, it takes on a particular significance with a strong connection to the mystery of the Incarnation.  It speaks of this house which comes out of the Togolese earth as a place where heaven and earth meet.  Here indeed, the desires of the men and women of Togo meet the desire of God.  Under the action of the Holy Spirit, God is incarnated among His people.

The Sisters arrived in Vogan 18 years ago. For several years they lived among you, simply, in a diocesan house, gradually discovering the people, the country and the unique customs of Togo. It was during this time that increasingly the urgent call of God to build a spiritual centre was heard.  In responding to this call, the entire Congregation has made an act in Faith as Mother Thérèse and Father Terme, did in their time, by bringing forth from the earth the first Cenacle of La Louvesc, France.  It is for this reason that we can say today, as in 1826 in La Louvesc that heaven and earth are meeting.  God wanted this place to nourish and renew spiritually the people of Vogan, of Togo and perhaps the people of other West African countries, so His people can meet him more profoundly.

I take the opportunity today to thank the Edorh family who sold us this property.  In this act, you too have participated in the desire of God.  We pray that God will bless you. We also give thanks for Madame Azidokou (RIP) the first lawyer who helped us in the buying of this property. We remember her today, and also keep her family in our hearts and prayer.

It was from the clay of this soil that the bricks for the walls were made and so the house came forth from the earth.  In the Eucharistic sense, we can say that this building is the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands.  For all of this I want to thank the Architectural Company, Patriarche and in particular Mr Jean Loup Patriarche and Mr. Didier Rojon, also the Togolese Architectural Company, Auba, Mr. Hilaire Locoh-Donou and Mr Jean Philippe Kangni and all who participated in this construction.  Those who made the bricks (410,000 by hand), those who fashioned the wood for the doors, and used the other natural resources of the region, those who helped to supervise the work, Mr. Côme le Duc and Ms. Elise Foubirt who is presently helping to arrange the green spaces and the vegetable garden.... to all of you, our sincere gratitude for this beautiful house. Indeed, what you have brought forth from the earth is more than a house, you have created a tool to make Jesus Christ known and loved, through retreats, days of recollection, spiritual accompaniment and catechesis. What you have helped to bring forth from the earth is a temple of the Holy Spirit, a house of prayer for the people of Togo and of Africa.  I hope that all of you are proud of what you have done together.  We, the Sisters of the Cenacle are proud of you and full of gratitude for what you have achieved.  Be assured of our continuing prayer for you and your families.  We pray God’s blessing on all of you.

I must also say that I am particularly touched to inaugurate this Spiritual Centre on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the "Se Livrer" text of our Mother Thérèse.  Following in the example of our Foundress St. Thérèse Couderc, the sisters who came from different countries to found this Cenacle in Togo, have surrendered their lives.

This house is also founded on the life of Sister Toussainte Djondo, our first Togolese sister, her life also given and surrendered.  Sr. Toussainte on becoming a member of our Congregation left her country several times to participate in the International dimension of our mission.  She has been in France for a little more than two years for personal renewal and further formation.  This is why she cannot be physically with us today, and this is a great sacrifice for her.  However I know that she is very much with us in heart and prayer.

This house is built on the "radical yes" of our sisters, who "dared to go out” of their countries, their customs, of all that was familiar to them, to participate without reserve in the mission of Jesus Christ through our charism.  It is this gift of themselves, their way of "surrendering themselves" to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we also celebrate today with joy and gratitude. To each of you, Thank You!

This house is founded on the faith of our sisters, it is also founded on the faith of our faithful friends "bâtisseurs  (builders)" who, for several years, have been helping us to develop the mission and charism of the Cenacle here.  And to each one of you, Thank you!

I remember with gratitude today those who were at the origins of our coming to Togo, Sr Ghislaine Côté, the provincial who responded to the invitation of Bishop Hounnaké.  I also want to thank Sr Yolande Guiraud, the former superior general, Sister Agnès Hedon, the former Provincial of France-Togo, today superior of the community of Vo Pédakonji, Sister Ann Turner the current Provincial of Europe-Togo, and all the sisters of the province of Europe-Togo who have contributed to the evolution of this project.

I also thank our Sisters of Madagascar and their Provincial Sister Suzanne, who is here today, for their collaboration on this project.

My gratitude also to Sister Lydia Vauthier, Provincial treasurer of Europe-Togo who frequently travelled from Paris to Vogan to monitor the project and support the community, in particular Sister Laurence Nannarone, responsible for supervising the work on site.

A Big thank you to all of you my dear sisters, for the way you have given yourselves for the greater Glory of God in this project.  I hope you too are very proud of this achievement.

With this beautiful large house begins a new stage of the mission of the Cenacle in Togo; a stage that invites us to listen more deeply again to the Holy Spirit, to hear how we are called to incarnate our mission here.  We are a small Congregation and our small numbers invite us to develop our collaboration with others: friends, “bâtisseurs (builders)”, other Congregations, the local Church, the diocese, etc., for a deeper inculturation of our charism at the service of awakening and deepening of faith on the Togolese and African soil.

To all of you, I wish you a good mission with the help of Mother Thérèse, of Our Lady of the Cenacle and of the Holy Spirit!

Vo-Pédakondji

8 March 2014

Patricia Byrne, Superior general

 

 
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