LE SUORE MURIALDINE DI SAN GIUSEPPE IN SIERRA LEONE

11 April 2021

Carissimi confratelli.

Carissimi fratelli e sorelle della Famiglia del Murialdo.

Sono molto contento di poter parteciparvi questa bella notizia: le suore Murialdine di San Giuseppe apriranno una loro prima comunità in Africa, in Sierra Leone, Mabesseneh, poco distante dalla nostra opera di Lunsar.

Lascio la parola a suor Orsola, madre generale delle Suore Murialdine: “L’arrivo in Sierra Leone è previsto per il 20 aprile. Le consorelle che costituiranno la comunità sono: Suor Amparo Guzman, superiora e maestra di formazione (equatoriana); Suor Victoria Antonysamy, professa perpetua (indiana); Suor Nirmala Simiyonraj, professa temporanea (indiana).

Le accompagnerà suor Mariana Guerrero, delegata per Ecuador e consigliera generale.

La comunità avrà la sua sede a Mabesseneh, nella casa che i Giuseppini hanno preparato. Svolgeranno lavoro apostolico nella scuola materna e probabilmente suor Victoria potrà insegnare inglese presso la scuola elementare dei Giuseppini.

Si impegneranno anche nella pastorale parrocchiale presso la parrocchia “San Leonardo Murialdo” dove è parroco don Gianni Zanni”.

Chiedo: “Come è stata presa la decisione di aprire una comunità in Africa”?

Continua suor Orsola: “I Giuseppini da tanti anni chiedevano la presenza della nostra congregazione in Sierra Leone allora ho deciso di fare un primo viaggio per conoscere la realtà. Era il settembre del 2001. Erano con me padre Lino Barbieri e padre Giuseppe Cavallin.

In quell’occasione mi era sembrato impossibile poter aprire una nostra comunità perché avevamo iniziato nel 1996 in Argentina e nel 1998 in Messico.

È venuta poi l’occasione di partecipare al capitolo generale dei Giuseppini nel 2018 in Ecuador e il superiore della Viceprovincia dell’Africa padre Luigi Cencin ha chiesto insistentemente la presenza di una nostra comunità in Sierra Leone. Ero titubante a causa dello scarso numero di consorelle, ma il sì è venuto da suor Amparo Guzman e da suor Victoria che si sono offerte.

Il consiglio generale è stato d’accordo di fare un’esperienza di tre mesi (realizzatasi dal 30 luglio al 27 ottobre 2019). Poiché l’esperienza è stata positiva, in consiglio generale si è presa la decisione di aprire la prima comunità. Avevamo fissato la data il 15 agosto 2020 in ricordo del 40° anniversario della morte di Padre Luigi Casaril, ma la pandemia non lo ha permesso”.

E’ stata concordata la data di inaugurazione per il 1° maggio 2021 e suor Orsola spera di essere presente.

E’ un sogno che si realizza ed è una esperienza missionaria che si attualizza.

E’ un bel segno per tutta la Famiglia del Murialdo.

Affidiamo in modo particolare questa primizia missionaria delle Suore Murialdine in Africa a San Giuseppe. Nel suo nome è significato un futuro di crescita: è quanto auguriamo con affetto e nella preghiera.

Benvenute = Welcome (inglese) = Senu ohh! (temne, dialetto locale della

zona di Lunsar).
Buon cammino = We wish you success (inglese) = kanka kuru n'gb3lee m3
panth me n'de yor ay!! (temne).

p. Tullio Locatelli

padre generale

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