The Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) have elected a Cork woman as the new Congregational Leader for the next six years. The new leader, Sr Siobhán Corkery (59) from Aghinagh, Coachford, Co Cork, has had 17 years experience in health care in eastern and western Nigeria, and was among the first team of Medical Missionaries to enter Rwanda in June 1994 following the genocide there.
“Between her 17 years in Nigeria, her time in Rwanda and experiences in North and South America she is well qualified,” Sr Isabelle Smyth told ciNews. “She is very passionate about justice issues.”
In north-east Brazil in a small inland town, Capim Grosso, she drew on her farming background and initiated a programme to improve sanitation and water supply in the drought-stricken countryside. She also developed community pharmacies using remedies based on local herbs.
“That is a big thing, to identify locally grown cost effective remedies from local plants and she was very involved in that,” says Sr Isabelle.
Sr Siobhán is also described as very creative and deeply reflective person. Besides her training in nursing and midwifery, she holds a Diploma in Psychology and has trained in Clinical Pastoral Education.
The MMMs place great emphasis on the richness that comes from inter-cultural living, believing that people from all nations are part of the one family of God. This is reflected in the composition of the newly-elected leadership team witnesses to this.
Others elected with Sr Siobhán to the leadership team are Assistant Congregational Leader, Sister Joanne Bierl (60) who comes from Buffalo in New York State. Her missionary experience includes time in Kenya, Ethiopia among the nomadic Borana people, and Honduras.
The First Councilor is Sr Angela Anigbogu (45), who comes from Adazi-Nnukwu in Eastern Nigeria and who studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland before becoming Administrator at St. Mary’s Hospital, Eleta, in the city of Ibadan.
The Second Councilor is Sr Radeguna Shayo (41). Coming from Moshi in Tanzania, she trained as a nurse and midwife at the well-known Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. In the year 2000 Sr Radegunda became a member of the first all-African team of Medical Missionaries of Mary to pioneer a new mission in the village of Zaffé in the Republic of Benin.
MMM has 400 women members from 18 nationalities, with 27 in initial formation and works in 14 countries.
Another Irish missionary order the Sacred Heart Missionaries has been busy with its Spring Assembly.
45 Missionaries of the Sacred Heart from across Ireland and the UK met on 1-2 April. They identified critical factors for the future including the reality of an ageing and shrinking membership, discerning what ministries to recommit to or to let go of, and what new ministries to commence. The Assembly was an energising, engaging and very positive experience, say participants.
The Assembly is part of a year long process of reflection, conversation and discernment as members in the home countries of the Irish Province engage in planning for the future.
The Assembly gave valuable space to continue the conversation that had begun last autumn in local communities. The group articulated a common vision for MSC life and mission in just six key words: "Being Christ's heart in solidarity with people".
The core values underpinning ministries are: prophetic, charism, solidarity, compassion, belonging, collaboration.
Critical factors that need to be considered in planning for the future include three in particular; the needs of the people, having hope and energy for the future, and personnel.
All agreed that the Assembly had been very positive experience. Although any choice that involves letting-go is difficult and even painful, there was a real sense of hope for the future and conviction about the importance of the mission entrusted to the Missionaries by Fr Chevalier.
The next joint Assembly is in Dublin on the 28th and 29th October 2009.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: CIN)