On Sunday 8 September 2024, the parish of Saint Charles Lwanga/Makota in Mwene-Ditu had the joy of witnessing the perpetual vows of Sisters Laurette Nsonga Tshisubu, Elisée Biuma Mukendi and Marceline-Françoise Musuamba Mbaya, and the silver jubilee of Sisters Thérèse Ngomba Mutamba and Anne Ngoie Ngongo.

It was the very first time that such an event had been held in the diocese of Tshilomba, in the more than twenty-five years that the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary (SCJM) have been present in Mwene-Ditu.

The entrance procession began at 9.30am. The Eucharist, celebrated in an atmosphere of joy and gladness, was presided over by His Excellency Monsignor Sébastien Kenda Ntumba and more than twenty priests.

We were delighted to welcome among us Sister Angèle Benabiabo, Provincial Superior of the Province of Saint Bernard, who had come from Kinshasa, and Sisters Angèle Kalanga and Marie-Claire Kakoyi, who had come from Kananga. Their presence consolidated our Cor Unum as members of the same Congregation.

In addition to the Christian faithful of the parish, the political and administrative authorities of the town of Muene-Ditu and representatives of various religious communities also took part in the celebration.

In his homily, His Excellency began by thanking God for the blessings he never ceases to bring about in the Church, and in particular in the SCJM Congregation, by giving us the dynamic forces to serve his people. He went on to say that through religious sisters, the Lord visits his people. He visits the sick, the deaf, the mute; he comes to open our eyes and ears so that we walk in his light and are filled with his love.

Consecrated men and women should see themselves as a gift to animate, support and strengthen the hope of their people. The consecrated person should also see herself as a place where God’s promise is fulfilled, so that those who meet her may meet God himself. In this way, the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the paralytic, the blind, the deaf see their needs met. May the religious sister be the water that God uses to quench the thirst of the suffering person.

God comes to visit his people through consecrated persons. He calls us without discrimination, without asking about our tribe or origin; this is a call to universality and communion. God introduces us into the ecclesial community of brothers and sisters, where there is no difference between rich and poor. He invites us to open ourselves to his presence, to his light, so that in turn we can be bearers of love and hope to our brothers and sisters.

Before the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the two jubilarians renewed their vows and sang a thanksgiving song for God’s faithfulness to them.

Sister Marie-Josée Lusamba thanked the various people who had contributed to the success of the event. Sister Thérèse Ngomba also spoke on behalf of the jubilarians and newly perpetually professed sisters, thanking the Congregation and the guests.

After mass, a festive meal was served in the Ngalula Mianda multi-purpose hall next to the Sabwe Cilonda school. The festivities were rich in colour. The jubilarians and newly perpetually professed sisters entered the hall to the sound of music prepared in advance for the occasion, and dance steps performed by children from the Tekemena reception centre. The joy was overwhelming.

In the festive hall, we noticed on the one hand the presence of people in gleaming clothes, wearing gold rings, and on the other hand the presence of poor people in sober clothes, but all welcomed, installed and served with dignity, this to emphasise our charism, that of sustained attention to the most vulnerable.

Sister Marie-Jeanne Muleka