June 24, 2022 was an exceptional day at the "Mother House" of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary in Ghent! Three events marked this day: the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the anniversary of the birth in heaven of Father Pierre-Joseph Triest, our Founder, and finally the perpetual profession of Sr Charitine Impuhwe in the chapel of the Mother House.

The ceremony began with the procession at the entrance of the chapel, while the organist accompanied the singing from the rood screen. The large presence of more than a hundred people at this celebration, including the Belgian South Community, Sr. Charitine’s family members, the staff of Tabor and our collaborators, marked this exceptional event.

In his homily, Bishop Luc Van Looy spoke about religious life saying that it is the same in Europe and Africa but the context is different. There is one God and we follow one Lord. Today, the world needs the presence of religious women who, in most cases, take the side of the poor and vulnerable. That is why it is important to pray a lot for the sisters who follow Christ.

The ceremony was very moving, especially for the sisters, who expressed the joy of experiencing such an event again after many years. During the Eucharist, hyms were sung in five languages: French, Dutch, English, Latin and Kinyarwanda, highlighting the international character of the community to which Sr Charitine belongs.

The symbols used in the offering procession were: the candle representing Christ; the flowers symbolising all the SCJMs; the grapes, host and wine symbolising the body and blood of Christ.

After the celebration, an aperitif was offered to the guests, followed by a fraternal meal in the dining room.

Please click this link to view the photos: Sr. Charitine Impuhwe’s perpetual vows

Video of the profession: