Our life in the Generalate, after the Chapter, has been a series of small and not so small events. The past two months witnessed a beehive of activity, balanced with holidays, retreats, and getting connected to events taking place all around us.

• We welcomed sisters who stayed back after the chapter to visit their families and friends. Their company brought in much joy and dynamism to us. It was also an opportunity to meet with some of their family members.

• The post chapter works kept us busy for some days, which included clearing the chapter location, putting away the things used, bundling up things for future use, etc.

• After having completed the immediate works of the secretariat, Sr. Kim Chi, on 15 August, took off for a well-deserved break, which included a retreat and some days with her family members in France. She returned on 04 September.

• Sr. Angélique Dikete was delegated to visit the Inter-African Novitiate, Mali, to attend to an exigency there. She left on 18th August, spent some days in Mali during which time she also made her annual retreat along with the Sisters of the Region. She then proceeded to Congo for a long-awaited holiday with the family, returning to Brussels on 6th October.

• The month of September and part of October saw Sr. Cécile Ndaya and Sr. Sylvia Chabala taking off to Wépion, the Jesuit Retreat Centre, to make their annual retreat, Sr. Marie Louise spending some days of rest and relaxation with her family members and Srs. Lucy Jacob, Rosily Mathew and Valsam Jose having some refreshing time at the seaside in Kolsijde.

• The diocese of Brussels-Malines is blessed with a new Bishop in the person of Mgr. Luc Terlinden. Some of the members of the community were at the Cathedral in Malines to witness his consecration on 03 September.

• Almost every week of the last two months, we were fortunate enough to be able to follow a number of webinars on various topics like Conversations on Synodal themes, Pastoral Reflections on Social Media, the Challenges of Energy Transition, and the like. We were also there online for the release of Pope Francis’ Laudate Deum and participated at the ecumenical prayer service that marked the official opening of the Synod.

• All along, the outgoing members of the General Council were also busy getting ready for the handing over: classifying and filing documents, discarding/shredding what is not required, preparing reports, etc.

• The actual handing over was done on 09-11 October. This had to be done online as the incoming members are yet to arrive. The latter will require much time to obtain their visa and other travel documents and it is not yet known when they can be in Brussels.

• On 16th October, the outgoing members, namely Srs. Deepthika, Roshni and Cécile, have left to return to their respective provinces. Before they resume active ministry, each of them will have a well-deserved holiday with their family members. A time for a refresher program also is foreseen in the course of 2024.

• At the moment, Srs. Rosily and Kim Chi are on a mission in Vietnam. They are expected to return by the end of this month.

• As the different units of the Congregation will soon be holding the second session of their chapters, let us remain united with them in prayer. May the message of General Chapter 2023 find its concrete expression in the specific contexts of our life in the various parts of the world and may our presence there make a positive difference!