Ursulines 475 celebration…
25th November 2009 sees Ursulines across the globe begin a year of celebration looking towards the celebration of the 475th anniversary of our foundation by Angela Merici on the feast of St Catherine of Alexandria, 1535. Together we give thanks for those who have gone before us and ask the blessings of the Holy Spirit on our future.
Here in Ireland we have planned a number of events to mark this year….
30 January 2010 – a day of reflection, ritual and discussion led by Sr Armida entitled “Light up the darkness of my heart”
7 March 2010 – outside broadcast mass on RTE 1
Easter week – pilgrimage to Desenzano, Italy to walk in the footsteps of Angela
Summer – pre-Chapter assemblies in Ireland and Kenya
Perpetual Professions in Kenya...
Last month Sisters Philomena Koki Maweu; Cellestine Kasyoka Kilonzi;
Kevina Lokong Ekal; Veronica Kavutha Mbula made their profession of
perpetual vows as Ursuline Sisters in the presence of Sr Kitty Kelly,
Congregational Leader, sisters, family and friends. We offer them our
good wishes and pray for them as they make this generous commitment of
their lives to God.
Summer 2009 - a new opportunity for you!
Ever wondered what is like to live in a religious community? Want to know what happens in a convent?
Want to know what it is like to work with young people and live in community with other sisters?
This is your new opportunity for summer 2009.
Come and spend a week with us in the convent, pray with us, work with young people, live in community – see what it is like for yourself…
Join our service and spirituality week in Blackrock, Cork - 14th to 18th June
For more information contact us using the link at the bottom of this page.
Professions
in Kenya…
During
a recent visit to the Kenya region Sr Kitty
Kelly received the perpetual profession
of vows of Sr Francisca Mulyata and the
first profession of vows of Sr Susan Kang’ethe
and Sr Catherine Kioke. Congratulations
and good wishes to Francisca, Susan and
Catherine.
Congratulations
to Sr Vera Wesonga Osama who made her first
profession of religious vows recently in
Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. We wish her every
blessing on this next stage of her journey
of faith.
New
beginnings…
Our
Lady’s birthday, September 8th, saw a new
beginning for the Ursuline Sisters in Sligo
as a new house was opened next to the church
in Ballytivnan. Sr Margaret Mary and Sr
Freda have been missioned as the first members
of this new community. We wish them well
in their new home.
Summer
2008...time to spare...want to do something
different?
Our
2008 Service and Spirituality programme
might be what you are looking for...find
out what it is like to live in religious
community...work with young people in the
local community...take time to pray...be
with other like minded people...
this summer we are offering two weeks:
Sligo: 8 - 13 June
Cork: 16 - 20 June
Want to know then contact us... or fill
in the application
form
Georgia
celebrates…
February
2008 saw five of the sisters who spent time
in Columbus, Georgia, USA return there to
join in the 50th anniversary celebrations
of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. It
was in 1960 that the sisters originally
left Ireland to make a foundation in this
new parish establishing a school and social/parish
ministries among the people there. This
year saw Sr Kathleen Twomey who was in the
founding group of four sisters return there
with Sisters Mairead, Breda, Sarah and Mary
who had ministered there between 1960 and
1998 when the mission closed.
Ursulines
gather to celebrate…
Ursuline
Sisters, companions, associates, friends
and staff gathered in Dublin to mark the
Golden Jubilee of our mission to Kenya.
It was in September 1957 that the first
four sisters left Sligo for Kitui diocese
in Kenya at the invitation of the Kiltegan
Fathers. It was here they opened a school
for girls and so began the Ursuline mission
to Kenya which continued to spread throughout
the country over the last five decades.
At the gathering a commemorative book launched
to mark this milestone in the life of the
congregation.
50
years a-growing in Kenya…
Sisters
from Kenya and Ireland gathered in Nairobi
for three days to mark the 50th anniversary
of the first four Ursuline missioners travelling
from Sligo to Kenya. The sisters arrived
in Kitui diocese where they founded a school
for girls in Mutune. Our photos show the
sisters cutting the cake following a celebratory
Eucharist.
Handing
on the flame of leadership…
August 2007 saw the leadership of the Kenya
Region pass into the hands of native sisters.
Sr Kitty Kelly, Congregational Leader, led
the sisters of the region in the missioning
of Sisters Pamela, Rose, Redempta and Eunice
to serve as the leadership team in Kenya
for the next two years.
2007
Service and Spirituality...
A
week spent working with young people in
a summer activity programme in Cork alongside
time spent in prayer and reflection...making
room for God in our lives...exploring what
is religious life today...having fun...sharing
the conversations, the laughter and the
day to day to life of an Ursuline community
and ending the week on pilgirmage to Gouganne
Barra. Well done to Catherine, Emma, Julia
and Lisa who took up the challenge this
year.
Congratulations...
to Sr Alice Muliro and Sr Roselyne Kasyoka
who made their final profession of vows
into the hands of Sr Kitty Kelly, Congregational
Leader, and in the presence of Ursuline
Sisters of the Kenya region, family and
friends on Saturday 21 April at the Parish
of Our Lady Queen, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya.
Second
Edition Book Launch...
On
Saturday 28 April Ursuline Sisters in Cork
joined with the members of Clann Ursula
(Cork Past Pupils Union) to mark the launch
of the second edition of the book by Sr
Ursula Clarke - The Ursulines in Cork since
1771. This second edition adds two chapters
to the original to bring the story of the
Ursulines in Cork up to date including the
move to the new convent, the closing of
the mission in Georgia, USA and new initiatives
in ministry. The book was launched by Maureen
O'Connor-Lynch the current President of
Clann Ursula.
Walking
in celebration…
Easter
week 2007 saw almost one hundred Ursuline
Sisters, Associates, friends along with
staff and students from Ursuline secondary
schools in Cork, Thurles and Waterford as
well as staff from St Angela’s College,
Lough Gill travel to northern Italy to walk
in the footsteps of Angela Merici, foundress
of the Ursulines.
Our
walk took us to Desenzano, the town of her
birth on the shores of Lake Garda. Here
we walked out to the lighthouse where Angela
used to go in the early morning to bring
fresh bread for breakfast to the fishermen
bringing in their catch. Together we walked
up the hill to the house of her birth in
the town and gathered for photos at her
statue in the piazza.
In
groups we visited Le Grezze the farmhouse
where Angela spent her early teenage years
tended the vineyard. It is here she had
her vision which led her to found the Ursulines.
From here we travelled on to the parish
church of St Angela where we celebrated
in prayer and song the life and vision of
Angela.
Moving
on we went to Brescia, the city where in
1535 Angela invited the first 28 Ursulines
to sign the book of the “Company of Saint
Ursula”. Here we gathered in prayer at the
shrine where her body lies in the Sanctuary
of St Angela.
Our
days were part of the worldwide Ursuline
celebrations of the bicentenary of the canonisation
of Angela Merici in May 1807. This year
will see Ursulines and their associates
travel from all parts of the world to walk
in her footsteps and recall the vision of
the great woman who offered a new way of
life for women, consecrated life, lived
in the world.
See
our walk in pictures….
Do
you enjoy a challenge…have time to spare
this summer…
Then
our 2007 Service and Spirituality programme
could be for you…
We offer you a week working with young people
and spending time getting to know God better
as well as a taste of Ursuline religious
life today…
Interested…read
more
Congratulations...
to Sisters Joyce and Melsa on the occasion
of their first profession of vows in Nairobi,
Kenya.
Congratulations...
to Karen Kent who made her final profession
of vows on Saturday 30 Septenber in Blackrock,
Cork. Karen's vows were received by Sr Kitty
Kelly; Bishop John Buckley presided at the
ceremony and he invited Father Michael Mullaney
to preach the homily.
Karen was joined by family, friends and
Uruslines from all the communities in Ireland
for the celebrations as well as her parish
priest from home Father Eddie Butler.
See
our celebration in pictures...
Ursuline
Sister to make final profession...
Saturday 30th September will see Karen Kent
profess her perpetual vows as an Ursuline
Sister in Blackrock, Cork at 12noon in the
parish church. The Bishop of Cork and Ross,
Most Rev John Buckey will preside and Sr
Kitty Kelly, the Congregational Leader will
receive Karen's vows...
Sisters
on Tour 2006
In
August of this year seven of our Kenyan
sisters travelled to Ireland to participate
in the General Chapter and stayed on for
a week afterwards to travel around meeting
the communities...share
their journey with them
You
can be part of our Kenya apostolate…
Our work in Kenya relies on the generosity
of our friends for its continued success
– would you like to be part of the future
of Kenya mission…find
out more
Congregational
Leader…
Our 2006 General Chapter elected Sr Kitty
Kelly as our Congregational Leader for the
next five years. She will be assisted by
Sr Mary Gilbride. Three sisters were chosen
to complete the team they are: Sr June Fennelly,
Sr Mary McHugh and Sr Anne Harte-Barry.
“Honorary
Doctor”…
Congratulations
to Sr Marianne O’Connor on the conferring
of an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the National
University of Ireland Galway in March 2006
for her services to education.
Gaisce
Gold Awards…
Congratulations to the students of Saint
Angela’s College, Lough Gill who spent time
last summer in Kitale, Kenya preparing buildings
and resources for a new kindergarten which
opened in 2006 providing education for the
children of the surrounding community.
Our
pictures show the group members meeting
President Mary McAleese and the Duke of
Edinburgh at the award ceremony in Dublin.
The group also invited Sr Clare Ursula (Regional
Leader in Kenya) to travel to Ireland for
the ceremony to thank her for her support
of the project.
Congratulations to…
Sr Martha and Sr Eunice who recently made
their Perpetual Profession of Vows as Ursuline
Sisters. And to Sr Monica and Sr Winfridah
who made their First Profession of Vows
in Kenya.
Ursulines
student to Cologne........
“We
have come to worship him” - Ireland to Cologne
– August 2005
Twenty four students from Ursuline Secondary
Schools and third level College in Ireland
accompanied by Sr Jean, Sarah and Sr Karen
joined over one million young Catholics
to celebrate the 20th World Youth Day in
Cologne – the city of the martyrdom of Saint
Ursula…read more
and see our photos.
Going
for Gold…success!
During the summer of 2005 eleven
students and three staff from Saint Angela’s
College, Lough Gill travelled to Kitale,
Kenya to prepare the buildings at one of
our Ursuline communities to become a pre-school
ready for opening in the new school year.
The project is part of their Gold Gaisce
award. Read
and view pictorial record.
Sisters
on tour…
During the summer of 2005 five sisters from
Ireland travelled to Kenya to visit our
sisters there…see our pictorial
record…
