Being Claretian Sister for the world today and the Renewal of the Church

In the context of our formation meeting for Juniors, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, sisters Maria Teresa Garitagoitia (Mayte) and Maria del Carmen Martinez, from the Province of Europe, shared with us these themes “Claretian for the world today” and the “Renovation of the Church.” The first theme was coordinated by Mayte and the second by Maria del Carmen.

We work on the theme of identity from different aspects. We understood that life is a combination of happiness and sadness; that all emotions are equally important and that they are proof of our humanity. That life is a constant challenge and that each one has the possibility of becoming what they dream, but this depends a lot on the personal desire to grow or not, on the acceptance of oneself and on the gaze put in someone who transcends us. This is how the personal identity is being built.

As Claretian Missionaries we inherit the charism of our Founders; we have a congregational identity that we see reflected, in a concrete lifestyle, and in a special way, in the experience of our sisters. Our personal identity is interwoven with the charismatic identity in a personalization process that makes us “feel belonging to this family”.

The theme of “The renewal of the Church” generated in us new knowledge in relation to the Plan to renew the Church of our Founders. As we went deeper into this topic, we understood that Maria Antonia Paris and St Antonio Mary Claret were like two feathers moved by the same Spirit, thinking and concretizing in some way that renewal. This theme also makes us understand different realities of the Church today that challenge us and call for commitment, to concretize how we can do something for their good wherever we are.  

Rahil Kandulna, RMI  (Junior sister)