Nigeria: Seminar on Development grounded in Legacy and Charism. A brief report: In our evaluation of the whole program, all the sisters who participated expressed satisfaction and their great joy seeing the three congregations in Nigeria coming together to deliberate on a common purpose. The desire to work out more ways of collaboration among the Dominican Sisters in Nigeria was very strong and very much emphasized by all.

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DOMINICAN SISTERS COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE

SEMINAR/WORKSHOP: DEVELOPMENT GROUNDED IN LEGACY AND CHARISM

19^TH – 22^ND APRIL 2012

DOMINICAN SISTERS NOVITIATE HOURSE MAKURDI – BENUE STATE NIGERIA.

 

Brief Report:

 

After the training in Lusaka- Zambia in August 2011, we all looked forward to replicating what we learnt to our sisters in Nigeria. Our dream came to pass recently when the replication seminar/workshop took place in Nigeria.

 

The program was organized by the sisters who attended the training session in Lusaka. It lasted for four days. About 32 sisters of Perpetual vows participated in the program. The three Dominican Sisters Congregations in Nigeria were well represented.

The topic was on Catholic Social Teaching. A power point presentation on the Documents and Major Theme of the Catholic social teaching was handled by Sr. Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya. There was also group work, group sharing and presentation of each group work to the general assembly. We examined ourselves as Dominican Sisters in Nigeria critically and allowed ourselves to be challenged by the social teaching of the Church especially on just wages, unjust treatments of women and children in our country. We, as Dominican Women in Nigeria are called to ‘See, Judge and Act’.

 

We also had a field experience to a settlement in Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria, where on Easter Vigil Mass, rain storm pulled down part of the building killing 22 persons and injured many. Those who died were all buried in the mission compound, one beside the other. It made impression on us seeing 22 fresh graves! It was very pathetic sight! We prayed and condoled with the priest assigned to that mission and with the people of the settlement.

 

The celebration of ourselves as Dominican Women in Nigeria, took a lot of the last evening. We were very happy coming together to discuss and celebrate our oneness, our common and glorious heritage –‘The Dominican Spirituality’. We felt good and demonstrated this through dances, drama presentations and of course delicious meal.

 

In our evaluation of the whole program, all the sisters who participated expressed satisfaction and their great joy seeing the three congregations in Nigeria coming together to deliberate on a common purpose. The desire to work out more ways of collaboration among the Dominican Sisters in Nigeria was very strong and very much emphasized by all.

 

We use the medium to say a very big thank-you to Srs. Faustina Jimoh, O.P and Margaret Hussain, O.P for supporting the program both financially and otherwise. We thank the Prior Provincial of Dominican Fathers and Brothers, Nigeria and Ghana, Very Rev. Fr. Charles Ukwe, O.P, whose brief presence was an encouragement to us all.

 

Our next Seminar/Workshop on Development Grounded in Legacy and Charism will be organized for the Temporary professed sisters of the Dominican Sisters Congregations in Nigeria in the coming year 2013. The Planning committee will work towards that and give details with time.

 

Ours is a Development grounded in Legacy and Charism and we are committed to it. For ... BY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT WE MEAN ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ENABLE HUMAN BEINGS TO LIVE MEANINGFUL, HEALTHY AND WHOLE LIVES… FOR ANOTHER NAME FOR PEACE IS DEVELOPMENT!

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

The Planning Committee Members:

 

 

Sr. Caroline Igwe, O.P                                                         Sr. Patricia Daaro, O.P

Dominican Sisters – Lagos                                        Dominican Sisters – Makurdi

 

Sr. Cecilia Madu, O.P                                                           Sr. Sylvia Ibida, O.P

Dominican Sisters – Makurdi                                               Dominican Sisters – Ibadan

 

 

Sr. Paulina Chioma Ogbonnaya, O.P

Continental Promoter for Justice and Peace

Dominican Sisters Africa (DSA)

Co-ordinator - Dominican Sisters Nigeria Collaborative Initiative.