From December 1 to 12, 2016, Sisters Marielena Aceti and Ieda Tomazini, General Councilors, visited the community of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Sundsvall, Sweden. The purpose of this visit was to animate the life and mission of the Sisters who reside there and to reflect on the continued presence of the Congregation in this country.

The Sisters of Saint Joseph arrived in Stockholm, Sweden in 1962 to respond to the needs of immigrants who spoke French. Over time, the Sisters saw, that in southern Sweden, the number of men and women religious grew, and so they felt challenged to be among those most in need in the north of the country, where there were and continue to be few religious and priests to meet the needs of the people.

The two remaining Sisters, Lila and Beatrice, are Brazilian, and they carry out tireless work with the new immigrants and refugees in Sundsvall, in central northern Sweden. They are the only religious in this region. They rely on the collaboration of lay men and women to carry out the mission, which is very meaningful and challenging to them. Their house is the house of the people. Several groups gather there to pray, to plan, and to assess activities that promote life and the social inclusion of people whom they seek out or who are sent to them, regardless of race, color, religion, culture, or social status. They have hosted refugees, young people, and families in their apartment, some for weeks, others for months. The experiences of these Sisters are fascinating and are concrete responses to the call for the practice of hospitality and solidarity as emphasized in the exhortations of Pope Francis. And also, this is one of the calls of the Congregation contained in the Final Document of the General Chapter of 2015. The big questions are: Who will continue this mission? Who will alleviate the pain and suffering of the new refugees and immigrants? Who will welcome their differences, help them on their way and comfort them in safety and love, without judging them or dominating them? Who will lead them in the experience of faith and the values of the Gospel?

Sister Ieda Tomazini
General Councilor