NOVITIATE NEWS
In this issue of the web, our 6 novices are happy to share with you. The 2nd years, Mavis, Deborah, Rosaria and Arsenia have come back from their pastoral experience of 4 months in one of the Brazilian communities. They each experienced personal and significant approaches to the mission and each one is happy to share one aspect of her experience.
Second Year Novices Apostolic Experiences
COMMUNITY
I did my apostolic and community experience in the community of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Mairi, Bahia. The experience lasted from May to September 2011. I lived with Srs. Marina Freitas de Queiroz, Rita Rodrigues Pessoa and Maria Lucia Gama.
We lived the spirit of great faith, zeal, simplicity, unity, gentleness, mutual respect, mutual support, and commitment to the mission. I was impressed by the sisters’ interest in valuing each one’s sharing in all community settings like in prayer, at meals, etc. Everyone is sensitive to the needs of others.
Each member of the community has an apostolate and personal commitments but all observe and respect moments for community. There’s no employed worker for the house but each sister has the sense of responsibility in readily responding to situations that need attention in the house.
Despite the fluctuating number of community members due to the sisters’ commitments that sometimes involved travelling, the two or three members who remained in the house, still observed and respected community life.
The positive attitudes in the community deepened my understanding that discipleship in mission really begins in the local community.
(Mavis Muwela Second Year Novice Zambia)
MISSION
The 4 months of experience were moments of great learning and participation in the mission in the light of our charism ...”knowing and Loving God and make God known and loved, so that everyone can live” ...
Besides the visits to families in the neighborhood, in the Project I was present with children who belong to needy families. I was working with them and helping them to grow in a more dignified way as well as welcoming them and trying to integrate them in the workshops that the Project offers.
In the Christian community, I participated in various ways in diverse groups. I was a catechist for children and I also contributed in the liturgy group, in a prayer group and in the group for pastoral care of children, helping mothers to control their children's weight, diet and health.
At other times I was in more remote communities, helping and participating with them in the celebrations. I had the opportunity to be part of the ‘Mission Week” (an RSHM project for our schools) along with the youth of our school. In this missionary project we visit people in their homes, and hold meetings with various structures: social, political. We participate in various religious manifestations - supporting and contributing in the celebrations.
These were very important moments for me to experience being a missionary. In all my experience I could live and express with enthusiasm and dynamism our apostolic mission with our sisters in Janauba.
(Rosaria Meno 2nd year novice Mozambique)
JUSTICE
I would like to share briefly about my community/apostolic experience in São Paulo.This experience has helped me to grow in the integration of the Charism, Mission and Spirituality of our Congregation and come to know my capabilities and discover my limits.
During this experience I was involved in various activities of different Human Rights Groups:
-Catholic Pastoral of Children (Pastoral da Crianças)
-Order of Advocacy of Brazil (AOB),
- Association of Christians for Abolition of Torture (ACAT),
-Public Defender
-Movement for Unity of the Homeless,(UNMP)
-Ministry of Work. 
General Objectives are:
Providing human needs to the people. Eg food, shelter, healthcare, education, settlements,
Promoting human rights, justice and peace.
Fighting against sexual abuse/exploration, discrimination, human trafficking, malnutrition, violence against women, children, adolescents and youth
Denouncing cruelties in prisons, families, schools, government leaders, polical leaders.
Providing free help eg; lawyers, psychologists, social technical assistants to the victims of different situations.
Establishing security, hospitality to the homeless and immigrants by giving them land or homes.
These are achieved through empowering people to seek justice for themselves.
CEBI (Catholic Bible Study) helps to see or feel the presence of God in today´s realities and challenges. CEBI highlights the image of Jesus who always establishes Justice (Luke 4:18-19, John 10:10).
(Deborah Jamali 2nd year novice Malawi)
WOMEN
I was in the community of RSCM, Sister Jacinta, Porto Seguro - Bahia, involved in various ministries in which I was able to participate actively. 
One consisted of a group of women in a poor neighborhood, with cases related to drugs, child labor, unemployment. The sisters are tirelessly dedicated through small gestures and actions in transforming the reality of many women, young adolescents who so often are without hope. These meet to create, share, reflect, and strengthen their relationships. They tackle the issue of alternative and healthy ways of providing nourishment for their children. They make soap and softener and they sew. This raises their self- esteem and boosts leadership qualities. A group of teenagers also work on the promotion of women.
Another group is an association of women united in defense of life: ‘Clips’. Economically stable, they work in recycling, promoting ecological walks, social projects, weaving together real life giving relationships. 
Living with these groups led me to see clearly that we are called not only to serve with women who do not have their rights respected but also to be with those who have already achieved status so we can together create a sense of the dignity of women.
(Arsenia Sapatinha 2nd year novice Mozambique)
CANONICAL YEAR
Our two first year novices share with you their program and their impressions.
THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS… A TIME OF DISCOVERING ONES SPIRITUALITY… ATIME FOR MEETING WITH JESUS FACE TO FACE.
This time includes a time in the Novitiate house and a complementary program with other novices outside: Novinter
IN THE HOUSE
COMMUNITY LIFE: our group of 10 is comprised of novices and sisters of varying ages, cultures experiences and personalities.
Separation and solitude. This is a time for Intimacy with Christ and time for reflection and interiorizing. Daily personal and community prayer and Eucharist are sources of support and strength in the Faith Journey, sources of union with Christ.
STUDIES:
Human Development, RSHM Constitutions, RSHM Spirituality and Mission, Ecclesiology and Scripture study etc. on a weekly rhythm. Portuguese/ English classes.
Other Inputs included: ‘Improving communication’ (Sr. Rosinha), Enneagram (Sr. Kate Nolan), ‘Personal Development and Group work’ (Sr Susana), Arts and Crafts (Sr Dina).
Monthly Retreats help in our personal and community faith journey.
Pastoral Work includes Catechism, Pastoral da Criança and work with the homeless.
Other activities include are spiritual reading and reflection, pastoral reflection, community study of a text, group therapy and help in our intercultural relations and living together.
Community recreation including outings and films at times etc
Budgeting /Accounting, care of house, cooking, and laundry.
Spiritual Direction with an outsider and Accompaniment with our formation directress help us novices in self reflection and discernment training in attentive listening and noticing the work of God in our Formation.
Self-Evaluations. We are invited to reflect every so often on our journey and see where we have grown or need to grow in our personal and community life. This too is part of ongoing Discernment.
(Mercy Nkhuwa 1st year novice Zambia)
NOVINTER
Since March 2011, Mercy and I have participated in Novinter, an inter-congregational workshop organized by the CRB (Conference of Religious of Brazil). We are a group of about 55 novices (men and women) of various congregations.
We studied a different theme each month, each session scheduled over three days, with a different “Facilitator”/ teacher for each topic. Our various themes/topics were: Human Development, Ecclesiology, Critical and Moral Consciousness, Christology, Vows and the History of Religious Life.
In these workshops we are invited to reflect on /discuss the themes, taking into account not only the knowledge that is transmitted to us, but we let ourselves be touched so we can put them into practice in everyday life.
It is always very dynamic. In addition to the subjects studied, we have moments of prayer, living together, sharing personal experiences and community life. This has helped us.
Despite being different congregations we realized that we have the same goal: to follow Jesus Christ in a radical and free commitment. We get to know and discover ourselves more and more, realizing that we are called to have the "courage" and the "daring" to advance in a committed way on this path that we are walking, surrendering ourselves fully and manifesting our great love for humanity.
My experience has helped me to journey further in the transformation process, maturing as I walk, being more aware of my desires and yearnings within the religious life of the Institute of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, seeking each day to be firmly rooted in faith in Christ.
(Naiara Alves da Silva 1st year novice Brazil