The New Year 2011-2012 begins in the Mother House
Here we are back in the Mother House for the new year 2011-2012 but with a change in our community. Maria Teresa Morgadinha has left us to go back to Portugal after three years of generous service. We thank her for the time she spent with us and ask God to bless her as she begins her new mission.
Marie Alice Guimarães, who has already been a member of the Mother House community, from 2005 to 2008, has replaced her. We are very happy to welcome her back and hope that she will be very happy with us and the many friends she has in Béziers.
Marion Shanahan from the Eastern American Province
Marion is beginning her 5th year in the Mother House and her second year as coordinator of the community.
Maria Alice Guimarães from the Portuguese Province
Maria Alice is beginning her 4th year in the Mother House after three years of absence since her last time with us.
Ursula Canavan from the Northern European Province
Ursula is beginning her 2nd year in the Mother House.
Valéria Erneio from the Mozambique Region
Valéria is beginning her 2nd year in the Mother House.
Opening of World Mission Week in Béziers
Sunday 16 October 2011
Thérèse Marie Potelle, who was replacing Françoise during her retreat in Portugal, Teresina O’Byrne who spent a week at the Mother House translating Portuguese and English, Françoise Thérèse from the Bon Pasteur community and
Valéria and Ursula from the Mother House took part in the opening of World Mission Week in the church of Our Lady of Reconciliation in la Devèze on Sunday 16 October. There we joined Lucienne, Marie Jean et Marie Paule. It was a wonderful celebration, full of colour and joy, beginning with breakfast in the reception room attached to the church, followed by an interesting and picturesque DVD of the Oceania mission. There followed a discussion led by a local catechist who is a native of Rwanda, and the testimony of a missionnary sister who had spent years in Africa. The Mass was celebrated in the church by Mgr Claude Azéma, auxiliary bishop of Montpellier.
Fr Claude André, the parish priest, had invited parishioners from Béziers and the surrounding areas who are natives of missionary countries, to come in national dress, while the catechism children, their catechists and those leading the liturgy wore garlands typical of the Oceanian islands. The Responsorial Psalm was replaced by a « farandole » with the children and their catechists weaving in and out among the benches. It was a colourful spectacle as was the African dance at the Offertory in which Valéria took part. The Our Father was acted out by the children under the direction of Marie Jean. Thérèse Marie enjoyed watching the video on Oceania where her brother lives and also meeting many people she knew from the time she had spent in la Devèze. Teresina thought she was back in Brazil the celebration was so like those she had known during her time there so many years ago.
Welcome to the Faculty and Staff of Marymount Schools
On 14 and 15 October we were very happy to welcome to the Mother House 18 members of the faculty and staff of the Marymount London, New York, Paris and Rome schools
Extended Family Get-Together, Monday 14 November 2011
We had a wonderful evening with around thirty members of our Extended Family and our sisters from Béziers on Mondqy 14 November. The programme was organised by Marie Jean and Marion. Marie Jean spoke with passion about Father Gailhac, Mother St Jean and the first sisters, after which Marion showed a video of a poem written by Mary Milligan. It touched everyone as was evident from the tangible silence which followed.
We then broke into three small groups, 
each reflecting on a different part of the poem and discussing it in response to specific questions. After a closing prayer and hymn we had our meal. How good that was ! – for everyone had brought a sweet or savoury dish and we were able to choose from a whole range of special recipes.
People appreciated the evening so much that they took home with them all the colourful handouts which Lucienne had created on the computer. Not one was left. Thanks to everyone for such an enjoyable evening !
The Association Source
From Friday 18 to Sunday 20 November we we were happy to welcome Terezinha Cecchin and Marie-France Correau from the Generalate and Antonia Quinteiro from Portugal. They were joined by Marion and Françoise in the Mother House for a meeting of the Board of the Association Source, and also by Lucienne when it came to considering finances. Their meeting took place all day Friday and part of Sunday morning.
From 9am to 4.30pm on Saturday they were joined by the other members of the Mother House Team and by other sisters from France who had come for the General Assembly of the Association. In the afternoon Marion presented the Action Plan of the Mother House Project 2011 – 2013 and each member of the team gave concrete examples of her involvement in the project. 
We all enjoyed meeting one another over the weekend. Moreover, after dinner on Sunday we had a little celebration with Terezinha to congratulate her on her 50 years of religious life, Valéria having made a delicious cake for the occasion.