Formators of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (MSHR) Congregation have just concluded their 12-day Meeting at the Retreat and Conference Centre, Nsukka, Nigeria, with renewed energy to carry out the Sacred Ministry of forming young members of the Congregation.
The meeting, which commenced on July 2 and lasted till July 13, 2026, brought together Formators at various levels of MSHR Formation from various Regions/Countries. Regional Leaders were also present at the meeting, together with the Congregational Leadership Team (CLT).
Addressing the Formators during the July 12, 2026, Closing Ceremony at the Conference Centre Hall, the Congregational Leader, Sr. Franca Onyibor, MSHR, rendered profound gratitude to Sr. Bernadette Nyam, MSHR, Councillor for Formation, for ensuring that their dream for the meeting was realised.
She was equally grateful to the other CLT members and to other members of her Community back in Ireland, including the Congregational Secretary, who was joining virtually, and the Congregational Bursar, in absentia, who had always stood by her and helped her become the best version of herself.
“That Community is one of my happiest in this Congregation. We laugh together, we cry together, we have our challenges, and we are willing to work with them,” she testified.
Sr. Onyibor further appreciated the Sisters for their full participation throughout the Meeting, and all the “hidden faces” that contributed in varied ways to the success of the meeting, not forgetting the benefactors for their financial support.
According to the Congregational Leader, Meetings of this nature are meant to happen every three years, usually after the Regional Leaders Meeting with the CLT. She, however, added that the Congregational Leadership Team has introduced yet another dimension of formation for Formators, being virtual engagements, and that is already ongoing.
Sharing the hope of further extending online engagements, the Leader called on all the Sisters to commit to and avail themselves of such opportunities whenever they arise, to continue sharpening their Formation skills, bearing in mind the Sacred Trust they hold.
Sr. Bernadette Nyam expressed deep joy for the success of the meeting and lauded the Formators, both on-site and online, for their active and “wonderful”. To her, the Sisters not only enter into the whole process of the programme, but also bring about their own richness and creativity in the various tasks assigned to them, and a lot of learning took place in the process.
She shared the firm belief that the Theme for the Formation Meeting – “Visioning, listening to God’s call, strengthening interconnectedness in MSHR Formation and forming for the future” was satisfactorily captured in the course of the meeting, considering the various topics that were presented.
The Formation Councillor expressed with certainty that the Formators have acquired skills that will shape their way of accompanying the formees, and themselves, in the next 10 years or more. She further shared the hope that if the Formators were able to put their new learnings into practice, the Congregation would be wonderful in the future, and people would be able to see through every Sister, the vision of their Founder, Bishop Shanahan, for every MSHR.
She encouraged the Sisters to continue to engage in the online ongoing Formation. She called for an evaluation of the entire programme by the Formators in groups, as to what went well, what did not go well and suggestions for future meetings.
In a Vote of thanks, Sr. Philomena Ezeh, Regional Leader of Sierra Leone, appreciated the Formation Councillor and the rest of the Congregational Leadership Team, who have been in Nigeria for some time now, first for the Regional Leaders Meeting, which began on June 6, 2026, and still stayed back for the Formation Meeting.
She further thanked them for allowing each MSHR Formator to participate in the meeting. She re-echoed the need for teamwork in the Community as exemplified by the Congregational Leader in her earlier sharing on the support she gets from her Community, calling on all to work hard towards achieving the same.
Sr. Ezeh was amazed at the Presentations and demeanour of the different Formators. She credited the CLT for making a good choice of appointing “very seasoned” Formators.
To her, the various topics presented were very informative and formative, for those of them attending the Formation meeting for the first time, or coming in newly into the Formation Ministry, and a source of renewal for those who have been in it.
Inviting all Formators to count the Sacred Trust of forming the young members as both a privilege and a challenge, she encouraged all to put in their best as they return to their various Regions to form what the Congregation will look like in 10, 20 years to come.
There was a closing Ritual in the evening of July 12, characterised by the symbolic washing of hands and sowing of seeds by each Sister present, as they renewed their commitment to the course of Formation, and committed themselves to the Congregation’s Safeguarding Policy. A gift was presented to each Sister, accompanied by a lighted candle. The Sisters joining virtually were each called upon to mention a Sister who was on site to carry out the ritual on her behalf and also collect her gift.
As a way of securing the future of the Congregation in terms of personnel, the Sisters carried out Vocation Talks in various Parishes in Nsukka, including the Holy Rosary Worshipping Community, where the Meeting had taken place. This happened within the context of the July 12, 2026, Sunday Masses. The faithful of the host Church felt particularly privileged by the presence of the Sisters who had been in their midst. Two delegates visited the Sisters after the Mass with a jug of palm wine to wish them well.
To crown the activities for the day, the Sisters had a cultural/social night, during which some Sisters’ birthdays were celebrated, and some individuals who had been very instrumental to the success of the meeting were recognised, among other festivities. Every Formator present received a gift from the host Region.
Led by the Congregational Leader, the Sisters planted some trees on the compound on the morning of July 13, 2026, before departure as a way of contributing to the Earth, our Common home. To them, the tree-planting exercise was also a symbol of togetherness, connectedness, life, bearing fruits, taking care of the next generation, firm-rootedness, making history and sustainability.
The Congregational Leader further made it known to the Sisters that the Congregation has launched the tree-planting exercise and so, will be engaging in tree planting in any Region they visit. She also encouraged the Regions to take up this Divine assignment of nurturing Mother Earth.
There was also a visit by the Sisters to the Centre Cemetery to honour, pray for, and commune with the MSHR Sisters, who were buried there; some of whom had been Formators at some stage. This visit to the cemetery was greeted by some “showers of blessing”.
The just-ended meeting had featured the presentation of reports on formation activities from the different Regions and sharing on the different stages of Formation as found in the MSHR Formation Handbook by those concerned. Other topics treated included: the Person of Bishop Shanahan and Inter-culturality in Formation, MSHR Mission Vision and Charism, Techniques of forming Generation Z candidates, Compassionate Formation, Safeguarding Policy and Financial Management by different Facilitators.
One of the Formators, Sr. Elizabeth Onoja, who is also the newly appointed Regional Leader for the Kenya Region, shared insights into her just-ended 6-month Formation programme in Rome. There were also two virtual Presentations: the Use of Media in Formation and Graced Companionship.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Catholic Sister Communicators Network, Ghana CASCON-GH)
