Sr. Franca Onyibor, Congregational Leader of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (MSHR), at the Generalate in Dublin, Ireland, has in a letter addressed to each and every Holy Rosary Sister on the 101st Foundation Day Anniversary of the Congregation, extended a heartfelt message of hope.
In her March 7, 2025 letter, she drew the attention of the Sisters to the fact that it wasn’t a mere coincidence that their Centenary Celebration was followed by the Jubilee Year under the theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” which she saw as a great opportunity for Sisters, as pilgrims of hope, to be able to share, both at the level of the Communities and Regions, within the Jubilee Year, how their lives together is a witness of hope for the world.
“This is particularly pertinent since the 2024 General Chapter calls us to witness God’s love in how we live and relate to one another,” she reiterated.
Appreciating every Holy Rosary Sister for giving in their best in the different corners of the globe where they live and serve, the Congregational Leader celebrated that she was particularly heartened by the efforts of the Sisters in witnessing to the ministry of presence in their communities; in how they care for each other.
She prayed that “as we step into the next century of the Foundation of our missionary family, may this vital dimension of living our missionary charism bloom and grow among us”.
By way of encouraging the Sisters to stick to their missionary call, the MSHR Leader made allusion to the Holy Father’s Lenten message for 2025, calling all to be Pilgrims, journeying together in hope, and at the same time turning their hearts to the marginalised of our world, including migrants and refugees.
She disclosed that Pope Francis is himself the grandson of a migrant, as told in his recently published autobiography, “HOPE”.
In this light, she entreated the Sisters to pray for the speedy recovery of Pope Francis, as they participate in the events of the Jubilee Year in their local parishes and dioceses. She added that she had sent him a goodwill message on behalf of the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary.
The Leader re-echoed one of the invitations of the 2024 MSHR General Chapter, which was a call for Sisters to work in a synodal way at all levels of the Congregation and with their collaborators in ministry.
She further reported that as a first step towards this move on Synodality, she and her Team Members at the Generalate have had sessions at different times, with two persons who participated in the Synodal Assemblies.
“From these sessions, we are learning that among other things, the synodal call urges a way of being church and encountering one another where deep listening is at the heart of each encounter,” she highlighted, while looking forward to the Congregation deepening this call during the Chapter implementation.
Sr. Onyibor drew the attention of the Sisters to the progress so far in yet another pertinent demand of the 2024 General Chapter to the Congregational Leadership Team (CLT), to provide professional supportive care to Sisters who have experienced trauma.
According to her, some of the Holy Rosary Sisters in Cameroon Region have received professional care from Dr. Dave Berceli, a renowned trauma-healing expert, who has also gone ahead to connect the Sisters with a dedicated group he trained in Kenya,
The same Region, she added, is actively negotiating a suitable time for in-person trauma healing and training with this group.
“Our hearts and prayers are with our sisters in other regions serving in violent and insecure environments,” she bemoaned, sharing the sincere hope that this trauma-healing work and training will extend to other MSHR Regions.
The MSHR representative announced to the Sisters in her letter that she will be in Rome in May 2025 for two significant meetings: Firstly, a meeting of Congregational Leaders whose Founders are members of the Holy Ghost Congregation.
According to Sr. Onyibor, this first-of-its-kind gathering aims “to strengthen our connections as part of the Spiritan family tree and to explore our shared heritage”.
She would also participate in the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG) Plenary Assembly for Congregational Leaders Worldwide, under the theme, “Consecrated Life: A Hope that Transforms,” a theme which for her, “resonates deeply”.
As they would also be celebrating the 60th Anniversary of UISG’s foundation, marking a milestone of faith and commitment, she implored the prayers of the Sisters to accompany them in the transformative journey.
The MSHR Congregational Leader in her Foundation Day Anniversary Letter also brought to the awareness of the Sisters that the complete move of the Generalate from Cross Avenue to Killeshandra House in Cavan, where it all began, is anticipated to happen by October 2025.
She encouraged the Sisters to continue to pray for a smooth transition “as we return to our roots in Kilmore Diocese” she said.
On a festive note, the Congregational Leader extended heartfelt congratulations to 15 MSHR Jubilarians on their Platinum, Diamond, Golden, and Silver Anniversaries.
She thanked the Sisters for their prayers for the success of the just ended first in-person team meeting of the newly elected CLT, as well as the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) programme that took place in Nigeria last November, 2024 where she was one of the Trainers; an event which brought together about 80 participants from different African countries, Christians, Muslims, and various ethnic groups from Nigeria.
“Seeing groups previously suspicious of each other connect as brothers and sisters was uplifting,” she affirmed, adding that many of the participants were seeking support to share their learning with their communities to foster less violent environments for the present and future generations.
The Leader also asked for prayers for the peaceful repose of the souls of five MSHR who have been called Home within the last four months.
“Now that they have joined our Congregational ancestors who paved the path for us, may their prayers guide us on our own homeward journey,” she prayed.
She also asked that they pray in solidarity with the MSHR in the USA amidst the changing political climate, aware of its ripple effect across the globe, and other countries experiencing instability.
Expressing hope that the lives of the Sisters in communities may radiate peace to the world in this new decade, the Congregational Leader invited the Sisters to the company of God in the Psalm verse which reads, “Behold, I am doing something new…” (Is 49:19), and “in communion with each other and our foundation members, we receive the blessing of our Founder, Bishop Joseph Shanahan: “…I bless you and ask God to grant a special blessing, great peace of heart and soul, great love of God and of others, great confidence in God, great courage and faith, holy and final perseverance in your religious and missionary vocation….” (Letters 1977, Page 134).
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator, Ghana)
