In July, the Generalate of the CPS Sisters in Rome hosted a three-day workshop for temporarily professed sisters from different African countries, who are currently serving on mission in various countries across Europe. The gathering provided a valuable opportunity for the Sisters to come together, reflect on their vocation, and renew their missionary commitment in the light of their vows and the charism of their founder, Abbot Francis Pfanner.
The workshop focused particularly on the call to be zealous women religious, faithful to the spirit that inspired Abbot Francis Pfanner and the early mission of the Congregation. The Sisters were encouraged to deepen their understanding of religious consecration and to live their vows with enthusiasm, courage, generosity, and a strong sense of mission, especially within the changing realities of the European continent.
Coming from different African countries and serving in different European contexts, the Sisters brought with them diverse experiences of ministry, culture, and community life. The workshop offered them a space to share these experiences, learn from one another, and discover new ways of responding faithfully to the needs of the Church and the people they encounter.
A central theme was the missionary spirit of the CPS Congregation. The Sisters were reminded that missionary life is not limited to geographical boundaries. Just as missionaries once came from Europe to Africa to proclaim the Gospel and serve the people, African Sisters today are called to give back to the Church through their presence and service in Europe. Their mission is therefore an expression of gratitude, reciprocity, and the universal nature of the Church.
The three days were a time of renewal, encouragement, and empowerment. The Sisters were challenged to become joyful and courageous witnesses of Christ, faithful to their vows and attentive to the signs of the times. They were encouraged to bring their African missionary spirit, gifts, cultures, and faith to the European Church while remaining open to learning from the people and communities among whom they serve.
As temporarily professed sisters, they were reminded that their present missionary experience is also an important period of formation and discernment. Every encounter, ministry, community experience, and challenge can contribute to their growth as consecrated women and prepare them for deeper commitment to the mission of the Congregation.
The workshop concluded with a renewed sense of purpose and missionary zeal. The Sisters returned to their respective communities and places of mission with the invitation to live their vocation more intentionally, to serve with love, and to continue the missionary dream of Abbot Francis Pfanner in the realities of today’s Europe.
Their presence is a beautiful reminder that the Church is one family and that mission is a two-way gift. Having received the gift of missionaries in Africa, the Sisters now have the privilege of offering themselves in service to the Church in Europe—giving back with gratitude, love, and renewed missionary zeal.
