October visit to Juba and Yambio by Sr Pauline and Sr Rosella
SR. HELEN NEINI
Helen has ministered in Juba and Yambio for 9 years. Currently she is teaching Grade 6B at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School located in the Diocese of Yambio. St. Mary’s has 26 teachers and 1,264 students. Sometimes there are over 100 children in one long, poorly lit classrooms. Blackboards are old and cracked and resources are limited. Helen has received funds from Elizabeth Hayes Grant (USA) to fund different projects to help the school since the school’s only financial support is through school fees by parents. 
Some of the projects that have been completed with the help of the Elizabeth Hayes Grant and other donations include:
- Building of the small room for the watchman at the gate of the school.
- The concrete pillars and main metal gate of the school
- Two toilet blocks, one for the girls and the other for the boys
- Renovation and painting of some classrooms
- Supply of School uniform
The Sister’s also donated their Generator to thE school. The generator is used to provide power to the school office.
SR. BAKHITA KPERENGE-FRANCIS
Bakhita, a native of South Sudan, has been ministering in Yambio since 2013. The focus of her ministry is working with women, girls and children who have been traumatized from war and violence in the country. To assist her in her ministry, Bakhita founded an association called ADEESA (the word means all women are equal regardless of their race or culture). ADEESA has 7 active board directors who monitor the activities carried out by the Association. They have 42 registered members. ADEESA has 11 staff as well as 20 active volunteers in Yambio and 8 in Nzara. In 2019 ADEEZA hosted: 12 workshops with 150 women attending, 6 on nutrition and hygiene and 6 on trauma healing; trained 24 psychosocial community workers; conducted 2 training sessions to 75 men and women on Gender Violence; formed 7 women’s groups with 20-25 members in each.
Bakhita is also a member on the Solidarity teachers’ Training College Board and takes communion to the sick and aged.
In the pictures, in order:
Sr Helen’s 6B class – newly painted walls
Board and Volunteers
Solidarity Volunteers in Sisters courtyard
Sisters Accomodation at Yambio
Mt. Alvernia High launched a new celebration to bring the Mount Alvernia community together to honor the faculty and staff, alumnae, parents, the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and friends of MAHS who have made an impact on their students.
In addition to being a night recognizing those who have contributed to life at 790 Centre Street, this Annual Gala, with a silent auction, supported the Mount Alvernia Fund, enhancing the work our students and faculty do every day, and benefitting future generations of courageous, compassionate and articulate women who are able to discern the good and respond to the call to be an effective force for it in the world.
For the past 20 years, a woman in the community has been honored as a 7 C’s Woman. At the Gala, Mt. Alvernia honored women the students can look up to as examples of the Franciscan charism of service, justice and leadership. The recipients were Sr. Damon Nolan, Sr. Jean Morrissey and Eileen McLaughlin.
Students concerned about climate change take part in a climate-strikes rally at City Hall Plaza on September 20, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Youths around the globe say the planet can’t wait any longer
“The threat poised to our generation is dire,” a Boston College student told several thousands of students
Friday’s rally organized by 15 teenagers across greater Boston — was one of many global climate protests from Nairobi to Tokyo, and comes a few days before the United Nations holds a climate summit in New York City.
Organizers lead thousands on a march from government center to the State House.
“It’s really our generation that has the most on the line, and the decisions that are being made right now are going to affect us the most,” Lynn said. “It’s really disappointing to see political leaders not taking action on a very, very evident and huge crisis”.
Sr. Jean Morrissey, Sr. Carla Thomas and Sr. Jeanette Gaudet attended the rally at the Newton Town Hall. In the evening there was a special Prayer Service for the whole Centre St. Community entitled:” Season of Creation “. During the service a video was shown with a message from Pope Francis.
#MFIC #SeasonOfCreation #UnitedStates
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We are proud to announce that Mount Alvernia High School in Newton, MA, have been named a Top 5 Faith-based High School in Greater Boston by Boston Parents Paper. They were also the only all girls school in the Top 5.
We share the post appeared on Facebook written by the School after the nomination:
We are honored to receive this recognition. It is a reflection of the hard work of our students, who every day are becoming a force for good, the commitment of our faculty and staff, and the dedication of our parents and alumnae community, and the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. It is a testament to our mission here at 790 Centre Street.
Thank you Boston Parents Paper and everyone who supported us.
#IamMAHS
May 6th 1894 - May 6th 2019
It does continue to bloom.. all over the world!
In Papua New Guinea...
In Canada...
In Australia...
In Rome...
