How Good is the Good God

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are well known and loved in the Archdiocese of Boston.  They provide varied ministries in our Catholic schools, parishes and social service agencies.  Many of us have had the benefit of their dedicated expertise as teachers and counselors.  Less known, perhaps, is the global dimension of their work.  As they live out the charism of their founder, Saint Julie Billiart (pictured at left), the Sisters have journeyed far beyond the United States to establish a worldwide missionary presence.

To help in supporting these efforts, the Sisters participate in the Missionary Cooperative Program of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Archdiocese of Boston.  Through this program, each parish hosts a missionary speaker for an entire weekend once a year to provide the opportunity for parishioners to learn more about the missionary activity of the Church.  I recently received a letter from Sister Marie Prefontaine, SND, their Mission Support Program Director, describing some of the benefits that the Sisters have gained from their participation in our program.

Because of the generosity of your local Church, our Sisters in Kenya have opened a new nursery school with hopes of expanding into a full elementary school in the future.  Sister Prisca in Nigeria is working in a hospital owned by the Sisters of Notre Dame, the first in Amoya, Nigeria.  She too expresses hope to expand to offer more services to the sick.  The Sisters in Peru administer 34 Fey y Alegria schools in the district of Piura, Peru.  In these schools, the Sisters and lay teachers encourage and motivate parents to offer their children the best.  The future begins in these classrooms and hospitals and you help make all this happen.

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, in their vast and multifaceted ministries, bring Gospel values into the lives of those whom they serve.  Their dedication and devotion enliven the vision of Saint Julie, Ah! Qu’il est bon, le bon Dieu!, making the goodness of God a living presence in the lives of countless men, women and children.

For more information on the missionary activity of the Church, see our website www.propfaithboston.org. 

-Fr. Rodney J. Copp JCL