Franciscan Common Venture co-founders facilitate gathering in Cameroon

by Marla Lang, FSPA

The word Cameroon usually awakens the question: “Where in the world is Cameroon?” A quick, geographical answer is “just a few degrees north of the equator, on the western, coastal side of Africa.” A very casual response is: “It’s the armpit of Africa.” An FSPA response may be: “Oh, this is where a province of Teritary Sisters of St. Francis is located.”

FSPA has been in a companion relationship with TSSF since 1998. It is a relationship that includes the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (OSF) in Milwaukee, Wis., and the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist (FSE) in Connecticut. This relationship was a symbolic expression of gratitude at our 150th anniversary of common foundation and has become a common venture to nurture systemic change in the lives of our congregations and on this planet.

Since 1998, leadership representatives and others from these four congregations (TSSF, FSE, OSF and FSPA) have met at least twice a year to nurture this equi-cultural relationship and to continue building relationships as companions on the journey. These gatherings and other forms of networking have been held in United States, in Italy (generalate of the TSSF), in Bolivia (a region of the TSSF), in Austria (province of TSSF) and in the TSSF province of Cameroon. You may also recall that the three USA leadership teams met in Cameroon in 2004.

Recently Mother Maria Theresia Oberwalder, superior general of the TSSF congregation in Rome, invited Sister Linda Mershon, FSPA president, Sister Florence Deacon, director of OSF, and Sister Miriam Seiferman, FSEvicar, to a gathering in Cameroon with the TSSF generalate and their TSSF province/region leaders. Also invited as co-founders of the Cameroon Common Venture were Sister Anna Nyuydini, TSSF, and myself. I served as facilitator for the meetings held March 17 through 21, 2011.

In this gathering, 21 sisters from four continents and four congregations speaking three different languages came together to support the companion-relationship building of the three USA congregations and the TSSF Cameroon province. Miracles of networking in the Franciscan family over the past 13 years were experienced.

Prior to the days of meetings, the participants were divided into three groups. Each group visited different missions/ministries of the TSSF for four days. These visits provided an immersion into the lives of the Cameroon sisters and their people. All groups ended in Shishong, the provincial site, for a profession of first vows and a delightful program impersonating the first TSSF coming from Germany to Cameroon 75 years ago. The rich acting skills of their 57 temporary professed sisters, 13 novices and 17 postulants creatively portrayed the early history of TSSF in Cameroon.

It was inspiring to hear earlier memories of FSPA presence in Cameroon. The latest was Sister Mary Becker’s tender care with the orphans and also those of the first FSPA in Cameroon, Sisters Anita Beskar and Georgia Christiansen, who facilitated a 1998 assembly. Many glowing reports were shared of sisters, affiliates and friends, too, since 1998. Beams of joy and gratitude went out to you! Appreciation was also expressed for the support given to Project Hope by FSPA affiliates.

The meetings reflected on the Common Venture’s ongoing interface with the International Franciscan Conference. Networking efforts in light of the mega-trends that impact today’s church/world were pondered. A review and evaluation of the Common Venture thus far in light of the values and characteristics of Franciscanism brought the group into a renewed sense of relationship and hope for what is yet to be.

A summarizing gem from these experiences was found in an airport purchase of the March 14, 2011, issue of Newsweek magazine featuring U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Besides naming 150 women who shake the world, Hillary says of her personal mission to make a difference for women and children, “You just keep at it, take it piece by piece, seize the ground you can, hang onto it, and then move forward a little bit more.”