50 Years of Presence in Cameroon
DID YOU KNOW?
This year, as the Congregation de Notre-Dame celebrates the 400th anniversary of the birth of Marguerite Bourgeoys, the Congregation in Cameroon is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foundation.
On September 1, 1970 the missionary adventure in Cameroon began. Six valiant daughters of Marguerite Bourgeoys arrived in Makak: Sister Fernande Dubé, Sister Jeanne Beaudoin, Sister Colette Ouellet, Sister Solange Monfet, Sister Françoise Baril and Sister Yvonne Lamonde. Of this group of founding sisters, Sister Fernande Dubé and Sister Colette Ouellet are now deceased, Sister Jeanne Beaudoin is at Résidence Bon-Secours and Sister Solange Monfet is still in Cameroon. Françoise Baril and Yvonne Lamonde left the Congregation, married and started a family.
In January 2020, three former missionaries, Sister Yolande Tellier, Sister Thelma Renaud and Sister Émilie Maddix had planned to celebrate this 50th anniversary on June 30 at Résidence Bon-Secours in Montreal. About 50 people had been invited to this gathering and many had already confirmed. This was before COVID 19!
How can this 50th anniversary still be celebrated? How can we remember to give thanks for the mission that has touched both our community and the people of Cameroon? How else can we mark this event that honours those who began such a beautiful mission and those who continue to meet the challenges of liberating education in 2020?
In the coming weeks, our three sisters have planned to offer us short texts entitled Did you know?, which will feature the 24 former missionaries who are now deceased, the 26 sisters who have returned to this country and the 6 who are still in Cameroon. We will also be able to appreciate and discover the exceptional contributions of the 13 native Cameroonian professed sisters, who are involved in and create new projects in response to the calls and needs of the community and mission. The Lord offers us young novices and candidates in formation. This is a good opportunity to encourage them and hold them in our prayers.
Stay tuned…
