Missionaries for the Kingdom, Gospel Journeyers

The first CND missionaries sent to Honduras

responded with love to the call of Pope John XXIII

to “open their hearts to go to Latin America.”

 

Five Canadian journeyers,

Noémie Desmarais

Denise Blondin

Cecilia McKernin

Cécile Duplain

Fleurette Daigneault,

pioneers of the Honduran foundation, set out

on this unknown adventure.

They arrived in Tegucigalpa on October 13, 1962,

where they were welcomed by Canadian missionaries.

 

Since 1962, more than 50 sisters have devoted their lives

in our so-called southern countries.

Women passionate about the Kingdom,

inspired by Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys.

 

Women of Visitation, encounter, and hospitality,

like the Virgin Mary, they journeyed

to the most remote places; on donkeys, on horseback, on foot…

This enabled them to get to know and experience the reality of our people.

 

So many lives have been transformed

and today these people contribute to the Church and to society,

putting into practice the values received from each one of you,

 bringing liberating education to life.

 

So many Latin sisters benefited!

Their experience of the spirituality and charism 

touched the hearts and lives of young Honduran,

Guatemalan, and Salvadoran women,

and some of them decided to say yes to God's call 

to become CND Sisters.

 

We are celebrating 60 years of presence in Honduras.

Dear sisters, there is so much to thank God for!

Yes, you have incarnated the deep desires of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys,

providing an example of how to be:

Mary of the Visitation, Mary of the Magnificat, Mary of the People.

You embodied the call of Medellin and Puebla,

to live the values of the Gospel,

to respond to the cries of the people

crying out to heaven to be heard.

 

Infinite thanks, dear sisters,

for taking the risk of venturing into the unknown,

just as Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys did.

You trusted in the "Go, I will not abandon you" of the Virgin Mary.

 

Thank you for teaching us the meaning of

"the preferential option for the poor,"

and for accompanying and journeying with those whom the system has excluded,

marginalized, discarded…

 

Thank you for teaching us, in the way of Jesus,

how to make the Kingdom of God present here and now

by dignifying the lives of people.

 

As Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Region,

we celebrate 60 years of CND presence in Honduras,

and with all the sisters that preceded us,

we sing Magnificat!