What Gives You Hope?

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we have invited the Missionary Sisters of the Guadalupe Province to reflect upon and share what gives them hope. In the weeks ahead we will be sharing their thoughts with you.

Sr. Bernadette Anello, MSC:

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Throughout my life, there has always been a tendency to see how good people are. It helps me to deal with other negative realities and devastating news that abound in our neighborhoods, countries, and in our world. For example, acts of kindness and thoughtfulness on the part of family, community members, and strangers, underscore that we are all in this together. No one walks alone. I am also encouraged by witnessing the resiliency and courage of individuals who deal with life-threatening illness, setbacks and limitations that can seem daunting, but are viewed with faith as challenges that can lead to astounding outcomes. There are so many signs of Hope around us that remind me “to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8)

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Sr. Bridget Zanin, MSC

What gives me hope is total dependence on God even when things seem impossible. People hope against hope and never give up in spite of the challenges they meet in life. Hope is believing beyond reality. Hope is the Resurrection of Christ. Hope is asking God to reach out to me when I don’t find the strength and conviction to reach out to God.

More reflections in next week’s edition…

Sr. AnaGilma Argueta, MSC

da esperanza poder continuar sirviendo a la Comunidad de Bárcena, como lo hicimos cuando estaba hermana Regina. Gracias.

It gives me hope to be able to continue serving the Community of Bárcena, as we did when Sister Regina was here. Thank you.

Sr. Christine Marie Baltas, MSC

I have found myself trying to strike a balance between burying my head in the sand and keeping aware of the political upheaval that’s happening every day. It’s all very stress producing to say the least! When I reflect on the current situation, I am reminded of all the good people in the world who are living the Gospel mandate to serve one another. Volunteers continue to offer their time, talents, and resources through charitable not-for-profit organizations. I am inspired by their love, dedication, and joyful spirits. This is something that inspires me and gives me hope.

Sr. Renee Kittelson, MSC

My reasons for hope are based on gratitude. I am grateful for daily Mass, the Eucharist, and the sacraments.

Jessenia Guadalupe Medrano Bustamante

Me da esperanza las promesas de Cristo, que el me acompaña siempre en mi vida personal, familiar y laboral, la esperanza de ver crecer a mi hijo como persona de bien, que estemos con salud y que las MSC les permitan seguir en nuestra Nicaragua por muchos años aportando su granito de arena ayudando a nosotros los Laicos.
Les escribe: profesora Jessenia Medrano del Instituto Técnico La Inmaculada. Nicaragua.
I have hope in the promises of Christ, that he always accompanies me in my personal, family and work life, the hope of seeing my son grow as a good person, that we are in good health and that the MSCs will allow them to continue in our Nicaragua for many years contributing their grain of sand helping us, the Laity.
I am writing to you: teacher Jessenia Medrano from La Inmaculada Technical Institute. Nicaragua.
Stefany Paola Fuentes Meza, MLC
La esperanza para mí en este año jubilar es una invitación a renovar mi relación con con Dios y a experimentar su misericordia, permitiendome abrirme a la gracia de la misericordia de el Señor para emprender un camino en el que Cristo es la meta final y aunque sea pedregoso que ese sentimiento de búsqueda siempre esté vivo y sea lo que me anime cada día a vivir y reflejar la luz de Cristo en el mundo para así reafirmar mi fe y compromiso con el Evangelio haciéndolo desde el carisma cabriniano que me invita a hacer de Cristo el corazón de el mundo .

Hope for me in this Jubilee year is an invitation to renew my relationship with God and to experience his mercy, allowing me to open myself to the grace of the Lord’s mercy to undertake a journey in which Christ is the ultimate goal and even if it is rocky that this feeling of searching is always alive and is what encourages me every day to live and reflect the light of Christ in the world to reaffirm my faith and commitment to the Gospel doing it from the Cabrinian charism that invites me to make Christ the heart of the world.

Sr. Lucy Panettieri, MSC

Recently I came back from Africa bringing with me the pain of so many people in our mission in Eswatini who have lost their jobs overnight. Others who are so scared that their livelihoods and life sustaining medicines will be taken away from them. I suffered with and cried with them as I was hearing their stories. Hope has been taken away from these good people and the suffering can be seen in their eyes.

So how can I write on hope? A hope that has been taken away from so many. I turned to a small book; a compilation of Pope Francis General Audience talks called “On Hope”. Pope Francis has inspired me to a “Hope against Hope” that goes beyond human reasoning. This hope against hope opens for me new horizons that are impossible to imagine. It makes me turn to God and struggle with Him as Jacob did. As Pope Francis shows me, I do not need to be afraid to see reality as it is and accept the contradictions. My prayer now is “Dear God, help me to keep hoping and see with eyes of faith your faithfulness”.

Stefany Paola Fuentes Meza, MLC

La esperanza para mí en este año jubilar es una invitación a renovar mi relación con con Dios y a experimentar su misericordia, permitiendome abrirme a la gracia de la misericordia de el Señor para emprender un camino en el que Cristo es la meta final y aunque sea pedregoso que ese sentimiento de búsqueda siempre esté vivo y sea lo que me anime cada día a vivir y reflejar la luz de Cristo en el mundo para así reafirmar mi fe y compromiso con el Evangelio haciéndolo desde el carisma cabriniano que me invita a hacer de Cristo el corazón de el mundo .