The Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary was founded in 1975 in Uganda, in East Africa. During the papal visit to Uganda in 1969, Pope Paul VI had emphasised that the African people should now be their own missionaries, and the establishment of this congregation was one fruit of this new understanding. By today many African priests and religious sisters are working as missionaries, not only on their own home continent, but also in many other parts of the world.
Since 2015 the sisters of this particular congregation have been working on the island of Cuba in the Caribbean. Two of these African sisters – one from Uganda, one from Kenya – are currently working in the city of Palma Soriano in the archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba in the far south of the island, where they minister to 15 outlying communities in the rural areas. They give catechetical instruction to children, young people and adults; they help the needy, care for the frail and elderly and support families in the area.
The Archbishop has the highest regard for their work. In this country, subject for decades to atheist, socialist rule and still suffering a severe economic crisis today, both their support for the needy and also their work in proclaiming the faith are vitally important. For although around 70% of the population are baptised Catholics, only very few really play an active part in the life of the Church. The archbishop estimates that only around 1% of the baptised actually attend Holy Mass. This is where the living witness of these sisters can do so much to change things.
The Church in Cuba is poor, and so the Archbishop has turned to us for help. We are planning to help these two sisters in their life and ministry with support of 2000 Euros for the coming year.
