Home » Projects » EXISTENCE AID » Success story: Subsistence aid for 34 Dominican sisters

Success story: Subsistence aid for 34 Dominican sisters

For seven hours a day, the 34 Dominican sisters in Benguela pray the canonical hours.

They pray for the church and for all of humanity. They live secluded from the world and in poverty, but say, “We are aware of the greatness of our calling. In our enclosure, we offer up our lives to God to magnify His Kingdom and save souls.”

To make a modest living, the sisters bake communion wafers and sew liturgical vestments. They tried their hand at a small pastry shop, but it was not a success. The raw materials were so expensive that the revenue did not even cover the costs and so they were operating at a loss. And misfortune has recently befallen them again: the vegetables they grow in their garden, the maize, the tomatoes and the onions, were afflicted by disease. The sisters were in desperate straits. They did not know how they would be able to go on and prayed to God for help.

 

Dominican Sisters
Dominican Sisters of “Mãe de Deus” in Benguela

 

At times, God works through other people. And so our benefactors donated 9,000 euros to help the sisters. They were overjoyed when they received the aid. They wrote to us, “It was a great surprise and we are filled with joy at the amount that you have sent us! We are very, very grateful for the generosity of our benefactors. This is a sign of Divine Providence, which always watches over us. We hope that all of our benefactors are blessed with God’s bountiful grace and His mercy and assure you that all of our prayers, our affection and gratitude are yours.”

Don't miss the latest updates!

Aid worker says people feel “dehumanised” as Lebanon buckles under bombings

Among the priorities is the reopening of schools and paying…

Middle East: Holy Week begins under the sign of the cross

ACN expresses concern over Palm Sunday restrictions in Jerusalem, Syria…

Paschal hope among the ruins in Gaza

Holy Week has begun against a backdrop of persistent war…

Lebanon. “This is not a just war; it is a defeat for us all”

Bishop Jules Boutros, from Lebanon, tells ACN that even though…

War in the Middle East: ACN increases emergency aid to Lebanon

Faced with the recent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon,…

Algeria: Visit of Pope Leo XIV bolsters mission of small, vibrant Church and dialogue with Islam

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria yesterday, 13 April, for a historic visit that shines a spotlight on the small but vibrant local Church and the role of dialogue between...

Aid worker says people feel “dehumanised” as Lebanon buckles under bombings

Among the priorities is the reopening of schools and paying teacher’s salaries, as these play a crucial role in spreading Christian values in the region. People are feeling “scared, angry...

Angola. “We cannot host the ‘Messenger of Peace’ with our hearts full of hate”

As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to hear the Gospel prepares to receive a visit from Pope Leo XIV, the Church makes a renewed appeal for reconciliation in Angola....