From Friday 5 to Monday 8 September 2025, in Diébougou, Burkina Faso, ‘Gathered by the same Spirit’, we experienced our early-year assembly with great enthusiasm and hope. All the sisters responded favourably to this customary meeting.
In the chapel, through a participatory prayer, the Vice-Provincial, Sister Silvie ROAMBA, and her counsellors introduced us to this meeting. Then, in the hall, in her opening remarks, Silvie welcomed Sister Pascaline SOMDA, who had returned from three years of mission work in Cameroon, the two new sisters Edith ZEMDE and Nina SOME, and Sister Judith MBOUNGHOUL, General Councillor.
This assembly was preceded on the evening of Friday, 5 September, by a recreational evening. It was a moment of relaxation, laughter, giggles, letting off steam, and shared joy through dancing and dressing up.
Our first reflection was to read the communities’ reports to see how we had actually lived out the orientation for the 2024-2025 pastoral year. Then we engaged in a reflection to build the orientation for the new pastoral year, which was formulated as follows: ‘Daughters of the Holy Spirit in Burkina Faso, united with those whom God has brought together with us, following the example of our first sisters, let us root ourselves more deeply in the spiritual life. Let us remain in an attitude of lifelong formation and help one another to grow more in humility, gentleness and simplicity.’
We continued our discussions with the synodal reflection process with a view to renewing the governance team. Sister Judith MBOUNGHOUL spoke to us on this subject and we also discussed the guidelines of the Protocol against abuse of minors and vulnerable persons.
Over two days, we went through a four-stage discernment process: personal prayer time, group reflection, sharing and free expression. This time of exchange was an opportunity for us, in the vice-province, to identify our strengths, opportunities and limitations and to come together to name our needs. It was an experience that allowed us to live intensely moments of prayer, reflection, personal and group discernment in order to let ourselves be led by the Holy Spirit and to be more docile to his voice.
Then the meeting ended in due form. We are filled with hope for a better future, given our strengths, opportunities and, above all, our awareness of our limitations and the challenges we face.
Sister Delphine SOME and Sister Pascaline SOMDA. Published on 21 September 2025
