How happy they felt in her presence that they repeated more than once: ‘Let's make three tents!’ (Serie Consol. Instr. De Miser. e Consolation).
From the 10th to the 15th of August 2024, we welcomed the Superior General - Mother Loreto Navarrete - to the community of Furancungo for a fraternal visit. As the first sisters said in reference to the presence of the Mother Foundress, this is how we felt: so happy with Mother Loreto's presence that we wanted to make three tents. It was a time of grace for us; it was like being with the Mother Foundress in person, so much so that her stay among us seemed very brief. Her presence was so pleasant for us, for the girls of the Maria Rosa Molas home and for the deacons of the Catholic mission who called her ‘Successor of Maria Rosa Molas’.
There was an afternoon of socialising with the girls from the Maria Rosa Molas Home who were very grateful for the Home and the opportunity to continue with their studies, lunch at the Redemptorist Fathers' house and a walk with Deacons Antonio and Jackson with the recitation of the Rosary on top of a mountain which encouraged us to be tireless consolers of the afflictions of our people. We also had a meeting to share the document: Bull of Proclamation of the Ordinary Jubilee for the year 2025, a very profound and enriching moment where, based on the document and the applicative norms No. 49 and 50, he invited us to give thanks for what we are and have, to value the qualities of each one and enable their limitations; not to lose hope, that the reality full of discouragement, sadness, violence, poverty does not take away our hope, but that we can face the difficulties together, because it is worth a book. Her departure has broken our hearts, but we have returned energised for the mission that God and the Congregation have entrusted to us.
On 16 August, Mother Loreto Navarrete visited the community of Inhambane. It was a day of fraternity and getting to know the works, the collaborators and the recipients of our mission in Inhambane. On the morning of the 17th, she was welcomed by the parents and carers of the Maria Rosa Molas Kindergarten and in the afternoon by the Consolation Laity. On Sunday, at Praia do Tofo, we had our moment of fraternal sharing and marvelling at the beauty of creation with the sea breeze.
On Monday, she was welcomed by the students and teachers of Escola Básica 1 de Maio, where she spoke to them about the importance of not losing hope and taking care of life: self-care, caring for others and for Creation. In the afternoon, he had a very relaxed time with the children from the Maria Rosa Molas kindergarten and ended the day with a visit to the Queen of Martyrs Shrine in Guiua, where the remains of 22 Martyr Catechists rest. It was a moment of prayer followed by a greeting from Fr. Ananias, Diocesan of Inhambane and Director of the Guiua Human Promotion Centre.
They were three days lived with great intensity, simplicity and taking advantage of every moment to enjoy the presence of our Superior General, a serene and joyful woman, who encouraged us to keep our hope alive and to see the signs of hope around us.
From the 20th to the 23rd, Mother General visited the community of Matola, where she also had the opportunity to share with the sisters the joy and hope of God's presence at every moment of our personal histories and as a Congregation.
On the 25th, with Sister Jeannette, she travelled to Lomé to visit the communities in Togo.