Enduring Connections – the SND and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

June 2, 2022

Have you ever visited the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur’s website? If not, try it! (https://www.sndden.org/) At the top you will see a “Who we are” tab. Click on that and a drop down list will open. It will show an item entitled, “Our Cousins.” Clicking on this link will take you to the website of the Sisters of Notre Dame of Coesfeld or the Sisters of Our Lady of Amersfoort!

It is a blessing to maintain these significant historical connections between our Congregations, and the Motherhouse community had the opportunity to welcome the newly-elected leadership team of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur to our home for dinner and conversation on Sunday, May 29. Sr. Mary Kristin reached out to the new Congregational Leader of the Namur Sisters, Sr. Mary Johnson from the USA, and invited her and her team for a visit.

The new Namur leadership team is a wonderful intercultural mix as is our SND leadership team. In addition to Sr. Mary, the team has four assistants: Sisters Evalyne Aseyo (Kenya), Lorraine Connell (USA), Amarachi Grace Ezeonu (Nigeria), Miriam Montero Bereche (Peru). Our General Council provided a tour of our property and house for our guests, and then the whole Motherhouse community welcomed them for dinner. After dinner, the two leadership teams met to become better acquainted and our SND leadership team shared the history of our connection with Amersfoort and Namur. The teams agreed on the importance of staying connected and hope to arrange additional tri-congregation opportunities for ongoing conversation and collaboration. A small but important collaboration just recently occurred. Our Italian sisters who live on the property of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate here in Rome have welcomed a Namur sister to their community to live with them.

How good is the good God for allowing us to be a part of such a large and vibrant extended family!