The Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo
Kamba village, Varap post, shahad, Kalyan west,Thane Dist, Maharashtra, India - 421103
THE REGIONAL HOUSE AND THE FORMATION HOUSE– ARGENTINA
Since 1990, the signs of new vocations began to be seen in the congregation. It was time to have a sister prepared for formation and to have a place for the formees. M. Andrea, who founded this community, seeing the existing possibilities of spiritual care in Rio Cuarto (there is a diocesan seminary in the city and many priests prepared for formation) encouraged the sisters to have a house in this city that in the future will serve for young girls who feel the call to religious life. Thus, after 3 years, in 1993, we were able to purchase a plot of 130 by 94 meters; Property of the San Vicentede Paul society, adjacent to the San Jose Asylum Home. Meanwhile, Sr. Alicia Valder did her formater course in Chile, in 1991, and on 5th July 1995, Mother Andrea Superior General announced that our congregation in Argentina was already a Region.
Sister Benigna, who was at the Home for the aged San Jose as administrator, had started negotiations with different organizations seeking funds for the construction of the Regional House that will also serve as a formation house. The plan of the house was ready to realize in three stages. The Adveniat organization and the Pérez Companc Foundation promised their financial aid for construction. On 4thNovember1995, the foundation stone was blessed, under the protection and intercession of the Virgin, the Queen of the Congregation and Saint Charles Borromeo, and the construction of the house started. The General Councillors Srs. Victoria and Bertin were present, and they were in charge of laying the base stone. The construction of such a long-awaited convent was carried out through prayer, joy, hope and sacrifice.
Having finished the first part of the work – except for the gas installation and a few touch-ups of the painting – we occupied the house on August 21, 1996 and began preparing it for the blessing. The joy we experienced from being in our regional house and novitiate left us no place to complain about the sacrifices, they transformed into joy and thanks giving to God for his goodness. During the first days that we lived in the house, we suffered deficiencies and needs, but the provident hand of God who accompanied us and helped us through different people rewarded the spirit of sacrifice and total dedication to help us. The Sacramental Lord did not want to be absent in the midst of his daughters and was present in the small oratory that was installed on September 9th with the celebration of the first Eucharist, before the blessing of the house. Sisters Ignatious and Bernadine, both Provincial Superiors of the two provinces of India, were present at that time.
Finally, the long-awaited day arrived, September 12, when the blessing of the Regional House, which is also a house of formation, took place. It began with the Eucharistic celebration in the San Jose Chapel, during which the taking of the habit of SisterOlga del Valle Truccone was celebrated. The first vocation of the congregation in Argentina. After the celebration of the Mass presided by Bishop Ramon Artemio Staffolani, Bishop of Rio Cuarto, the blessing of the house was performed. Srs. Ignatious and Bernadine did the ribbon cutting. On this occasion priests, religious, friends, architects, workers and neighbors accompanied us.
During the celebration of thanksgiving for the first anniversary of the inauguration of the house, the sisters contemplate the providential protection of the Lord in this house. The presence of the Virgin Mary was manifested in a very special event. The blessing of an image of Our Lady of Lourdes was carried out, which had been brought from the neighboring country, Chile. After the mass and the blessing of the image in the Chapel of San Jose, she was taken in procession to the regional house and placed in a hermitage built in the front garden, from where she cheers and illuminates with her presence allthe days, not only of the inhabitants of the house, but also of all the neighbors who pass in front of it. The Mother of God closely follows the steps of the Region.
As soon as the Regional House was inaugurated, the first community was formed with Sisters. Anacletus, Alicia and the novice Sr. Olga. A new and a different experience for all three, to a greater degree for the novice.
THE PROVINCIAL HOUSE
Growth is part of life, can be people, animals, plantations or institutions. In July 1998, the Superior General Mother Andrea communicated the news that our small region had received the grace to be elevated to a province. Our hearts were filled with joy and gratitude to the Lord. We also felt that, as a Province, we were too young and had no experience. However, the love of the Lord and His will led us to trust him and gave us courage and strength for this new stage.
That is why the entire religious family of St. Charles Borromeo prepared themselves in prayer and raised their thanksgiving to God at all times. A letter was received from Mother Andrea in which she named Sr. Anacletus Joseph as a Provincial and the councilors would be Sr. Alicia Valder, Irene Lobo, Elizabeth Chavara and Myriam Joseph. During this time, the counselor of Mother General Sr. Alex Pinto, who had come to visit us, accompanied us in preparing to assume this new responsibility. September 8th is a special day for the history of the congregation in Argentina: the creation of what would be from now on, “The Argentine Province” (Provincial House).
After a good time of work, sacrifice, prayer and waiting, the second part of the construction was almost finished. On July 20, 1999, after the celebration of the Eucharist, Bishop. Antonio Basseoto, Bishop of the Diocese of Añatuya, blessed this new sector, and Mother Andrea D`souza Superior General cut the ribbon; a memorial plaque was also discovered. Our sisters from the different communities and the formees attended this great event.
The missing details of the chapel were completed, the third part of the work, started in 1995, which was ready to be blessed so that the Blessed Sacrament will live there from where many hearts rise in adoration, praise, thanksgiving, supplication and also asking for the forgiveness of the merciful God. The sisters, along with the nuns of other congregations, friends, neighbors and the commission of San José home participated in the blessing of the brand new chapel of St. Charles Borromeo, with the Eucharistic celebration, on July 18, 2000. Msgr. Ramón Artemio Staffolani, Bishop of Rio Cuarto, assisted by the priests Fr. Baptist Carloni and Fr.Carlos Juncos, did the blessing. The bishop blessed the crucifix purchased in Buenos Aires, the tabernacle and the monstransbrought from India and the image of St. Charles Borromeo brought from Italy.
APOSTOLATE
In addition to assuming the responsibilities of the Provincial House, the community is also integrated into the parish sphere. Participating in the direction and accompaniment of youth groups, prayer groups, liturgical animation, visits to families, and the sick and giving tuition to the back word children by following the lines of our predecessors and assimilating the charism of our congregation. Later also began to participate at the Diocesan level: a meeting of the men and women religious and different meetings organized by the Vocational Ministry of the Diocese in different towns.
HOME FOR THE AGED ST.CHARLES BORROMEO (Hogar de Ancianos San Carlos Borromeo)
The presence of 14 elderly women occupying part of the novitiate was a motive of preoccupation for the community, especially when all the sisters had to meet for spiritual retreat, seminars and other meetings. The conference hall had been converted into a dining room for the senior citizens. In addition, they had no enough space for their activities according to their state. We had to listen to the Holy Spirit and discern what God wants from this situation. Faced with this challenge, the idea of having home for the aged on the same land, next to the community, was born. The ideas are transformed into consultations with different people and entities: many people, including the relatives of the residents accepting the idea, ready to collaborate with us to obtain financial aid. Between opportunities and uncertainties, legal procedures for the new home begin.
Thus On June 1, 2004, the day of our founder Father Adrian Brezy, Msgr. Ramón Artemio Staffolani bishop of Rio Cuarto celebrates the Holy Eucharist and then blesses foundation stone of home for the aged St. Charles Borromeo in the presence of our sisters, priests, friends, neighbors and civil authorities. The first stage of the home took almost thirty months before it was inaugurated. The funds for the construction came from the Governor of the Province, Juan Manuel de la Sota, the Municipality of Rio Cuarto, our Congregation, people of good will who with their donations in cash or in materials and contribution from Rotary International could buy the three laundry machines. We also organize various benefits to cover the expenses of the building such as empanada sales and contribution bonus. The long-awaited dream comes true on November 30, 2006, inaugurating the first stage of the Home. On December 8, the feast day of the Virgin of Conception, Patron of Rio Cuarto, with joy and enthusiasm, all the senior citizens went to the new home.
Again, we began to organize different activities to be able to raise funds such as the sale of empanadas and raffles to construct another part of the home for the aged. Thus, with the help of different means, the second part of the work began. Once the work was completed, Bishop Eliseo Martin blessed it on April 30, 2008. The home has the capacity to accommodate 42 persons. All the sisters render their services such as administration, nursing, cooking, and giving intense and integral spiritual and physical care for the elderly along with eight employees.
Argentina Region
The Sisters of
St Charles of Borromeo
Faith, Toil, Progress
St.Charles Generalate
Kamba village,
Varap post, shahad
Kalyan west,Thane Dist
Maharashtra state – 421 103
Ph: 8976587778
Argentina Region
The Sisters of
St Charles of Borromeo
Faith, Toil, Progress
St.Charles Generalate
Kamba village,
Varap post, shahad
Kalyan west,Thane Dist
Maharashtra state – 421 103
Ph: 8976587778