Bagdad (Irak), 10/11/2023, Sr. María Ángeles Flores.- The joy that the canonical visit had brought to the Vice-Province of the Middle East was overshadowed by the news of the very unfortunate events in Israel and Palestine, as well as the subsequent declaration of war by the Israeli Prime Minister.
October 6: With gratitude and hope, but also with feelings of helplessness and worry in the face of the new political and social situation in the Middle East, the sisters present in Baghdad bid farewell to the visitors on the 7th. They proceeded to Beirut, Lebanon, accompanied by Sr. Bernadette Youssef. There, they were welcomed by Sisters Henriette Myriam (French) and Patricia Hernández Gutiérrez (Mexican), along with two other sisters forming the new community in Lebanon. They were accompanied by Sr. Thérèse-Hélène, from the Sainville community in Baghdad.
October 8: Our sisters visited us, accompanied by Sisters Bernadette and Théresse-Hélène. In the morning, they visited the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame d’Harissa. At the feet of the Blessed Virgin, they prayed for humanity and especially for the Congregation. On October 10, the blessing of the house that marked the opening of the new community in Ghodrass took place, presided over by Mgr. César Essayan, the bishop of the Latin rite in Lebanon. Religious and secular friends were present with them.
With hearts full of gratitude, the sisters in Lebanon bid farewell to Sr. María Escayola and Sr. Ana Patricia Londoño, who boarded their plane to Rome on October 11 at 8:05 am.
"How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me?" (Psalm 116:12)
