As we celebrate Easter, I wish you all, on behalf of myself and the Congregational Leadership Team, the graces the Lord is offering and desires us to receive in this season.

Our Lenten preparation has opened us to the joy of the Risen Lord and to this special time of grace – God’s gift of the fullness of life. As FMSJ’s we witness by our lives to the Resurrection, the source of Christian hope and newness of life. Our charism is the basis of our vision to be life-giving in our care for the vulnerable, marginalised, those left the furthest behind in our world. Our Charism expresses our vision as Easter people:

“As Franciscans, we open ourselves to persons who are the most isolated, vulnerable, voiceless, and marginalized in our society. We hear their cry and respond to it.

We are to be a source of life and hope to one another, believing that “sistering” is central to our Franciscan vocation and community living and then, in turn, be that life and hope to all whose lives we have the privilege to touch.”

We continue to hope in spite of the images and stories of suffering, war, death and destruction for the people in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Nigeria, Myanmar, among others. Our belief in the Risen Lord renews our lives and our belief that as the Father transformed the life of Jesus so he will transform the whole of creation.

I pray that we may receive the Easter message of hope with gratitude and may we be signs of hope to one another and to all those the Lord brings into our lives.

‘Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Sister Anne Moore, fmsj

Congregational Leader