“Extremely fruitful”: Pauline Sister on Society’s 25-Year-Old Mission in Angola

“Amidst the fire of weapons, the Sisters were called to set Angola on fire with the Word of God,” she said in reference to the three pioneer FSP members in Angola, Italian-born Sr. Maria de Carli, Brazilian-born Sr. Catarina Boff, both of Blessed memory.

She added that while the two have passed on, Sr. Marlise Heckler “continues in Angola as a tireless missionary.”

Sr. Lobato used the image of a garden to describe the “fruitful” presence of FSP members in Angola for the last 25 years. “The seed sprouted, the tree grew, and the fruits have ripened,” Sr. Fatima told ACI Africa.

She went on to highlight the FSP members in the Southern African nation, saying, “Currently Angola has four native Sisters, two Novices, one Postulant, and nine Aspirants. We are only in Luanda, the capital city of Angola, but with missionary and vocational trips, we reach the entire country. So almost all of Angola knows the Pauline sisters due to our annual visits to the entire country.”

Sr. Fatima expressed optimism about the continued presence of FSP members in Angola, saying “the future will continue to be fruitful”.

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She recalled the January 7 Silver Jubilee celebration, and described the Thanksgiving Mass as having accorded the FSP members in Angola an occasion “to sing the Magnificat and also Miserere for our insufficiency in doing the will of God.”

“The message we expressed to God, to the Church and to the people was one of gratitude to God for his faithfulness and presence; also, gratitude to the people of Angola for accepting the Pauline charism,” Sr. Fatima told ACI Africa.

The Angolan-born FSP member added, “It is 25 years of service and evangelization, putting all our gifts and talents at the service of the people for the glory of God.”

“May the Lord continue to guide us and send us good and holy vocations,” Sr. Fatima implored.

We apologize for the error in the initial version of this story, in which our interview with Sr. Fatima Lobato was attributed to FSP Superior General, Sr. Anna Caiazza.