Beginning of the Tertianship Program

December 9, 2020

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34)

As Jesus was preparing his disciples for the mission, He took them to the mountain and prayed with them and sent them two by two. Likewise, Sister Mary Sujita, our Tertian Directress, has been preparing us spiritually to enter into the Tertianship in order to have an Abba experience in our lives and to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus. It was a day of silence when we felt the Spirit moving deep within us, leading us to prepare ourselves for our final YES.

On December 1^st, Sisters Mary Selvi, Lourde, Swarnalata, Premalata and Triveni from the Visitation Province and Sister Mary Prima from the Assumption Province formally entered into the Tertianship program. The prayer service began at 6:15 pm which was led by Sister Mary Sujita. We felt grateful to God for this day where we were called into intimate silence to experience the loving presence of God. We also remembered with gratitude the abundant blessings of God in our lives. On this special day we cherished the preciousness of our vocation, and we felt Jesus enfolding us in His tender arms.

It was a day to recount God’s companionship and faithfulness during the past years of our formation journey and His assurance for the future. The prayer service was very meaningful and inspiring. The Tertians participated in leading the prayers prepared by Sister Mary Sujita. We were deeply moved during the prayer as we sang the song, “Will you come and follow me” (The Summons). The following lines also were equally inspiring. “In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show. Thus I’ll move, live and grow in you and you in me”. We have surrendered our lives to God with total trust and we feel with full confidence that He will take care of us now and always.

Sister Mary Chetana, the Provincial Superior handed over the permission letter from Sister Mary Kristin, the Superior General, to each of the Sisters during the Prayer Service.

At the end of the prayer service, each Tertian was assigned to a Senior Sister, who is the wisdom figure to help her in her spiritual journey. Each Sister in the community came forward and blessed us. It was a prayerful experience for all the Sisters in the Visitation Province, Bangalore to be part of the prayer experience to mark the beginning of the tertiate program which was held for the first time in the Provincial House, Bangalore. In the previous years it was held in the Assumption Province, Patna. The Covid-19 pandemic kept us within the walls of the Provincial House in the year 2020.

We thank God and appreciate the prayerful support of our dear loving Sisters Mary Kristin and the General Team, Sister Mary Chetana and all the Sisters for accompanying us in our vocation journey. Definitely, it was a fresh beginning for us in our spiritual journey and we ask for your continued support always.

Sisters Mary Premalata and Prima