Sister Mary Gloria
I am continuing a series on Catholic Sisters, nuns with whom I have had the pleasure and honor of working with here in Central Texas. I have been taking selections from different religious communities and what they have in common is extraordinary faith, talent, competence and generosity. They are a blessing to Central Texas and to the Universal Church.
Today, I call your attention to the wonderful work of Sister Mary Gloria Mar, FMA. That means that she is a Salesian Sister of St. John Bosco.
Inmy opinion, Sister Gloria is a great sign of hope in today’s Church. One of the great causes of sadness in my own life is that as the Church has been restricted and slowed down by internal conflicts over the last 30 or 40 years, as Catholics have started to identify themselves as liberal or conservative, and we became too internalized and concerned about the problems in our own parishes and dioceses. And while the missionary thrust, which flows from the very nature of the Church itself, has not been eliminated, it has certainly slowed down. Sister Gloria is a sign that we are beginning to make a turn.
Sister Gloria and her Salesian Sisters are really building up a program of lay missioners to bring the message of Jesus Christ to different parts of the planet, especially poor places, such as Haiti, the Sudan and Ethiopia through a program called VIDES (Volunteers In Development, Education, Solidarity). It thrills me that the leadership is being generated right here in little ole Austin, Texas. Sister Gloria has over the last few years sent at least 200 young people into challenging situations in 40 countries. They are real missionaries and certainly very real Christian heroes. I thank God for the VIDES volunteers, for the Salesians and for Sister Gloria.
I feel a little awkward in only being able to post the stories of six or eight of these great nuns, but it is important that we realize that each of them symbolizes the hundreds and even the thousands who are behind them expanding and continuing their work.
If you know anybody who would like to volunteer or for more information, please contact Sister Gloria at director@vides.us, 2109 East Second Street, Austin, Texas 78702, (512) 320-1913.
Share on Facebook
Catholic Church
| 
Catholic nuns, Christian, Ethiopia, hero, Jesus, nuns, Pope, Salesian Sisters, Sister Mary Gloria, Sudan, VIDES, Volunteers In Development Eduction Solidarity
For many months, the world has been watching the slow movement of Southern Sudan towards separation from the North and independence as a separate nation. For many years, the South has suffered terribly at the hands of the central administration in Khartoum. The civil war between the Arabic North and the Christian South (there are also many Animist in the South) has brought terrible pain and destruction, but at last hope is at hand. Many feared that the Khartoum government would not accept a decision to separate, but as of this date these things remain calm and there is every reason to hope that the South will gain its independence without suffering any more violence and suffering.
The Catholic Church is one of the strongest institutions in the Southern Sudan and wonderful work has been done for many decades by Italian missionaries, the Camboni Missionary Society. Despite pathetically inadequate resources, they have established many parishes, schools, and clinics. The Church runs seven radio stations and these are crucial for communication within the country because, other than radio, it is hard to get the news around.
I am fascinated by the great work of Sister Cecilia Salcido, herself a Camboni Missionary Sister. Her station, called Bakhita Radio, one of the largest in the country, is a great source of encouragement to Catholics throughout the South. I am sure you are praying for your sick relatives and good friends who have problems of one sort or another, but we should all take the time to pray for the heroic Camboni Missionaries of Southern Sudan, asking God to give them the courage to keep going to bring peace and justice into this battered country.
Share on Facebook
For over twenty years, the Sudan has been racked by terrible civil warfare and bloodshed. The problems of the country are monumental and they are far from being resolved. Basically, the country is divided into two major sections, the north and the south (why is it always the north and the south?) The north is overwhelmingly Muslim and the south is racially black and Christian and animist in religion.
About two years ago, a peace treaty was brokered by the United Nations and both sides agreed to consider the possibility of partition with Sudan dividing itself into two independent countries. The south is all for that. The north is opposed primarily because while Sudan has great oil resources underground, they are, for the most part, in the southern part of the country. Can an election resolve this complicated and dangerous situation?
A vote on the issue is scheduled for mid-January and once again, the U.S. is working hard to avoid the resumption of hostilities. Do you have room for another item on your prayer list? Really pray that this enormous undeveloped country can walk into the future as two separate nations living in peace with each other and the rest of the world. The election is about two months away. Keep it in your thoughts and prayers.
Share on Facebook
Comments (4) 
Themocracy