Did you know that in the Province of England they look to the near future hopeful and confident that, with the help of God and the collaboration of all, tomorrow will be more hospitable?
My name is Maria Lourdes Sanz, and I have been the Provincial Superior of the Sisters Hospitallers Province of England since last November. I was born in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain) in 1955 and joined the congregation in 1972, here in England, where I completed my professional studies; although I have spent most of my life as a sister hospitaller in Ghana (Africa).
2018, a year of major congregational events, general and provincial chapters, has been without doubt marked by study, reflection and prayer, the latter being the connection that links the entire Hospitaller Community. I believe that in all our operational presences it has been a time of expectation, moving toward innovative changes, which will undoubtedly lead us to make our services more complete, always framed within our Hospitaller identity.
Main challenges and wishes for the coming years
In line with the General Chapter of the Congregation, during our last Provincial Chapter, we decided to work on certain priorities over the next three years. To this end, we identified four main challenges, in harmony with the work carried out in our communities:
- Restructuring the Province, with all that entails. Reflection and personal study to ensure the restructuring process takes place through our hospitaller devotion.
- Changing our legal structure, which would allow us to retain our status as a charity, faced with the need to look for other possibilities that would favour our situation.
- Working for the integration of our co-workers, promoting training in the Hospitaller identity and culture.
- Striving to develop the pastoral vocation, especially through our presence in Africa when circumstances are not as adverse.
We are looking to the near future hopeful and confident that, with the help of all, tomorrow will be more hospitable.
