Holy Union’s US Bicentennial Project Comes to Fruition

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Holy Union’s US Bicentennial Project Comes to Fruition
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A long-time dream became a reality in late August 2025. Responding to the call from Holy Union’s Collegial Assembly in 2023 for new orientations in all stages of formation, the Holy Union US Area created its Bicentennial Project. Paired with our Congregation’s Celebration of 200 years (1826- 2026), the nine-week enrichment program called for four participants, two Sisters from Cameroon and two from Tanzania, to travel to the United States and immerse themselves in an intensive program of study, focused on advanced writing skills, spirituality, creativity and culture. On August 25, Sisters Eugenia Mshana and Scholastica Mhea from Tanzania, and from Cameroon, Veronique Metiendjo and Shallotte Kum, arrived in the States. They were warmly welcomed. The US Area Project Committee designed a program to achieve a number of goals:

Respond to the Formation Call of the Collegial Assembly 2023
Develop advanced English communication skills, focusing on advanced writing skills
Broaden the experience with a Spirituality / Enrichment component
Deepen our charism of Union through intercultural/intergenerational living
Foster our gift of Internationality
Build strong new relationships
Gain greater understanding of our respective cultures
Involve as many of our US Area Sisters as possible

Our Sisters visited with many of our Holy Union Communities, took trips to cultural and historic sites like the Statue of Liberty, Plimoth Plantation, and a variety of museums. Classes on advanced writing skills and proposal writing were key components of the program, as well as learning about how to create a podcast, and creating one which will be published on November 1. The Sisters also visited sites which were significant to our Holy Union history in the US, including the Sacred Heart Church in Fall River as well as the cemeteries in Taunton and Fall River where so many of our Sisters have been buried since our arrival in the States in 1886. Below are two video slideshows on the program and many of the exciting activities and events they participated in. We have also included a photo album of pictures of their visits with so many of our Sisters.

Given that our Bicentenary Jubilee is celebrated across our entire congregation, we encourage you to visit our congregation’s website at www.susc.org to learn more about how other areas of the congregation are celebrating.

Gathering at Cole State Park

Sr. Schola and Sr. Mary Catherine Duerr

Sisters Shallotte, Veronique, and Carol

Sisters Veronique and Louise Gabriel

Sisters Shallotte, Bernadette, Veronique, and Schola

Sisters Shallotte, Veronique, Schola, Eugenia, and Pat visiting New York

Sisters Shallotte, Schola, Veronique, and Eugenia during our concluding celebration

Celebrating a wonderfully successful nine weeks!

US Bicentennial Project Committee: Sr. Ann, Sr. Carol, and Sr. Paula

Aurevoir!

We’ll miss you all!

Godspeed!