A LETTER FROM CHILE

Santiago, January 2011
Dear Sisters,

Greetings from Santiago!

Christmas and New Year's, even after 50 years away from New England, always bring me memories of snow and Gregorian chant for this time of year, and NOT of the heat - with guitars- we actually have!

I thought maybe it would be good to bring you up to date on some of my comings and goings. For the past few years and at the beginning of the year 2011 here, we were a community of two, Kenia, one of our Latin American sisters, and me, while in our other Santiago community, across town, there are also only 2 sisters, one Chilean and one French. We just celebrated New Year's together and realized that we don't get together often enough! Sound familiar?

As a community, and also responding to a desire of one of our Sisters, we decided to spend a weekend in Mendoza, Argentina. It sounds like really traveling, but truthfully, it's much closer than our Sisters in northern Chile, who are at twice the distance and it was a fabulous outing! I think I must have taken some 40 pictures as we crossed the Andes! We had the good luck of being able to spend a day at thermal water pools, too. Since it isn't that far, maybe we should do it again!

We also had the visit of an American priest who came to check out the reconstruction after the huge earthquake of last year. As the only other American, I accompanied him along with some of our Associates whose families have been helped. You have certainly received the thanks many of us sent for all your cooperation. There has been a LOT of reconstruction a bit further south, thanks in great part to people of the Norwich, CT area, and also here in Santiago, where a few families were helped in rebuilding walls and homes. Going south was a great opportunity for me to be with some of these families ... some of them really out in very rural areas.

I have been kept busy with the usual job of translating (mostly from French, but sometimes from English) to Spanish, and I have kept up with our group of lay Associates at this end of Santiago. This year, the group was increased by 6 new members: two couples and 2 women. However, the original group changed, as 2 women of that group made their vows as consecrated lay women. All these lay people in the different cities of Latin America have adopted -and adapted- the spirituality of our Congregation into their lives, and meet regularly. They are actually more than 70. This is an important joy for me, because something of the 50 years spent here will indeed remain vibrantly alive!

In February, we will be celebrating 50 years here in Chile. Unbelievable! I have so many incredible memories, and so many things to thank the Lord for!

Please join us in spirit, in THE Spirit, in February when we thank God for these 50 years and remember all the Province has been and done for our Vice- Province here. And may that same Spirit be with you\ through the new year!

Your Sister,
Paula Rioux