His Excellency Ryan P. Jimenez, DD presided the Mass of the Solemnity of Peter and Paul at the Pastorelle Sisters Convent in San Antonio last Thursday as the sisters celebrate the 58th Anniversary of the Pontifical approval of the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd.
It was on June 29, 1959 that, then Pope John XXIII signed the pontifical approval, thus formally recognizing the Pastorelle as a Catholic Religious Order. They were founded by Blessed James Alberione on October 7, 1938, as part of the Pauline Family, whose institutes identify themselves in the apostolic plan to communicate Jesus Christ Way, Truth and Life to the World.
Today, the inspiration of Blessed James Alberione is realized in the many community of Pastorelle sisters who are working in dioceses and parishes all over the world. Here in Saipan, the Pastorelle mission was founded in 2002. There are three Pastorelle sisters currently working in the diocese: Sr. Nina Caccam who coordinates the Religious Education program of the diocese, Sr. Emma Lusterio, who helps in different capacity both in the Curia and in Mt. Carmel Cathedral and Sr. Narcisa Penaredonda who is the Religious Education Coordinator for San Vicente Parish.
Besides the apostolate to the people, one of the first ministry of the Pastorelle sisters is to be a collaborator of the priests in the parish. To work hand-in-hand with them without taking the role of the pastors. Sr. Arsenia Estrada, SJBP, the Provincial Superior said that one of the inspiration of Blessed James Alberione, the founder of the Sisters of Jesus Good Shepherd, was to take care and to pray for the priests. Pastorelle, in Italian is the feminine counterpart of Pastor. Pastorelle sisters are therefore the counterpart of the priests in the parish. This was the inspiration of Fr. Alberione in 1908 when he was still an assistant priest in a parish. He saw the need for religious women to work hand in hand with the priest, to have a feminine presence of the religious in the parish. Back then it was considered a taboo for women to work closely with a priest in the parish therefore it took him many years to realize his dream/vision.
The thanksgiving Mass last Thursday was attended by some of the clergy and religious of the diocese. Bishop Ryan also mentioned the start of the 9th General Chapter of the SJBP in Rome, Italy under the theme: “Woman behold your Son: The prophetic gift of pastoral motherhood”. He asked those present to pray for the sisters gathered in this Chapter as well as prayers to the continuous ministry of the Pastorelle sisters here in Saipan.
