The provincial superior of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret of the East – Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, all countries involved in armed conflicts and in a situation of deep social crisis – shared her moving and hopeful testimony during the opening vigil of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life on 8 October 2025 in St. Peter’s Basilica:

“The Lord, through the Superiors, has entrusted me with the responsibility of accompanying the Sisters of the Eastern Province. This Province includes six countries: Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia, all marked by situations of conflict, war, insecurity and deep economic crisis.

Together with all my Sisters, I would like to share with you a conviction that is engraved in our hearts through tears and fear, but also through a mysterious joy: Hope does not disappoint.

During the darkest months of the war, as the bombings echoed on the horizon, we felt that everything around us was falling apart: school, families, landmarks, security. Yet, something remained standing in the midst of it all: a hope stronger than the din of weapons.

In that time of trial, I understood that hope is not an idea, but a presence. It manifests itself in unexpected visits, in the courage and resilience of people who get up after the bombings to resume their daily lives.

Yes, life is stronger than all the signs of death.

When the fighting began around the school and the house, we were afraid. Many people fled. But as soon as calm returned, the teachers were there, as were the families and the pupils. There, in the midst of the chaos, we experienced in a concrete way Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Sisters and lay people, like Mary, rose to meet others, to console, support and bring communion to life. This is a sign of Hope.

I share with you the experience of a mother who has lived through the violence of war. She recounts: “Suddenly, the sound of gunfire replaced the singing of birds, and the tears of mothers echoed everywhere. My house is now just a pile of stones, our villages have been ransacked and burned, and yet, deep inside me, a light has never gone out: hope.

I remember one particular day when everything seemed lost: my husband was killed, my children were starving, and I was filled with fear. On that day, thanks to people of good will, we managed to flee our village, which had been reduced to ruins. We were welcomed at a church in another town by Sisters and friends. They offered us shelter, safety, and above all, their presence. They took us in their arms, and we cried together. The Sisters and some families brought us bread made with the little grain they had, since this year’s harvest was poor because of the lack of rain. They said to us, ‘It is not much, but we share it with you.’

In these gestures, I saw the Gospel being written anew. It was Mary visiting her people again, through these people.

Yes, this reminds me of the Gospel of the Visitation, which we have just read: Mary, carrying God’s promise within her, goes to meet her cousin Elizabeth. She gets up, she walks, confident, because she carries within her the One who is the Hope of the world.

And when Mary enters Elizabeth’s house, joy springs forth. Why? Because the presence of Christ makes life spring forth, even in arid places, even in old or wounded bodies. Hope is not the absence of pain, but the presence of God in the midst of that pain; Christ visits our pain.

Just as Elizabeth felt deep joy at Mary’s arrival, this mother felt unexpected joy that day. The war had destroyed everything except that fragile but powerful breath of hope that passes through simple faces, gentle words, shared silences, bread offered and clothes given.

Hope is believing that even in the midst of ruins, God is there, and that one day, children will regain their smiles and joy of life, houses will be rebuilt, and peace will return.

Dear brothers and sisters, I say this to you from the bottom of my heart: even in the worst darkness, God visits his people. He passes through us, through you, when we set out towards one another.

Hope is not only for tomorrow. It begins today, in every gesture of love, every word of peace, every glance that says: ‘You are not alone. Together we believe in the Prince of Peace’.

Sister Mary S.
Source: https://www.suoredellacarita.org/