Four Visitandines of the Burgos Visitation Monastery in Spain departed on Monday Jul 18, 2016 bound for Equatorial Guinea to found a new monastic community, the second in the West African country. Of the Religious group that is carrying out the mission, three are originally from Africa. The Archbishop of Burgos, Don Fidel Herráez Vegas, presided at a Mass to pray for such an important mission for them as a congregation and for the country that will host them.
It is a new foundation that will depend on Burgos Visitation until the new monastery can be completely independent in at least 10 years. There they hope to get to consolidate a community of nuns with the young who feel the call in that country, and where they can receive the appropriate training without having to go to Europe, as happened to Sister Maria Paz more than 18 years ago. Now, she is one of the nuns who after making contact with the congregation in the monastery of Burgos founded the community in Guinea. “They need the contemplative life and we are convinced that there we can do much good.”
The opportunity arose when the Franciscan monastery of Concepcionistas left, leaving a home to dwell in. Rome has authorized all formalities. The Burgos community faces a new stage with enthusiasm, but also being aware of the difficulties: “It leaves the community of Burgos with fewer sisters, a sacrifice, but it is also a joy to know that we will thus expand the Kingdom of God and the charism of our congregation, “says the Mother Begoña, superior of the community on Barrantes street. “There, they work making liturgical vestments, uniforms for schools and teach people to pray and to intercede for the diocese,” she stresses.
The Religious are aware that the mission is in the hands of God and they are entrusted to found in Guinea a new monastery of the Visitation in Nkue, “Jesus, if you want it , you will do it. And he’s doing! “Says Sister Maria Paz excited, convinced that God will carry forward the foundation.