The pilgrimage of the Tertiaries has begun!
In the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, the pilgrimage of the Tertiaries marks an essential step for sisters in their Third year – the final stage of Temporary Profession, as they prepare their perpetual vows.
As they draw closer to this definitive commitment, this itinerant retreat is an invitation to deepen their call, to reflect on the journey already traveled, and to renew their “yes” with greater inner freedom.
A Spiritual Journey Through Foundational Figures
This year, due to the death of the Pope, we had to adapt the initial program. Some visits to Rome were reorganised, but the spiritual itinerary remained faithful to the core intention of the pilgrimage: to walk in the footsteps of the first witnesses of the faith, to root oneself in the tradition of the Church and the Congregation, and to allow inner transformation.
The pilgrimage began in Rome, with the Generalate team, in a spirit of prayer, sisterhood, and attentive listening to the Spirit. The first stages focused on St. Paul and the early Christians, whose fervent faith and universal mission continue to inspire us today.
We also completed the segment dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, through which the sisters revisited the foundations of Ignatian spirituality that shape the life of the Cenacle : discernment, interiority, and companionship with Christ.
The next part of the pilgrimage led us in the footsteps of St. Peter, witness to Christ’s mercy and fidelity, a founding figure of the Church and a model of trust in one’s call. The sisters experienced a profound moment of pilgrimage by passing through the Holy Door.
An International Community on the Move
This year’s tertian group includes three Malagasy sisters, a Brazilian sister, and one French sister. This beautiful cultural diversity reflects the universality of our Congregation and enriches the fraternal life shared throughout this spiritual journey.
After the time spent in Rome with the Generalate team, the sisters will continue their pilgrimage to France, in connection with the Europe-Togo Province. Their route will take them through Lyon – a city marked by the history of the Cenacle – as well as two places of great symbolic significance for us: Lalouvesc, following in the footsteps of Saint Jean-François Régis, and Le Mas, the birthplace of our foundress, Sainte Thérèse Couderc.
These source-places will provide an ideal setting for deep reflection, through prayer and spiritual accompaniment, in the light of the Cenacle charism and in attentive listening to the Lord’s calls today.
This pilgrimage is a foundational moment: it allows each sister to re-read her life in the light of grace, to root herself more deeply in the charism of the Cenacle, and to prepare for her perpetual commitment in the Congregation, in the spirit of Mary in the Cenacle — open, trusting and filled with the Spirit.
Stay tuned for more adventures with our young sisters!