«Sing, sing, He comes «Sing, sing, He comes at our call, to fill our hearts, Emmanuel».

Hymn of the Advent season. What they have in common: – The wonderful voices of many of our sisters at the Generalate. – The gifts and talents of some sisters in recycling, transforming and creating numerous fabrics, objects and other materials. – The joy of announcing and proclaiming to the world the joy of the Christian people awaiting the coming of their Saviour. The fundraising to finance the various projects supported by the Thouret Foundation in favour of several missionsTo harmonise these four points, during Advent the idea of an “international choir of the Sisters of Charity of the Generalate” was born.

With enthusiasm and perseverance, each one joyfully responded and made a generous commitment to this daring adventure. Our objective: to prepare for two Christmas concerts containing songs from different parts of the world, to be performed for the parishes surrounding our community, hours before this wonderful event. In the weeks approaching Christmas, all over the world, the same traditional songs echo from the lips of young and old alike, as people walk in anticipation of their Lord. Although the melodies are often common and well known, the challenge for our choir is to understand and learn the lyrics. Singing in Vietnamese, French, Spanish, Italian and English… what a task for all of us! But our enthusiasm and determination are there, because nothing is impossible when it comes to joyfully honouring the coming of the Saviour. During the rehearsals that follow, how joyful for all of us to gradually observe these songs come to life becoming increasingly melodious to our ears. Meanwhile, during the day, a ‘creative’ workshop led by a few nuns stands out for its creativity and ingenuity in giving new life to objects associated with the Christmas season. These items will decorate the tables or inside the homes of many families during the festive season. Towards the end of Advent, a few hours before “Advent”, the long-awaited and… also dreaded moment arrives for our choir: that of the two performances.

Our audience, who are mostly parishioners, friends, and collaborators of our missions, have filled the churches where we’ve performed. A varied and supportive crowd has come together to cheer us on and encourage our awesome project. They all appreciate how much hard work the 45 sisters in our community (from 15 different countries) have gone through to make this event happen. After the performance, they express their gratitude in a warm and sincere spirit. Their appreciation is also reflected in the purchase of several small gift items produced by our sisters. We extend our deepest gratitude and recognition to each of the sisters of the Generalate community for this wonderful and joyful initiative and for the testimony of fraternity, gladness, and international spirit and faith demonstrated to our neighbours. Nothing is ever too great when it comes to announcing to the world the coming of the Saviour into the heart of our world and in the heart of every person of good will. « ‘Let us sing our songs of joy, our songs of praise to God with all our voices ! » Sr Pascale Haratyk