Victoria, Argentina, a large colonial city, is in the province of Entre Rios - Between Rivers -    flanked by two fluvial colossuses: the Parana River and the Uruguay River, guaraníes words that mean Relative of the Sea and River of the Birds, respectively. Our sisters live and work with the people, both in the city itself and in the surrounding rural area. Let me introduce you to 

Antonia,Eileen, Hortensia and Matilde

 

The community is enriched by its Dominican charism, which impels it to live "with one ear to the gospel and the other to the people".  They see growing poverty and violence in the society around and this impels them to an ever deeper community life together characterised by Prayer, reflection on the Word of God, Community Living and Study.

This is the spring from which their ministry flows.  It takes many forms:

PRISON APOSTOLATE

Antonia de Nucci along with her team of women volunteers, visits a detention place for minors in the centre of Victoria.  Most of these young men have been detained for crimes related to drugs.  They are visited in turn and the team gives them encouragement and friendship, and at times, something nice to eat!  They try to get them in touch with their families and bring messages for them.  The current director of the centre is concerned to provide some productive activities for the young men such as carpentry.  Antonia has worked to get funds to help with these workshops.

HEALTH

Among her many other occupations, Matilde has been the promoter of a Health Centre in the barrio called Arenal.  She sought the funds for the building and then got the Municipality to provide the services.  It is such a gift of God for the people there to have doctors and dentists at hand, nurses who help in preventive medicine, to have a team that is interested in promoting education, and in solving various social problems.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Along with the team from Rosario, Matilde took on the extension of the programme: Education for Peace of the Miami foundation.  She got a team of promoters together and the first courses have started in Victoria.  This course helps parents and teachers to improve peaceful communication and to solve conflicts. It is adapted to the different age groups of the children in the schools.

HORTENSIA

At 88 years old, Hortensia wins everyone with her happy nature and her sensitive heart. She is the friend of all the old and sick people in the barrio.  If you want to learn how to cook or bake, she is an expert and is renowned for her desserts and her way of making a good cup of coffee!

PASTORAL WORK IN RURAL AREAS

Eileen describes her work:

My mission is mainly in three areas of the countryside outside Victoria: Rincón de Nogoya, Puerto Esquina and Los Cerros.  Sometimes I take the local bus and now recognize most of the passengers.  However for the same price I can take a taxi door-to–door. I usually do this on Wednesday or Thursday morning, travelling with three other people and the driver.  The taxi is like the grapevine as one hears who has died, who is ill, or who has given birth during the week.  I stay with Dora who has a shop in Rincón.  This is a very interesting place. It sells everything from groceries to hardware, and it is also a bar.  The horses are often tied up outside the shop and it reminds me of a Western film.  I´m very much at home in Dora´s house and am helped by her.  She does much work for the Church behind the scenes.

I coordinate the rural catechetics programme in these three areas.  There are local catechists who prepare the children for First Communion. The children are nine when they begin the course and eleven when they receive the Sacrament.  The following year they are in the Confirmation course.

I visit families and the housebound in the various areas. We pray together and I bring Communion to one or two people.  I also visit them when they are in hosptial in the city.  I attend the meeting of the community once a fortnight in Rincon and in Puerto Esquina. We have the meeting in a different house each time and sometimes in the school.  The director of the local primary school is usually present and that is a great help as she knows the families. I walk back from Puerto Esquina and on the first part of the journey hardly a car or van passes me, but occasionally I meet a gaucho.  The last part of the journey is on the main road so I visit a family on the way and have mate with them. I'm also preparing Gladys and Amelia for Confirmation.  They have Down´s Syndrome and it is a very interesting session.

We have Mass in Rincón once a month and another in Los Cerros.  There is often a Baptism during the Mass.  The priest has other communities to attend in the city and in two other villages so the laity do most of the pastoral work. We had the Holy Week ceremonies and the Easter Vigil without the priest, and there was great participation of the people.  Much of my work is to encourage and train the leaders and catechists,  and to create links between the communities and the parish.  A Youth group meets for prayer and discussion once a week and I sometimes provide reading material for them.

Many of the people have great faith and I learn much from them.  I often think of St. Dominic as I walk the country roads and pray better when I'm walking that when I'm sitting or kneeling.

Sr Eileen is on the left

Fiesta Pilgrimage