Sr. Carine Devogelaere is the Superior General of the Annunciate Sisters of Heverlee in Belgium. She shares with the UISG how they live hope, which is the theme of the Plenary Assembly and of the current Jubilee:

“Our Congregation has chosen to adopt the same theme of Pilgrims of Hope as the Universal Church. We organize days of recollection on this theme. We try to deepen our own spirituality by exploring how it leads us to hope. Our rule is based on ten virtues of the Virgin Mary. Patience and faith are particularly important, which connect us to hope.”

The Annunciate Sisters of Heverlee are primarily concerned with education and teaching. To this end, the religious women train young people to keep confidence in the future and to keep hope in all difficulties, emphasizes Sr. Carine. They are also committed to promoting peace:

“Our lay fraternities are called fraternities of peace. Thus, we are concerned with praying for peace and promoting it wherever we are present in society.”

Moreover, the Superior General of the Annunciate Sisters of Heverlee has been involved in synodality since the publication of the International Theological Commission’s document entitled “Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church” in 2018. At that time, she was the coordinator of the Interdiocesan Council of the Laity in the Flemish-speaking Church of Belgium:

“We held our last chapter in July 2024, with a preparation for a five-day retreat in the context of ESDAC, that is, Spiritual Exercises of Apostolic Discernment Together. We practiced conversation in the Spirit then. After that chapter, the sisters returned to practice this same listening to the Spirit in their community meetings.”

In the same way, synodality is also practiced in the meetings of the general government. Each time, we have the same conversation in the Spirit, starting with a biblical text that we have prayed over in advance, continues Sr. Carine. And that’s not all, adds the religious woman:

“During meetings to discern the future of the congregation, we implement a method to listen carefully to each sister.”

Watch the interview in Dutch HERE