St. Francis Province Celebrates Feast Day; Final Profession of Sr. Yvette Lemlo Ayuni

For the St. Francis Province in Cameroon, 2024 has been a year when many blessings happened at once. This year, the feast of  Francis of Assisi, celebrated on 4 October, coincided with the pontifical thanksgiving mass for the founding of St. Francis Province, as well as the Perpetual Profession of Sr. Yvette Lemlo Ayuni of the Merciful Love of God.

The celebration began with the Transitus of St Francis by the entirety of the Franciscan family in Sacred Heart Parish in Shisong, Cameroon,  in the Diocese of Kumbo. This was followed by a torchlight procession to the Shisong Convent Grotto, with the statue of St. Francis. The procession was held for the return of peace to the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

At the Grotto, the sisters sang joyful hymns in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM). Thereafter, Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo Diocese blessed the statues of Our Lady, handed them to each of the three provincial superiors of the newly created provinces, and entrusted their ministry to the maternal intercession of the BVM. Attendees then rallied in front of the convent chapel where the Bishop prayed and blessed the symbolic provincial tree, which was planted by Sr. Theodosia Baki, Superior General of the Congregation. While planting the tree, she prayed that it would grow and that the sisters of St. Francis Province may also grow from strength to strength.

The Provincial Superior, Sr. Olivia Waika also planted a symbolic peace plant during which she prayed the peace prayer of St Francis. With this gesture, she expressed her desire that all the members of St. Francis Province be true instruments of peace, in the example of St. Francis.

The celebration on 4 October was a  Pontifical Thanksgiving Mass and the Final Profession of Sr. Yvette. In his sermon, the chief Shepard of the diocese said that St. Francis was undoubtedly one of the most famous poor people in the world, who did not seek to draw attention to himself.

Against this backdrop, he exhorted the sisters to follow the Christian way as exemplified by St. Francis by serving as anonymously as possible.

Sr. Yvette’s final commitment to serve the Lord as a Tertiary Sister of St. Francis was cause for great rejoicing, especially for her fellow parishioners. In her speech, Sr. Yvette thanked all who helped her respond to God’s call, and solicited their continuous prayers and support.

In her litany of gratitude, Sr. Olivia Waika, the Provincial Superior of St. Francis Province, acknowledged with deep gratitude the support received from friends, family, collaborators, stakeholders and called on all present to continue to support them spiritually, morally and materially. She also encouraged her fellow sisters to embrace the change and transformation in the Province with hope and courage. Finally, she called on the sisters to see the change that the new province brings as “ a fertile ground for growth and new opportunities”.