At our house in Idanha, Portugal, the 28th Plenary Council of the Sisters Hospitallers is now underway. Over these days, 36 sisters from across the Congregation have come together under the theme “On the path to renewal, examining the reality”, bringing with them the life, challenges and hopes of their communities.
This gathering is not simply a meeting. It is a meaningful moment in the life of the Congregation, an opportunity to pause, to listen deeply and to discern together how we continue responding to our mission of hospitality in today’s world. It is also a time to strengthen our sense of belonging, recognising ourselves as one body, united in diversity.
The Council opened on Sunday 15 March with a moment of prayer that set the tone for the days ahead. Beginning in the chapel and continuing in procession to the meeting hall, the sisters entered into this shared space of life and hospitality with a spirit of recollection and openness.
In her opening address, Sister Idilia Maria Carneiro invited the assembly to recognise the depth of what they are living. She reminded them that they are gathered as a community of communities, walking together in a synodal spirit, seeking God’s will for the life and mission of the Congregation. She also pointed towards the ongoing journey of renewal, encouraging all to move forward with hope towards a future of hospitality that continues to generate life.
Her invitation was to live this Council as a true time of grace, shaped by listening, dialogue and fraternal communion.
As the sessions begin, the sisters representing the different circumscriptions are sharing the reality of their communities. These moments of exchange are deeply significant. They allow the Congregation to recognise the signs of life and renewal present in each place, across its spiritual, fraternal and apostolic dimensions, while also strengthening the bonds that unite us.
Within this shared journey, our Delegation is also present, taking part in this process of listening and discernment. Bringing the experience of our communities into this wider conversation is both a responsibility and a gift. It allows us to contribute actively to the life of the Congregation, while at the same time being enriched by the experiences of others.
The day concluded with the celebration of the Eucharist on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, presided over by Monsignor Andrés Carrascosa, Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal, and a close friend of the Congregation. A moment of prayer and thanksgiving that places the work of the Council in God’s hands.
In a world that continues to call for care, compassion and hope, this Plenary Council becomes a reminder of who we are and how we are called to move forward: together, as Sisters Hospitallers, renewing our commitment to a hospitality that gives life.
