SSpS Slovak Province

Sr. Yuvensia Daso, SSpS

Report 11

In the last few years the SSpS in Slovakia have started and are developing some new projects.

1. Working with the Roma Children (Gypsies)

We are developing our apostolate among the Roma people who make up approximately 5 % of Slovak population. One of the groups most affected by the current social and economic situation is the Roma minority. This group has the highest unemployment and the least chance of finding a job, along with low level of education and nearly no possibilities for re- qualification. Roma people are one of our priorities. Our Sisters work with Roma people esp. children in almost all of communities in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic. We started a special project with Roma‘s children in Nitra - Orechov Dvor.

In year 2005 we were asked by the vice mayor of Nitra to start apostolate with people who were not able to pay the rent for their houses and ended on the street. The vice mayor of Nitra wanted to help them and so they built for them outside the city 2nd class flats in Orechov Dvor. They saw that the people esp. their children need help and that they need somebody who has time for them. At that time an international junior sisters group who prepared themselves for final vows in Ivanka pri Nitre was asked by the PLT to start this apostolate. In Orechov Dvor live presently 250 people. Our sisters offer their help to those children by helping them with their homework, by playing and singing with them, drawing, painting and so on. The Tertians visited the children in 2005 once a week but since 2 years Sr. Pia Michalicova and Sr. Katerzyna Niezgoda go every day from 1 .pm to 5 .pm to them. Bishop Viliam Judak of Nitra is ready to help us and came already few times to visit the place. Since the beginning of this year one Salvatorian-Father comes twice a week to give the catechesis and prepare the people to receive sacraments. Most of the Roma people are Catholics and are proud to be Catholics. They love Mary very much and take refuge to her. Since 2 months also the students from the University of Nitra come twice a week to work together with our sisters. The main problem is the isolation of the people in this place and a very poor infrastructure Our Sisters share one room with the Kindergarten which uses it in the morning and they use it in the afternoon. We initiated the project to get there portable structures in which the people can meet and which can serve as social centre. The city of Nitra got already the structure and they should be put there this year. We feel that our apostolate with Roma people is a real priority here and now. In our last Provincial chapter in November 2007 we discussed this issue at length and decided to collaborate in this apostolate with the Roma Cathedra of the University in Nitra. In the meantime we prepared the contract about the collaboration between the City Nitra, the University of Nitra and our Congregation. The contract will be signed this year. It is not easy to carry out this ministry but we are glad that we are doing it. We try to introduce to these children spiritual values, which can bring them much more happiness than merely physical pleasures. They can see and experience that God is able to bring them many good things and they can put their trust in God.

2. Working with women.

Working with women and for women has been practiced by the community of the provincial house for more than 10 years in Women prison in Nitra. The sisters go there every Sunday for visiting, preparing the Holy Mass, and teaching catechism. They do this ministry in collaboration with the prison chaplain. In February this year at the meeting with Bishop R8bek, the prison chaplain and the directress of the prison we evaluated this apostolate. We saw the need to have more time for catechesis. We see also very important the collaboration not only with the prison chaplain but also with the psychologist of that place. The prison in Nitra is the only one women prison in Slovakia.
The Novitiate in Nitra assists to abandoned mothers with their children in collaboration with the city Nitra.
In the Czech Republic our sisters work with abandoned women in the Christian charity. Women who are there are mostly refugees. They openly share their life experiences with the sisters. Our sisters also look after their children when their mothers go to work.
One of our sisters works together with an MSC father and psychologist, helping sexually abused women.
Another sister works with AA in Pereš nearby Nitra and the community in Ivanka pri Nitre is ready to welcome those people so that they can share their experiences about the change in their lives.
We are happy that since 10 years also these areas remain not only not taboo but the needed help can be given to the people.

3. Mass Media

In this field we try to keep alive our history esp. from the communist time. Sr. Ivica Kúšiková is presently working on a project called Witnesses of Faith in which religious women from different congregations are telling stories from the communist regime. We feel responsible to pass on the truth to the next generations. A documentary film with that topic was made about the Slovakian province two years ago.

These are the main areas in which we are developing our social and cultural and spiritual work as a part of our JPIC program. There are many other smaller fields in which we work in the frame of JPIC.
Sr. Yuvensia Daso, SSpS,