Sister Maria Iannucillo, a provincial councilor of the Atlantic-Midwest Province, recently travelled to Poland for World Youth Day (WYD). In addition to the WYD events, Sister Maria was able to visit the Divine Mercy Shrine, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and go to Saint John Paul II’s hometown, Wadowice, with SSNDs from the Polish Province.
One of the gifts of her trip was spending time with other SSNDs at the Motherhouse in Opole.
“As School Sisters, wherever we go, anywhere in the world where there are School Sisters of Notre Dame, we are at home,” she said.
Sister Maria said Sister Irenea Książak Provincial Leader of the Polish Province, and the sisters at the Motherhouse welcomed her with open arms. Some she had met before, others she met for the first time.
“Being part of an international congregation means you have connections all over the world,” she said.
While in Opole, Sister Maria had an unexpected visit with Sister Dawida Krzempek. Sister Dawida works in the Gambia but was in Poland for a home visit. It had been five years since the two had seen each other.
“We participated in a renewal program together in Kenya five years ago. S. Dawida had studied in Baltimore before then, and there we were in Poland together at the Motherhouse,” Sister Maria said. “Those kinds of connections, they are really great. I have sisters/friends all over the world. That really is a gift.”
