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CELEBRATING SR PAULA MARIA

CELEBRATING SR PAULA MARIA Today in the local Paper in the South of the Netherlands, an area called Limburg, an article appeared adding the papers voice to those celebrating with Sr Paula Maria Wever OLA as she celebrates her 75 years as a vowed religious missionary in the Congregation of the Sisters of our Lady of Apostles. Tomorrow September 8th will mark 75 years since she first professed her vows on September 8th 1951 in Venissieux, the OLA Mother house in France at that time. Between March and September 1951, 38 young women from 7 nationalities made their first vows in the OLA Congregation: France (20) Ireland (6) Italy (6) Holland (2) Benin Republic (2) Lebanon (1) and Egypt (1). Through the course of the years, 9 of these young women left the Congregation, most before their final vows and the remainder during the turbulent years post Vatican II. 28 of those who remained as OLA have gone home to God, having lived their missionary vocation to the end. Sr Paula Maria is the only surviving member of the 1951 Profession Group. Back in 1951, the Congregation was celebrating a Jubilee, marking 75 years since the foundation. This year 2026, the Congregation is again celebrating a Jubilee: 150 years since the Foundation. Sr Paula Maria has lived half of those years as an OLA. We are grateful to God for her joy, her missionary spirit and her love of life and of people. She already had a wonderful celebration with [...]

Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Person: OLA International Formation in Ghana

Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Person: OLA International Formation in Ghana Brafoyaw, Cape Coast, Ghana | August – September, 2026 The Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) have taken an important step in strengthening our commitment to creating safe environments for all. From August ending to 8 September 2026, the International Formation Session on the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults holds in Brafoyaw, Cape Coast, Ghana, bringing together 13 safeguarding coordinators from OLA entities across the world and 7 members of the international facilitation team. This two-week formation is more than a training programme. It is a journey of reflection, learning, and a missionary commitment to safeguarding the dignity, rights, and well-being of every child and vulnerable adult encountered in the Congregation’s mission. A Mission Rooted in the Gospel The opening session began with a warm welcome from Sr. Perpetua Acquah, OLA, Provincial Leader of Ghana. Welcoming participants to the Ghana Province, she reminded everyone that safeguarding is not an optional ministry but an essential expression of the Congregation’s mission in today’s world. She encouraged participants to embrace the formation with openness and responsibility, recognizing that protecting the vulnerable lies at the heart of living the Gospel and witnessing to Christ’s compassionate love. A Message from the Congregational Leader An inspiring and encouraging message from Sr. Mary T. Barron, OLA, Congregational Leader, was read to the participants during the opening ceremony by Sr. Marie Hélène Gourdon, Assistant Congregational Leader. Her words set the tone for the days ahead, [...]

Final Profession and Silver Jubilee

Final Profession and Silver Jubilee We joyfully invite you to join us in prayer and thanksgiving as we celebrate special moments of grace and commitment in the lives of our Sisters in the Republic of Benin and Nigeria during September 2026. On 4 and 5 September 2026, five of our Sisters — three from the Republic of Benin (Sr. Fernande Gomihoue, OLA, Sr. Nicole Agbanmankpin, OLA and Sr Lucrece Akakoto, OLA) and two from Nigeria (Sr. Judith Uduogu, OLA and Sr. Anna Adebayo, OLA) — will make their Final Profession, giving themselves definitively to God in the service of the Church and the mission of the Congregation. We also invite you to join us in celebrating two Sisters in Nigeria (Sr. Stella Enenmo, OLA and Sr. Victoria Ogbu, OLA) who will joyfully mark their Silver Jubilee of Religious Profession, giving thanks for 25 years of consecrated life, faithful service, and missionary commitment. These celebrations are occasions of appreciation for the gift of vocation and for God’s faithfulness throughout the journey of each Sister. They remind us that every generous “Yes” is a gift to the Church and a new beginning for our OLA mission. We invite our Sisters, families, friends, benefactors, collaborators, and all who share in the OLA mission to accompany our Sisters with prayer as they renew and deepen their commitment to Christ. May the Lord bless and strengthen them, fill them with His grace and love, and make them faithful witnesses of the Gospel wherever they are [...]