Congrégation de Notre-Dame Missions in Latin America: interview with Sister Cécile Duplain

Sister Cécile Duplain recalls the very beginning of the missions of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame in Central America.

She leaves Canada with four other Sisters on June 23, 1962. During their stay in Cuernavaca, in the suburbs of Mexico, they study Spanish as well as the mentality, customs and life of the Latin American people. They arrive in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, on October 13, 1962.

In the beginning, their work is not very well defined but there is question of opening a centre for training catechists at the diocesan level and a primary school in a poor area of Tegucigalpa. Meanwhile, they establish contact with the people and open a kindergarten in January 1963 in a small house rented by the Sisters. This kindergarten closes in August 1963 because the Catechetical Training Centre in the building of the archdiocese is almost complete and construction of the San Martín de Porres Primary School and the Sisters’ residence is scheduled to begin shortly.

In Tegucigalpa, other commitments must soon be taken on: social and Christian formation of children and youth, preparation for the sacraments, liturgical animation, the reorganization of the Legion of Mary, Young Female Catholic Workers, Catechist Training College, participation in the parish Caritas and much more. The arrival of other missionaries makes it possible to open new missions in Honduras, Guatemala (1964), Chili (1965) and El Salvador (1988). All this brings to light the importance given to the needs of the Church in these different areas.

Over these last years, Latin-Americans have joined the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. There are 26 Sisters of the Congregation in the region of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (region of Central America) sixteen of whom are natives of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.