Common Venture – T.S.S.F. Cameroon

FRANCISCAN COMMON VENTURE ACTIVITIES

The Franciscan Common Venture Program started when Sr. Anna Nyuydini met Sr. Marla Lang at the international Conference of the Major Superiors of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis in Rome in 1998. Sr. Anna expressed the need to journey together explaining that her Cameroonian Sisters would needed to touch base with their African and Franciscan identity. When Sr. Marla returned to the U.S. and discussed with her Sisters and those with whom they share a common history, they accepted to take the challenge.

The Common Venture is a collaboration of four Franciscan congregations, Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, Meriden, CT, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, La Crosse, WI, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, Milwaukee, WI and the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, Cameroon, West Africa.

Franciscan Common Venture Mission Statement

The Franciscan Common Venture Mission Statement invites the congregations named above into a mutual relationship

that fosters a deeper understanding of becoming Franciscan in the 21^st century;
that deepens the experience of Global Church;
that opens new experiences of equi-cultural relationships;
that supports and encourages mutual efforts to effect systemic change.

Original Goals:

Discover Franciscan roots with a community of African women.
Discover our Franciscan vocation in the global church.
Provide resources to develop professional skills.
Let the African voice enter our consciousness.

Purpose and Outcomes:

To gain specific information in order to evaluate the effectiveness of individual parts of the Common Venture Relationship and decide how/if we want to move together into the future.

Many activities, movements, networking, educational opportunities, paradigm shifts, administrative reforms, spiritual experiences have characterized our journey together. It was during one of the visit of the U.S. Sisters to Cameroon that the Companions of the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis was founded in 1999. This Group, established in Shisong, Bamenda and Tatum undertakes to journey with the Sisters in a moral and spiritual exchange, sharing values and mission.

From the 11^th of june to the 25^th of July 1999 Srs Anita Beskar and Georgia Christensen of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration visited and had Seminars in Cameroon. On the 3^rd of Febuary 2000 Sr. Susanne and SR. Rebecca Burke came to Cameroon for the Common Venture. They meet the hospital staff, formators, Saint Joseph Comprehensive High School Bafut, Tatum and Njinikom and introduced the concept of lay Associates, Companions. On the 29^th of April 2000 there was the Certification Course to the Nurses given by Sr. Roman and Pat Zander.

On the 10^th of August 2000 Sr. Alphonsa and Sr. Eileen Javnyuy left for La Crosse U.S.A for the Common Venture meeting.
On the 10^th of June 2001, Sr. Anita Beska, Sr. Irene and Madam Sue left for the USA after facilitating the Provincial Assembly and an up-dating course for Nurses.
The exciting stories about the Common Venture partnership continued with the visit of Sr. Joanne Meyer and Sr. Barbara on the 25^th of June 2001. Sr. Joanne directed a good number of Sisters in their retreats while Sr. Barbara worked in SAJOCAH in Bafut, training staff in the management of children with celebral palsy.
In 2001, Sr. Georgia Christensen and Sr. Kathryn Fogarty facilitated the Provincial Chapter at the La Verna Spiritual Centre.
Marla Lang together with Sr. Alexine Nii and Mr Akonteh Andrew facilitated a management course in La Verna for twenty nine Sisters in September 2003.
A certification course was done for Sisters and lay Teachers to up-grade them for the teaching apostolate.
Marion Amberg, a hired Journalist, accompanied by Sr, Anita came to have a feel of the Common Venture activities. They travelled back to the USA with Sr. Alphonsa and Xaveria who attended the CV meeting with the members of the General administration; Sr. Elizabeth T. and Sr. Sophia G. Marion finally published the story in St. Anthony Messager of which part of its impact was the sponsorship of two girls in Shisong by a Cameroonian borne U.S. citizen.
Dave Sauerm Sr. Nancy and Sr. Betty who is director for Medicine for Humanity arrived Cameroon of 21^st June 2005 for contact visits with Njinikom, Shisong and Bafut.
Georgia C. And Madam Jo Anne Carta together with Sr. Gabriel Kowalski facilitated an education course for Teachers IN July 2005. Sixteen Sisters took part and three lay teachers as well. They graduated with success though the Certificates obtained could not be successfully intergrated into the Cameroonian system.
In November 2005, the Leadership of the Common Venture Communities in the United States paid a grand, maiden visit to Cameroon.
In July 2007, Sr. Marlene Weisenderg facilitated the General Chapter in Brixen and Sr. Marla and ——— also facilitated the Provincial Chapter in November 2007.
Georgia C. Facilitated a seminar with Superiors, Bursars and Heads of Institutions of the TSSF at the Pastoral Centre in Bamenda from the 4^th of August 2008.
Euphrasia Yuh attended a Cv meeting from the 22^nd – 24^th of August 2008.
THE Superiors of the TSSF i.e. the leaders of all the Provinces and Region and the General Administration had a meeting in Cameroon with the leaders of the three Congregations of America beginning from the 20^th of March 2011. It was the first of its kind.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMMON VENTURE

Sr. Nicole left for the US on the 31^st of September to attend a Peace Conference, Cultural Audit and Common Venture meeting. There was a peace conference organized to mark the tenth anniversary of the relationship of the TSSF with the three American Congregations. Sr. Eva-Maria and Mother Maria Theresia also attended the ceremonies in America.

The CV. Assist with the education of many TSSF
The supply of equipment to some of our institutions is a laudable move
The ready supply of needed personnel for seminars, retreats etc.
The CV also assists in financing some of the projects

A cup of coffee conversation is yielding abundant fruits!