FIFTH INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATION ASSOCIATION ASSEMBLY
Last November, three groups of Presentation Sisters - North American Conference (Presentation Sisters from Aberdeen, South Dakota; Dubuque, Iowa; Fargo, North Dakota; Newfoundland, Canada, New Winsor, New York; San Francisco, California; Staten Island, New York, and the US Province of the Union.), Australian Society, and the Union of Presentation Sisters came together in Bangalore India for the Fifth International Presentation Association Assembly (IPA) with the theme “Listen… The Cry of the Earth… The Cry of the Poor…”
The Sisters presented reflections and questions on their actions for justice. The group was led in prayer using themes, songs, and prayer from the various cultures where Presentation Sisters live and work around the world.
Three sisters from our U.S. Province attended the meeting: Sister Antonio Heaphy, Sister Mary Kealy, and Sister Maureen Nolan.
Sister Antonio Heaphy writes:
What and incredible experience in an incredible country! During our days before and after the IPA Assembly we were treated to a feast of the sights and sounds of India. Here are just a few of the sights: Beautiful ladies dressed in colorful saris carrying enormous bundles on their heads; Motor cycles carrying families six, - father, mother and several children, in one case, four children, the mother dressed in a sari riding side-saddle and holding the baby! Motorized rickshaws, built for two passengers, crowded with six or more passengers hanging on for dear life! Carts drawn by camels, horses, donkeys, water buffalo and oxen all mixed in with the worst traffic jams I 
have ever seen! Cows, water buffalo goats and monkeys roaming freely in the streets; Then there was the magnificent Taj Mahal; the many religious shrines and huge temples of great beauty along the roadside. In Goa we saw Catholic shrines along the road in many places. As well as all this our eyes feasted on the lush vegetation and brightly colored flowers that seemed to be everywhere, even in the most poverty stricken areas. Sadly some sights spoke to us of the “cry of the earth” such as the many lakes in Bangalore that are poisoned by pollution from the new industries springing up in that state and the terrible air pollution in Delhi caused by the huge number of vehicles in the streets.
The sounds of India spoke to us of the religious nature of the culture with the sounds of the “call to prayer” each morning at 5:00 a.m. from the nearby Muslim temples. The constant honking of horns spoke to us of the chaotic traffic in the cities. The voices of the school children were sweet as they entertained us in English with such songs as “Old McDonald” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. We heard the “cry of the poor” in the school for homeless children in Church Park; the school for the “rag-picker” children in Rotak and the many projects to educate women so that they can learn skills to support their families and raise their human dignity and their quality of life. We witnessed the “cry of the poor” in the shacks and “tent” villages along the roadsides as we traveled from place to place.
Our pre and post Assembly experiences proved to us that we must listen and respond to “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” as we continue to follow in the footsteps of Nano Nagle and make our Charism tangible in our world. What a wonderful experience to be able to gather with our 
Sisters in the Assembly from the four corners of the globe and to hear about and witness the legacy of our Foundress. I truly believe that if we join our energies, together we can make a huge difference and raise our collective voice in response to those cries. Let’s do it!!
Sister Mary Kealy writes:
It took me a few days to recover from the long trip to and from India and the experience-packed time there. It was truly a graced time for me and one that I will always hold as sacred. India is an amazing country; a country rich in cultures, 
languages, peoples, and religions. We landed in New Delhi, a city with a population of 18 million. I have never seen anything like the crowds and chaos at Delhi Airport. We were met by Sisters Ioba and Miriam who whisked us away to the YMCA Hostel. The following morning we traveled to see the Taj Mahal, driving through incredible slums and poverty ridden roadsides for most of the journey. The beauty of the Taj Mahal pales in the light of such destitution. The return trip took six hours because of the celebration of The Festival of Divali, The Festival of Lights, and India’s greatest celebration.
We flew from Delhi to Chennai (Madras), a city with a population of 14 million, where we stayed with our sisters in the convent at Church Park. We visited the schools and were greeted with bands and garlands. We were treated like royalty everywhere we went. We took a ride out to the Bay of Bengal and got to see where the Tsunami washed in. The devastation is similar to that of our Katrina damaged Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Then it was time for work! We arrived at the Ecumenical Christian Center, tucked away in the dusty suburbs of Bangalore. It was great to meet all the sisters and a challenge to learn everyone's name. The Opening Ritual took place outdoors. It was very beautiful; rich 
in symbol, prayer, dance, and song. It was profoundly moving to be part of the gathered participants and to learn of the longing in every sister's heart for right relationships and communion with all of creation. I will leave you with a definition of spirituality that Fr. Jerry Rosario, S.J., worked on with us. He said, "Spirituality is nothing but the ability to go beyond oneself." Our foundress, Nano Nagle, had that kind of spirituality. She went beyond her comfort zone, her family, her church, her space, her pains, and the social barriers of her time. So, if we live out of the values of the Gospel and the charism of our foundress we will surely be found in service to those who are robbed of their rights, even in terms of tomorrow, and are dependent on others for their daily bread. May our celebration of God-with-us deepen our communion with our suffering Earth and with the whole community of life.
Sister Maureen Nolan writes:
This was one of the most inspirational times in my life. We left Gulfport, Mississippi, flew to Dallas, to Chicago, and then on to New Delhi. We were met by two Presentation sisters, and driven to the YMCA, a Christian Hostel.
We drove to Rotak, had lunch with the sisters there, and then drove as far as we were able. We left the car and walked through a terrible dirty street, where the mud was so bad we hade to pick our steps. We came to an area where we saw a big sign that read Presentation Convent School! Wow! I was very touched by the Trammel Medium School. As I walked up to the gate I met a lady sitting on the grass beside her cow! She made the cow dung into cakes, dried it in the sun, and will sell it for firewood. We went into the school, which is a jewel in the middle of the slum. They are now educating 800 students from the slums. The children are called “Rag Pickers”, because they go through the garbage looking for anything they can get to 
sell so they can get money for food. They are some of the most beautiful children I have ever seen.
The following day, we drove to Shore Temple – a beach area by the Bay of Bengal. The temples were under water for hundreds of years, and now the sea has moved out and many people enjoy seeing the temples again. This small section reminded me of Gulf Shores in Mississippi. We also visited the shrine of St. Thomas the Apostle, and the cathedral where his body lies. St. Thomas came in 52 A.D. and was martyred in 72 A.D.
We spent Monday on the campus of Church Park were we visited all the schools, including a teacher training college for girls. They have three schools, one where students can pay, one where they pay a portion of the tuition, and 500 homeless children. They also have The Nano Nagle Community School for girls who are not able to pass the high 
school exams. They train in nursing, typing, etc. They have a Social Service area where they teach mothers sewing, cooking, makeup etc. while their children are in school.
On Wednesday, we went to Bangalore for the IPA meetings. We were asked to remember our story, who influenced us and who have we influenced? What is seeking to emerge in our lives and how can we attend to that? Listen to what we are hearing. How does what I am hearing match my lived experience? Our earth is in chains! IPA is an orientation of heart… not a structure. What is sin, the bud that I am hearing? Our focus is on women and children. IPA members do make a difference at the UN.
My time in Bangalore will always be part of who I am, especially being with our beautiful sisters, the challenging speakers, the prayerful settings, inspiring liturgies, the prayer services, and the magnificent grounds.