Sydney
11 November 2001
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Inspirations: A suitcase of prayer and love of Jesus
Inspirations: A suitcase of prayer and love of Jesus
“Sisters to all” Joana Crespi
By Marilyn Kerjean
Joana Crespi came to Australia from Spain 10 years ago with nothing more than what she could fit in a suitcase.
She had no friends or money but she was banking on one precious currency – her love for Jesus.
“I wasn’t frightened at all,” she says. “I thought that Jesus came with me, and I thought of Matthew’s gospel – ‘wherever you go I will be with you’.
“I was not afraid. In fact when I came, I felt at home at once. I think God’s love makes you a sister to all.”
Joana is a missionary of Verbum Dei (‘Word of God’), a worldwide Catholic missionary fraternity founded in Spain in 1963 by Fr Jaime Bonet, a diocesan priest.
It is composed of priests, consecrated women and associated missionary families in the US, South America, Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia. And it has been approved by the Holy See.
“Our specific mission is to pray, to try to live out the word of God and teach others to do the same.
“We try to reach as many people as we can because we’re totally convinced the word of God puts people in touch with God and it touches people’s hearts and transforms them into love,” says Joana.
When Joana arrived in Sydney she stayed with a Spanish couple who were friends of Verbum Dei missionaries in South America.
She was joined here three months later by another Verbum Dei missionary from Spain, Maria Spieda. They found a sponsor, who enabled them to set up the first Australian community house opposite the Uni versity of NSW campus in Kensington.
Joana and Maria began attending Mass at the university chapel a few minutes’ walk away.
Soon many people, mainly students, were visiting them at home, attracted by their sunny natures, their simple but profound message of God’s love and their life of prayer.
“People responded very well,” says Joana. “Because we were so close (to the university) we had young people coming in all the time, in their lunch breaks, between lectures.
“When we organised the first retreat, it was a one day retreat, 50 people came”.
Before long they had their first vocation. Now there are 11 women in the Verbum Dei community and many ‘disciples’ and friends who don’t take vows but share something of their lives and work.
Verbum Dei missionaries make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
There are two aspects to the life of Verbum Dei missionaries.
One is prayer – each devotes three hours a day and one day a week to prayer.
The second is missionary activity – they run day and weekend retreats and weekly classes on prayer and evangelisation.
Study is also necessary. Every missionary must undertake at least a bachelor’s degree in theology.
“It’s so important to mission, not just in Australia but everywhere,” Joana says. “People who are depressed, lonely, or who come from broken families, they change so dramatically when they see how much God loves them.
“We believe when every heart changes society will change”.
Fr Sheehy, parish priest at St Joseph’s, Rosebery, celebrated the Sydney community’s 10th anniversary Mass recently.
The Verbum Dei community moved from its original home in Kensington after it suffered severe hail damage in 1999. It is now located next door to St Joseph’s.
Joana says the community relies on benefactors and donations for all its needs. It doesn’t earn money from giving retreats.
Occasionally the cupboard is bare, but “someone always gives us something”.
Has she ever wanted to leave? “No, no way!” she laughs. “No, because love is eternal, love never gives up, Jesus never gives up on me so how can I?”
The Verbum Dei missionaries’ story brings to mind the bishops’ message at the close of the recent Synod in Rome:
“Today more than ever, lay people are again playing their proper part in giving life to Christian communities, liturgical life, theological formation and charitable works.
“May they gather together in organised apostolates in the important struggle for justice and solidarity and so continue to bring hope and meaning to the world.”
Amen to that.