In April 2023 our Mission FCJM completed 2 years in Nickerie Suriname.

The name of our community is St. Liborius. The location of the community house is just nearby St.Yosep Parish Church. St Yosep Parish has 6 stations with various distances. (some are needed 30 minutes, some are needed for 1-2 hours. The building itself looks beautiful in a nice environment and also 2 schools just nearby namely St. Alfonsus school and St.Clara schools. In 1895 the missionary Sister of Franciscan Roosendal from the Netherlands built a convents and schools. The first school was St. Alphonsus, followed by St. Clara and St. Theodorus and St. Michaels school now already closed.) After Suriname became independent in 1975 the Franciscan Roosendal Sisters left Nickerie Suriname. As the time goes by, the situation did not develop. The school was taken over by the government. So even though the name of the school remains RK Catholic, the whole is under the responsibility of the government. Since FCJM arrived in Suriname, Sr. Clarentia has started to build good relations with the community and the schools, by greeting and welcome the children every day whether in Kindergarten or Elementary School.

We should be grateful that from the beginning Sr. Clarentia had a good relationship which we are still carrying on until now. Since October 2022, while learning Dutch, Sr. Lamberta is always participated in greeting children and parents at the school gate. In general, they are happy to receive our warm greetings. Since December 2022 the Headmistres of the St. Alfonsus school has asked for help to make prayers for children as well as general spiritual activities. Doesn’t   Catholic or non-Catholic. The sisters are open to help and accept the school’s proposal. Every Friday we bring the children to the church with only half an hour. We are very careful to choose topics because it is not about the Catholic religion that we convey. There is no religious education in school, Suriname because religion is seen as a private matter.

We are still grateful because God is still pleased and uses our hearts to be open to provide services that we can do. We are still enthusiastic and support each other in carry it out.

During our current pastoral walk, we visit elderly parents, sick people, bring and give holy communion to the elderly who are not able to come to church. We also taking care and teaching the mesdinars (altar boys) and give attention to the property of church. We are also involved in decorating and preparing Mass and every week we take turns going to the station with Priest. While learning the language the sisters help each other where needed.

The Suriname region is divided into 10 districts and the main district is the capital city of Paramaribo. Since the Dutch colonial era until now, the official language of Suriname is Dutch. Generally, parents in our parish understand and know English. Suriname population information in 2020 there were around 612,985 people divided into various ethnic groups, American maroon creol, Indonesian Javanese, Indians, Chinese, African Brazilians. Different ethnic groups have their native language but the official language remains Dutch. The number of Catholics is around 117,000, more or less 60 parishes. Laws and educational curricula for the arrangement of a secular life that are patronized by the Netherlands. This really has an impact on our church life which is very difficult and a tough challenge for us who come from Asia. The dynamics of our mission FCJM as a pastoral task is rowing forward and trying to follow the flow of the historical journey of the Catholic Church in Suriname. As FCJM we have not done much yet but we just try hard with an open heart.

We are still trying to find out which methods and what ways we are going to try in order to bring the Christian back to church, specially the Catholic Church. In the past, until now, there are many Catholics, but they are still sleeping mainly after Covid or even before. From the depths of our heart this is a big challenge as well as a great reflection. The calling of our missionary life as FCJM, as a pilgrim of faith, even though there are many challenges, we remain optimistic and believe in the divine providence and will surely go on. (Sr. M. Lamberta Siboro FCJM)