This year the Pallotine Sisters will celebrate 100 years of presence and outstanding services in Belize. The centennial of the arrival of four German sisters in Belize on March 17th is being celebrated under the theme "Grateful for the Past Hopeful for the Future." Presently there are 21 Pallotine Sisters in the country who will be paying tribute to their work with a number of activities taking place country wide. Here in Orange Walk and exhibit has been set up at the Banquitas House of Culture by the Pallotine Sisters. The exhibit, which was officially opened yesterday, speaks about the life of Vincent Pallotie and the work of the Pallotine Sisters in Belize.
Carmelita Perez reporting�
Imprinted in these photographs is the life of Vincent Pallotie the founder of the Pallotine Sisters. On the other hand these photographs speak about the years of work carried out by the Pallotine Sisters in Belize. While the pictures portray the life of different people, they have one thing in common. They are all on display at the Banquitas House of Culture in celebration of the Pallotine Sisters 100 years of presence in Belize.
Sister Consuelo Burgos- Provisional Superior Pallotine Sisters In Belize
"Last year and in January of this year we closed the canonization, the golden celebration, of Vincent Pallotie our founder who became a saint 50 years ago. We are also showing the pictures of our first sisters coming to Belize; how they travelled, how they first moved to our first place in Benque. They came in to Belize on March 17th but just when went right through to Cayo, Succotz and finally Benque Viejo and that where we began mission. So all these pictures show some of the beginning and also some of sisters working in all the districts."
As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Nearly one hundred years ago on March 17th 1913 to be exact, 4 German sisters arrived in Belize and by way of the Belize River arrived in Benque Viejo Del Carmen. The sisters were to travel on the Titanic but somehow missed what was thought to be the unsinkable ship. Adamant to embark on their trip the sisters boarded another vessel without knowledge of where they would be headed. After traveling for many days the sisters arrived in America and while looking for work met a priest who brought them to Belize.
In October of 1913 the sisters started the house in Corozal and in 1931 the novitiate was constructed in Punta Gorda. But captured in these photographs is not only the history of the Pallotine Sisters but also some of their greatest achievements in Belize.
Sister Consuelo Burgos- Provisional Superior Pallotine Sisters In Belize
"Our sisters have a universal apostolate so whatever we do; we do for the glory of God. Whether it be in education, which is our big apostolate having Pollitie High School, pastoral ministry and nursing. When we first came here it was a lot of nursing, education, really running schools. Government asked that our sisters be in charge of taking care of schools across the country and a lot of our ministries at the beginning were about health care and education. We continue right now with mostly education pastoral work. As the sisters age and we become less capable then we move to different apostolate."
As the exhibit was officially declared opened to the public yesterday, it captured the attention of both young and old. Students of La Inmaculada Primary School listened attentively as Sister Adalberta Chuc explained in detail the life of Vincent Pallotie while Sister Consuelo Burgos spoke about the Life of the Pallotine Sisters in Belize.
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary an official mass will be held at Saint Joseph Parish in Belize City on March 10th and on March 17th the reenactment of the sister's arrival in Belie will take place in San Ignacio. This will be followed by a youth jamboree.