Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny mark 150 years in Sechelles -Seychelles

Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny mark 150 years in Sechelles -Seychelles


We had not read the news at Seychelles Nation about the 2020 Expo, nor done some Googling if one many say so, the feeling something is not quite right yet again with our Nation, citizens and people way of celebrating Historical events - in our concern this morning reminded to make the distinction between the different aspects of our nation, its citizens and societies. (Had we been in the presence of the good sisters we would have had to make this statement without flinching) Which bring us to the reason for wishing to address the issues we will here.

We did a brief check, research if any of the Forums and Social network had addressed anything - again nothing beside the government official communication. To the Christian, Catholic, Orthodox, Church of England, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah Witness and others, what we have addressed about SEYNEWS last night, those of you from the various Christian communities who appreciated the approach, presentation, concept of their International portal. This morning had it been available the many written contributions, testimonies from our communities across the world. We visited AKS Forum to check if anybody had addressed anything positive or negative. Our attention was taken, absorb by the four thread posted by Google and what he describe and his feeling as a citizen of our nation.There is the need to distinguish between outright ranting, raving, sleazeing of an/certain issues and when a person, individual given a more somber view - this is the case of Google in those four threads.

Given the state of the world, events close to Sechelles Seychelles as those in Seychelles prepares to celebrate the 150 years of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny there. We do not have access to the Printed media from Britain or EU, including L'Eco des Iles, the Catholic news media. The need to weigh and think deeper of the purpose and role of Christian values,virtues, education for/of our nation female, from the poorest to the better and nobler Families since its founding 250 years ago.
"Given that we from European ancestral heritage, fore father have this motto a good woman makes a man, individual - what he is and will be, this obviously taken, extracted for the Holy scripture/Koran, Torah books of the/, Les patriarches, elders, wise to the new Testaments, Christ life. (In our case/person those Families, parents who have known about our childhood, growing up, their impressions and impacts. Most important those who know the issues we have often raise about the responsibility of high Office and the need to have the/an adequate partner, the background, that can be deem acceptable).

Our thoughts this morning having stated current developments close to Sechelles Seychelles, their greater impact on our affairs, life, society and beyond. We have noted Prime Minister Cameron media view on certain religious position. Life in Reunion Island where the Sister's had their principal Base in the Indian Ocean whence they had come form France to Bourbon in January 1817 upon the Govenor having made himself acquainted with their work, his request for teachers, the request made to Mother Javouhey to send Sisters to Bourbon the stark contrast of our current situation and life then. From Reunion three Sisters to then Sechelles Seychelles "extract Seychelles history -The first Catholic missionary arrived in 1851. Father Leon des Avanchers was a Capucin priest from France and was greeted with great enthusiasm by the colonists and a small wooden chapel was built in Victoria. It is said that as many as 200 baptisms were carried out in one day. In 1862 the present cathedral of Victoria was built and three sisters from St Joseph de Cluny arrived from Reunion to start a boarding school and small orphanage." " Virtual Seychelles -Father Jérémie through subscriptions built wooden chapels at Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Praslin (Baie Ste Anne),La Digue.." the role of the Sisters in setting up the first school at Anse aux Pins. It is highly interesting to note though Sechelles Seychelles formed part of then Ile de France - Mauritius, the working procedure in then Colonial issues of the Indian Ocean. We have tried to Google the history Oder in Mauritius found nothing - they were also establish in Mauritius.

In Wikipedia history Sisters Order of Cluny "The Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny arrived in India in the year 1827, and established their first house in Pondicherry, India"

In then French Sechelles, (later British colonial Seychelles) the founding fathers of our Nation having come from the highly complex French aristocrats community in Ile de France - Mauritius, their notion of greater dimension of life as that lived by their ancestors some 1500 years in France and Europe. The role of the Church, its impact, purpose and function to educate, those who cannot afford private tutors and high place of learning. The very value and notion of education, learning, wisdom and science then. In fact one of the biggest political bomb shell, problematic more transparent given the important resources to carry out researches today - the role and position of the Catholic church then strong hold on education, knowledge - the way it was control, managed, manipulated and used. {Again our good reason for the CERN project and the creation of the WWW what we have written.}

The constraints of managing the education in then Colonial France - our interest lies their-in from Seychelles our quest to understanding the science of psychology, psychoanalysis, the material available in then Seychelles library - how and what education impacted us as children, individuals, later parents. The terrible and poor quality of reading and studying material - the Church, Catholic in 1960's had ample material and information. At the very young age of 10/12 having returned from East Africa, the then /colonial East Africa, our Catholic education, most of the Black African and Asians, white were educated by the Church in one form or another. Next to our Boarding, St Micheal College Toro, the Convent, the Hospital all ran by the Sisters or Nuns. Their impacts and greater politic. Those who were treated, trained and acquired their knowledge and experience for them - the society and world they build. { Our very positive experience studying at the Seychelles College, in contrast to some years earlier studying at the Junior Secondary school then Mrs Jeva Adam and Mr Stenley Durup, indeed the Seventh Day approach to education.}

Upon our return to Sechelles Seychelles the great disparity - we were growing up, not like today's children who ask their parents and peers mountains of question the moment they start crawling. We could not go back to Grandpa and Grandma and start asking questions. We were smart and wise enough to detect all those that had acquired some for of education, job training, management training and experience for the Church, the Sisters/Nuns and priest were very different, their views, attitude and approach to life. ( Not to mention the like of FA Rene, several others, then Fr Gabriel Houreau, then Jacques Hodoul, then Gerrard Houreau.) "where as in British high Circle one often heard that Catholic was pimple on the arse of progress." We have learnt to weigh properly the complexities.

Given the Expo 2020, the current political Cadre in Sechelles Seychelles, education and other higher education possibilities, those of us who fought and lobby and would have lobby to the bitter end that we get a University in Seychelles. The values given, implanted in us not in exile, travelling and being confronted by great, famous and elite education - academic institutions in Europe and across the world, their by products and the men, society, science, literature, knowledge they have advanced - our generation. Not to mention space science, and very many shperes of Sciences. Indeed as they announced in the Government media today - the 150 years of the Sisters of Cluny in Seychelles.

Given that we have stated our interests in the pursuit of understanding the working of human/man's - including other creatures, events leading to our Independence in then Seychelles. We fully understood the aspiration and call for freedom from oppressions of the Colonial system, then British, we have lived and been educated in East Africa, our peers, our very old French, British - European communities and connection in East Africa. We could not quite understand the position of all those who had acquired excellent and brilliant education - in not being able to find, talk, take and present alternative approach to our Colonial - political and society situation. At our FECAS-ECSVS we have stated that we were glad we were able to spend time at the small Cobblers shop of our uncle - opposite the Central police station to listen and over hear some of the most heated and terrible debates and argument about local issues, politic and life in then Seychelles society. Not to exclude the presence of Archbishop Makarios at the Central Police station.

As a young child we have very many friends, acquaintance attending, being educated in one form or another by one of those Church - religious institutions or the Sisters and nuns, what they were, their social attitude, approach to life, values and society, feeling, reactions, notion of friendship.

We had attended Victoria Hospital as a child often enough not to recall the work and role of the Sisters, their impression and the role of the civilian hospital staff we had several relatives employ, work, dedicated to the medical service - many acquaintances. Much later as we became adults and parents this became more complex and complicated. Specially when we had to make or take our stand.

Given yet again the debacle and issues of Expo2020 - if/should humanity survive his/their insanity and not have destroyed themselves. The need to dissect, look in details, in-depth, Sechelles Seychelles Colonial system in 1960 was not Mauritius, Reunion or Rhodesia, their society, politic and education values.

Having said that "the Holy scripture, Koran, Torah, the book of the wise, ancient, old testaments and indeed new testaments all state bless is the man that find a good wife" for nearly 100 years the Sisters of Cluny had been educating our females, future mothers and builders of our nation. We will not enter the wise debacle of the infamous Coco de Mer, the stand taken by the French Royal noble families, their institutions and that of Austria. These information are all available today. In France, Europe then the role and function of Nuns, convents and their institutions. The important role they played in greater society and affairs of the world.
The/our Peers in Colonial Sechelles Seychelles 1960 had grasp development of greater world events, the titanic clash between the West values and the East values, capitalist verses communism. Liberal government practice, society management as against centrally planned and control. They debated and argued publicly. They had travelled and been educated in Europe or elsewhere. They of all knew History far better than we did, the complex makeup of Colonial French Indian Ocean extending as far as India and Asia. They knew and were aware of most of the workings of the ancient, archaic, fraternal and Christians institutions. Yet they failed to avert, help, avoid the human catastrophe, disaster which was about to befall our nation, the work of their ancestors. They had one of the best Christian values and education in the Indian Ocean - was it the fear of losing their soul and allow instead take place what ensued.

Ever since that Coup d'etat the situation which ensued, call it human shock, humiliation, guilt, call it what you want - the mental dislocation, dysfunction which have began to develop, confront the Seychellois nation right across the world. Like all thing of the world and nature, those from Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar who just could not understand our plight, reaction, attitude and approach after this event. We are also fully aware of what the scripture teach, the punishments, price if one do not heed or as a nation collectively.

Those sisters/nuns, priests, knew the soul, mind and family practise of all if not most Seychellois colonial elite families, they were the "custodian of their faith and soul". When the debate arose, started to go/opting for a Unilateral Government - the unanimity of most of the elite of those Families and those assigned due/respective role/responsibilities. In the face of events, they froze, their commitments and the course of how they can and will influence the nation destiny, history, politic, economy and life, Doubted - apprehensive. They preferred to swallow the bitter pills and knew that as and when the Independence came, their would be a take over and they would lose everything. "Their wives, children and mistress were all educated by Sisters of Cluny" what was churning, going in their private dwellings, their bedrooms and living rooms. How were they able to face and answer to their wives, children and concubines. This is not the first time we address such challenging debate. In Europe when any nation let alone those of French, British and Central European decent go through such dreadful history/life process, no stone will be left upturn to find out what really happened.

After the Coup d'etat for the 15/20 years the state of things, events, what they had to face and experience during the one party state and political system. They were more fortunate they had been trained to pray and a life of devotion.

Hence our pursuit in Europe about the many forms of human functioning, thinking process and the Interdisciplinary Management science and the field of para-science, associated science. It is important and sufficient to say that those individuals involved their education and resources could have outwitted then FA Rene political machine, connections and other resources. Equally that of then James Mancham his political machine and resources.

The Sisters and nuns their counterparts in Europe and greater Christian education know that when all dialogue fails, all intercession fail it is inevitable that a state of war ensue/present itself and as such - our ancestral history. Their institutions and indeed history, education, academic in matters of Military preparedness, military options, diplomacy and its art. Those that had taken the option in then British Colonial Seychelles failed to take due and appropriate course of action because of fear, concern that they would not have the resolve, the capacity to go through, the position of then Commonwealth, the media, USA, Australia, Canada - we will not discuss France. What followed and ensued a collective disgrace and humiliation inflicted upon themselves, their children, their ancestral honour and destruction of their hard gain and labour. We do know that many from those involved have come across our views and what we have written - because of the world media crap all our children and the region unaware that there was an alternative Force in Sechelles Seychelles underground, those involved, then French politic and its archaic, fraternal, Christian, Nobility/Royal Families, the important Mercenary resources available then, their stand and what they fought and died for and British what have you. Yet even to this day their children refuse to come forward and share their insight and enlighten the nation and rest of the world. They were educated by the Church and their wives, off springs by the Sisters of Cluny.

We made it a point to become very aware, acquaint our self with as much of those issues in the event of a Military take over and much more that SIROP etc., combined exile return program. { Yet again the filth/corrupt, crooked, dishonest approach, attitude of Seychelles government, like Egypt, Tunisia, East Africa, South Africa - the corrupted media practise, control and dictate. For any nation to build/go forward you have to take a mirror, go by a brook and look yourself/itself closely} The current Seychelles government endeavour to go ahead in spite of all the global protests, from the COMECON, USSR, China, all the Balkan Nations, countless Asian nations, Latin American nations, very many African nations, surrounding Indian Ocean Nations and Central Europe as if nothing has happened, they are completely isolated they live on another planet. We set in place and put in motion Networks which would overcome such as had taken place - giving our Sechelles Seychelles EU communities far greater and enhanced understanding, working relation, possibilities they have/had ever had even in the days of their ancestral life in France - Europe. We were fully aware of our respective role as the process took place in the former COMECON, USSR, China, Africa, Asia that we would be contributing in advancing the Christian church work, the expansion in those countries of the Church work in education , medical social etc. Yet nobody in Seychelles or the world have cared or dare to mention and discuss this aspects.

Yet the out come today as we mark the 150 years of the Sisters of Cluny in Seychelles, the Statistic do not stack up/match up. From some 50 families or near 100that may have attempted to return and resettle, in today's Seychelles, the 1000 of Indian migrants, Philippine, Malagasy, Mauritius, African, Arabs, South African, East Europeans and Central Europeans who have benefited and taken over the place, the hard work of those exiles and their ancestors. Against the 50 to 100 original Seychellois Families who have returned and and tried to resettle the 4,000 if not 5,000 foreigners who have taken over , taken their rightful place and national rights.

The important and strong question to ask how much longer will this situation go - in exile, diaspora their are some 30,000 - 40,000 Seychellois, their families, children and grand children, wives and husbands they have acquired, married into meanwhile.

We have noted the important belief the founders of the Sisters of Cluny believed in and equally the work of sister William who decided to return to her native Ireland. Had such a situation, state of things taken place in France or Ireland the indignation and outcome. Where has all the great work some 200 years to educate our females, mothers and grandmothers, their dignity, pride and honour gone, the moral and Christian values importantly impressed, if not drummed into them fro birth to adult life. We are writing/addressing g those issues because we are involved and have been involved in the greater world interfaith practise and Christian values.
Our personal testimony - we thank the good sisters for their support when we were in hospital and as young adults and parents, we appreciated their supported over the past 35 years in Europe in very many daily issues related to our community wider working in EU. Their example on our young female generation face with the given media and other demanding exposures.

The world we live in and will hope to live in the future even those contemplating the Expo2020, those and such religious institutions their rightful role in the world and society, to keep and see that sanity prevails when all hell break loose and so call modern science and modern education practise takes over. Among all that the warning and manning that hung over the Heads of our ancestors - they can terminate, destroy themselves and humanity - the Biblical/Scripture warning heaven, that same God we pray daily for life, bread, love and compassion can be merciful and very consequent in retributions. History is full of it.

We thank Jane and her friends, those form the Seychelles College for their efforts to put together the Facebook commemorative site and the issues and images, the debate and hope it has reignited for all those who wish to become engage.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny
Religion in Seychelles
Religion in Seychelles 60
The History of “Regina Mundi” - Seychelles-eNews

Sr. William Pillion

Sechelles Seychelles Expo2020