We are delighted to share this testimony, originally published on the Facebook page of Vida Cristiana en Cuba, which, as it explains, tells the story of two Spanish Daughters of Jesus who, now in their retirement years, said “yes” to Cuba.
The text: “𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗔 𝗬 𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗜𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗧𝗔, 𝗙𝗜: 𝗘𝗟 𝗖𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗢 𝗩𝗢𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗔 𝗘“FROM THE JUDICIAL BRANCH,” written by Raquel Núñez Caro, is shared in its entirety below.
Two Lives United by “Differences of Faith”
“Telling the story of Rosa Orts Gonzalvez and Enriqueta Seva Ortuño—in broad strokes, the two nuns of the Daughters of Jesus congregation, known as the ‘Jesuitinas’—is a task filled with admiration.”
Both are originally from Elche, in the Valencian Community, and they share many similarities—or “diosidences”: they were born in the same place and entered religious life in Granada on September 24, 1981, where they spent their postulancy, novitiate, and juniorate together—the three initial stages of formation in any order or congregation. Once these stages were complete, they never again served in the same community, although they carried out nearly identical pastoral work: serving in rural areas, with Romani and migrant communities, and at the congregation’s schools and public schools.
However, a challenge they had never imagined awaited them: coming to America, as they say in Spain, after having already reached retirement age—at least officially speaking.
The Fourth Vow: Availability
This is where the fourth vow comes into play. In religious life, there are the three canonical vows, known to all: chastity, poverty, and obedience. For some congregations, however, there may be a fourth vow; for example, the Jesuits’ vow of obedience to the pope is well known. Well, the Daughters of Jesus also have one: the vow of availability.
That is why, when faced with the assignment offered by their Superior General, they said yes, quite naturally and without doubting that Cuba was where God wanted them in this new stage of their lives. It is curious that, months earlier, the Mother General had sent letters to the communities asking for volunteers to come to Cuba; they did not respond, and yet they were the ones chosen. In this, we believers see the light of the Holy Spirit in the discernment of the superiors. It was symbolic that the Mother General communicated the decision regarding the new mission to them on December 3, the feast day of Francis Xavier, the great missionary and patron saint of those who go to bring Jesus Christ to distant lands.
Arrival in Cuba
And in Cuba—which sounds easy to say, but those of us who make our way through this land know it isn’t—we are living through the worst social, economic, political, and migration crisis of the past sixty years.
Rosa and Enriqueta arrived on this island on July 28, 2023. They were welcomed in Havana by Sr. Raquel Amigot, FI, and quickly made their way to Bayamo, where the Jesuit Sisters live and work. As I spoke with them, I asked about their first impressions: when they arrived at the Bayamo bus terminal, it seemed to them like a place ravaged by war, and one of them recalled the stories her father used to tell her about the Spanish Civil War. Despite this, however, they were happy and confident.
The Pastoral Work of Rosa and Enriqueta
Today, they carry out a wide range of pastoral work. Rosa works at the diocese’s formation center, where she serves as coordinator, and she travels to the outlying neighborhoods for celebrations of the Word and adult catechumenate programs. As she puts it: “I also devote myself to managing everyday life: standing in line, running errands, making the most of the hours when the power is on, and everything else that we ordinary Cubans know is part of getting through the day.”
Enriqueta—Enri, as she’s called—also devotes herself to “making everyday life work,” but not her own or her sisters’, rather that of many vulnerable elderly people, for whom she stands in line at the pharmacy—often getting up as early as 4 a.m.—and brings them Holy Communion. Above all, she dedicates her time to ministering to them: spending time with them, especially those who are most lonely. In addition, she helps out at the cathedral, in the choir, and with whatever else is asked of her.
And, as if all that weren’t enough, every fifteen days they go up to Buey Arriba, a large town in the Sierra Maestra, and spend the weekend at the parish, doing everything that needs to be done there, alongside Fr. Karol, a Polish missionary.
Words That Remain
At the end of the article, each of them shares a few words with us—whether as a wish, a piece of advice, or, why not, even a rallying cry.
Enri’s are:
“Live with hope and keep moving forward—keep moving forward always.”
Enriqueta Seva Ortuño
And here are Rosa’s:
“Wake up—many things can only be understood when you experience them firsthand: hope, open hands ready to work for Cuba, and rebuilding based on justice for all.”
Rosa Orts Gonzalvez
“Thank you, sisters, for coming to this land to walk with us; you are a clear sign that God does not abandon us.”
The fourth vote, today
Rosa and Enriqueta’s witness is, at its core, the vow of availability brought to life in their daily lives. Anyone who wishes to explore the origin and meaning of this commitment can read *Our Fourth Vow: Availability for the Mission, a document resulting from a study conducted by a commission of the Institute between 1982 and 1983, which reflects on what it means for the Daughters of Jesus to commit themselves to going “anywhere in the world” that obedience may call them, just as Mother Candida herself lived it out.
The text is available for reading in the Resources section of our website.
