Par Élodie Comoy, Chargée de Communication de la Province, Province d'Europe-BFMN
On September 26, 2026, over 100 sisters and partners-in-mission gathered at the Motherhouse at Angers, France, for a simple, symbolic gesture: planting five trees representing the five communities present on the complex.
This initiative forms part of the l’Initiative mondiale « Poumon vert » launched by the Congregational Leadership Team, which invites us to become more aware of our responsibility toward Creation and to make our concrete commitments signs of hope for our world.
Five Communities, Five Trees
Each of the five communities is now represented by a tree. For the Euphrasie Pelletier Community, the Paulownia fortunei ‘Fast Blue’ is traditionally associated with good fortune, happiness, and prosperity. The International Community’s Ginkgo biloba symbolizes duality and balance: its fan-shaped leaf, divided into two lobes, represents the union of yin and yang, harmony, and the balance of opposing forces.
La Arc-en-Ciel Community is represented by the Judas tree. Beyond its association with Christian legend, its bright-pink blossoms emerge directly from bare wood before the leaves appear, making it a symbol of rebirth and of life overcoming winter.
For the Magdala Community, the large-leaved lime tree symbolizes love, peace, protection, and longevity. The maple tree represents the La Garenne Community, reflecting its associations across many cultures with freedom, independence, strength, and transformation.
These five trees were planted near the two cedar trees already present on the site, given some years ago by our sisters in Liban.
The gardeners had prepared the ground in advance: they dug the holes and purchased the trees so the planting could take place together.
The tree planting was preceded by a blessing of the four elements: fire, water, earth, and wind. Fire that lights and warms, water that gives life, earth that receives the seed, and wind that blows and brings life.
Through this gesture, Sœur Anya Borbon, Director of the spiritual center, and Sr. Marie Luc Bailly, Province Leader of Europe-BFMN, invited us to renew our perspective on our common home and on the bonds that unite us with it.
Planting a tree is therefore a concrete gesture, but also a spiritual one. A tree needs time to grow. It puts down roots, moves through the seasons, and gradually becomes able to offer shade.
This moment brought together all the sisters living on the site, as well as CLT Councilors Srs Josita Corera, Marie Françoise Mestry, et Yolanda Sánchez, Le père Jean-Michel Amouriaux, Superior General of the Eudists, and participants in the spiritual session organized by the BFMN Province.
Five communities, five trees, four elements, and one shared earth. These trees are now living signs of our common commitment.
