Yolanda Sánchez Contreras Province Leader of Colombo Venezolana

Sister Yolanda Sánchez Contreras was elected Province Leader of the Colombo Venezolana Province on the 7th May 2017. She will begin her mandate on 9th June 2017. The Province Chapter was held in Bogotá, Colombia, from 1st to 10th May 2017.

Yolanda Sánchez was born in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, Colombia on 12th March 1962 and entered the Congregation in Cúcuta, Colombia in 1986. She made her first profession in 1990 and her perpetual vows in 1996 in Bogotá. Yolanda is a trained social worker (School ENDSS-Senegal) and holds other certifications in Human Rights: conflict and resolution; Human Rights course in Geneva, Switzerland; Formation for Formators (Bogota); health and social development (Bogota); diploma in Financial Reporting (University of Santo Tomas of Aquino-Bogota); Planning and Management for Community Development (Arauca, SENA-Colombia); area of Development of Human Abilities: Belonging to a Foundation (P.R.H. INC); a year of theology at the Catholic University in Angers; formation in catechesis and liturgy; formation for mission “ad gentes” at the Louvain, Belgium; formation in spiritual accompaniment (Perú); Other long distance studies include: Modern Slavery, Migration, and Inter-culturalism and Communication.

She has many years of experience in international missions in Senegal (1993-1994; 1996-2006), United States (2010-2014), Venezuela (2008), and France/Switzerland (2015-2017). Her apostolic experiences include ministry with women in prostitution; pastoral work in the prison; pastoral care of the sick; accompaniment with families; catechesis in preparation for sacraments of initiation; director of a training center and the empowerment of women; director of foster care for girls and women in vulnerable situations; resource person for the initial formation of candidates and novices to the religious life (in Colombia, Paraguay, Senegal and Venezuela); internship at the International Justice Peace Office in New York from September 2010 and then named as the Communications Coordinator of the GSIJP Office in New York and in January 2015 she was appointed representative of the NGO in Geneva (currently in this position).

Yolanda has also served as local leader and councilor in the former Sector of Senegal.

Members of the Province Leadership Team:

Apostolic Councilors are: María Ligia Usma Idárraga, Nidia Stella Quimbayo Garrido, Hennis Marlley Preciado Cortés, Gladys Elena Álvarez Pulgarín.

Contemplative Councilors are: María Angelina Santana López, María Rosana González Garzón, Rubistey Cardona Ríos.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Yolanda’s email is: yolasanco@gmail.com

Main source: rgs.gssweb.org