Rome (Italy). In the Choral Circular no. 1045, at the end of the winter meeting of the Plenum, Mother Chiara Cazzuola and the General Councilors of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians share their reflections on the path lived and the paths that open up.
My first thought goes to the Holy Year 2025, opened by Pope Francis on 24 December 2024, a year “presenting itself rich in experiences that leave a mark of light also on the path of the Institute.” The opening of the Holy Door invites us to become “Pilgrims of hope”, that is, “seekers of God”, in order to bring hope to young people and places them in a dimension of constant search:
In the journey of personal and community conversion that the Holy Year urges us to make, we ask with confidence for the theological virtue of hope, which is a gift from God and the fruit of our faith in Him.
A retrospective glance at the journey lived
Mother and the General Councilors concluded the year 2024 with a time of verification of their service of animation and government of the last three years, in the light of the Programming of the General Council (2022-2027). One of the significant experiences “that nourish hope and generate life in many parts of the world” is the realization of the Seminars for a generative animation, which involved the Councils and the Provincial Teams of each Interprovincial Conference (CIAM, CIME, CIB, CICSAL, CINAB, CIAO-SPR, PCI, CIMAC, NAC) and were “important meetings of vitality and communion with Sisters from the various Continents.”
By re-reading the experiences, “as a community that animates and guides the Institute in synodality,” the General Council was able to recognize “many seeds of life and, at the same time, the fragilities for which to ask forgiveness and entrust ourselves to the mercy of the Father.” They recognize that the assumption of missionary synodality “is an experience we build together, daily, trying to overcome the inevitable difficulties, to harmonize our differences, sharing the fraternity and joy of communion.”
The journey continues with the Triennial Verifications of CGXXIV, already begun with some Inter-provincial Conferences, with the involvement of local and provincial communities, in a “a time of grace and hope to evaluate together the processes under way; re-read the experience illuminated by the Word of God, the experience of our founders, and the challenges of contemporaraniity,” which will guide the Institute’s journey in the next three years towards CGXXV.
The gift of holiness with a missionary face
The Triennium in preparation for 150th of the first missionary departure of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, officially opened by the Mother on 14 November 2024, reproposes “the beauty and fruitfulness of the outgoing missionary communities, of Mornese first and then Nizza,” and nourishes the missionary character lived, not as an “addition to the activity of the Institute,” but as an “essential element,” since it “revives the family spirit, apostolic boldness, and collaboration within the Salesian Family.”
The wish of Mother and the Councilors is that the celebration of this special event may really touch the life of each one, of the communities and their own mission, involving all “in a new missionary call.”
“The slogan chosen: It is time to revive the fire, commits us to revive it together, rediscovering the missionary passion of every baptized person.” It is a passion strongly embodied by Sister Maria Troncatti, which also emerges in the slogan for her now imminent Canonization, and defines its distinctive characteristics: Mother, missionary, artisan of peace and reconciliation.
Building sites of hope
“Open Building Sites”, in response to the deliberations of GC XXIV, are some processes initiated with the collaboration of competent persons involved in the various specially constituted Commissions, including the updating of the Formation Plan and the Guidelines for the Educational Mission of the FMA, as well as reflection on the criteria for the revision of the Protocols relating to the Protection of Minors, and accompanment in the adoption of the Deliberation of the CG XXIV. “The search together, marked by moments of joy and fatigue, is always an experience of intense formation for all, of communion and discernment in the Holy Spirit,” emphasize Mother and the Councilors.
An important “family” event, to be held on 16 February in Turin-Valdocco, is the official opening of the 29th General Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco. It has as its theme: Passionate about Jesus Christ, dedicated to the young, with the subtitle, Living our Salesian vocation in a faithful and prophetic way – in view of which they express their support and assure prayer to the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, and all the Capitulars, “invoking on the Assembly the gift of the Holy Spirit and the presence of Mary Help of Christians, especially in the delicate moment of discernment for the election of the 11th successor of Don Bosco and members of the General Council.”
The Circular concludes with a wish addressed to all the FMA and Educating Communities, in this month rich in Salesian celebrations, of “nourishing the hope, typical of our charism and heart of our educative mission, making vital the words of Don Bosco, ‘Walk with your feet on the ground and with your heart in heaven’ (MB VIII, 752)” and with the invitation to make our own the prayer that Pope Francis proposes in this Year of Grace (attached at the end).
