Castel Gandolfo (Italy). On 7 August 2025, in Castel Gandolfo, Rome, 14 Postulants from Italy and various Countries of Europe made their official entrance into Mary Help of Christians Novitiate of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, accompanied by their own Provincials, the Animator, and the Assistant of the Postulate of Turin.
The ceremony with the Rite of initiation into religious life was led by Sister Maria Luisa Nicastro, General Secretary of the FMA Institute. It was a moment of prayer lived in an atmosphere of meditation and familiarity, in which the new Novices received the medal and were welcomed by the Formator, Sister Luisa Menozzi, and by the entire Novitiate Community. The second year Novices and some newly professed FMA were present at the celebration.
“In your hands” is the slogan chosen by young people for this new step in the formative journey, which was the setting for the whole day. Motivating the choice of this slogan and of the readings (Jer 18: 1-6, Ps 138, Mt 7: 21.24-27) the neo-novices used these words:
“It is with this desire that we come here today, that our whole being may become like docile clay, available to let itself be shaped in the hands of the potter. Faced with God’s concern and love for us, we do not want to miss the opportunity to meet and know more and more the One who is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. We wish this new time of discernment to be an opportunity to be rooted in Him more and more by listening to His Word, in fraternity among ourselves, and in generous service, remaining with our eyes and hearts attentive and sensitive to the situations of the Church and of the world.”
Sister Maria Luisa, in her presentation, wanted to reiterate the exceptional nature of the jubilee year that the Church is experiencing and of the celebrations that have just concluded in the General House for the 50th of Mother Chiara’s profession and for the first professions, underlining how the Institute moves in communion and within a Church that vibrates with the love of the Lord.
She then commented on the readings, highlighting the complementarity of clay and rock as elements constituting the personal reality of each one, held together by the treasure of the Word of God, “a Word that has reached you and that now promises to incarnate itself in you making you ‘new’, initiated.” She concluded by calling on the new Novices to entrust this time of formation to the intercession of Blessed Maria Troncatti, who will be canonized on 19 October.
The celebration was followed by a pleasant moment in which the second-year Novices welcomed their new companions with a skit, taking up the passage from the chosen Gospel. After lunch together, the Provincials and Sisters present returned to their Provinces.
Auguri, sorelline! Siate felici come lo sono serata io in questa casa che sempre porto nel cuore. Prego per voi. Mi addormento tante volte con il pensiero in adorazione davanti al tabernacolo della vostra chiesa. Questo tabernacolo lo abbiamo acquistato noi al mio tempo. Prego per voi.