Alicante (Spain). On 23 and 24 January, 2026, the first Congress of the Schools of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Mary Help of Christians Province (SPA) was held at the Maria Ausiliatrice School in Alicante, bringing together more than 350 education professionals under the motto “Dreaming to grow: I entrust them to you.” Sister Herlinda Palomino, a collaborator in the Youth Ministry Sector of the FMA Institute, also participated in the Congress.
On the first day, the participants explored the Salesian charismatic roots of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, which enable them to live in the present while building the future. The two presentations in the morning left them with an invitation to dream.
“The dream is the first educational act,” said Sister Magna Martínez, FMA, Professor of General Didactics and History of Education at the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences Auxilium in Rome, in her presentation in which she retraced the history of the Institute in Spain, highlighting the numerous challenges overcome by the FMA sisters in almost a century and a half.
Looking at the educational horizon from a Salesian perspective, with hope and creativity. This is the proposal of Father Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, Councilor for the Mediterranean Region of the Salesian Congregation, who invited the participants to dream big about the future, building the present as “heirs of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello.”
After dreaming in the morning, the afternoon was dedicated to “growing”. Emi Rosado, Coordinator of the Schools of the SPA Province, moderated the round table “Growing by helping others grow: Accompaniment as a tool for growth”.
“In these difficult times, we need strong friends of God to support us in the lives we live and in our mission.” These are the words of Teresa Gil, a Teresian nun and Doctor of Spiritual Theology. Pablo Romero, a university professor, emphasized the need to “build a Salesian culture that is able to sustain us.” Both provided the congress participants with the keys to forming more humane, supportive, and prophetic educating communities.
“The best version of yourself doesn’t come out when everything is easy, but when you decide to move forward despite the difficulties.” This sentence perfectly summarizes the life of the last speaker of the day, Mireia Cabañes, a former student of the FMA (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) in Valencia. At the age of 7, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a tumor that cost her the loss of part of her left leg. Since then, her determination has continued to grow, overcoming numerous adversities. She has also set herself challenges that have led her to compete in Paralympic sports such as Para surfing, a discipline in which she is a world vice-champion. It’s no coincidence that her motto is “Change ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’.”
The second day of the Congress focused on the theme of trust. Xavier Marcet, an international consultant and expert in innovation, strategy, and humanistic leadership, outlined the path to transformative leadership. “The sum of ambition and humility is the philosophy of our founders,” he stated. He also reminded the audience that “artificial intelligence exists, but not artificial wisdom.”
The final presentation was given by Andy Stalman, one of the world’s leading branding experts, known as Mr. Branding. He reflected on how a brand can become a symbol that inspires change, belonging, and transformation. He cited as an example “Don Bosco’s ability to see change and embrace it. A dreamer who saw change as an opportunity.” He also encouraged opening one’s heart to others through eye contact and embraces.
The Educating Communities of the FMA centers played a leading role in the Congress. Through four “Moments of Trust,” students, families, educators, and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians were given a voice. These dialogues showed how education is experienced from within.
The meeting was also distinguished by the active involvement of the collaborating organizations and companies, whose support strengthened the open, cooperative, and interdisciplinary nature of the Congress, fostering the exchange of experiences and best practices among professionals and institutions.
The Congress concluded with a message of thanks from the Commission of Salesian Schools to all those who made this historic event possible, a dream come true. As a final symbolic gesture, a male and a female student, accompanied by the Provincial Superior, Sister María Rosario Ten, collected the keys placed at the feet of the image of Mary Help of Christians. Now is the time to dream in order to grow, because that entrustment of Mary Help of Christians to Mother Mazzarello – “I entrust them to you” – is a mission that continues to remain alive.
