World Confederation FMA Past Pupils Elections

Rome (Italy). On 16 August, the Council of the ‘Mornese’ World Confederation of Past Pupils of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians  met to appoint the President and the Vice President of the Confederal Council.

The Confederal Council is made up of the persons appointed by the Ordinary Assembly of the World Confederation and by the Delegate of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sr. Gabriela Patiño Osorio. The General Councilor for the Salesian Family, Sr. Maria Luisa Miranda, participates in the meetings with the right to vote.

After the installation of the members of the Confederal Council and the approval of the electoral regulations for the appointment of the Confederal President and Vice-President, the voting proceeded. Having acknowledged the outcome of the votes, the following are appointed:

• Maria Carmen Castillon, President for the six-year term 2021-2027.

Maria Carmen Castillon, of Mexican descent, lives in the United States with her family. She met the FMA by attending their Salesian school from the age of 6 in Guadalajara (Mexico) to middle school. She completed her computer studies and has business experience. She is a Salesian Cooperator and is committed to volunteering at the service of children and the most vulnerable people. In the last six years, she has been a Council member of the “Mornese”  World Confederation FMA Past Pupils. Her motto is “Joy in serving“.

• Olivia Furlan, Vice-President for the six-year term 2021-2027.

Olivia Furlan was born in Venezuela and lives in Italy with her family. She attended Mary Help of Christians Magistral Institute of the FMA in Padua (Italy) and started teaching in the Nursery School. She joined the Association of FMA Past Pupils  in Padua, holding the role of Councilor and President in the Venetian Federation of Padua. In the last six years, she has been Councilor of the “Mornese” World Confederation of FMA Past Pupils. “I am proud to be part of this great Family, for it I commit myself, I work, I hope… I dream!”.

The Mother General of the FMA Institute, Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, addressed her best wishes to the newly elected:

“Each of you, like every member of the Confederal Council, is chosen by the Lord and Mary Help of Christians to carry out this very important mission in the Church, in the Salesian Family, in society on a world level. … You are called to live a service with love, trust, hope, and joy. These are the typical values of Salesian spirituality that you will be able to translate into the mission entrusted to you and by bearing witness to them on the various occasions that await you. … We are called together, FMA and Past Pupils, to be bearers of hope, of joy, of solidarity, indeed of fraternity throughout the world”.

The newly elected President and Vice President thanked the President, Mrs. Maria Maghini, the Vice President, and the members of the outgoing Confederal Council for the activity carried out and for the skills put at the service of the Confederation.

The Confederal Council is entrusted with the programmatic guidelines defined by the VII International Congress held online on 30 July and 2 August 2021 on the theme “What resilience for the Association? Challenges, journeys, and perspectives”.