Seek my face!

Castel Gandolfo (Italy) On 7 August 2020, with the Rite of Initiation into Religious Life, fifteen young women from Italy, France, Hungary, China, and the Middle East, made their official entry into the International Novitiates of Mary Help of Christians, Castel Gandolfo ( Rome) and Sister Teresa Valsè Pantellini of Rome, Via Appia, belonging to the Roman Province of St. John Bosco (IRO).

Present were Sr. Nieves Reboso, General Councilor for Formation, Delegate of the Mother General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; the Postulancy Formator, Sr. Celestina Corna; and the assistant, Sr. Manuela Gubana, some Provincials and FMA of the Provinces of Italy, and the Communities of the two Novitiates.

The celebration began with the greeting of Sr. Nieves Reboso, who called the young women by name, and who expressed their willingness to live the Salesian life and the desire to know the Constitutions more deeply.

Sister Celestina Corna presented the medal, a sign of belonging to the Institute, and entrusted the fifteen new Novices to Mary Help of Christians. After reading the Word of God, Sister Nieves, taking the verse from Psalm 26 “Seek my face!”, chosen as the motto for the celebration, encouraged each one to seek the Face of the Lord with passion and perseverance, to discover more and more and better in His loving gaze, the plan He has for each one.

Sister Nieves then entrusted the Novices to their respective Formators: Sister Maria Giovanna Mammarella of the Novitiate of Rome, and Sister Teresa Espinosa, of the Novitiate of Castelgandolfo, while the Novices of the 2^nd year expressed their welcome to the Novices of the 1^st year.

In conclusion, the Formators expressed the joy of undertaking the journey with the new group and thanked for the grace received from God in the task of helping the young women to mature in their vocation to Salesian Religious Life.