Haledon (United States of America). From 22 August to 30 September 2025, members of the English Translation Group (ETG) from the five continents –Sister Patricia Finn (AFM), Sister Isabel Geraghty (GBR), Sister Jemella Joseph (ING), Sister Judith Suprys (RCG), Sister Edna Mary MacDonald (SPR) – gathered in Haledon, New Jersey at the Provincial House of St. Joseph Province (SEC) for their annual meeting.
Sister Colleen Clair, SEC Provincial, welcomed them and made the Provincial library available to them, provided technological equipment, where the team was able to work in a spacious and bright environment, overlooking a suggestive landscape. As far as possible, the group participated in community life, sharing ideas and experiences with the FMA, meeting young women in initial formation, Aspirants and Novices, as well as older sisters, one of whom is celebrating 100 years of age.
The sisters’ work focused on the translation of the practical commentary on the FMA Constitutions under the direction of Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General Emeritus, and Sister Piera Cavaglià, and entrusted to them in 2024 by the General Secretary, Sister Maria Luisa Nicastro. In Circular 1049, Mother Chiara Cazzuola shared that, in the spirit of ongoing formation, each FMA should receive a personal copy, to continue to delve deeper into the contents of the FMA Constitutions and live them with enthusiasm in daily life.
The group therefore worked on this text, which in English has the title: The Constitutions of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians: a journey of holiness in everyday life.
Before this face-to-face meeting, each member of the ETG translated, in her own Province and according to its her own times, the part of the text that had been assigned to her. They then sent the complete work to each other, for initial corrections.
On the first day, time was taken to agree on the procedures to follow to merge the translated sections. The work then continued with reading aloud the translated text, in comparison with the Italian text, with the annotation by each of any changes to be made to the translation, so as to make the text more understandable to readers, while maintaining fidelity to the Italian text. This first and detailed reading took the group about ten days. The same process was followed for the second and third readings of the text.
Once the third reading was completed, the translation was sent to the General House for layout. The paginated text will then be sent back to the FMA members of the ETG for revision of the drafts. The final version, complete with corrections, will then be sent to India for printing and distribution to the Provinces that placed their orders.
Depending on the length of the text, the process of translating a text into English takes about a year: from the initial selection of the text, to individual translations, to the annual working meeting, to layout and correction, up to printing and distribution.
This process requires each of the Sisters to be proficient in both English and Italian, to seek advice on terminology, to persist on a concept that is difficult to translate until a consensus is reached, to be consistent with established procedures, to consider the thinking of others, and to persevere together, so that words find their truest meaning. The translation work, day after day, is monotonous and demanding, but giving birth to a text in another language, so that readers can enjoy it, is the goal they want to pursue.
During their stay in Haledon, the five FMAs also had some moments of leisure, such as their participation in the play Noah, by the Sight & Sound Theater, a company from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which gives life to biblical stories by highlighting the power of God. The performance took place on a panoramic stage. From the three-story-high sets, to the live animals on stage and in the theater’s aisles, the show immersed two thousand spectators on a journey back in time as Noah, recognizing God’s presence in the uncertainties of life, strove to live faithfully amidst an increasingly chaotic world.
The group also had the joy of visiting some significant places in New York City, with Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which offers panoramic views of New York Harbor, the city, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. The tour also included a visit to Ground Zero, Times Square, and Central Park.
The ETG FMA expressed gratitude for everything they received from the SEC Province and each returned to their own reality truly enriched by this unforgettable experience.
Viva Gesu! Thanks to you dear Sisters of the ETG for your dedication and generosity.