Rome (Italy). On 30 March 2026, in Rome, at the Generalate of the Franciscan Angeline Sisters, 36 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians ranging from 7 to 10 years of religious profession from Mary Mother of the Church Preprovince (RMC) participated in a day of formation, accompanied by the Preprovince Superior, Sister Jessica Salvaña, and the Formation Coordinator, Sister Anna Trotti.
“Fire Within: Interiority and the Joy of Vocation Today” is the theme explored throughout the day, developed by Father Mario Llanos, a Salesian of Don Bosco, through a journey of three words: Fire, Mystery, and Love.
The meeting began with a moment dedicated to interiority, during which each participant chose an image capable of representing her inner life. Silence and contemplation made it possible to recognize what currently fuels the vocational fire, and what, conversely, risks extinguishing it. This personal reflection prompted an inquiry into what nourishes one’s inner life, the difficulties involved in tending that fire, and the moments when one’s vocation feels most alive. Sharing in small groups helped give voice to those things that are often difficult to express, fragilities, doubts, and deep desires.
The second session was dedicated to recalling the initial vocational call. Through a series of questions, each participant retraced her earliest memories of that call, the places, people, emotions, and words that marked the beginning of her journey. There emerged the joy of those first steps, at times accompanied by apprehension, and the image of God as perceived at that time; a presence that calls, sustains, and challenges. The participants acknowledged what remains alive of that initial “yes”: the faces that served as gifts along the way, the concrete signs of God’s faithfulness, and the moments of fragility that became spaces of mercy. It was emphasized that vocational maturity stems from the transition from “He called me” to “I choose again,” from that initial sense of wonder to the daily responsibility of renewing one’s response.
During the third session, the theme of safeguarding the vocational fire was explored in depth, viewed both as an act of self-care and as a living flame. In a group setting, participants reflected on the factors at the communal, institutional, ecclesial, and social levels that either aid or hinder a vocation. Among the supportive elements identified were prayer, listening, openness, understanding, availability, compassion, collaboration, and healthy social relationships. Conversely, the obstacles recognized included indifference, individualism, superficiality, excessive activism, a lack of attention to small details, a lack of a sense of belonging, and the abuse of power. It was emphasized that a vocation is a fire kindled by God, yet one that we are called to guard with love. This fire must be nurtured, protected, and rekindled. Vocation is fundamentally relational; prayer sustains and protects it, whereas withdrawal into oneself extinguishes it.
Furthermore, “powerful words” from Scripture and Tradition resounded: the prophet Jeremiah speaking of the burning fire within the heart, Paul’s exhortation to rekindle the gift received, and the affirmation of Saint John Chrysostom, according to whom nothing is more precious than a heart that burns for God. It was also recalled that young people seek passionate witnesses, people who live out what they profess, and that consecrated life survives not through habit, but through passion.
The fourth session focused on mission as the expansion of one’s inner fire. Several spheres of action were identified: community, schools, youth, personal accompaniment, and digital presence. Participants reflected on the inner attitudes to be cultivated to ensure that the fire of Jesus spreads, on concrete gestures to “ignite” others without “burning” them, and on how to keep one’s own inner life alive while engaged in mission. Each group formulated an iconic phrase and proposed several concrete actions to make the fire of love visible in daily life.
The day concluded with a Marian moment dedicated to the “fire of Mary.” On a small flame-shaped card, each participant wrote down a gift, a personal trait, a gesture, or an experience of Mary’s fire in her own life. All these “flames” were then placed beside the image of Mary Help of Christians as a gesture of entrustment and gratitude. It became evident that vocation is a living reality, a fire that God ignites, and which we are called to tend with care, fidelity, and love. To keep this fire burning, one must cultivate one’s inner life, keep alive the memory of one’s first love, choose each day to remain faithful, foster authentic relationships, and allow oneself to be guided by a passion for God and for young people. Ultimately, safeguarding one’s vocation means safeguarding one’s own heart.
