Rome (Italy). On 17 January 2022, the first online meeting of the Province and Pre-Province Secretaries of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians took place with the newly elected General Secretary, Sr. Maria Luisa Nicastro, and the collaborators of the General Secretariat. The online connection, which was attended by about 70 Secretaries from all over the world, took place from Rome, the Generalate, at two different times, to give everyone the opportunity to be present.
Sr. Piera Cavaglià, Secretary General Emeritus greeted the participants and thanked them for the initiative, which favors ever more fruitful work at the service of the Provincial Communities. The 150th anniversary of the foundation of the FMA Institute (1872-2022) sees the Secretariats particularly committed to finding and organizing materials useful for narrating and celebrating the memory of the Charism actualized in different contexts, the seed of the future.
The Secretary General, Sr. Maria Luisa Nicastro, in her presentation recalled the figure of Mother Clelia Genghini (1872-1956), Councilor and Secretary General of the FMA Institute who, with her precious, scrupulous, and tireless work, allowed generations of FMA to read the “Cronistoria” and to be able to count on an archive and a secretariat that are well set up and organized. Sr. Maria Luisa concluded with two expressions that exemplify her spirituality, the soul of her commitment:
“The work of the secretaries is truly a bee’s job. It is up to us to make it pleasing to the heart so that there was a way for Jesus and Mary and honey for our dear neighbor.” (G. Capetti, “Mother Clelia Genghini”, Turin, Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, 1962, pp. 304 – 305)
“Every Secretary – or assistant to the Secretariat – is and must be like a small silent Host, without its own will and all serene peace, to be, like Jesus, the smile of life, in the hidden sacrifice of every moment, a Host raised to God by the hands of Mary Most Holy.” (Ibidem, p. 309)
The word was then passed to Sr. Maria Teresa Mastrotto and Sr. Danuta Rutka, responsible for the current archive with different tasks: registry registration, documentation of initial formation from entering the Novitiate to Perpetual Profession, documentation relating to requests for absence, exclaustration, and dispensation from vows; minutes with requests for Mother and the General Council, appointments of the Provincials, of the Provincial Councilors, and of the Animators.
The word was then passed to Sr. Maria Teresa Mastrotto and Sr. Danuta Rutka, responsible for the current archive with different tasks: registry registration, documentation of initial formation from entering the Novitiate to Perpetual Profession, documentation relating to requests for absence, exclaustration, and dispensation from vows; minutes with requests for Mother and the General Council, appointments of the Provincials, of the Provincial Councilors, and of the Animators.
This was followed by the presentation of Sr. Giuseppina Parotti and Sr. Irena Novak, from the Historical Archive, recognized and appreciated for the wealth of materials and for the collection, cataloging, and conservation of documents, including the Chronicles of the Houses, the Provincial Chronicle, the Discourses and Messages of Mother and of the General Councilors. An important connecting tool, published annually in two volumes, is the General List of the FMA Institute.
Sr. Katarzyna Renata Kasińska, Canon Law Consultant to Mother General and to the Council, she presented the link between consecrated life, in particular government, and the Code of Canon Law.
Sr. Angela Marzorati is responsible for the photographic and audio-visual Documentation Office of the General Archive, who keeps the audio-visual and iconographic material: photographs, films, videotapes, microfilms, audio cassettes, discs, CDs, DVDs, series of drawings, portraits received from the Provinces and concerning the history of the Institute, to complement the paper documentation.
Sr. Francesca Caggiano, member of the FMA postulation, briefly presented her commitment to the Cause of beatification of Mother Rosetta Marchese and other requests from Mother General and the Provinces. She invited the participants to spread and enhance the intercession of the sisters already in Heaven, also through the booklet “Heaven answers”.
At the end, the secretaries have the opportunity to ask questions and offer observations. Thanksgiving is mutual and cordial. Sr. Maria Luisa announced that other online meetings will be organized, aimed in particular at the provincial secretaries appointed from the second semester of 2019 onwards, since due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was no longer possible to organize an in-person course.
