Rome (Italy). From 3 to 23 June 2025, 34 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from four continents, comprising 13 provinces of the Institute, arrived in Rome at Sacred Heart House of St. John Bosco Province (IRO), to live the experience of Project Mornese in English, organized by the FMA Formation Sector of the Institute with the aim to “Rekindle the beauty of our vocation at the sources of the Salesian charism, to be with Mary, a presence that generates life today.”
The group began its itinerant journey led by the Coordinator, Sr. Jeanette Palasota, Sector collaborator, and the animators: Sr. Paz Bandalan of St Maria D Mazzarello Province (FIL), Sr. Teresa Jojo of Mater Ecclesiae Province (ING) and Sr. Edna Mary Macdonald of Mary Help of Christians Province (SPR), along with the chaplain, Fr. Paul Raj Irudayaamalraj, SDB of the St. Thomas the Apostle Province (INM).
Sr. Nilza Fátima de Moraes, General Councilor for Formation, gave the inaugural discourse in which she stressed the importance of deepening the understanding of the identity and charism of the founders, inviting all to rekindle within themselves the fundamental values of faith nourished by the early years of the Institute. At the Good Night, it was an absolute pleasure for all the participants to welcome Mother General, Sr. Chiara Cazzuola. She encouraged all to read and reflect on the personal correspondence of St. Maria D. Mazzarello. She emphasized that through this suggestion each could absorb the depth of Mother Mazzarello’s spirituality particularly during this time of vocational renewal offered to each participant.
1st stage in Rome, 3 – 6 June. At the heart of the Church and the Institute – to deepen one’s ecclesial and charismatic sense of belonging. The first stage took place in the city of Rome enabling all to be courageous evangelizers and enthusiastic proclaimers of God’s Word. The participants had the privilege to attend the General Audience of Pope Leo XIV. His words still ring loud and clear in the hearts of the participants, particularly in this Jubilee Year of Hope, promulgated by his predecessor, Pope Francis: “God never gives up on us. He is always ready to accept us. He gives meaning and hope to our lives”. The guided pilgrimages to both the Catacombs of St. Callistus and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, built by Don Bosco, intensified their faith. The visit to the Basilica of Mary Major rekindled the Marian dimension of their lives, being the basilica that honors Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Snow – the ecclesial event occurring on 5 August 358 and the FMA charismatic one on 5 August 1872!
The guided visit to Casa Generalizia enabled all to experience the depth and extent of the various sectors of our Institute (e.g. formation, youth pastoral, communications, secretarial) which, collectively, offer every FMA throughout the world a unified formative journey of holiness with and for young people. This experience enabled all to appreciate evermore and implement all that is offered in their respective provinces.
2nd stage in Turin, 7 – 10 June. In the footsteps of Don Bosco – to forever learn to be a creative and courageous presence like Don Bosco, at the school of Mary. Visiting Colle Don Bosco, Chieri, and Turin, the participants were all touched by the originality of Don Bosco for ‘his’ boys. As a child he didn’t seem to have much of a promising future but he emerged stronger than ever through hardships, hunger, poverty, trials, and difficulties to give a future to many abandon and poor boys. The participants were struck by the fact that from nothing he became a very great person because he was open to God’s will whom he contemplated in the Eucharist and put his total trust and abandonment to our Mother Mary. He used all means and occasions to win over the boys giving Jesus to them: the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, catechism, the Good Night, outings, entertainment, teaching Christian and humans values and, very lovingly, he gave the boys a Mother, Mary.
Following the footsteps of Don Bosco, the participants resolved to work joyfully, generously and with humility for the good of young people; to love God greatly through the Holy Eucharist and to have great trust in the intercession of Mary the Mother of God in order to use everything one has and is for the salvation of youth.
In a significant moment of reflection and prayer in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, each one entrusted to Mary the key of their own lives, the future of their provinces, and the mission among today’s young people.
3rd stage in Mornese, 11 – 19 June. With Maìn, on the paths of life – to renew the joy of our Salesian vocation to be, like Mother Mazzarello, a presence that generates life and hope. The participants experienced the third stage with the emotion of arriving at the “House of the love of God” in Mornese, a grace filled experience that brought joy, serenity, peace in the hearts of the participants. They found Mornese to be a home where God was working in silence. Seeing the origins of the FMA Congregation brought a lot of joyful emotions. The silence of Mornese helped them in deepen their friendship with God. It helped them to appreciate more their community experiences. The letters of Maria Mazzarello became life, because through them they saw her simplicity, faith, courage, audacity, cheerfulness, holiness, fervor and ardor for God, particularly in her use of seeing the heart of Jesus as an important meeting place and a place of comfort for her and the first Sisters.
The participants were able to meet Mother Mazzarello also by walking through her places of origin: on the road leading to the Parish Church, in the broad horizon of the Valponasca among the vineyards, on the banks of the Roverno. They imagined her sitting down to write some letters, and above all, they felt the invitation to go deeper in prayer and go wider in their acts of generosity in order to become holy, through contemplation and love for the Eucharist; to be life-givers in building community communion with the Sisters, among the children, young people, and the educating communities.
Through moments of silence, personal prayer and group sharing, they were able to hear the voice of Maìn saying, Courage, let Jesus be your whole strength. Each participant saw this as an invaluable treasure.
4th stage in Nizza Monferrato, 20 – 22 June. The Preventive System in the FMA Institute – to deepen the Preventive System embodied at Nizza Monferrato. The last stage of the historical-spiritual itinerary brought the FMA to the Casa Madre of Nizza. The participants saw Nizza as a house of love, joy and sacrifices. Maria Mazzarello gave her all without counting the cost. Her desire for the good of others made her work hard for the expansion of the Institute. Willingly accepting the sacrifice, she was uprooted from Mornese to be planted in Nizza in order to give life – life that would bear abundant fruit. At Nizza the windows of her heart opened up to the wider world. She kept expanding her vision because God was leading her and Mary Help of Christians was guiding her. Here the Sisters lived the preventive system and made it a method and a spirituality of everyday life.
In the room of Mother Mazzarello, the participants sat around her bed. They heard her words – “I have placed all my trust in the Lord and Our Lady Most Holy” … “Let catechism, be catechism’’. Their hearts were animated by the desire for a life given without limits like hers; an ardent commitment to God to live a holy, charismatic life through the implementation of the Preventive System, with the certainty that great sacrifices produce a greater good. The participants realized that it is a greatness that can only be discovered when one is rooted in God and trust in his faithfulness. Nizza symbolizes the greatness to which the Institute is called and our first FMA left all future generations with the desire to do everything for the greater glory of God.
The names of many FMA Sisters and the way they practiced the preventive system resounded within the walls of house of Nizza: Caterina Daghero, Emilia Mosca, Elisa Roncallo, Enrichetta Sorbone, and many others, strengthened their vocation as consecrated women and educators. Here the passion for today’s young people was rekindled, guiding the group towards a future of hope. All were invited to identify two strategies of the Preventive System written at the back of a card of Mary Help of Christians, to be implemented in their own educating communities upon their return. On 20 June 2025, the group also partecipated in the Rosary on the hill of the Mother House in front of the restored statue of Mary Help of Christians.
Return to Rome, the participants expressed their gratitude for what they had experienced:
“We return to Rome with an eternally grateful heart, not only for the richness of content and experiences but also for the witness of the FMA in each community visited: Rome, Turin, Chieri, Mornese, Nizza and the fraternity experienced in intergenerational dialogue and in caring for one another throughout the Project Mornese experience. We pledge ourselves to continue to live the spirit of Mornese, making our communities ‘Mornese in outreach’, communities that generate life in today’s society. We cannot conclude this pilgrimage without thanking God and Mary Help of Christians, Mother Chiara Cazzuola, Sr Nilza Fátima de Moraes, General Councilor for Formation, and our provincials, for allowing us to truly experience the beauty of our vocation at the sources of the Salesian charism, to be with Mary, a presence that generates life today. We pray to the Lord to send abundant blessings on all those who have guided us for the past three weeks to make this experience possible, in particular the dedication and organization of Sr Jeanette Palasota, the Coordinator of Project Mornese and the animators: Sr Paz Bandalan, Sr Teresa Jojo and Sr Edna Mary MacDonald.”
