Rome (Italy). From 20 February to 12 March 2023, 26 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, coming from five continents, participated in the Mornese Project for Animators, organized by the Formation Sector of the FMA Institute.
The participants arrived in Rome, at the Generalate, full of enthusiasm, commitment, and responsibility for the mission entrusted to them: a Mornese Project of study and experience on charismatic places to plan projects for Sisters and laywomen/men for the six-year period 2022-2027, starting from the suggestions of the verification of the previous six-year period and from the Guidelines of General Chapter XXIV.
During the first Goodnight, the Superior General of the FMA Institute, Mother Chiara Cazzuola told them, “You have been chosen, therefore, let Don Bosco and above all Mother Mazzarello speak.” And so, they did; it was a cheerful, helpful, flexible group, guided by the Salesian spirit.
The 1st stage of the Project began in Rome, where they experienced three days of full work listening, thinking, and writing the objectives, the purpose, the charismatic elements that we wanted to highlight in this new proposal of the Mornese Project.
The 2nd stage took place in the footsteps of Don Bosco, towards Becchi, Chieri, Turin, revisiting the places already seen and recognizing new organized spaces, such as Casa Don Bosco Museum in Valdocco. They were able to pray in front of the painting of Mary Help of Christians, thanking and asking for the intercession of the Mother of Heaven for so many situations in the Institute, the Church, and the world.
In the 3rd stage of their pilgrimage, they went to the heart of the Institute, Mornese, with its mystique: House of Birth, Mazzarelli, Valponasca, village houses, parish, and school. Despite the external temperature, which in the first days did not exceed 3°C, their hearts reached 35°, because each FMA intensely visited the places, stopped, and prayerfully prepared something special for each group that will participate in the projects that will take place in different languages: French, Italian, English, Polish, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Although the ‘icing on the cake’ was Mornese, the novelty of the Mornese Project for this six-year period is a 4th stop in Nizza Monferrato, where, in addition to reviewing the places where the first Sisters passed and where Mother Mazzarello died, they were able to think a new proposal: to deepen the Preventive System embodied in Nizza Monferrato, especially in the light of Mother Emilia Mosca.
Returning to Rome with hearts and minds filled with the richness of contents and experiences, the animators continued to work to translate the feminine Salesian spirit, already widespread throughout the world, into these languages and cultures.
Now, with great enthusiasm, the Animators invite every Sister and lay person belonging to the realities of the Institute to participate in the Mornese Project as an opportunity to revive the beauty of one’s vocation at the sources of the Salesian charism to be a life-generating presence with Mary today.
