Lonavla (India). The Provincial Gratitude Day of the St Mary Mazzarello Province, Mumbai, was celebrated on 14–15 February 2026 at Auxilium Convent, Lonavla.
Following a month-long preparation by every community of the Province, the event unfolded under the theme “Holiness: A Journey of Hope,” becoming a luminous expression of thanksgiving for the Sisters’ tireless dedication to the educative mission in schools across the Province.
The days preceding the celebration were marked by reflection and dialogue. On 12 and 13 February, animators and educators gathered to revisit the Guidelines for the Formation Period of the Temporary Professed and to renew their commitment to safeguarding policies. These sessions, imbued with urgency and responsibility, set the spiritual and pastoral tone for the Gratitude Day, reminding all that holiness is lived in the daily fidelity of mission and care for the young.
The celebration itself began with a grand welcome. The Provincial, Sr Meenakshi D’Silva, her council members, animators, and educators were greeted with a daring Mallakhamb performance by the primary students of Auxilium Lonavla—an artistic symbol of balance, courage, and discipline.
Skating girls then led the Provincial and her team into the chapel, where the Vigil service, animated by the Community of Kune under Sr Moksha, unfolded as a tapestry of prayer, gratitude, and memory. Past and present pupils testified through video clips to the Sisters’ years of service, weaving together voices of continuity and hope.
The cultural program that followed was a crescendo of creativity: a melodious welcome song, a graceful prayer dance, and the opera Echoes of Tomorrow, which reminded all that the ripples of today shape the horizons of tomorrow, that mistakes are stepping stones, and that learning is a lifelong journey. Sr Meenakshi’s words of gratitude at the close of the evening resonated as a gentle reminder that the celebration was not an end but a beginning.
The spirit carried forward seamlessly into the next day, as prayer became a living symbol of hope. The Community of Ahmednagar guided the assembly along a path of rose petals leading to the Cross, a reminder that Christ is the source of strength and purpose in mission and community. Each Sister received a personal message inscribed on a dove, wreath, hand, or root—symbols affirming their unique value and irreplaceable role in the Province’s journey.
Gifts were then exchanged: offerings from the communities of Madhya Maharashtra and tokens prepared by the Province for each community, embodying mutual gratitude and shared mission.
The solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr Avil Correia, SDB, drew the congregation into the heart of the theme. With fervour and simplicity, he reminded all that consecrated persons, especially within the Salesian family, are called to holiness in the footsteps of Don Bosco and St Mary Mazzarello, guiding the young along this same path. The Eucharist flowed naturally into the felicitation program, where the Provincial, her council, and the educators were honoured for their years of service. Each was personally appreciated as a unique contributor to the Province’s vocational and mission journey, their dedication shining as a beacon of hope for the future.
The celebration concluded with a sumptuous fellowship meal, where laughter and gratitude mingled freely, and the bonds of communion were strengthened. As the assembly dispersed, each Sister and educator carried home not only memories of a grand celebration but also renewed zeal for the educative mission, inspired by the conviction that holiness is indeed a journey of hope—one lived together, day by day, in gratitude and love.
