Bratislava (Slovakia). From 17 to 21 March 2026, Saint John Bosco Province (SLK) of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians organized a pilgrimage to Mornese focused on vocational discernment.
About fifty people from Slovakia and Azerbaijan participated in the experience: 20 young people, 12 FMA, including the Provincial, Sister Jana Kurkinová, as well as Past Pupils and family members.
Padua, Mornese (AL) and Turin were the main stages of the itinerary prepared by the FMA Temporary Professed. The participants spent the majority of their time at the places of origin in Mornese, where they gradually retraced the life story of Mary Domenica Mazzarello and the beginnings of the FMA Institute, and had the opportunity to linger at these and other sites relevant to the visit. The program alternated moments of listening, silence, and prayer with moments of joyful fellowship, various activities, and the building of mutual relationships.
Here are some of the impressions shared by the young women:
“Walking toward Valponasca allowed us to truly experience what Main experienced. The weather was inclement; it was cold and the wind was blowing, but our journey was filled with prayer, adventure, and laughter.”
“As we visited other places in the town, questions began to surface in my mind. How would I have acted in her place? Would I, too, have been able to be so tenacious and creative in love? All these places revealed to me her courage and her tenacity.”
“As I stood in front of the typhus house, listening to her story, scenes from the film we had watched the night before played out before my eyes. I felt Main’s desire to help, but also the suffering she subsequently endured, and deep down, I admired her.”
“For a moment, I felt as though I were one of the girls educated by Main. We went to the cemetery, where, at sunset, we recited the Rosary in several different languages. The highlight of the evening was an activity in which, divided into small groups, we prepared skits depicting the qualities we believed Main possessed. We continued with a question-and-answer session, during which we posed questions to the Sisters and listened to their responses. Some questions were just for fun, while others revealed their inner selves to us. That night, I fell asleep filled with a sense of gratitude for having had the opportunity to encounter Main in so many different facets of her work and, above all, in the hearts of these Sisters.”
“When we arrived at Roverno, a rather unusual task awaited us. The white canvas we had brought with us had to be washed in the stream. We were given some soap and set to work just like in the old days, right there in the cold water. At first, it felt a bit strange, but fortunately, the Sisters showed us how to do it. There was no shortage of laughter.”
“For many of us, it was precisely the farewell to the little town of Mornese, which, in those few days, had managed to find a place in the hearts of us all, thanks in no small part to Mother Mary Domenica.”
“Our thanks go to the Salesian Sisters and to all the pilgrims, but above all to you, Mother Mazzarello, for having allowed us to know you better and to love you. You were a woman full of courage, for you were not afraid to go against the current and to follow the guidance of the Virgin Mary.”
