Rome (Italy). The Mother General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sr. Chiara Cazzuola, with Circular No. 1015, on the way to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Foundation of the Institute, and in continuity with the XXIV General Chapter, takes up the invitation to be generative communities.

In the post-chapter itinerary, the icon of Cana and Mary’s words to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5) continue to accompany the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in their commitment to be in contemporaneity a “living presence” that generates life.

A generative charism

Mother Chiara observes, “Generativity is a current and fruitful theme,” in a time marked by the experience of the pandemic, in which “a great need to be regenerated” emerges, and in the FMA Institute in which we are aware of a “strong need for generativity”.

Generativity is at the origin of the history of the FMA Institute. It is Mary Help of Christians who wanted, generated, and guided it over time and continues to generate it 150 years after its foundation. Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello were accompanied by Mary, they involved the young people in their project, and gave life to missionary communities in the Church and in society:

Mother invites us to “Let us allow ourselves to be infected again by their attractive and fascinating holiness in order to be generative communities, capable of awakening the original freshness of the vocational fruitfulness of the Institute. Those who generate, value and strengthen the resources of each one, even the hidden ones”.

The community is the first place where one learns, “even with the limitations and frailties of each”, to accompany each other and to accompany young people to discover and respond to God’s plan in their lives, to live in communion, and to sustain oneself in fidelity (cf. C 49), to recognize the will of God, and to welcome it in the signs present in the sisters, brothers, and situations (cf. C 30).

Considering today’s reality of consecrated life, called to an evangelical-charismatic rebirth, “the first decisive commitment”, says Mother Chiara, “is to awaken the passion for Jesus and the passion for education”.

The quality of life of the Institute and educational fruitfulness are linked to formation, in which it is necessary to invest with more determination and on which the solidity of the vocational response depends.

To be a significant presence

Mother Chiara suggests that to be generative like Mary, it is important that every FMA and together as a Community, verify if God is truly at the center of the heart, of the choices, of the entire life and mission. “When God is at the center of life, of communities, of mission, our presence becomes capable of radiating light and joy”.

Mother recalls some charismatic examples that can help to find “the secret of educational fruitfulness:” in the life of Mother Mazzarello, “a woman who, only with her ‘being there’, revealed God because she was inhabited by Him and lived constantly in Him;” in the mysticism of the “da mihi animas” and in the asceticism of the “cetera tolle” precious heritage of Don Bosco and St. Francis de Sales.

She also indicates the letter written by Don Bosco on 24 May 1886, in the appendix to the Constitutions and Regulations of the FMA Institute, in which the Founder outlines for the FMA “a path of evangelical radicality, an essential condition for being ‘vocational’ communities'”.

The Acts of GCXXIV call upon the Educating Communities to assume the vocational culture to help young people discover and live their own life project. It is a responsibility, underlines Mother Chiara, which for the FMA is “an expression of fidelity to the prophetic dynamism of the charism,” and it is this responsible fidelity that “can make our communities truly generative in the Church and in the various contexts where God asks us to work”.

Mother Chiara Cazzuola ends the Circular by reminding, as already communicated to the Provinces by the Vicar General, Sr. María del Rosario García Ribas, that the World Feast of Gratitude, organized by the Piedmont Province of Mary Help of Christians (IPI), will take place in Turin, Mornese, Nizza, and will have as its guiding thread the presence of Mary, in harmony with GC XXIV.

In conclusion, she wishes everyone “to live Lent as a time of relaunching the journey of holiness, ready to ‘go forward with a big and generous heart’ (L 47,12)”.

Circular no. 1015

2 COMMENTS

  1. Muy querida Madre Chiara, muchas gracias por la circular, realmente muy en sintonía con el Capítulo General, el desafío es para cada una “generadoras de vida”, Don Bosco en su carta del 24 de mayo de 1886, claramente es explícito al delinear que Hermanas necesita el Instituto para responder a las necesidades que siempre son actuales. Madre…Gracias por recordarnos!!!
    Finalmente todo se verá al final de la vida… cuando Dios nos llame a su presencia. ¡Qué estemos preparadas”. Dios le bendiga Madre!!! … Le acompaña mi oración en su misión.

  2. Grazie Madre Chiara per questa bella e significativa circolare , proprio pos capitolo abbiamo avuto una trasmissione del capitolo come la nostra Ispettoria e molto estensa ancora ne avremmo tre momenti in altri stati,,,,

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