Celebrating a Story of Grace with La Madre

She came. She saw. She conquered. Yes, the FMA Superior General, Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, came as a Mother visiting her Daughters and their Educating Communities in the Philippines. She saw the needs that arise from the devastation caused by the two most destructive tropical typhoons that hit the country just two weeks before her long-awaited visit. And she conquered the hearts of everyone with her loving presence, which brings timely help and lively hope so much needed by the Filipino people. She made the Sisters and the people feel the love and concern of the whole Institute through her assuring and consoling words and gestures.

Indeed she is tangible sign of hope, like a rainbow that arcs majestically across the sky after the storm, a rainbow reminiscent of the one which appeared after the great floods at Noah’s time for God’s people to remember it as a sign of the renewed Covenant of love with Yahweh.

To celebrate a story of grace is to heed this call to a renewed Covenant with God, who has been loving and guiding the Philippine Province for the past 25 years, and will never cease doing so.
In the context of a national calamity, La Madre’s visit is a concrete expression of God, who continues to love and visit his people to awaken in their hearts a sense of greater responsibility, solidarity and concern for one another.

October 17, 2009 - La Madre’s proposal to modify and simplify our anniversary festivity was a decisive choice for sobriety assumed by the Sisters and their Educating Communities in solidarity with our suffering people, as well as to channel resources instead to augment the relief goods for the calamity victims. The chosen venue for the simple gathering was Canlubang, Laguna, where we have three communities.
The Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by three Salesians was preceded by the solemn dance interpretation of the “La Naval” to commemorate the miraculous naval victory, attributed to Our Lady of the Rosary, by the Spanish-Filipino troops over the Dutch forces in 1646. After this the Provincial Council, the community animators and representatives of the Educating Communities in Laguna accompanied La Madre to visit Barangay (village) 2 in Calamba City, an area badly affected by the floods. After a meaningful prayer with the people, approximately 300 families received relief goods of rice, canned goods, pails and charcoal stoves from Mo. Yvonne’s hands. As a sign of Mary’s motherly presence, Mother Yvonne gifted the community with a statue of Mary Help of Christians, which she entrusted to the barangay chairman, the leader of the local territory. “Mary is our Help and Mother who will always stay with you to guide and protect you” were the words of La Madre which gave the people great consolation, hope, joy and the courage to rebuild their lives.

In the evening, more than a hundred youth leaders, lay and FMA animators coming from different communities in the North gathered for a friendly encounter with La Madre at Don Bosco School in Sta. Mesa, Manila. It was organized by the Youth Pastoral Team to offer the young and the lay animators an intimate experience of dialogue and of prayer with La Madre. In such a very familiar manner, Mother told them that she loves them all and that the Sisters will be sad without them. She likewise challenged them to have a living encounter with Jesus, to weave trust, to build good relationships among them and to be witnesses of joy and hope.  The Taizé prayer was particularly offered for the Filipino people during these difficult moments of trial and suffering. The power of praying together as a community was a force and a source of strength and courage because God is present in history. 

October 18, 2009 – A day of celebration and thanksgiving for the 25th anniversary of the canonical establishment of the St. Mary D. Mazzarello FIL Province! The encounter of the Sisters with La Madre began with a prayer celebration which recalls with gratitude the unfolding of God’s marvels in the history of the Province from its beginnings in 1984 to 2009. In response to the great love of God, and in gratitude for the Institute, the Sisters renewed their vows and offered their commitment, symbolized by the roses they placed at Mary’s feet.

The message of La Madre based on the 22nd General chapter was a challenge for the Sisters to make the Salesian charism more brilliant and contagious by being living signs of Jesus. It is our faith in him that gives meaning to life, nourishes hope and renders the educative mission truly prophetic. She also invited the Sisters to decisively undertake the journey of conversion and to stake all for the education of young people.

The afternoon was a moment of celebration with the Salesian Family. Representatives of the Salesian Fathers, Salesian Cooperators, Volunteers of Don Bosco, past pupils, the Board of Directors of the Laura Vicuña Foundation, benefactors and a number of young people joined Mo. Yvonne and the Sisters for the Eucharistic Celebration and a simple dinner. Three short multimedia presentations on the history of the Philippine Province, the life of Mo. Yvonne and the FMA relief operations enriched and contextualized the celebration.

A solemn blessing sung and bestowed on Mo. Yvonne by the whole assembly, led by the representatives of the Salesian Family, with their right hands stretched out to pray over her, crowned the Sunday liturgy. This gesture really moved the heart of La Madre!
Greetings, agape, innumerable photos tried to capture the flux of blessing upon blessing in the celebration. Everyone, like Mary, will surely treasure all these in one’s heart with gratitude.

The story of grace continues to be written in many lives touched by this woman who represents Mary among her people. Mo. Yvonne came, saw and conquered hearts, which will never be the same again after a life-changing ENCOUNTER with her. 
 
Sr. Maria Socorro Bacani

Nel 2 settembre nella casa ispettoriale dei salesiani a Xuan Hiep (Ho Chi Minh City), migliaia di giovani migranti si sono radunati per festeggiare in occasione della celebrazione dei 150 anni di fondazione della Congregazione Salesiana.

Accompagnare i giovani migranti nella loro vita, offrirli una educazione umana e cristiana, creare un ambiente dove questi giovani si sentono accolti, possono trovare gli aiuti necessari e vivere in un’amicizia serena è un impegno della Chiesa in Vietnam, e particolare dei salesiani e delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice in questo paese.

Da dieci anni le FMA lavorano in questo campo in diversi posti. Questa festa è una buona occasione perché i giovani lavoratori possano incontrarsi e sentirsi appartenere ad una famiglia grande e così da diversi luoghi, anche questi giovani, accompagnati da 10 FMA, sono venuti a festeggiare con la Famiglia Salesiana a Xuan Hiep.

Dopo la cerimonia di iniziare con la danza di tamburo tradizionale e il corteo del grande quadro di don Bosco, don Giovanni Nguyen Van Ty SDB che lavora nella Commissione di Pastorale dei migranti della diocesi della città di Ho Chi Minh ha presentato la storia della fondazione della Congregazione Salesiana, una congregazione dedicata all’educazione dei giovani poveri e abbandonati nascendo dal fatto che Don Bosco aveva la compassione dei giovani laboratori immigrati nel suo tempo vedendo la loro situazione.

In seguito alla presentazione è il momento del dialogo e condivizione, in cui i giovani hanno raccontato la loro vita o hanno fatto delle domande. La Festa ha continuato con la Celebrazione Eucaristica celebrata dal Ispettore salesiano don Giuseppe Tran Hoa Hung con 25 sacerdoti.

Poi si è fatto festa insieme con la cena e teatro, danze, canti...

Tornando a casa i giovani lavoratori sono felici per la gioia di incontrarsi, di cantare e danzare insieme e soprattutto per sapere di non essere soli, ma essere al centro di attenzione amorosa di una famiglia religiosa così grande.

«Il regno dei cieli si può paragonare a un granellino di senapa, che un uomo prende e semina nel suo campo. Esso è il più piccolo di tutti i semi ma, una volta cresciuto, è più grande degli altri legumi e diventa un albero, tanto che vengono gli uccelli del cielo e si annidano fra i suoi rami» (Mt 13, 31-32)

150º anniversario di fondazione della Congregazione Salesiana La Famiglia Salesiana ieri ed oggi: il seme è diventato un albero e l’albero un bosco


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