It is always a blessing to meet again, Sisters and Associates, at the Assembly, to stop together, enrich one another, and resume our journey reinvigorated by the experience we have shared. This is what we lived together from March 27 to 30 in Ariccia, in the splendid setting of the Casa del Divin Maestro, where we were immersed in greenery overlooking Lake Albano.
The theme of the Italy Assembly, Let’s Contemplate Life, built upon the journey to deepen our contemplative dimension that we are making this year. The varied agenda helped us to contemplate Life and to broaden our perspective to the measure of God’s perspective. These were days of listening, dialogue, sharing experiences, and enrichment of wisdom.
On the first day we had a lively medley of experiences and images, which shed light on the seeds of life that are growing in the communities and among the Associates. We contemplated the beauty of the life given and received and gave thanks in a special way for the years lived in Pistoia in service of the poor, in the certainty that even after the closure of the community, the good that was planted will continue to bear fruit.
In the afternoon, the Sisters continued the reflection to build adult communities in sisterhood. Through a process of personal discernment, at the tables and in the assembly, the Sisters chose to continue to invest in their own ongoing, integrated formation, to hone their listening to one another, and to relearn how to have dialogue; to guarantee support of the communities in situations of fragility; and to valorize and implement the community plan.
The Associates, after joyfully welcoming the new members, shared in a fraternal atmosphere their thoughts and feelings that arose from the vision of the “real life” of every community. With gratitude, what emerged was the Sisters’ tenacity, their communion, even in their vast diversity, their total and faithful obedience to God’s plan, and the older Sisters’ resilience and constant and needed support in prayer. The Associates were especially touched by that palpable red thread that unites the Sisters and Associates who were generated by Mother Frances.
In the evening, during the celebration of the eucharist, we welcomed the First Covenants of Santina, Stefano, and Patrizia. The emotion was truly intense: they shared their profound joy and gratitude with open hearts for the welcome they received into the family of Mother Frances, how they came to know and love her charism, and their desire to be, like Her, a “gift” for the poverties that they encounter in everyday life.
On the following day, Fr. Paolo Gamberini, SJ, offered us an intense contribution on the contemplative dimension of life and on the prayer of quiet, as loving attention to God’s presence and rest of the soul in God. This form of prayer helps us in our daily lives to stay centered in God and to look at Life within us and around us with God’s eyes. In the afternoon, we experienced contemplation through some workshops and we finished the day merrily with games, music, and dancing.
On Sunday, the concluding day, we had an open and peaceful dialogue with the Leadership. Following that was Mass, during which we gave thanks for the 25th jubilee of profession of Sr. Wilma Molinari and Sr. Paola Zaccaria and the 50th jubilee of Sr. Viera Farinelli.
A special thank you to the Team that organized this assembly and see you next year!!!
Patrizia Mascheroni, Stefano Grigoletto, and Sr. Marvi Delrivo
