A Token of Gratitude to Our Animators

My dear Sr. Edna Mary, Sr. Maire O’Byrne and Sr. Josephine Rani,

With great pleasure, joy and love we have been waiting to thank you. We highly esteem and much appreciate your marvelous communication skills, amazing sisterliness and wonderful Silesian spirituality. In short your life is a feast to our eyes. We entrust ourselves and our mission to your prayers, while requesting the same for us.

The whole group around THE well

My dear Sisters,

As we walked towards the source of our origin

Thinking sanctity a frightening mountain

Ha! We found the glorious holy fountain

In the simple and humble land where it all begin.

The window has been the spring board,

And the well has been the footboard,

And for the chosen, it is a notice board

Thus you joyously , humbly serve as signboard.

The window infuses self-confidence to peer out,

And with audacity and faith to say out,

“Do  whatever He tells you”, to  shout out,

Mary and Rosary our devotion you cry out.

The window widens your horizon

You become sensitive to listen

To the end of the world you hasten

The loving Father’s kingdom to widen.

The well promotes this determination

With joy and cheerfulness to the destination

With humility and courage, a good combination

To free the world from condemnation.

The window and the well are one

To blend the divine  and the human into one

East or west, North or South we are one

To make known  the  Holy One.

For this, Dear Mother Mazzarello ,you live

In these zealous and  patient hearts you live

In these untiring and loving service you live

Dear sisters,  you are the living Mazzarello.

With much love and deep gratitude,

Sr. Anne Augustine, INK, Bangalore, India.

Visit to Nizza

This morning had a different beginning for us as we started with breakfast at 7:3o am. As this was our last day of Project Mornese and we were going to spend it in Nizza Monferrato . The bus had arrived from Rome and we were on our way at 8:15 through the winding hills of Mornese and on to Lerma and Ovada.

Nizza - Old Monastery and Chapel (Our Lady of Graces) bought by Don Bosco

On the way we prayed a very reflective morning prayer entitled “Seeds of New Life” as our theme for today is “Letting G ” after the example of St. Mary Mazzarello.

Sr. Máire told us about Nizza and the great sacrifice it was for St. Mary Mazzarello to move away from her beloved Mornese after spending 42 years of her 44 years there. Don Bosco had bought Nizza as he had seen the need to move the Mother House from Mornese for the following reasons if the young Institute was to survive and flourish:

1. 1Mornese was isolated and difficult to reach.
2. 2 Air was strong , young Sisters were dying.
3. 3 Nizza was near Turin and more central for a Mother house.

Maria Mazzarello's room

In February 1879 the Mother house was transferred to Nizza and remained there until 1929.

It was from here that Sr. Mary Mazzarello wrote a lot of her letters. From here Sisters were moving further afield. Her own Sister left for Sicily.

Sr. Mary Mazzarello went with the third group of Missionaries to Marseilles. While in France, she visited the Sisters in St. Syr.

Sr. Mary Mazzarello health was failing and she developed pleurisy. She had three wishes and God granted all her wishes.

1.    Sr. Mary Mazzarello lived to celebrate her birthday on May 9^th.

2.    Fr. Cagliero returned from America and she was able to speak to him.

3.    She died on a Saturday, which was also the anniversary of Don Pesterino.

Chapel of Our Lady Help of Christians at Nizza

At last we crossed the river Bilbo and soon the bus was speeding up the long avenue to the house. Beautiful Lime trees are growing on both sides of the avenue to the house.

The Sisters were waiting and gave us a very warm welcome. We were treated to a welcome morning snack.

Afterwards we were invited to take a tour of this special house.  We began in the Chapel which goes back to the fifteen hundreds.

This was the chapel Mother Mazzarello, Sisters and girls prayed in. Each year the local people come here on the 23^rd and 24^th of May to honor Mary Help of Christians and they call the house “La Madonna”.  We had Mass here at 11:30.

Welcome to lunch at Nizza

Next we climbed the stone stairs that St. Mary Mazzarello often climbed and visited her bed room. This was a very special moment for all of us as we were very aware we were standing on holy ground. Here we had a special moment of prayer and we renewed our Vows.  It was here St Mary Mazzarello breathed her last before uniting with the God she loved.

We were warmly treated to a delicious lunch. Hospitality was exemplary. During lunch we were enjoying seeing the many children at recess.

We then visited the Memorabilia of St. Mary Mazzarello time and were amazed at what we saw.

Soon it was time to say good bye to the Sisters at Nizza and get on the bus. Our next stop was St. Joseph’s house for the elderly. M. Marinella and other Sisters were waiting to welcome us. M. Marinella spoke to us in the Community room and we visited the chapel. We were treated to beautiful refreshments and left very satisfied with our visit.

Group photo with Mother Marinella at Nizza

We finally visited the Sisters Cemetery and saw the graves of our Sisters. We prayed for all those buried there.

Visit to the Cemetary

We made our way to the bus and headed for Mornese after a very full and blessed day.

Desert Day (Rekindle the fire of Love)

For our Morning Reflection, we were asked to "Be still and acknowledge the movements of the Spirit within. Sit with Jesus - Listen and discern act...”

Re-enkindle the fire

Sr. Edna Mary spoke on the "Eye of our Mind and Soul and its importance in our life. We each received a red paper flame, which we wrote our name and placed by the fire built up with twigs and sticks from the Valponasca and stones from the Roverno.

The day was passed in silence and recollection. Some sisters stayed at the Collegio, while others went to Mazzarelli and two went to the Valponasca. At 5.15pm we gathered for our Evaluation on our time spent at "Mornese". The SUA Province gave their Presentation on Vocations and on statistics of houses and number of sisters and presented their work in the university residence in Illinois. This was followed by Holy Mass at 6.30pm prepared by Philippine Sisters." Fr. Anthuvan spoke of how the Spirit of Mornese needs our whole self both heart and soul. This was followed by our evening meal at 7.30pm.

by Sr. Esther Murphy GBR

Ha! Window of Valponasca

The Valponasca window

What did you  do dear Window? 

I stood static and remained heavenward

The little girl of Mornese came to me

‘There’, I showed her the abode of the Lord,

The Lord who abides forever in her heart.

She frequented me in all  the seasons

Thus for her siblings, she herself a window.

Then, what did you do dear window?

The young and the old often approached

Their childish ways  were not reproached

I was open and happily  welcoming

The family folk kept coming

Then what did  you do dear window?

I watch Mary growing in wisdom

A  hard worker and a friend of all

Charity reigns supreme in her

A dream began to shape her. 

by Sr.  Anne Augustine  INK- Bangalore, India.

A Day for Mother Mary

The bright sunrays peep into our rooms and we woke up with high spirit to make the maximum use of the last days of our project Mornese 2012. 

Mass in the Chapel of Mary Help of Christians at the Collegio

The morning prayer was at 7.30 on “Mary , Mother and Inspiration” by Sr. Maire O’Byrne our animator, which filled our eyes with tears and  our hearts with pride and our thoughts with hope, for we know that she will continue to accompany us  and our recipients in the days to come.

The Angelus set the right tone the day by contemplating the foreseeing love of God to begin the day. We see Mary as an outstanding  woman who mirrored this love in  her everyday relating with others. The refrain of the morning prayer “Guide us on the journey, show to us the way, Be our home of resting, comfort when we stray , Guide us with your wisdom  and your blessing share” is a good package for our life and mission as we prepare to leave Mornese to our communities.

In the morning session Sr. Maire O’Byrne  presented “Mary in the life and teaching of Mother Mazzarello’s  life” shows  that Mary’s name is very  much connected to  Mother Mazzarello and her family. The members of her family including she , were  named after Our Blessed Mother Mary. She lived in the shadow of the church of Mary Help of Christians. When the dogma of Immaculate Conception was   proclaimed as a dogma of faith ,  Fr. Pesterino infused devotion in his parishners  in Immaculate Conception.  Mary Mazzarello became an ardent follower and later she joined the ‘Pious Union of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate.  When she was stricken with typhoid in 1861 the image of Auxilium Christianorum was her refuge . It is thought that she contracted typhoid on 15^th Aug., the day of Our Blessed Mother and she recovered from it also on 7^th Oct., the day dedicated to her.

As superior of the Institute she told the sisters that Mary is the real  Superior of the house and  she left the keys of the house at the feet of Our Lady. She conducted recreation and held good night at the grotto of May. She led pilgrimages to Gavi,  Lerma, Rochetta etc. the shrines of  Our Lady. Her letters her conversations  and recommendations have Mary as her theme. Her suggestions to prepare for the feasts of Our Lady also exhorts that she is a real devotee of  Mother Mary.

St. Mary Dominica’s discipleship, her commitment, Spirit of renewal, Christ centeredness, Asceticism, Interconnectedness, her wholeness in the practice of the vows, everyday effort to become better and holy, her awareness of the presence of Mary in the daily living of the Institute , the missionary ardour  preparation  of sisters and sending them in the first and second missionary  expedition were highlighted. For the expedition she sent  her greetings to the sisters.

The  spirit of Mother Mazzarello  today invites us to launch  into the deep.

Shortly after the class Sr. Godaluppe  highlighted  the miracles by the Servant of God Sr. Maria Romero at Costa Rica. The origin of the miraculous water and the miraculous cure of the crippled boy . She distributed water and oil from  Costa Rica.

After a short break we had Holy Mass animated meaningfully by  the sisters of Timore  ESTE Province. The entrance dance was of the culture of Timore in which all took part holding  the names of the first missionaries and pioneers  to various nations.T he Statue of Our Lady , the lighted candles, Globe, walking stick And a pair of shoes, water, wine  etc were offered with a touching commentary. The celebrant Fr. Maria Arul Anthuvan Tharsis  Sdb commented on the critical life sitations of Our Lady, St. Mary Mazzasrello and Servant of God Mother Tresa of Kolkatta.

A scene in the new Maria Mazzarello film

After lunch sisters dispersed for their own personal work. At 3.00 p.m. Sr. Marie, Sr. Edna, Sr.  Rani and Fr. Andhuvan led us to the cemetery at Mornese. Sr. Marie showed us the tomb of our sisters and the small chapel belongs to the FMA. We visited other tombs, began the Rosary but due to the sporadic rain came back saying the Rosary in groups.

After Supper we had the recent film on Mary Mazzarello named ‘Main’ .We thanked  God for the good day and dispersed.

by Sr. Anne  Augustine INK Province, India