Windows and Wells

The window at the Valponasca

Our day opened with an up-lifting Morning Prayer and reflection on “Windows and Wells”.

We are called to keep an open mind to the Spirit who calls us to remain connected, allowing the Light of that same Spirit to shine through us, down to the bottom of our ‘well’. We need to allow it to up-root life’s obstacles that can inhibit the air of God’s life getting in and through us. 

Our evening reflection spoke of ‘Discernment’, of Trasna, our crossing place.  We are called to acknowledge the sacredness in our Sisters and to seek out the goodness in each one. We need to keep in mind that the road is there, but I must make the path.

The well at the Valponasca

We ended the day with a most enjoyable recreation and a great laugh with games called Animal Animation and Bomb the City.

Valponasca

On the way to the Valponasca

Our day began with a very reflective prayer entitled: “Finding the treasure within”. It was in this spirit that we set out to spend the day at the Valponasca.

It was here at the Valponasca that Maria’s formation as an adolescent and young woman took place, as Sr. Máire explained in her presentation. “The time she lived here was spent in prayer and work. This was perhaps the richest period of her life, the basis on which she built a strong personality, open to God and others” (On Life’s Pathways with Main).

Mass at the Valponasca

Mass was celebrated by Fr. Anthuvan SDB our chaplain. Afterwards we enjoyed a beautiful lunch, or should I say a feast, which was prepared lovingly by Sr. Ines, the cook and delivered by Sr. Rosanna to the Valponasca. We ate heartily, enjoying every morsel.

After lunch and time for photos we entered into a time of prayer and reflection pondering on:

• ·         How the location /setting of the Valponasca spoke to us.
• ·         Some aspects of Main’s life as lived at the Valponasca.
• ·         What we would like to take away with us from this place as an inspiration for our life and our community.

We were invited to express this in symbolic form later.

Group photo under the Valponasca window

We reassembled at 4pm. to pray together and share on how this special place with its prayer window, sloping hills covered in vineyards, its silence and peace, spoke to our hearts and our lives.

It was evident from the sharing within the group, that Maria’s life had deeply touched us and called us to live our Salesian vocation with renewed determination and love.

Some of us returned home by the well, where Maria had drawn water before setting out for daily mass.

Before supper the sisters from the Philippine province (FIL)  gave a presentation on the wonderful work being carried out there.

Another blessed and grace filled day came to an end.

Mass with the Mornese people

Mass in the Parish Church

Morning we had a prepared reflection sheet which we prayed privately in our own time taken from St. Columba and Thomas Merton.

As the Parish bells tolled out over the hills of Mornese reminding the people it was time to gather for Sunday Eucharist. We too filed into the Parish Church remembering it was here St. Mary Mazzarello had attended Sunday Mass with her family.

The altar was beautifully decorated. Fr. Pier Lugi Martini PP welcomed Fr. Anthuvan Tharsis SDB and all of us from different parts of the world. Fr. Anthuvran concelebrated Mass with the P.P. and read the Gospel in English’s. Rosily Theckanath read the second reading in English; A lady led the choir and there was congregational singing. All were in good singing voice. We sang a hymn after Communion. At the end of Mass Fr. Pier thanked Fr. Anthuvan and wished us every blessing and happiness for our stay in Mornese. The people were very welcoming.

Mass in the Collegio Chapel

In the afternoon there was time for Reflection, prayer, reading and sharing. We had Eucharist in English at 5:30pm in the College.
Another fruitful day. 

The Gift of Life

Inside the Parish Church at Mornese

The morning session facilitated by Sr. Josephine Rani focused on how Main grew in her life of faith. Having an intelligent awareness of God from childhood and provided with a religious environment in the family and in the parish, Main gradually matured particularly through the guidance of her parents and Fr. Pestarino.

Through the patient pastoral care and guidance of Fr. Pestarino, the people of Mornese were able to overcome the Jansenistic mentality until they learned to give importance to the frequent reception of the Eucharist. As a child, Main received spiritual direction from Fr. Pestarino as she faithfully attended catechism lessons and little by little learned to value regular Confession although, at first, she felt a certain repugnance to it.

The baptismal font in the Parish Church at Mornese

In the afternoon, we visited the parish church which is the center of religious life in Mornese and where Main was baptized. We also entered the small (original) chapel attached to the church which was the meeting place of the DMI when they had an invited speaker such as Fr. Frassinetti. Then after the tour in the sacristy, we had a prayer service in front of the baptismal font. After renewing our baptismal vows, we had the ritual of using the water from the baptismal font as we made the sign of the cross. This became an occasion for us to be grateful once again for the freshness and the richness of the gift of faith we have received when we were baptized and to continue to witness to this faith in everyday life.

A part of the beautiful animated nativity model
 done by the Mornese people

The last activity we had in the parish was the visit to the parish crypt where a unique display presenting Christ’s birth in the midst of everyday life in Mornese. It is indeed an interiorization of the mystery of the Incarnation. God has really come to dwell among his people. Our eyes also wondered at the collection of “presepi” (nativity scenes) coming from the different FMA communities all over the world.

In the evening, we gathered once again for a presentation by the Bangalore Province of their work for the children of the slums, which is one of their ways of being one with their people.

Exultation of the Cross

Prayer around the cross

On the 14th Day of the month we celebrated the solemnity of the Holy Cross. At the morning hours of the day we gathered in the chapel of Mary Mazzarello for the Morning Prayer. With great devotion we sat around the wood of the Cross and reflected on Maria Mazzarello’s devotion to the crucified Lord. Seven sisters read from the letters of M. Mazzarello where she has written to her sisters on the need to cling to Jesus Crucified in the face of difficulties and struggles. As the prayer ended each sister placed her own Cross at the feet of Jesus in a symbolic gesture with the determination to belong to the Lord all through the Day. It was an experiential moment of prayer led by Rev. Sr. Edna Mary.

At 9.30 am Sr. Edna Mary enlightened us through a PowerPoint presentation the topic 'Significant persons in the life of Mother Mazzarello''. Among others the two important people are Don Bosco and Rev. Fr. G. Frassinetti. Though she did not copy what these two great people wrote and taught, her writings, especially her letters are coloured by it. In all her 68 letters which are available to us she clearly expressed her individuality; for example in Letter 35 she writes: ''freely do all that charity requires''.

The original altar of the Chapel in the Collegio
where Maria Domenica and the first Salesian Sisters
made their vows

At 11.30 am we had the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. During the homily the celebrant stressed that among the difficulties and problems we should always remain cheerful. In the evening once again in the company of our saintly foundress in her own room we gathered around the Crucified Lord. In the stillness of our being we contemplated the immense Love of Jesus for each of us and received from him our own cross and the strength to remain faithful to HIM forever. 

by Sr. Rosily T