He went down to Capernaum, together with his mother

Rome (Italy). On 26 and 27 February 2022 the group of nine new FMA missionaries in formation at Mary Help of Christians Community of the Generalate (RCG) of Rome, with the Councilor of the Sector for the Missions, Sr. Ruth del Pilar Mora, and the Sector collaborators, lived a residential weekend in Casa Santa Rosa in Castel Gandolfo, Rome, in St. John Bosco Province (IRO).

“He went down to Capernaum, together with his mother” (Jn 2:12) was the reference Gospel verse of the days, combined with the symbol of the fishing net. The objectives of the experience were to deepen the knowledge among the young FMA coming from Brazil, Chile, Philippines, Ghana, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Vietnam and to favor the exchange between the Sector and the group, sharing this time in simplicity and openness.

In the introduction to the days and in the Lectio Divina, Sr. Ruth took inspiration from the homily of Pope Francis for the XXVI World Day of Consecrated Life on 2 February 2022 and from the episode of Peter’s call (Lk 5: 1-11).

The Councilor accompanied the new missionaries to recall the beginnings of their vocation, offering an outline of reflection to re-visit the motivations that led them to respond to the missionary call ad gentes.

“What is the place for me now on the journey of preparation for the mission ad gentes? What does this empty net mean for me, starting from what I am and what I would like to be? What is the Word of God that prompts me to put out into the deep? What does the Lord ask me to leave of my life in order to be more and more available to let myself be embraced by Him and to follow Him? ” are the questions she left to each one.

During the two days, spaces and times for reflection and personal prayer alternated with moments of group sharing and joyful fraternity. The place surrounded by nature, the welcome by the FMA Community of Santa Rosa, the listening, and the mutual gift that each one is for the other, aroused the desire to live other moments together to contemplate the beauty and continue, refreshed, the journey towards their missionary destination.

At the end of the weekend, the new missionaries were given colored threads with which, through the various experience they will live during the year, they will weave their own net to finally put out into the deep.