“He who loves you Calls for a dream that continues” – IMR

Torre Annunziata (Italy). On 25 June 2024, in the beautiful setting of Villa Tiberias in Torre Annunziata, the Provincial, Sister Ivana Milesi, and the Council of Our Lady of Good Counsel Province (IMR), with the whole Provincial Community, welcomed the Superior General of the FMA Institute, Mother Chiara Cazzuola and the General Councilors  at the end of the week of Spiritual Exercises lived in Sant’Agnello di Sorrento  to live together an afternoon of celebration and feast with the theme, “He who loves you Calls for a dream that continues”.

Although the summer sun gave way to the pouring rain, numerous Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, young people, lay people, priests from all corners of the Southern Province gathered to celebrate Mother and the Councilors. The desire was in fact to live a day on the theme of Vocation, at the end of a pastoral educative year in which the Provincial community committed itself to walk and grow as “Vocational Communities that generate life where they are”.

The afternoon was cheered by music, songs, and dances made by boys and girls of the different Houses, cultural and charismatic expression of southern Italy. A red thread was woven through the theme of the dream. Starting from revisiting Don Bosco’s “Dream at 9 years” in a modern key, the dreams that accompanied some Saints of the land of the IMR Province were retraced: Don Tonino Bello, Don Beppe Diana, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, originally from Albania, to reach the beloved Salesian Saints and  Founders, Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, all united by a dream of which they have made reality in their lives, giving themselves for Jesus and for others.

The dream then continued in the auditorium with the memory of the Jubilees of Religious Profession of some Sisters who in this year celebrate the 25 – 50 – 60 – 70 – 75 years of religious profession and, above all, of joyful fidelity.

There was also a moment of interviews/testimonies of various vocations: Mother Chiara Cazzuola, Sister Lidia Strzelczyk, Councilor for the IMR Province, Sister Giuliana Luongo who celebrates the 25^th anniversary of her profession, the young Gabriella Di Benedetto, Antonio Boccia, World Coordinator of the Salesian Cooperators and his wife Franca Oliva, parents of 3 children, including an FMA. With quick but profound questions, each spoke of their vocation and yes, in the Church, to God and to young people.

The feast ended with the greeting of Mother Chiara to those present, whom she thanked for the welcome and for the many signs of good. She invited them to respond to the Lord with the same passion of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, prolonging their dream with hope and in the “prophecy of together”, in the certainty that every boy and every girl can always be reached and educated and it is important to “be there” for them.

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