Rome (Italy). On 14 November 2024, during the direct streaming in which the Superior General of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Mother Chiara Cazzuola, officially inaugurated the Triennium in preparation for the 150th anniversary of the first missionary expedition of the FMA (14 November 1877), the official anthem that will accompany this time and event has been launched.
Among the various proposals from all over the world, the hymn, “It is time to revive the fire” was chosen, composed and produced by Yinett Contreras, novice, and Susana Díaz Vidal, FMA of the Province of St. Gabriel Archangel (CIL).
During the live broadcast, linked from Chile, the authors told us about the process of its concept:
How was the journey for the creation of this hymn?
Susana Diaz: We are very happy to be part of this experience, it was a long journey to get to the construction of the final hymn. First of all, an approach to sources such as the Cronaca, also Mother’s Circular, the Convocation Letter, and the Message that Pope Francis left to the FMA Capitulars. We enriched ourselves with so many contents to be able to feel the fire that the Institute invites us to revive. Then we had to ask for more help, because it had to be cheerful, youthful, in five languages, so it was a participatory process that involved Sisters from other countries, from France, from Brazil to get this anthem.
Yinett Contreras: I would like to emphasize that it was a journey of much prayer, because we started by praying, to clarify what we wanted to share. So, at the beginning, each wrote what was suggested to her in a prayer moment and then, while we shared what we had written, it seemed inspired by the Spirit, because there was a lot of harmony. We both wanted to express that fire is this intimate relationship with Jesus, which each of us cultivates, and this led us to think how this same fire marked the missionary dream of Don Bosco and also of Mother Mazzarello, who embraced the great desire to come to America, and how this same fire has urged the Sisters to undertake the first missionary journey and bear witness. This is what drives us today.
How do you live that passion today, that missionary fire in Chile, in our communities?
S. D.: We feel part of this history. It is our identity as Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and also our Province has a very close foundation to the origins; our first sisters, with Sister Angela Valais, arrived on December 3, 1888 in Chile, In Punta Arenas. They crossed the sea and went to Tierra del Fuego. So, this fire speaks to us of many things as Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in this land and I believe that this experience is shared in each of the Educating communities and remains anchored as a treasure for life and for the mission that the Lord has entrusted to us here in our Country. We are present throughout Chile with different works; the Lord has entrusted us with more than twelve thousand families. It is a treasure that we must care for with this same passion.
Y. C.: In the Province, there is a lot of awareness and a lot of historical memory of this first arrival of the Sisters. I got to know them later, also in formation, and I believe that each of the Sisters of the Province lives in this way. We all know the history, how much the first Sisters gave of themselves, how much they sacrificed themselves, and with this same spirit the FMA live the mission today. It is very enriching to listen to the Sisters of the Province when we talk with them about mission, how they live with this fire, with this desire to be a mission in the place where they are, in the reality in which they are involved. Some have applied to be missionaries ad-gentes, so they went elsewhere, but we too who are here, live it with this force.
S. D.: It is always a challenge to maintain this fire, and that’s why the invitation to revive it is so beautiful. We received these young Sisters as a gift – as the song says, “brave young missionaries” -and it is very beautiful that our Province has also given to the Institute Sisters who bring this passion to other places and especially to other continents.
The evaluation commission – made up of FMA, lay people, and young people – expresses sincere gratitude to all the participants for the highly appreciated work received from different parts of the world, which show a strong missionary sensitivity and a great sense of belonging to the Institute, combined with musical and artistic skills and competences.
The other proposals received will be evaluated through a “Festival” that will take place in live streaming on 24 November 2024, and will be made available on Soundcloud for the animation of the Triennium.
Gracias por la hermosa iniciativa. Habiamos gozado con la Comunidad. La apertura de la Expedición a los 150 nos anima a reavivar el fuego misionero con esperanza. Un abrazo Sor Aida
Bellissimo!!!!!
Felicitaciones,hermoso y muy original.