Dem. Rep. Congo. From 24 July to 23 August 2024, Our Lady of Africa Province (AFC) welcomed Mother General Emerita, Sister Yvonne Reungoat who preached the Spiritual Exercises and met the FMA.
In Kafubu, Mary Help of Christians Community, the Mother Emerita held two Exercises on the theme, “With Mary, generator of life, because generated by love”. During the month, she also spoke to all the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians gathered for the Provincial Assembly and then addressed each age group, the young women in formation, Animators, Councilors, and also met with the Salesian Family Advisory Committee.
The FMA’s testimony:
“An uncontainable joy filled us, as we drew fresh lymph from her, to renew our conversion to the Gospel: ‘Conscious of her fragility, let the Daughter of Mary Help of Christians continually renew her determination to be converted to the Gospel…’ (C 46). Mother Mazzarello also writes to the Sisters of Villa Colon in letter 27: ‘The retreat is a time to rekindle the fire…’.
It was a very rich time, in which she never stopped touching our heart at every stage to help us grow on our journey with the Lord. In these interventions, she never stopped helping us to realize the love with which the Lord loves us, each one in particular. She showed us how our Founders, Saint John Bosco and Saint Mary Domenica Mazzarello, responded in a disinterested way to the call of the Lord, giving their lives to God for the salvation of others, especially the neediest.
Like our founders, and following the example of the Virgin Mary, the disciples and all humanity, we are invited to give our lives for the salvation of others. To accept each other’s responsibilities and to try to put everything we are and all we have at the service of the Community. In this way, all those who see us can say, ‘Look how they love each other and how happy they are…’. Through this testimony we will also be able to generate life.
She also showed us how God’s ‘kiss’ calls us to life. The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. Breath, life comes through a kiss. We have all been kissed on the lips by God; it is the kiss of love. God gives us birth through His kiss; He gives us life. As creatures of God, she exhorted us to be carriers of life, beginning by giving it to the members of our communities, to be attentive and loving towards each other.”
Mother Yvonne also visited the Salesians of Don Bosco in their Exercises at Kansebula and met Fr. Pascual Chávez, Rector Major Emeritus, who is also preaching the Salesians’ Spiritual Exercises.
The Mother Emeritus concluded the various moments of encounter entrusting the FMA to Mary Help of Christians, so that She may walk alongside each Sister of the Province, and that she too may be a generator of life, especially for the young people she meets on her way.
With joy and gratitude, the Province in turn expressed its gratitude to Mother Yvonne, who made herself available to reach this land again to bring spiritual nourishment.
