Opening of the Triennium for the 150th of the 1st Missionary Expedition

Rome (Italy). On 14 November 2024, at 13:00 (Rome time), live streaming from the Generalate of Rome, there will be a celebratory moment for the official opening of the Triennium in preparation for the 150^th anniversary of the first missionary expedition of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.

On 14 November 1877, Sister Angela Vallese (23 years), Sister Giovanna Borgna (17 years), Sister Angela Cassulo (25 years), Sister Angela Denegri (17 years), Sister Teresa Gedda (24 years), Sister Teresina Mazzarello (17 years), together with Fr. James Costamagna and the group of Salesians of Don Bosco on their way to the third missionary expedition, inaugurate a new stage in the life of the nascent Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians: the missions. Accompanied by Mother Mazzarello, Mother Emilia Mosca, and Mother Enrichetta Sorbone, having received communion and the blessing from Don Bosco aboard the boat, they begin the journey to Uruguay.

To prepare the 150^th anniversary of the first missionary departure, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will live a Triennium inspired by the slogan: “Now is the time to rekindle the fire” (cf. Mary D. Mazzarello, Letter 27) presented by Mother Chiara Cazzuola in Circular 1038 in which she indicated the aim:

“To celebrate with a grateful heart the missionary ardor of the Institute in order to rekindle in today’s contemporaneity, the prophetic impetus of our charism as a gift to the Church and to humanity.”

The Triennium will be officially opened by the Superior General of the FMA Institute, Mother Chiara Cazzuola. The culmination of the celebration will be a symbolic gesture and the word of Mother.

During the event, the official anthem will also be announced and the award ceremony of the winners of the Contest for the logo e and for the hymn.

To live in communion the day of 14 November, the communities are invited to take particular care of the Eucharistic celebration and, where possible, to use the texts of the Missal “For the Evangelization of Peoples”. On that day, many missionaries will also be remembered, especially those who first brought the Salesian Charism to different Countries of the world.

During the celebration of Vespers, the beginning of the FMA presence in the various nations will be remembered (cfr. Attachment) and we will pray that the Lord may “send workers into His harvest” and that we may continue to go and Proclaim the joy of the risen Christ (Cir. 1042).

As outlined in Cir. 1038, the preparation will continue with the following stages:

THE YEAR 2025-2026: “Pilgrims of Hope”. In the Church, we will live the grace of the Jubilee Year and, as an Institute, we will celebrate the triennial Verifications. The FMA will join the initiatives that will take place for the celebration of the first missionary expedition of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

THE YEAR 2026-2027: will be marked by the celebration of General Chapter XXV. On 14 November 2027, the celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the first missionary departure of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will be concluded with the commitment of a new missionary sending.

The Timetable of the initiatives highlights the active synergy among various Institutions and Sectors, in order to promote a process of deepening that reaches up to 2027. In fact, the Missions Sector, Formation Sector, Communication Sector, the Center for FMA Studies of the Pontifical Faculty of Education Science “Auxilium”, the Salesian Historical Institute, the Association of Salesian History Curators (ACSSA) offer a series of suggestions for animation and reflection in line with the theme.

Among these, on 10 October 2024, in the first of the Salesian Thursdays of this year, Sister Grazia Loparco presented “Catholic missions between the 19^th and 20^th centuries and the contribution of women.”

From the home page of the FMA website, by clicking on the logo of the 150^th of the Missions, you can also access a section specially created to provide information and materials relative to initiatives for the triennial of preparation for the event.

The invitation and wish of Mother:  “Let us entrust ourselves to Mary, first missionary of the Gospel, with the certainty that she is Mother and Teacher, Helper who accompanies her daughters and sons still on pilgrimage towards the fullness of holiness. With a heart full of hope and gratitude, aware of the renewed call to ‘rekindle the fire’, I wish you all to listen to the Holy Spirit, our sure guide on the paths of evangelization” (Cir. 1042).

Link to the live streaming