Austria and Germany. From 21 to 26 October 2024, Mother Chiara Cazzuola visited St. Mary D. Mazzarello Province (AUG) of Austria and Germany. Welcomed on 21 October at the airport of Munich by the Provincial, Sister Petra Egeling, she arrived at the Provincial House. Waiting there for her were the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and some university students.
After the encounter with the Community of Monaco and the Provincial Council, where she left a chasuble as a gift, Mother continued her visit to Vöcklabruck, in Austria, where she was welcomed by the Communities of Mary Help of Christians and Sacred Heart of Jesus.
On 22 October, accompanied by four students, she visited the building with the Kindergarten and the Professional School and participated in Workshop Don Bosco, dialoguing with the young women and answering their questions.
In the afternoon, together with the students, she planted an apple tree in the school garden, as a symbolic reminder of the commitment of the Province to the resolution on integral ecology and the invitation to put into practice the encyclical “Laudato si'” of Pope Francis in daily life. In the evening, Mother met the Sisters of Sacred Heart Community and later, the younger Sisters of the Communities of Vöcklabruck, Salzburg, and Vienna.
On 23 October at Salzburg, in the apartment “Haus Mornese” with FMA and students, she encouraged the Sisters to continue to look for new and creative ways of living together with the students. Already at the beginning of the Institute in Mornese, from which the work takes its name, the young women and the Sisters lived together and shared everything. “It is important to be close to young people. This allows them to experience who we are and what we live for,” Mother recalled.
In addition to the missionary and vocational themes addressed by Mother, it was important for the Sisters to receive family information on some parts of the world characterized by serious crises and conflicts, or where the Institute faces persecution. The news about the situation of FMA in the Middle East were repeatedly solicited.
On 24 October at Stams, at Don Bosco House – where the nursery, kindergarten, family home, after-school, and socio-educative residential groups are all under one roof – children, teachers, and FMA lived the presence of Mother as a unique experience. The children asked Mother Chiara many questions and, in addition to the sweets, she left them a precious thought, “I hope you are like Johnny Bosco. He had dreams. I hope you will have dreams too and that you can make them come true.”
Mother also offered the Sisters a confidential look at her life as Superior General of a world Institute. How do you carry out such a demanding task and responsibility? How do you deal with the many demands that arise every day? Mother responded, “There is no daily life; often something unexpected happens. The secret is to live the moment fully.”
On 25 October ae Rautenbach, in Germany, was especially festive with the children and the kindergarten who welcomed her and dedicated a song to her. The next day, before leaving, she visited the elderly sisters of Saint Joseph Community
At Benediktbeuern Mother visited a house of the Sisters devastated by strong hail a few months before. Together with them, she rejoiced that, despite everything, the protection of Our Lady was tangible. No one in the house was hurt and, although most of the windows were broken, those of the Sister’s bedrooms remained intact.
In addition to many educators, teachers, and personnel of the works, during her visit, Mother Chiara met two Abbots linked to the FMA. In Rottenbuch, Abbot Barnabas Bögle of the Benedictine monastery of Ettal went to celebrate Holy Mass with the FMA of the Community. In Stams, Mother visited the Cistercian monastery near the Sisters and had the opportunity to visit the collegiate church with Abbot Cyrill Greiter.
Despite the intense program of her passage in eight communities of Germany and Austria, her visit was characterized by the Salesian family spirit and joy. In all the houses, she was warmly welcomed by the Sisters, teachers, Kindergarteners, children, students, as well as several small groups who had the opportunity to know her and ask questions, as in the School of Vöcklabruck on the theme, “The pedagogy of Don Bosco”.
The gratitude of the FMA of the Province, “Let us think back to this week and to the many wonderful encounters with our Mother with great gratitude. Both the Sisters and girls appreciated her simplicity and frankness, her friendly but clear suggestions. Her sense of humor was repeatedly emphasized. We have felt Mother Chiara as being attentive and interested in people. We are grateful for this week, during which we have been able to get to know her better and we are happy to have been able to make known her and her mission to the Educating Communities of our houses. Thank you, Mother Chiara, and many blessings for your work!” .
Photos: Flickr FMA
