San Paolo (Brazil). From 7 to 26 October 2022, O. L. Aparecida Province (BAP) of San Paolo had the joy of receiving the visit of Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the FMA Institute from 2008 to 2021, now emeritus.
Upon arrival from Rome on 7 October, Mother Yvonne was welcomed in the Provincial House in the Bom Retiro district, in San Paolo, by the Provincial, Sr. Alaíde Deretti, by the Provincial Councilors, by the FMA Community, by the Novices, by some students, and by the representatives of the Educating Community of Santa Inês School, who greeted her with songs and choreographies. With the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Salesian of Don Bosco Fr. Dilermando Luiz Cozatti, in the chapel of the Provincial House, the stay of Mother Yvonne was entrusted to Mary, together with the Spiritual Exercises that she would lead for two groups of FMA.
On 8 October, the Emeritus Mother lived a special moment with the young people, the participation in the Fest 2022, an event that brought together, after two years of pandemic, about 4,500 young people, educators, lay people, religious, and FMA, to refresh the Charism and the joy of being in the family, united in a single spirit of peace and sharing. In the afternoon, she visited the elderly and sick sisters of Casa Santa Teresinha in the Lapa neighborhood. In a family dialogue, she thanked them for their support, especially for their silent prayer and the offering of their condition for the good of the Institute.
Another charismatic day lived by Sr. Yvonne was the visit to Guaratinguetá, the first house in Brazil, where the O.L. of Carmine this year celebrates the 130th anniversary of the arrival of the FMA. In the fraternal meeting with the Educating Community, she recalled how Our Lady always precedes the presences and foundations of the FMA and underlined the fact that the first foundation of the FMA in Brazil took place in the vicinity of the city of Aparecida, where the National Shrine is located of the Patron and where, in 1717, the image of Our Lady was found in the waters of the Paraíba do Sul river.
Even the name given to the first FMA foundation reveals the ‘expected’ presence of Mary. The first School is in fact dedicated to O.L. of Carmel, a devotion that profoundly marked the life of Msgr. João Filippo, an Italian priest who built the building and asked that the Salesian Sisters come to Guaratinguetá.
Mother Yvonne was then able to satisfy her desire to personally visit the “Memorial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Brazil” in the Casa do Puríssimo, where the Grotto of O. L. of Lourdes is also located, also built by Msgr. João Filippo, which welcomes many pilgrims and devotees of Our Lady every day.
Sr. Dulce Hirata, FMA, led the visit and presented the entire historical journey of both the Memorial and the presence of the FMA in Brazil. Mother Yvonne was struck by the modern and creative style of the Memorial and also by the depth of historical research, which led to the creation of this space full of Charism and love for young people. After the visit to the Memorial, in Lorraine she was able to meet the Community of Mary Help of Christians, and express her gratitude to the elderly sisters for the accompaniment and the offer of prayers.
On the way back, she had the opportunity to visit the National Shrine of Aparecida. Being in the “House of the Mother”, even if for a short time, admire the artistic work of Marko Ivan Rupnik, who has already covered the north façade of the Sanctuary with mosaics and is now working on the south façade, and above all see the enormous number of pilgrims arriving for the celebrations of 12 October, the Feast of the Aparecida, was a great desire of hers.
The main reason for the visit of Mother General emeritus to the BAP Province was however the animation of the Spiritual Exercises for two groups of FMA.
The first group met from 10 to 16 October in Vila Dom Bosco, in Campos do Jordão (SP). About 60 participants were able to enjoy the depth of her reflections and the beauty of the natural environment in the silence and tranquility of the place. The group had the spiritual assistance of Fr. Osmar Bezutte, SDB, who offered his sacramental and listening ministry, in addition to the visit of Msgr. Antonio Carlos Altieri, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Passo Fundo (RS), and to the celebrations of the feasts of O.L. Aparecida, patroness of Brazil and patroness of the Province, as well as of St. Teresa of Avila, patroness of the FMA Institute.
The second group met from 18 to 24 October in Casa Santa Teresa, in Porto Alegre (RS), the former provincial house before the new configuration. 40 FMA and two Scalabrine Sisters listened to and meditated on the words of Sr. Yvonne in a welcoming space, where every detail favored personal prayer and an atmosphere of silence. In Porto Alegre, the group was able to count on the presence and priestly ministry of various SDBs from the Provincial House of St. Pius X of Porto Alegre (BPA). The Exercises ended on 24 October, on the monthly commemoration of Mary Help of Christians, with the renewal of the vows of a temporary professed FMA.
Both the Campos do Jordão and Porto Alegre groups had some events in common: the visit of the Salesian Provincials, Fr. Justo Piccinini, of Mary Help of Christians Province of San Paolo (BSP) and Fr. Gilson da Silva (BPA), the ‘Good Nights’ by Mother Yvonne and a time of sharing in which the FMA were able to present themselves. It was a very significant space, as some sisters met and got to know each other for the first time since the establishment of the BAP Province.
On 25 October, Mother Yvonne Reungoat returned to San Paolo, where the Eucharist was celebrated at the end of the visit, and on 26 October she left for Rome.
The FMA of the O. L. Aparecida Province expressed their gratitude to her for this time of fruitful encounter, recognition, and spirituality, as well as for the witness of a happy life, totally given to the Church and to the FMA Institute.
Source: Ispettoria BAP
Photo: Flickr FMA
