Bratislava (Slovakia). From 31 July to 4 August 2024, Mother Chiara Cazzuola went to Slovakia for a short visit to St. John Bosco Province (SLK). At the airport in Vienna, the Provincial Sr. Monika Skalová and Sister Jana Kurkinovási, who is about to take over from her in the service of animation, was accompanied to Bratislava. The FMA Community in celebration awaited her there.
“I do not know Slovakia, so I come as a sister among sisters, as a Mother among daughters, to know and meet the reality of the FMA, of the educating communities, of all people who share the Salesian dream. It is a family, fraternal visit and I would like it to be for you and me a moment of grace to continue the journey, to strengthen our Salesian vocation and responsibility for the protection and development of the charism today, and also an occasion to ‘Revive the fire’ of fidelity, as Mother Mazzarello writes in Letter 27,” she affirmed as the motive for her visit.
Mother had a rich program – with the visit to the Communities of the Country, meetings with the ecclesial authorities, and the inauguration of the Maria Romero College in Prešov – culminating with the passage of service to the new Superior, Sister Jana.
After a brief meeting with the Sisters of the Provincial House Community, she immediately met the Nuncio in Slovakia, Msgr. Nicola Girasoli, and ended the day with Vespers and dinner together with the Sisters of Bratislava and the Sacred Heart Community of Šamorín.
The next day, 1 August, Mother Chiara reached Trnava. She prayed on the tomb of the deceased Sisters and met with the FMA of the two Communities in the city, Mary Help of Christians and St. Mary D. Mazzarello, at the latter’s headquarters. “Mother Chiara prayed on her knees at the cemetery, on the tomb of the Sisters. It was a strong gesture of respect and gratitude towards these Sisters who suffered greatly during the communist regime,” comments Sister Iveta Sojková, Animator of the Mary Help of Christians Community.
The itinerary continued in Dubnica nad Váhom, where she participated in the Eucharistic celebration and lunch with the Sisters of the Holy Family Community. “The Eucharist celebrated in the parish was a strong experience of Salesian Family, of gratitude for our presence in Dubnica for decades” recounts Sister Andrea Badíková. Mother Chiara also visited the Rom settlement of Nitra, in Orechov dvor, where she could appreciate the work of the FMA with the poorest. “I have come all the way to tell you that you are good. I am convinced that your work makes sense, even if it is difficult,” she told them.
In the evening, she reached the Salesian youth center of Banská Bystrica and the Salesian parish of Mary Help of Christians. To welcome her in front of the Center, was a group of about 30 parishioners and young people, mainly representatives of the Groups of the Salesian Family, SDB, FMA, ADMA, ASSCC. When asked what she liked most about Slovakia so far, she replied, “I’m only here for one day, and the best thing is not the places but the people.” Dinner was followed, together with the Bl. Eusebia Palomino Community, in the House of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The Director, Father Ivan Štofej, showed Mother the surroundings of the Youth Center and Mary Help of Christians church.
During the Good Night with the FMA, Mother Chiara summed up the day, sharing about what she visited and leaving a good word. “She encouraged us to live spiritual motherhood in an authentic and deeply feminine way,” expresses Sister Mária Gregová.
On 2 August, she reached Košice, where she met the Archbishop, Mons. Bernard Bober. In Rožňava, at the Dominka Center for children and families, she was able to see the proximity of the FMA to children with family situations in crisis, or from socially degraded environments, children victims of violence, neglected from an educational point of view, and with behavioral disorders.
The visit continued in the evening in Prešov, where she inaugurated Maria Romero School in the presence of the Salesian Family and benefactors. Sister Zuzana Saloňová, coordinator of the project, expresses the joy of this moment, “I am happy that God has confirmed our 4-year journey through Mother, and I believe that the land of the School is His work. Here in Prešov, we can count on the Salesian Family, which in many ways shares the joy of the arrival of the sisters.”
On 3 August, accompanied by Sister Monika and Sister Jana, she was able to contemplate nature in the Vysoké Tatry mountains. Although the weather was not the best, the family atmosphere made the small trip pleasant. In the late morning, in Badín, she was given a solemn and festive reception by the Slovak Sisters. Two of them wore folk costumes, goral, and offered Mother bread and salt as a traditional Slovak gesture. The program began with the Mother’s conference on “Being Vocational Communities Today”.
There was a moment of dialogue/interview (talk show), in which Mother answered with frankness the deep questions of the Sisters. Speaking of her spiritual experience she said, “I experience every day the signs and presence of the Lord in my life and of His love that accompanies me and helps me. I say it with humility and gratitude. I sometimes doubt that I can face all this service, arrive as far as I can; then I see the Lord completing His work in me and around me.”
In the solemn Eucharistic celebration, Sister Daniela Šušová and Sister Andrea Miklovičová renewed their religious vows on the 25th anniversary of Profession. In the festive evening, Mother and the Sisters attended a small show offered by a couple, celebrated anniversaries, and especially thanked Sister Monika Skalová for six years of service as Provincial.
On Sunday, 4 August, during the solemn Holy Mass celebrated by the Provincial of the Salesians, Fr. Peter Timko, Sister Jana Kurkinová welcomed the service as the new Superior of the SLK Province. The FMA of Slovakia and the nearby Czech-Lithuanian Province Mary Immaculate (CEL), members of other groups of the Salesian Family, relatives of Sister Jana, and other guests were present.
The new Provincial was entrusted with the mission directly by Mother Chiara Cazzuola who, in her discourse, stressed that she hands over the Province to Sister Jana, but also to all the Sisters so that they can walk in mutual collaboration. After the words of Mother, Sister Jana made her profession of faith, thus expressing the faith with which she accepts this service. She also received a lamp from the hands of Sister Monika Skalová, as a sign of the passage. It is interesting to note that 6 years ago the same gesture had happened in the opposite way; in fact, Sister Jana is Provincial for the second time.
At the end of the ceremony, Sister Jana was also congratulated by the CEL Provincial, Sister Zdeňka Švédová, and the Salesian Provincial, who also thanked Sister Monika for her service during the past six years. With this event, Mother Chiara Cazzuola concluded her visit to Slovakia.
Photos: Flickr FMA
