Turin (Italy). On September 6, 2019 the educating communities of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta (IPI) met at the Theater of Valdocco in Turin, to reflect on the pastoral proposal that will animate the year 2019-2020.
The slogan chosen at national level by the joint teams of Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians is “You can be holy # lydovesei”, following the invitation addressed to young people by Pope Francis in the post-synod apostolic exhortation “Christus Vivit“, a letter that “encourages growth in holiness and commitment to one’s vocation“.
The 600 participants, both lay and religious, listened to the words of Fr. Rossano Sala, Special Secretary to the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The Relator urged those present to a contagious sanctity with the words of the final document of the Synod: “We must be saints to be able to invite young people to become so. Young people have been clamoring for an authentic, luminous, transparent, and joyful Church: only a Church of saints can live up to these demands!”; joy and sense of humor; audacity and fervor; in community; in constant prayer “, as indicated by Pope Francis in Christus Vivit.
The pastoral planning of the various educational areas of the Province of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta of the FMA will be based on these guidelines and adapted to all age groups, so that the message of Pope Francis can reach everyone, young and old, and “through the sanctity of the young the Church can renew its spiritual ardor and its apostolic vigor “.
The Provincial, Sister Elide Degiovanni, concluded the day by telling those present: “Our life is credible not because we give good example, but because we are witnesses. We humanize the Christian proposal by making it shine through our life. Our pastoral year really begins with this momentum! We ask Mary to support us in preserving, nourishing, making our vocation grow as credible adults and being helped to accompany young people in their vocational growth”.
