Lettera Madre 15 Settembre 2016

My dear Sisters …

CONGREGAZIONE
SUORE DELLA PROVVIDENZA ROSMINIANE
Via Aurelia, 773
ROMA

My dear Sisters,

We share a beautiful world where ‘Care of Creation’, in all its forms is more crucial now than ever and where Care of humanity – often amidst untold suffering is central to Caring for God’s Creation.
While we affirm that Mary is the Mother and Queen of all Creation (see: “Laudate Si”) who has the welfare of all her children at heart; we know that

Mary is also the Mother of a suffering humanity.
As we turn our thoughts to the coming feast of Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows we contemplate her own suffering. Mary knew anguish and pain in its many forms, beginning with the prophecy of Simeon ‘and a sword will pierce your soul’. How her young heart must have grieved over the massacre of innocent children in an attempt to kill her Child!
She knew how it felt to be driven from home to the unknown in Egypt; what it meant to search for her lost Child – one of the few occasions when we hear her words, ‘Son what have you done to us?’. And finally, her ultimate journey of sorrow, culminating in seeing her only Son, Jesus, suffer on Calvary as she stood by his Cross.

Mary also appeared sensitive to the suffering of others on different occasions: she helped the young married couple at Cana, taking care to relieve their anxiety; she braved the elements and went in haste to anticipate the apprehension of Elizabeth in her old age.
We become powerless in the face of poverty and suffering, above all regarding the recent natural atrocities both in our countries of origin and elsewhere; and in front of the many violent outrages perpetrated against humanity, causing suffering and death to innocent people and children and leaving many in poverty. Recently we witnessed the canonization of one who dared to be different in trying to alleviate human suffering by coming to the rescue of the homeless and the poor, taking care of the ‘little ones’ who would otherwise die. In reality, “not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” (St Teresa of Calcutta)

On this feast of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ to whom we are dedicated, I want to say ‘thank you’ for living our charism with joy and keeping the mission alive – in its many forms – in each area of the Congregation. We learn from Mary how to bear our own sorrows. Can we likewise grasp something of her compassion and empathy – her genuine care of others? We too are entrusted to share the merciful love of the Father with every person we meet, after the example of the Mother of Sorrows.

We ask that this day will be a blessing for all. In the words of Bl Antonio Rosmini, “let us have specially in mind our dear Mother, Mary, who is the channel of all graces; through her intercession we can be sure of receiving the graces we ask for, since Jesus can deny his Mother nothing”, (AL no 37) remembering in particular the Sisters in the Casa dell’Addolorata and the District Our Lady of Sorrows.
A happy Feastday to all!
With love,