Lettera Madre 15 August 2016

My dear Sisters …

CONGREGAZIONE
SUORE DELLA PROVVIDENZA ROSMINIANE
Via Aurelia, 773
ROMA

Mary: Icon of the pilgrim Church
“Today the Virgin Mary, Mother of God
Your son and our Lord,
was assumed into heaven.
In her, the beginning and image
of your Church, you have revealed the mystery of salvation
a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people.”
(Preface)

My dear Sisters,
Today we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary’s ultimate journey – her glorious Assumption into heaven. Mary who spent so much of her life on the move – going in haste, escaping, searching – is given a place of rest, “prepared by God”. On this day, we honour the way in which God has “looked with favour on his lowly servant.”

This Feast also concerns the whole body of pilgrim people – the Church. It concerns each of us and how we live our lives NOW. We, like Mary, are on a pilgrim journey: maybe we are travelling to places we do not comprehend, to destinations we cannot see. Our destiny, the way of our humanity is towards completion in God, who is love, where we will be fully in God and God in us.
Mary is not cut off from our world of today: as our Mother and our Intercessor, she is close to us. Let us ask her maternal protection for our Congregation; for those who are sick and anxious and for an end to the atrocities and violence against humanity, in many parts of our world.
Thank you for your prayer and concern for me at this time.

Happy Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady,
with every blessing for the new Rosminian Year!