Editoriale Giornalino n4
The meeting of the General Council was held in Stresa from 26th June to 4th July. Preparations for this took place during the previous months involving the Coordinators of the various Districts and their contributions concerning the real life in the different areas of the Congregation. In a letter sent to all the Coordinators, Mother General, Sr Antonietta Toomey stressed that“The desire of all of us is to build up a fuller and realistic picture of each part of the Congregation and be of mutual help to one another. Sharing between us in mutual support and responsibility is very important so that we can implement the service of Leadership in the Congregation for the good of all.”
The objective of the Meeting, rather than being defined beforehand was created each day by the personal presence and contribution of each Sister. Carissima had stressed this beforehand to the Coordinators:“Participation in this Assembly is essential because, in your own role as Co-ordinator and as Councillor, you understand life today in the various areas, including the expectations and challenges.For this reason it is important that each one arrives with something in her ‘jar’ – to share and also with some space left – to receive.”
All the Sisters arrived during the preceding days, according to the availability of flights and were ready to begin work on the afternoon of 26th June. Mother Antonietta, sr. Carla Cattoretti, sr. Chiara Rusteghini, sr. M.Francesca Martegani and sr.Maria Bruna Ferretti from the Italian District, sr.Teresa Molloy – U.K. and Ireland, sr.M.Felistas Lukindo – East Africa (Tanzania), sr.Francesca Saveria Fernandes – India (Kerala and Maharasthra) and sr.Rafaela Mora – Venezuela and Colombia; each day the meeting was held in a climate of ‘sisterhood’ and mutual exchange. In this way it was possible to realize the aim which Carissima envisaged: that the Meeting would be“informative and life-giving for each Sister and for the Congregation”.The Agenda for the days of the Meeting varied and each one took turns in leading the reflection and prayer at the beginning and closing of the day, being sensitive to and choosing symbols according to each culture.
The Meeting began with a “desert day” using two articles proposed by the USG: “An exodus to the Centre of one’s life on Jesus Christ and His project” and “Diminution, a time of grace for living in faith “. In the evening, the sharing was not a conclusion of the reflection: the meditation on the theme of the exodus was to create in each Sister an open space of contemplation on the future, trusting in the promise of the God- with-us.
During the following days, each Coordinator had the necessary space to present the Report of her own District, including the Rome community, with the gifts and challenges present in the different communities and her own mission, together with a brief account of the experience of“Taking the Chapter Home” and with some reference to the Map for the future.
During the sessions sr.Benedetta Lisci was present in the role of secretary; thus each subject under discussion was recorded as an integral part of the ‘unified walk’ in the management of the Congregation. The reflection presented by sr.Chiara – Administrator General – continued the consideration already discussed in previous formative meetings, on the importance of the subject of Economy, from the drawing up of the Administrative Directory, confirmed in the last General Chapter. As a consequence of this, there is an urgency to present concrete facts of the different ways for a right management of the patrimony and the assets of the Congregation.
Another moment of real communion – on a wonderful sunny day in a week full of rainy days – was the outing to the SS.Trinity of Ghiffa and to the Sanctuary of the Pieta’ of Cannobio, where we had time to relax and pray and where we experienced the joy of being together.
In the days of the Meeting we also had the pleasure of joining the Sisters and Brethren and the people of Stresa, in walking up the Hill on 30th June in commemoration of Rosmini and Manzoni and to celebrate the 1st of July – a Feastday for the Rosminian Familiy – in memory of Fr Founder and to take part in the joy of all the jubilarians! A sincere thanks to all of the Sisters for your prayers raised to God for the success of our meeting and particularly to the community of Stresa, Arca Pacis, who welcomed us and made all the rooms and spaces available during the days of our stay among them.