During the visit of Mother Chiara in our province, Mother found time to visit our community (St. Joseph International Novitiate) on the 22nd of January 2024 where she was welcomed by the whole educating community (collaborators, students, teachers, novices, and sisters). This was really indeed a joyful day, you could see how happy everyone was and how the children were eager to present what they had prepared for Mother lovingly and energetically which made her definitely happy.
The highlight of her visit to the novitiate house was the lunch we had together with her as a community where the novices presented a poem to mother which was as a way to communicate and express our gratitude and the efforts we are putting in our vocation journey and all that the institute requires of us. Despite having such a long joyful but tiresome day mother spared some of her time to have a chat with the novices and during that moment we truly experience Mother’s sense of humor and her words were definitely down to Earth as she emphasized on the importance of the three vows and how they complement each other
we must live these vows altogether without separating them, when it comes to the vow of obedience age is just a number, no matter how old or young you are obedience must be witnessed so that even if you demand obedience from others you are already witnessing it because you cannot demand what you are not witnessing.”
The discussion was so open and mother made us to feel that she’s really a sister among sisters such that we were free enough to ask as many question as we could without realizing how time moved and not forgetting one of the most important things which mother said concerning how she manages to take care of her spiritual life with such a huge responsibility of taking care of the life of each sister, she said
“No matter how busy the day might be, like mother Mazzarello, always try to find your Valponasca, don’t forget to have personal conviction, generous of heart and courageous in whichever mission you have been given.”
Finally, after such an amazing and formative moment with mother, we saw to it that a photo session was necessary before bidding her farewell. Mother, the councilors, and the community promised to pray for each other as we journey in this life.
