THE BEAUTY OF THE DIVERSITY OF HIS FACE, PROVINCE HOLY FAMILY - VI PROVINCIAL CHAPTER
The pandemic forced the postponement of the provincial chapter also in India, which should have been celebrated in October 2021. The right time, with the permission to travel according to the provisions of the Indian and Italian state, was the month of March; as soon as news of the openings of the States was received, the VI Chapter of the “Holy Family in India” Province was scheduled from 6 to 13 March.
The Superior General Sr Paola Dotto, accompanied by the councilors Sr Tiziana Tonini and Sr Rose Thomas Palamthattel and by Sr Maddalena Moro and Sr Mini Alex, delegates to the chapter, arrived in India three days before the celebration.
On 6th March 2022 at 3.pm we had the official opening of the VI Provincial chapter of the Holy Family Province India. All the Chapter delegates along with Sr.Paola Dotto, our Superior General and President of the chapter, Sr. Tiziana Tonini, the Vicar General and Sr. Rose Thomas, the General Councilor entered in the chapel.
A beautiful introduction of the prayer was held in the chapel. Then the Superior General called the chapter delegates by name from the last to the first in the list of the delegates and each one came forward and received the lighted oil lamp from her hand and proceeded in procession followed by Sr. Rose Thomas carrying the incense, Sr. Tiziana Tonini carrying the Bible and Sr. Paola Dotto with the Congregational candle amidst the melodious singing of “Vieni Creator” . When the procession reached the chapter hall, all placed their own little lamps to a “tree stand” specially prepared for the occasion and all delegates took their respective places where each one found an illumined lamp indicating their seats. The Bible and the lamp placed in the respective places resemble the presence of the living Christ amidst us. Sr. Paola garlanded the Bible as a sign of reverence and love.
The prayer continued with a beautiful symbolic representation of water and cleansing. Water is a symbol of life, because it nourishes all living things. It is also a symbol of birth as it reminds us of the fluids that accompany the birth. It is used as a symbolic cleansing in a variety of settings. A jug of water, which was brought from different parts of India wherever, the Province is on its mission. The superior of each community or a representative of each place made a prayer articulating the cries of the time, of the province, of the Church and of the whole world. The ritual washing of hand was in the traditional Jewish practice; to wash our hands by taking a cup of water in one hand and poring it over the other hand. Ritually anointing of our hand is a symbol of the renewal of creation as well as a spiritual cleansing in preparation for the work of our new chapter. The prayer service continued with each other holding hands and singing the prayer, ‘Padre Nostro’. All raised the lamps in the same level symbolically affirming and entrusting all the acts of the chapter in the days followed. The meaningful celebration of the prayer service made us really feel the presence of the Divine Spirit and put us in the mood of the chapter.
The next was an introductory welcome by the Provincial Superior, where she referred all the important aspects of the chapter and gave a warm welcome to each and every delegate to this fraternal moment. In a special way, she welcomed our dear Superior general Sr. Paola Dotto, Sr. Tiziana Tonini and Sr. Rose Thomas for their presence and encouragement. Then Sr. Paola made the official opening of the VI Provincial chapter of the Holy family Province. Her remarks were very much enriching and encouraging and at the same time expressing her preoccupation about the present world situation of war and suffering. She invited the delegates to live "this moment by offering our life as women and consecrated women" heart to heart "with Jesus and the oppressed populations in every part of the world."
She appreciated and offered reflections on the theme of the chapter: FMSC chosen to be evangelically fruitful women
"In Jesus, our fruitfulness arises from the ability to love, suffer and die every day for the man / woman who journeys with us in our community, in our mission. For us FMSC, the pierced Heart of Jesus Crucified (chapter 5 DCG 2017) is the Center of our contemplation of Love.
It is a true, strong, conscious reality: Jesus has overcome the darkness of evil, and with his light, even today, if we allow it, He illuminates our eyes, our face, our heart.
In this reconciled and renewed fidelity, we can be fruitful in the relationship with the Lord and with our brothers and sisters, all the more precious when more different, because “diversity” is a wonderful "gift" from the Father who generates and gives us the beauty of the diversity of His Face”.
With these and other reflections, Sr Paola declared the VI Chapter of the "Holy Family" province open.
The days of the Chapter then continued with the commitments regularly requested.
Each day was accompanied by a specific theme, which was the subject of the father's homily who celebrated Holy Mass and moments of prayer in the chapter hall.
The elections of the new Council took place on 10 March, constituted for the new three-year period by:
Sr. Mini Joseph Varikakuzhiyil Provincial Superior
Sr Suni Chaco Mannakulathil 1st councilor and vicar
Sr Gracy Thuruthipallil 2nd councilor
Sr. Selinamma Mookenthottathil 3rd councilor
Sr. Nirmala Buradagunta 4th councilor
The chapter work continued with the active participation of all the capitulars. Sr. Paola Dotto helped in the various reflections by encouraging and offering points for reflection and evaluation. The atmosphere of the chapter showed joy, enthusiasm, a desire to grow in the "ways" that the Lord shows us attentive to the signs of "His calls" and faithful to our identity.
On March 13, the closing Eucharistic celebration was celebrated in the morning by Father K. Karunakar OFM cap. , provincial superior of the Capuchin friars minor.
Before the closing of the chapter, the bishop Rev. Thelegathoti Joseph Raja Rao also came to give his message and his blessing to the new Council and to all the sisters.
On the afternoon of March 13 in the chapter room, the superior general Sr. Paola Dotto declared the VI Chapter of the "Holy Family" Province closed, encouraging all the sisters to continue the journey they had undertaken:
“Go into all the world... evangelize” this is our Gospel, this is what the Church expects of us, this is what the Lord expects who provides for us and provides for his people through us. We are called to sacrifice ourselves for His people! It will be the Lord, with his Providence, who will reward the gift of our life for Him and for our brothers and sisters”.
The Lord and his Providence will not miss anything, indeed He will give the hundredfold "as long as we do not precede the steps of the Lord" as our Founder, the venerable Fr. Gregory.
Sr Paola concluded: "May the Spirit of the Lord be your guide, your strength in every situation, together with Mary our Mother and the humble and courageous Joseph.
May our Founders, Father Gregory Fioravanti and Laura Leroux, accompany us and intercede for us, for this wonderful reality, together with our sisters who from Heaven watch and protect us ”.
