GEYZING: On 5^th August 2015, once again we renewed our fidelity to the Lord. Teachers, past pupils and young people of our school were present for the celebration. Sisters entered into the house of the Lord solemnly in precession holding the Constitutions in our hands, and placed it before the Lord surrendering our entire life to Him. The celebrant Rev. Fr. Dilip Mondol SDB from Don Bosco Malbasi during his homily highlighted the aspect of the fear of the Lord. After the homily we received the Constitutions from the hands of Fr. Dilip representing Don Bosco and renewed our vows with great Joy.

In the evening our boarders performed a surprised items wishing each sister Happy Feast. They brought back to our memory the foundation of our Institute.

Sr. Clara Rai

“TO YOU I OFFER ALL THAT I AM” was the caption beautifully decorated around the altar of sacrifice this memorable day to celebrate and renew our total consecration and dedication to the Lord. The eve of this beautiful day took us to reflect on  the passage from the Cronistoria Vol.I “Don Bosco determines to prepare the first function for his Daughters” The Morning Prayer well animated was an igniter to help each of us in our fidelity to Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello. The Holy sacrifice of the Mass led 6 virgins (sisters) with burning lamps to the altar followed by the chief celebrant Fr. V.L.Francis SDB. In his brief homily he said Don Bosco being a true Ethiopian and his Ethiopia was “Give me souls and take away the rest”. It was for the upliftment of society and the needy youth and their salvation. This same spirit could be said of St.Mary Domenica Mazzarello. The entire Salesian world recognizes this Ethiopia that culminates our energies and the Ethiopia of our Provinces in India is still true. He exhorted us to continue in this same spirit to be true disciples of Mother Mazzarello , true to our charism and its teachings. After the homily Sisters renewed the vows and received the Constitutions reverently. By 10 a.m. the boarders felicitated the sisters through a short and beautiful program of dance comic and skit depicting  the first sisters of Mornese meeting Don Bosco. The fraternal meal shared together as one big family including our Salesian brothers in the next door, once again brought us in the joy of family spirit of our first sisters.

By 1 p.m. we gathered for a brief prayer moment in chapel to receive each a copy of the Acts of the XXIII General Chapter. We recalled the last testament of Don Bosco to his Daughters who left them a legacy: “If you have loved me in the past, continue to love me in the future by the exact observance of the Constitutions”. The final hymn intoned to Mary brought us back to be her faithful daughters in our journey of our vocation. Thus our day was spent in gratitude to God and our blessed mother for the gift of our vocation and in gratitude to our Institute, Province and community.

For the community of Dum Dum, the evening of 4th August to the 5th was a  time of great rememberance as  we prepared to renew our commitment  by receiving the Constitution once again. The vigil service was an amalgamation of various historical events from the chornistoria – the enactment why Don Bosco could be present for the first profession,  the encouraging words of Mother Mazzarello to hope and pray that the Lord may sent Don Bosco for the celebration.  Reminscing this archival and touching events filled our minds with undescribale joy.   

The celebration conintued the next day with the young people, the laity, the groups of Salesian family and the parishioners.  The Eucharistic celebration commenced with the procession of sisters carrying Constitution to the altar and placing it on the altar as a symbol of their total consecarion to God and the assembly carried flowers. During the homily the celebrant  Fr. James SDB, highlighted some of the characteristic virtues of St. Mary Mazzarello especially her unquestionable obedience.  After the homily the sisters were presented with the Constitutions  as in first profession and renewed their vows with great fervour.  At the request of the celebrant the faithful stretched out their hand on all the sisters and sisters on one another  to implore  God’s blessings to  continue   thier mission with great passion.  After the Eucahristic celebration all those present were given snacks  to celebrate the event of the renewal rite and to participate in the joy of the consecrated.   Our big thanks to Mother General who took this initiative to bring all the FMAs together for one single celebration from various parts of the world in their own style, to re-live the moment of our profession and self donation to the Lord.

The prayer service conducted on 4^th August in preparation for the feast of our foundation was attended by the young people of the boarding and consisted of readings from the letter of Rector Major, the letter of Don Bosco and prayers imploring for the various needs of the institute.  5th August a memorable day for every FMA, was celebrated with twin themes, Gratitude day and foundation day. On this joyous occasion we thanked the Lord for our founder whose bicentenary of the birth we are celebrating, our co-foundress St. Mary Mazzarello for  implanting the institute on solid rock and for handing down the charism to his sons and daughters.  We also thanked God for Mother General Sr. Yvonne Renugoat for her 50 years of fidelity on the occasion of golden jubilee of her profession. The celebration included also the profession anniversary of our three sisters, Sr. Teresa Vettuvazhiyil, Sr. Mary Ekka and Sr. Angela Kerketta.  

At 9.00 a.m. the whole school gathered in the parish Church to praise and thank the Lord for the gift of all the sisters. The solemn Eucharistic celebration started with the entrance procession. Dancers led the nine sisters and the celebrant Fr. Michael Toppo to the altar.  The sisters placed their lamps on the altar as a sign of their dedication to the Lord.  The introduction highlighted the importance of   the foundation day and Gratitude day.  After the homily Sr. Mary Ekka made all to re-live the historic moments when Don Bosco gave the Constitutions to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and recalling Don Bosco’s recommendation to his daughters:   “I can see great future ahead of you. But you will have to suffer much. Your own people will be against you. But do not be afraid. Endure all the suffering and you will be able to save your own soul and the souls of others.” It was followed by the renewal of the vows by nine sisters. The participants offered prayers for the various needs of the Church and for the whole Institute.

After the Mass the students felicitated the sisters for their dedicated service.   It was the day of thanksgiving, for all the help Sr. Superior offers to each person. In her massage she thanked all quoting St. Paul, “I thank my God each time I think of you, and when I pray for you I pray with joy.  The event came to an end with the distribution of sweets.

The Ranchi communities celebrated the foundation day of our Institute with great festivity. The choir intoned the song “wonderful is so wonderful to serve the Lord our God…” as the sisters’ with the Constitutions in their hand approached the altar and offered to the Lord. Harkening to the exhortation of Mother General the main celebrant with great solemnity re-bestowed the Constitutions. The sisters received it with great fervor. We recalled the words of Mother Mazzarello to her first daughters, “see, we have a treasure in this Rule which Don Bosco has given us.” All of us with great enthusiasm sang the hymn ‘I found a treasure in a field that neither time nor death can steal…” After which sisters renewed the vows with passion and fidelity.

We too were united with our Mother General to give praise to God for her fidelity, expressed in the 50 years of her religious life. After the Mass the children felicitated all the sisters, especially we remembered with great love all those who made their commitment on this auspicious day.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord to make music to your name of most high” was the mode of celebration from 5^th – 8^th August.  Keeping in mind the three fundamental celebrations that is, year of consecrated life, Bicentenary of Don Bosco and the Foundation day. On the eve of celebration we were able to spend the day in recollection with the Lord. Beginning of the Mass we thanked and praised the Lord through adoration. The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist was solemnized by VG of the Diocese Rev. Fr. Silas Bogati.  One of the Boarders Niru Tamang of Class IX introduced the short life of St. Mary Mazzarello and the mission carried out by the FMA sisters all over the world.  The Auxilium girls led the sisters and the Fathers with the entrance dance. Everyone was rejuvenated as the dancers led them to the altar. It was a moment of great joy when we recalled back our final commitment with nostalgia. After the prayer of the faithful Rev. Fr. Jijo Joseph SDB read out the letter of Don Bosco to the FMA‘s which was presented by himself to the first Sisters of Mornese in the Year 1872, then he handed over the Constitutions followed by the renewal of the vows. It was a great occasion to bear witness of consecrated life since many people are unaware of the religious life. The celebrant in his homily shared his personal experiences and call to religious life. It was an enriching eye witness. We could see the enthusiasm of the children and the people as they were singing the hymns during Mass. At end of the Mass Sr. Aquila Phawa communicated the greetings of Mother General and all the sisters to everyone. Snacks was served to all.

The community prepared for the Foundation Day celebration with a triduum during which extracts from the Cronistoria 1, 2, and 3 with reference to the   handing over the Constitutions to the sisters were read. On the 4^th evening the sisters had a vigil service thanking God for our Founder Don Bosco, the gift of our Salesian Vocation, our Institute and   the Salesian Family. We sought the blessings of God and our Blessed Mother so that we may be strengthened in living the exact observance of the Constitution.

The celebration of the Anniversary of the 5^th  August  was a combined event of the two communities  of Auxilium Park Circus  and Auxilium Gobra, the  sisters numbering to eleven.  It was indeed a happy coincidence that there were eleven sisters to receive the Constitution as it was on the 5^th August 1872.

The Eucharistic Celebration was held at 6.30 pm at the Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians at Auxilim Parish.  The main celebrant was Rev. Fr. James Mathew the Vice-Provincial of Kolkata Province; the con-celebrants were Fr. John, the Parish Priest and Ujjal Mondol the Asst. Parish Priest.  There were a good number of representatives from the Salesian co-operators, youth, Jesus youth and members from the other religious congregations.

The eleven sisters carried lit lamps symbolising the living of the Constitutions in our life.  During the homily Fr. James exhorted the sisters to live the Constitutions with fidelity and commitment. After the homily the main celebrant called the eleven sisters, addressing each one by name and while giving the Constitutions he said “do this and you will live” and sisters answered “Amen”.

I t was a very significant moment as they relived they celebration of 5^th August 1872 and committed themselves to the exact observance of the Constitutions in their lives thereby rejuvenating their mission of being joyful witnesses to the young.

Mazzarello Home Monsada began the preparation of Foundation Day through a Triduum. On the first day we read the letters of Don Bosco to the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Constitutions), on the second day role of Mary in our Institute (Journey of fidelity) and on the third day address of Don Cagliero to the first sisters of Mornese while receiving the Constitutions (Cronistoria III). On the 5^th August we had solemn Mass with entrance dance and procession. At the beginning Sr. Julita Kujur gave the introduction regarding the theme of the day. Missionaries of Charity sisters were present there to increase our joy. Fr. Pius Kerketta SDB, the Rector and Parish Priest celebrated the Holy Mass. In his homily he stressed on the love of God, the gift of faith and the beauty of consecrated life. He invited the young present over there to hearken to the call of God.

After the sermon the sisters renewed the vows and solemnly received the chapter document from the celebrant. At 5.30 p.m. The neighboring families came to participate in the Holy Rosary which was offered for  intentions of Mother General Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, each Daughter of Mary Help of Christians and the intentions of all those who were present for the Rosary. The sisters distributed few sweets and biscuits to them.   The day ended with a short programme by the boarders.

Sr. Julita Kujur