(ANS – Rome) – Yesterday afternoon, November 29th, in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome, a Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated for the Beatification of Sr. Maria Troncatti. The Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva, presided at the Eucharist, at which Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the Salesian Sisters (FMA) was also present. He paraphrased Don Bosco who urged young people to "be holy", because "it is fascinating to be saints".

Also present at the event were the General Council of the FMA, many Salesians including the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Adrian Bregolin, the Regionals of America Southern Cone, Fr Natale Vitali, and of Italy and the Middle East, Fr Pier Fausto Frisoli.

"Sister Mary Troncatti anxious about being truly human, concerned with physical, psychological and spiritual needs, … Knew how to combine so admirably the proclamation of the Gospel and human development … She was the physician of bodies and souls", was how Fr Chavez described her.
 
The Rector Major reiterated the importance of being saints and having models like Sr. Troncatti, an example for living the identity and the Salesian vocation whatever the choice of lifestyle and the participation in the family, the Church and the world. During the homily he referred several times to the witness of Fr Botta who was Provincial in Ecuador at the time of the death of the new Blessed. ANS invites you to read his testimony.

The Beatification of Sr. Troncatti filled all the Salesian Family with joy and marks the 140th Anniversary of the foundation of  the Salesian Sisters.

At the end of the Eucharist, the Mother General of the FMA addressed a few words to those present, especially to the 150 youth of the Salesian Youth Movement gathered in the Basilica. Mother Reungoat recalled the difficulties experienced by the Blessed, first to be religious and then leaving as a missionary to Ecuador, and the joy that was expressed in her letters describing the work she did with the Shuar. "The experience that we lived in Macas was the glorification of a simple life," said Mother Reungoat.

Published 30/11/2012