(ANS – Rome) – On a splendid day on August 16, the hills which crown the Don Bosco Basilica seemed to hold in an especially keen way the people whose roots lie there: Don Bosco, in the first instance, but also Mother Mazzarello and, if we like, Pope Francis' own family. This is why the message that Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians sent the Rector Major is particularly significant.

Mother Yvonne highlighted the careful preparation for the event on the part of the Aalesian Sisters around the world and dwelt on their common charismatic roots: “inasmuch as we are an Institute founded directly by Don Bosco, I have invited the FMA to experience this occasion as an opportunity for strong renewal of vocational enthusiasm, and of grace, for the great gift of the Salesian charism for the salvation of the young in any time and cultural context. It is also an opportunity of hope for the future.

We are certain that Mary Domenica Mazzarello will be rejoicing from heaven on this bicentenary of our common Father and Founder. She saw that he was especially in tune with what she was doing for girls, and had seen his holiness of life right from their first encounter at Mornese: 'Don Bosco is a Siant and I feel this!' Our roots lie in him. His heart safeguards the grand dream that has become real today in our Institute: that of being a living monument of gratitude to Mary help of Christians. In all simplicity, Mother Mazzarello emphasised: “Don Bosco gave us our Constitutions. He knows what Our Lady wants from us”, thus inviting the FMA to live them as a privileged path to holiness.

In the bicentenary year now beginning, and which coincides in a surprising way with the Year of Consecrated Life, we would like to ask ourselves how to let this living monument of the Institute shine out, how to give it vitality and charismatic freshness. We find the secret in Don Bosco's insights, made real in the Mornese experience in a feminine way. We have summed these up in the 23rd General Chapter theme: “Being a house that evangelises with young people today”.

Mother Yvonne spoke of the promise of the future and the push for renewal that comes from this Bicentenary: “We join you with the same passion, Fr Ángel, in your role as the tenth successor of Don Bosco, as you launch this year of celebration. Strenna 2015, a summary of which you have already given us, identifies through its motto, LikeDon Bosco, with and for the young”, an opportunity to relaunch a journey of fidelity to the call which Don Bosco heard, accepted and translated into life.

Along with you, Fr Ángel, we are convinced that the gift of Don Bosco to the Church and the Salesian Family should urge us on with every possible effort in the mission of educating by evangelising, and should translate into a true and proper spiritual conversion, as Pope Francis asks of us, and be of interest to every Salesian Family Group.

Her message concluded with thanks to the Salesians for their ministry and fellowship and with a wish: “To you and all the Salesians our wish is to make Don Bosco relevant today. Our Founder arouses enthusiasm and admiration everywhere: it is a sign that he is able to speak to the young and attract them by his charism. May Salesians risk themselves for God and for Don Bosco to realise his dream, a dream of life and happiness for the young. A dream for the future focused on the quality of strong human and evangelising relationships in a family spirit”.

The complete message can be found on the FMAwebsite.

Published 18/08/2014