“This is the day the
Lord has made, let us all rejoice and be glad”.
5th August
marks a festal day for the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of
Christians. It is a triple celebration combining the feast of the Dedication of
the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the feast of Our Lady of Snows and the Birthday
of our Beloved Institute. On this great day, FMA all over the world will
receive the revised version of their Constitutions and are called to renew
their vows through a solemn celebration during the day in keeping with the year
of Consecrated Life.
Here in SHTC, we began
the day on a festal note with a beautifully animated Morning Prayer, followed
by a solemn Eucharistic celebration
presided over by Fr. Ivo Coelho sdb, the
General Councilor for Formation. During his homily he focused on making Jesus
the center of our life, through the daily reading of the Word of God and a
daily transformation of our hearts. Our union with Jesus will lead us to become
more human. In the evening, in keeping with the request of our Mother General
to renew our religious profession, the communities of Maria Vihar and SHTC had
a combined evening prayer service. During the prayer moment, the professed
sisters renewed their ‘fiat’ to the Lord. This was followed by a fellowship
meal and a moment of recreation.
Our hearts are filled
with joy on this beautiful day and we wish to thank God for all his wonders
that he has worked in these 143 years of our Institute and which he continues
to work even now. We also thank the sisters of the Community of Maria Vihar for
their large heartedness and sisterliness. May God bless them and Mother Mary
keep them under her protecting mantle always.
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