MEETING OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL –
CONFEDERAL COUNCIL OF FMA PAST PUPILS

On December 2, 2006, eve of first Sunday of Advent, the two councils of the FMA and Past Pupils met in the FMA generalate for a moment of shared prayer and family festivity.

In the Charism Exhibition, with the landscape representative of Mornese in background and gathered around the traditional Advent wreath, the FMA and past pupils celebrated evening prayer, singing and invoking Jesus, "Vieni Signore Gesù, non tardare più, ti aspettiamo.” In this place rich with memories, we had an experience of anticipation of the coming of the Lord, united by a common spirit with two dimensions, lay and religious. The prayer concluded with the singing of the “Ave Maria” by the FMA, as a blessing and well-wishing for all the past pupils throughout the world.

During dinner, the confederation president Carolina Fiorica was thankful for having been welcomed in the dining room used by the General Council, and expressed a desire to read this gesture as the opening of the institute toward this togetherness as family and therefore, the conviction that the past pupils are made to feel at home. The Christmas wishes were expressed in an original way with the involvement of everybody. In the exchange of Christmas gifts the FMA Councilors and the two young councilors of the past pupil confederation expressed with delicacy and simplicity the affection and friendship that decidedly has grown among us.

The meeting concluded with the Good Night of La Madre and the presentation of simple gifts: a small liturgical calendar with the invitation to remain united around the Word, a Nativity scene for the central headquarters of the Past Pupil Association, and as first-fruits the volume Cooperazione allo sviluppo. Orientamenti per l’Istituto delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice, encouraging the association to continue the walk in strong social solidarity through the different projects in favor of missionary realities in the world. La Madre made reference to her preface from this book in which she signals that the proposed guidelines are also offered to the Association of Past Pupils of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians which shares the same educational choice of the institute, the preventive system, as a system of education in society.