Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians

Via dell’Ateneo Salesiano, 81 - Roma

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To the Provincials and

Province Superiors

Dearest Sisters,

It is with great joy that I communicate to you the place and date of the Worldwide Celebration of Gratitude so you can involve the educating communities in the preparation of this family event that gathers us around our Mother. Together we want to express thanks to God for her, the bond of unity and communion in the Institute, for every Sister and community, for the young people, the laity, parents, and the members of the Salesian Family who share in our educational mission.

This year the celebration will take place in

Sam Phran

In the Thailand Province of Saint Maria Mazzarello

On April 26, le 2016

The theme is : "As a wreath, united in diversity, intertwined with joy and hope the offer of life and mission" invites us FMA from around the world, at this particular time of preparation for the feast of gratitude, to walk together with young people in the way of the merciful love of God, and to become signs and bearers of hope and joy.

We feel the evident reference to our identity so well- defined in our Constitutions (Art. 1), and at the same time the courageous continuation of the post chapter journey, precisely by taking a chance on hope and joy.

The slogan A harmonious interweaving to speak of our Gratitude expresses well the reality evoked by the logo represented by the Wreath.

The reason for this choice leads us back to the tradition of Thailand. In fact, a wreath and the life of the Thai people are inseparable, laden with values to be preserved and passed on to future generations. The making of wreaths requires precision and patience and is an expression of the beauty, delicacy, gentleness, respect, love, and trust, characteristic features of this great generous and hospitable people.

The spiritual values that are cultivated while making the wreaths are patience, joy, concentration, detachment, deliberateness, and the satisfaction of success.

The wreaths are made by weaving various species of flowers and leaves.

We deal with a cultural heritage that originated at the court from ancient times, and progressed steadily, spreading to ordinary people. To make wreaths preferably flowers that the ancients attributed a special meaning, are used. For example , the rak flower signifies pure and stable love, and is in harmony with the red rose, the orchid signifies doing everything in a calm and relaxed; calendula signifies prosperity etc ...

The wreath symbolizes the harmonious fusion of different cultures, of different beauties that require the commitment to harmonize well with all parts. It may also be compared to the relationship between the people that requires much work of adaptation to become a true friendship. It is used in different circumstances. Mostly, it is offered to the Lord, the King, to express welcome, farewell, congratulations, gratitude, and also condolences

Thailand is, perhaps, the only country in the world that combines all the parts of a flower to make wreaths of beautiful artistic floral arrangements.

We see, however, that the wreath, chosen for the celebration of gratitude, contains some symbols of which it is necessary to deepen the significance:

The Sun: every morning it gives new life to the earth with a simple rhythm, which is steady, calm, and silent. It is not closed in on itself but sends its soft rays to everyone's face.

It extends its warmth to embrace the universe with selfless love, which is infinite and without distinction. It is the irradiation of love of God the Creator, the Father of the earth, a merciful, patient Father. It gives strength and hope to start over again every day.

The Star: that shines in the heart of the night with gentle light, one that is mild and tender, indicating the way to those who walk towards a goal. And when the sun appears on the horizon it does not go anywhere else but remains in its place of humble, silent, hidden, service waiting to restore hope and joy.

The field: a land that is vast and has a fervent life. It waits for the rain from heaven, the season of rice planting, the time of sacrifice and stripping bare. The field is open to the sun where the small seeds grow, and a fragile plant develops into ripe wheat, ready to give itself as food.

On that day, the sower and the seed embrace, smiling because they have delivered life, joy and hope to the world.

And finally, the Wreath: many flowers, different colors, and different species. They intertwine harmoniously and artistically with a small, simple wire. It sings a love song with the simplicity of the melody, the diversity of rhythm and the harmony of the text. We are the small wreath, me and you. We all united in harmony of purpose and heart, to sing a grateful, perennial song of love.

So that we may celebrate the Feast in a significant manner, the Sisters of Thailand propose to us to live it as an opportunity to implement the vocational renewal in today’s reality, to thank the Lord in His infinite mercy and for his many gifts, and to express gratitude our Mother Yvonne.

For this reason, we offer guidelines to every Province for reflection for the journey.

1.  Starting from the central part of the Logo we see the field that represents our life and mission at his time actual time in history, i.e.

·  post-General Chapter XXIII

·  entrustment of the Constitutions

·  holy Year of Mercy

2.  In light of the Acts of GC XXIII, the Circulars of the Mother and the Papal Document Misericordiae Vultus, each province will try to identify the conditions that favor the flowering of hope and joy in the life and mission of the individual communities.

3.  Sharing the actual commitments the Province can choose so that their lives and the scope of the mission will fully bear fruit as a sign of gratitude to God and to our Mother.

4.  To present the spiritual offering, fruit of the concrete commitment of the journey of each Province, it was proposed to send 5 grams of their nation's wheat flour to make hosts or bread to be placed on the altar as a sign of the unity and communion of all the educating communities of the world for the day of the Celebration of gratitude

The flour should be sent to:

Suor Lab Somchan Salesian Sisters

Marie Upatham School 42/72 Mu 5 Soi Si Sathian 1,

Rai Khing, Sam Phran

Nakhon Pathom 73210 (Thailandia)

To all this there is added the invitation, in preparation for the feast of gratitude, to offer the prayer for Mother General composed by Fr. Michele Rua is on page 177 of the book of the FMA prayers.

Naturally, this year the feast of Mother General seeks to be an experience of solidarity at the Institute level, therefore the offering, sent to the General Treasurer, will be used to finance the houses of welcome Munity Thidarak, which operate in two distinct areas where our Thai Sisters offer almost free hospitality, to more than 100 girls and young poor who are orphans from various ethnicities, or who have serious family problems, to give them the opportunity to attend a regular course of studies, and also for other urgent needs of ' Institute.

To facilitate the involvement of educating communities in the preparation of this beautiful and charismatic celebration, the Institute's website will create a file with the news relative to the nation of Thailand, to the origin and the present reality of the Province. Through knowledge, communion will be strengthened, and open us to the vast horizons of the charism.

During this Jubilee of Mercy, we are called to live fully the pastoral conversion process that GC XXIII has entrusted to us. In his recent book, Pope Francis defines mercy: "Mercy is the first attribute of God. It is the name of God. There are no situations from which we cannot escape, we are not condemned to sink in quicksand." For us mercy translates in the family spirit in which the heart opens to the dimensions of God, those of love and mercy. If this love burns within us, those who draw close to us can feel it!

This is the best wish to prepare ourselves to celebrate this great feast.

We feel close in affection and prayer, both very valuable in this special time of grace of the post-General Chapter XXIII.

I greet you with affection also in the name of Mother Yvonne and the Sisters of the Council.

Rome, January 31, 2016

Sr. Chiara Cazzuola

Vicar General

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