Mary Help of Christians (4)

Mary Mazzarello, the first founding superior of the Salesian Sisters (FMA) was also a great devotee of Mother Mary, especially under the title 'Mary Help of Christians'.  When Don Bosco christened the fledgling group of young girls as a religious congregation he gave them the name 'Daughters of Mary Help of Christians' (Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice in Italian).  

Mary Mazzarello is said to have always referred to herself as the vicar of the congregation, citing Mother Mary as the real and first superior.  Moreover, every night after locking the house, the keys of the house would be placed strategically at the feet of Mother Mary, a sign that the house and all its inmates were under her protection.  

Our Lady at the Chertsey cemetery, looking after the deceased Salesian Sisters

Organ donors

Last night I stayed up a bit late to receive Sr Mary ____ FMA who was coming to give a talk to the Salesian cooperators today.  While I gave her company during her supper, she narrated some of her most cherished memories of this place, Chertsey.

I knew that this place where we Salesians now have our residence was actually of the Salesian Sisters, but what I did not know was that it was their Provincial house for donkeys years.  For almost 7 to 8 decades this was their Provincial house!!  And Sr Mary recalled that the place where our Chapel is, was their Chapel too but made of tin for many many years ... and it is there that very many of the Sisters made their perpetual profession!!

She remembered with nostalgia, how the early local vocations were sent to New Jersey or other missions in the States, besides India, and Australia to help with the English language.  Somehow the superiors then did not think much of developing the English province.  They were not too sure of getting quality and quantity vocations from a predominantly protestant context!  So those few who joined were sent to build up already established mission centres elsewhere.

Quite a few were sent to the States because the Italian community which the FMAs (themselves Italians) catered to wanted their next generation to be adept not only in Italian but English as well. Hence the need for 'English speaking' Sisters!  

Philomena

Just watched the movie Philomena.

It is based on a true story of an elderly Irish lady looking for her long lost son who was taken away from her and given up for adoption in the US. All along a journalist assists her in this endeavour to meet her son... for a scoop. The story is BEAUTIFUL but the feelings are too hard to empathize.

I was viewing it from different perspectives. At times I found myself resonating with Martin (the journalist): his anger, his hatred for the nuns who separated the child and the mother, even when they had an opportunity to reunite them, his own growth in assisting someone discover her roots and relive the past, his flip-flops about being professional and humane...

At times I found myself in the shoes of Philomena: her simplicity and her attitude towards the Nuns who looked after her and all that they did for her. However, the ending scene is very moving. She forgives the nun who justified her actions, so convinced of her own virtue! When questioned as to how she could forgive someone just like that, she replies, “It is hard for me! But it is my choice!” The movie truly evokes contrasting emotions, giving you valid and true reasons for both the emotions... leaving you to make the decision!!

Something I learnt about religious life/ the religious: Why do we always think that it is about us? When all along our life and formation we are asked to shift the focus from ourselves to God and others! Why is it that we become so self-righteous and morally upright that all we do or say, becomes the parameter we judge others by? Why should we be anywhere in the picture at all when all along we 'vow' to let God shine through us? Why does mere practice of vows make us so proud, when they are actually mere means for a greater end: and without achieving that great end, we pride ourselves in merely, literally practicing the letter of the vows!

I'd like to get into the heart and mind of Philomena to know how on earth and at what point in her life did she learn to be a real Christian? After all she went through, how could she still be so magnanimous and forgiving? Where and how did she gain that attitude? Any 'normal' human person would grow bitter and angry and furious, if not at the treatment meted out to her all along but certainly at the insane and ridiculous justification of all the wrong, carried out by the same people, later on in years! But she chooses differently! How? Why?

Teresa vs Teresa

Our neighbouring parish is celebrating its feast today. St Teresa of Child Jesus is the patroness of the Parish (the actual feast was on October 2). Talking about the Saint, Fr Maliekal recounted an interesting conversation he had a couple of years ago with the vocation promoter of the Carmelite Sisters, to whose order St Teresa belonged.  The Sister seems to have said, speaking about the vocation coming in and going out...

The little Teresa with all her innocence and simplicity brings the girls in and the big Teresa (referring to St Teresa of Avila) with her interior castle and all that stuff frightens the girls out of the convent!  

That was really interesting. However the Sister had a point:  young people are easily attracted to simple, direct and short things of life.  But when things become complicated or involves complex reflection and scaling the heights of meditation, quite a few back off.

Well, there's no denying nor affirming this fact... just a matter of life! 

An evening in and around Trichy

This evening we had an interesting prayer service animated by the Salesian Sisters. It was a good and refreshing break from the highly intellectual and formal prayers that we men, are used to! Like Joaquim said after the prayers, it was good to once feel your prayer! Of course, the Sisters were thoroughly fooled during and much later too for their creativity and methodology. But being part of the family they took it all well and are quite comfortable with us.

Earlier during the day we had the fortune of visiting one of the communities of this Province, AMSAM. It is a Parish and a technical school with nearly 80 boys. Besides the beautiful church they have, which Fr Albert Johnson, the Provincial told me over supper is being slowly promoted as a Shrine, we also visited the Province cemetery which has the remains of five (of the six) of their deceased Salesians. Most of those who passed away were quite young confreres and had tragic ends. We said a short prayer, had tea and then thanked the community to return to our session, back in the Provincial house.

One of the things I've been trying to find out is the correct spelling of the place where I presently am: Tiruchy or Trichy? Well no one seems to have the right answer, except for the fact that the former is a Tamil abbreviation of the full name (Tiruchirapalli) and the latter the Angliced form of the former! So much for the name!