On this second day, Fr. Dario spoke very well on what we need to hear: The General Chapter must be the work of the Holy Spirit, otherwise it is neither ecclesial, nor evangelical nor an action of God.

With gentle words, he echoes the importance of each one to be a channel of the Holy Spirit through one’s intelligence and trough one’s heart. In this logic, prayer is necessary and irreplaceable.  The Holy Spirit can act only through us. Openness to the Holy Spirit is not a comfortable stance, but with pain of dying to one’s own ideas and opinions in order to obey His divine breath blowing in our Congregation.

The 29^th General Chapter of 2023 is the first Chapter after Mother Rivier’s canonization. With this grace, she is strongly present among us! In keeping in touch with our dear Foundress, she will teach us to open new pathways, not only to respond to the needs of our wounding world but also to welcome new fervor in the journey of holiness for each of her daughters. The invitation is, for each of us, to imitate our beloved Foundress in our present context!

A General Chapter after her canonization is also an opportunity to measure the level of our zeal, personally and communally. Zeal that is not of doing series of works but the zeal of the fire of God’s love in our hearts which is the source of all holiness.   Fr. Dario, invites us to pray over the question: How much time of prayer we give to God before His presence in the Blessed Sacrament? We are Religious “ with a vocation of zeal and it is only in the heart of Jesus that we must seek it.” (St. Marie Rivier)

Nemi, 17.8.23