FMA General House, Rome -- On February 1, 2017 Mother General, M. Yvonne Reungoat announced the destination of the fifteen New missionaries to the Generalate community and to the world. Among them are 4 FMA Sister from the EAO region provinces - Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines.
On the Solemnity of St. John Bosco and the vigil of the Day for Consecrated Life, at the conclusion of the discernment process, Mother Yvonne met with the new missionaries for dialog and communicated them their missionary destination. The Councilor for the Missions, Sr. Alaide Deretti and her collaborators accompanied the journey of discernment and formation of the new missionaries, grateful to the Provinces that sent them and in the awareness that the Institute was born “in a time of particular missionary fervor in the Church and that it translates Don Bosco’s anxiety to evangelize. Thus, it was born missionary!”.
At this time, both the Church and the FMA Institute are breathing a new missionary atmosphere. Pope Francis is a tireless voice regarding the missions. On October 23, 2016, on World Missionary Day, he affirmed: “Today is the time of mission and the time of courage! It is the time for courage… we need courage to struggle… to proclaim… to be alternatives to the world… to open ourselves to everyone”.
Mother Yvonne Reungoat as well, in Circular 964 on the occasion of the 140th Anniversary of the First Missionary Expedition affirms with conviction: “We are preparing to celebrate the 140th year of the first FMA Missionary Expedition giving praise to God for the good sown by many sisters in the whole world. How beautiful it would be if the preparation would revive that ‘strong missionary impulse” that characterized the Institute from its beginnings, in the heart of every FMA. I am convinced that there will be a reawakening of new vocations for the Church, for our Institute, for the Salesian Family”.
The 15 New missionaries coming from 13 Provinces and 11 countries: India, Brazil, Chile, USA, Haiti, Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, El Salvador, Colombia and Paraguay. Those FMA from the EAO provinces are:
- Sr. Yun Hee Kyung Elisabeth (KOR) for Brazil - Manaus (BMA - Amazon region)
- Sr. De la Rosa Theda (FIL) for Western French speaking Africa (AFO)
- Sr. Buy thi Thuy Phuong Maria (VTN) for Paraguay (PAR - Chaco Paraguay)
- Sr. Nguyen thi Le My Teresa (VTN) for Angola (ANG)
During the Good Night on February 1, Mother met with the sisters of the Generalate in Rome and communicated their destinations, thanking the community for their hospitality, prayer, accompaniment in fraternal life, support, and openness of heart to universality, to new life in the effort to bring the joyful proclamation of the Good News.
On the other side the FMA Missions Councilor send a special appeal for a fruitful journey toward the GREAT FMA MISSIONARY EXPEDITION that will culminate on November 14, 2017. We pray that more Salesian Sisters will follow this second call to contribute to the Global Mission of the Church.
The New missionaries will continue their formative journey until the month of June, frequenting some formation courses at the Urbanianum Pontifical University, participating in encounters at Mother Ersilia Canta House of Spirituality and in the Generalate, and carrying out their apostolic experiences in St. Egidio Community, Padre Arrupe Center, House 634 Scalabrini, and the Salesian Parish St. Mary of Hope.
