World Salesian Family, 7 September 2022 -- More than 12 years ago an annual meeting of the VDB Central (world) council and the FMA Sisters General council was established. This Salesian charismatic exchange at the 'top' level is an indirect inspiration for any province or local level exchange or sharing among any two groups of the 32-member strong Salesian Family. In the SF Identity Charter we read: '...entering a group in virtue of a specific vocation means entering the whole Family; it is as though each one feels entrusted to the others in a mutual relationship' (art.10)
How did the regular encounter at the world level among FMA and VDB begin?
It started thanks to the desire to walk more together (the current challenge of synodality). It was initiated from our (VDB) side after the election of Sr. Yvonne as FMA Mother General in 2008. Before that, the main FMA had already made a great gesture towards us and donated the fundamental historical document (to World moderator Anita M.) for us : the 'Quaderno Carpanera' (Carpanera Notebook) which had been in the FMA archives until then and we could not claim it.
After expressing our interest to meet, the FMA invited us to their house in Castel Gandolfo. It was a very nice and heartfelt meeting. We expressed our great gratitude for their care for us in our early days - we consider them not only as sisters but also as our "historic mothers" before and after 1917. You see, after our separation from the FMA sisters when we gained autonomy, our relationships were somewhat cold or indifferent. So we wanted to break that because we really owe them a lot and we felt that we needed to express that. We longed to have a closer relationship with them as a family. From that first meeting some 12 years ago, our relationship developed - we met once a year - on alternate days - once at their place, once at our place (although our VDB headquarters apartment was packed and bursting at the seams at the time with 30 women.
What are the fruits of these joint council meetings among FMA and VDB?
I think that the FMA sisters also received this initiative very positively. We trusted each other more and admired each other's realization of the Salesian charism in a different way than ours. They expressed many times that they admired how we can live purely and poorly in this world as consecrated lay women, how much good the Lord does through us in the ordinary environments of everyday life. We, in turn, did not believe our ears when we heard about their projects on the peripheries of poor cities and mission territories.
We were looking for common ground to put Don Bosco's message and charism into practice and to improve our own readiness to open ourselves to the world. We began to theme our meetings - new vocations, poverty in the world, formation, collaboration... Although we did not have more meetings together than once a year - we helped each other. The FMA sisters invited a member of our Central VDB Council to some of their events and we were also grateful for all their help. For example, at the first big Africa VDB Congress - Sr Marie Dominque, FMA from Congo RD was present throughout the whole event and gave a very precious lecture on the life of consecrated women in Africa.
Another fruit was that we informed our sisters all over the world about this initiative and encouraged them to have similar relationships locally. We don't have to organize anything together, but support each other through prayer, sympathy and inner closeness - trusting each other, admiring each other and helping each other when the need is seen. - I think this is a good model for relationships with other FS components as well. Not being afraid to cross the walls of autonomy...
What is the main contribution of the VDB to the large Salesian Family?
The main contribution I see in the faithful living of our VDB Constitutions - to bring Don Bosco - his spirit of simplicity, initiative, sacrifice, willingness, love for the young, devotion to the Church - into the ordinary everyday secular life. What do we need consecration for? It can be done by collaborators or exalted ones. I think consecration gives us greater freedom and liberty to not worry so much about earthly things, the concerns of men, we simply put our faith in God and he guides us and cares for us as we care for 'His things'.
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