Collevalenza, February 18, 2022

Everything for love

Very dear Family of Merciful Love:

Time flies and here we are writing again.  Thank you very much for all your communications.  The last days have been very intense.  On the 16th, the dinner was a farewell dinner.  D. Mario thanked us for the opportunity we have given him to get to know our charism, the Shrine, the places of the Mother… We dedicate a warm round of applause for his competent and fraternal accompaniment.

Yesterday at the Shrine Mass we prayed for the People who celebrated their birthday, among them our brother Pietro Iacopini FAM and Sr. Laura Valle EAM.  May the Lord grant them health and peace.

Today we continue to celebrate life: Sr. Mari Carmen Ventura’s birthday.  The new Father General, Fr. Ireneo Martin FAM, celebrated the Eucharist.  He congratulated the Sister and exhorted us all to cultivate fraternity with some nice words… “We are not cousins, we are brothers”.  During breakfast, we sang “Happy Birthday” in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Romanian, German and Basque.  The Sisters of Collevalenza brought the cake even with the candles lit.

At the beginning of the session, M. Esperanza informed us of the death of our Brother Francisco Valbuena FAM.  We pray for him and thank him for his example of life.  May God have him in his glory!  Chapter work occupied us in the morning.  In the afternoon, Fr. Miguel Campo SJ came and we have begun a new stage of the journey.  It has been a “synodal” listening session.  We have learned so many things!

To complete the day, we received some good news.  Hna.  Carmen Martin’s health, although she is still in the hospital, has improved.  We continue to pray for Sr.  Virginia Agostini, who has been operated.

A really big hug, we continue to remember you in the Shrine near Our Mother.

Your Chapter Sisters

Collevalenza, February 14, 2022, Valentine’s Day

All for Love

Very dear Family of Merciful Love:

We have just had dinner and, as special envoys of the Chapter, we are to pass you the latest news. First of all, we have read with great pleasure the messages that you have written us with so much affection from all the Communities and the Laity. Today the LAM International Coordinator has also sent us a really beautiful letter. Thank you from all the Chapter Mothers.

A few days ago, we spent some time reading the updated report on the situation of the Merciful Love Laity, scattered throughout the world. Today we have returned the subject, we have felt very much like your sisters. We treasure the contributions received.

We continue to work in three groups with a very active, intercultural and synodal methodology. We were overwhelmed with so much content. With joy and great responsibility “we walk together” through the labyrinth of issues. Here we are with Fr. Mario in one of the brief breaks and other Sisters preparing the work for tomorrow.

On the day of love and friendship, long live MERCIFUL LOVE!

A big hug with ample social distance!

Your Chapter Sisters

February 11, 2022, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

All for Love

Dearest Family of Merciful Love:

We are having very nice days: it’s sunny. We are doing well and very focused on chapter work.

It’s a great joy for us to know that the whole Family is in communion and prays for us.

Organized into three groups, we have in hand the chapter themes in which all the communities of Sisters have participated with great affection. Fr. Mario Oscar Llanos SDB is accompanying us with his wise guidance; today at the end of the evening assembly he gave us a warm round of applause. We are very good students.

This morning we went to the Shrine of the Crucifix to pray Lauds and celebrate the Eucharist. Jesus listens very attentively to our pleas. We have enjoyed the Feast of the Virgin, besides today Our Mother founded the EAMPAT branch in 1957.

On the way to and from the Shrine we paid a visit Our Mother, who understood us barely saying nothing. She, from Heaven, is watching over and guiding us all towards a future of hope!

A big hug!

Your Chapter Sisters

February 8, 2022, Feast of Our Blessed Mother Esperanza de Jesús

All for Love

Dear Family of Merciful Love,

Thank you very much for the messages you have sent us!

Last night we participated in the Prayer Vigil in the Crypt. Today has been a beautiful spring day. Thirty-nine years ago, it was snowing when Mother Esperanza left to meet her Good Jesus. At 8 in the morning EAM, FAM, LAM and pilgrims formed a crown around the table of the Lord. This crown was so big because all of you were present in our hearts. The Eucharist was presided over by our brother Mons. Domenico Cancian. Fr. Piergiorgio Belloni SDFAM renewed his vows. “Dios es la causa de tanta alegría y de tanto gozo porque nos dió a la Madre Esperanza” (God is the cause of so much happiness and joy because He gave us Mother Esperanza).

Today we have worked on the topic of Charisma. At 5 we gladly returned to the Crypt. The Eucharist was presided over by our diocesan bishop, Bishop Gualtiero Sigismondi. When the Mass was over, the Bishop paid us a pleasant visit in the chapter house. He gave us the blessing. The third episcopal blessing in a day and we are sharing them with you.

Days before, the Mother General presented her Report on the state of the Congregation; the General Councilors the report on the sector they have coordinated. The Provincial Mothers and the Treasurers their corresponding Memoirs. We have done personal and group work as well as general assembly in a serene and fraternal atmosphere.

In Collevalenza it is already night. See you soon if God willing. Hugs!

Your Chapter Sisters

February 4th, 2022

All for Love

Dear Family of Merciful Love EAM, FAM and LAM.

We hope you are well.  Do you want to know how the Mothers in the Chapter are doing?  Really great!

On January 31st all roads reached Collevalenza.  We were already home!  Very well looked after by the Sisters.  They did the PCR on us and we all came to be “negative”.  Instead, joy and fraternity were “positive.”

On February 1st Bishop Domenico Cancian FAM, our brother, celebrated the Mass to the Holy Spirit in the Crypt of the Shrine, and afterwards we had two days of retreat.

On the 2nd, the Day of Consecrated Life, all the Sisters who were in Collevalenza renewed their vows.

In the afternoon, the Bishop of this diocese, Gualtiero Sigismondi, celebrated the Eucharist for the religious men and women of Orvieto-Todi.  We have participated and enjoyed being able to “feel with the Church” and “walk together”.

At the end of the day, Fr. Ottavio Bianchini, almost without previous warning, went to Heaven.  We were really sad.

This afternoon we celebrated his funeral.  United like a pine cone, relatives and friends, Sisters, Fathers, Laity AM, forming a true family around the altar of the Lord!  Goodbye, Father Ottavio!

We have started the chapter work.

We count on your prayer.  We remember you at the tomb of Our Mother.

Your Chapter Sisters

Communication No 7

Collevalenza, 19 January 2022

We communicate with joy and gratitude to the Lord the names of the confreres who make up the General Government of the Sons of Merciful Love:

1st Councilor: PESSOT fr Sante;

2nd Councilor: TERNERO fr Miguel;

3rd Councilor: DI GERIO fr Alessandro;

4th Councilor: CORPETTI fr Claudio;

Councilor SDFAM: NUZZO don Beniamino;

General Treasurer: DI GERIO bro. Alessandro

General Secretary: GILOTTI fr Claudio

Communication No 6

Collevalenza, 19 January 2022

We communicate with joy and gratitude to the Lord that the new General Father of the Sons of Merciful Love is:

MARTIN father Ireneo born in Spain on 31/01/1948.

Former vicar general, superior of the community of the Shrine and rector of the Shrine of Merciful Love.

Communication n. 5

Collevalenza, January 18, 2022

January 17 and 18 have been days characterized by discussion in the assembly, concluding the theme of the Charismatic Family and particularly of the ALAM, appreciating its presence, as a gift of grace to extend the proclamation and experience of the Love of God in the life of the Church and of the Society (Const. art. 25).

Then the theme concerning the Merciful Love Study Center (CeSAM) was addressed, considered a very valid tool for the formation of our charismatic family and for the dissemination and deepening of the message of Merciful Love. The issues concerning the organic structure of the Congregation, the economic issues and the indications for the next General Chapter were also addressed.

The second stage of the Chapter work ends with these themes. We therefore started the Third stage with the study for the regulation and the conduct of the elections regarding the next general government, which are scheduled for tomorrow, January 19.

We ask for your prayers as we will do during the celebration of the morning Mass invoking the Holy Spirit.