News
PCI Encounter 2016
Sacred Heart Convent in Bangalore - India, hosted the annual reunion of the FMA Conference of the Indian Provinces (PCI) on September 1-4, 2016, on the theme "The Importance of Salesian Historical Memory". There were 38 participants from the six FMA Provinces in India. Present were Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil, Visiting Councilor, who presided at the meeting, and Sr. Piera Cavaglià, Secretary General, who is an expert in the historical memory of the Institute.
At 9:00 AM, the participants were escorted by the Auxilium School Children and the School Band to Nancy Memorial Hall, which was decorated for the inaugural celebration of the 2016 Conference Meeting.
The program began with a prayer dance by the school children, followed by the greetings of Sr. Crescenzia D'Almeida, Provincial of the PCI Province. Sr. Lucy Rose, Sr. Piera, and the six Provincials received a shawl; the delegates received a bouquet of flowers as special guests; while the national coordinators received a colored shawl and a red rose. The school children also performed a lovely typical dance. Taking into consideration the exhortation of Pope Francis to take care of nature, Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil, Sr. Piera Cavaglià, Sr. Elizabeth George, Sr. Crescenzia D'Almeida and Sr. Lidia Komuhra were invited to perform the gesture of watering a plant as a sign of our desire to reinforce our communion with God and with the entire cosmos. Sr. Lucy Rose informally expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the marvelous inaugural function organized by Sr. Crescenzia, the Sisters, and the students.
Sr. Elizabeth George, President of the Conference of Indian Provinces (PCI), presented the discourse of welcome and reception of Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil, Visiting Councilor, and the Conference representatives along with Sr. Piera Cavaglià, Secretary General. Sr. Elizabeth George emphasized "the importance of Salesian Historical Memory". She also thanked Sr. Crescenzia D'Almeid and the Sisters for graciously hosting Conference 2016.
Sr. Lucy Rose Ozhukayil held the opening discourse. She spoke of the meaning of our being together as FMA-PCI as a sign of communion. She exhorted the participants to conserve the value of historical memory because we cannot face the future without our roots of the past. Sr. Lucy Rose invited the sisters to value the presence of Sr. Piera Cavaglià, defined as the "Living Archive", and reminded us of the duty to carry on the rich patrimony handed to us by our Founders. We are grateful to Sr. Piera Cavaglià for her lively and interactive animation during these days, highlighting the importance of preserving Salesian Historical Memory. The group discussions were very enriching for the participants.
We could easily perceive the vibrations of love for the Institute and the desire to transmit the same sentiments that flow from the heart of Sr. Piera as she communicates to the FMA of India the patrimony of the rich heritage of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello.