Transmission of GC XXIV in the Province of FMA – INC


On 7 January 2022, the province of Mary Help of Christians, Calcutta (INC) concluded the transmission of the experience of the XXIV General Chapter lived in Rome from 17 September to 24 October 2021 by the Provincial Sr Leelamma Palliparambil and by the delegate Sr. Stella Potteparambil. It was done in five groups, one in North Bengal, one in New Delhi, two in the provincial House Dum Dum and one in Bandel, from 12-15 November; 1-4 and 18-22 December 2021 and January 5-7, 2022 respectively.

Dancing to the tune of the song “The daughters of Israel dance with joy” the six Sisters who represented the ‘servants’, enthused the participants to re-live the ‘Wedding feast at Cana’, the passage from the Gospel of John from which the theme of GCXXIV was taken, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). Communities that generate life in the heart of contemporaneity”. Sr. Leelamma and Sr. Stella gave an overview of the participants, the process and the methodology, reflection and sharing in Commissions, Report on the life of the Institute (2014-2021) and the talks given by Sr. Marta L. Riccioli on the three nucleus of the theme of the Chapter. The personal study, group sharing and general assembly gave ample opportunities for the participants to deepen the contents of the General Chapter assembly.
The presentation of the Final Chapter Document, With Mary, a life-giving presence, that tells the experiences and contents of GC XXIV and presents the priority choices and guidelines for action, was a moment of gratitude to the Lord for the great work done by the Capitulars, and an invitation to resume our journey “from Cana to Capernaum” and share life and mission together with the educating community.

All the five groups of Sisters welcomed with gratitude, enthusiasm and joy the experiences of the General Chapter and its contents communicated so creatively with the help of power points and video clips by Sr. Leelamma and Sr. Stella. The transmission aroused in the Sisters deep gratitude for the gift of our vocation and charism, and a renewed enthusiasm to go ahead with ever new creative fidelity towards a future of hope. Everyone resolved to take up seriously the implementation of the three priority choices of the General Chapter: to be in on-going formation for a new vocational fruitfulness, to walk in synodality and to network in the perspective of integral ecology. Some of the priority commitments assumed by the groups are: i) Assume the attentive, creative, involving and accompanying presence of Mary, with the heart of the Good Shepherd; ii) Live the service of authority as a life-giving presence in a circular and participatory style; iii) Courageously redesign the physical structure at the service of the mission for the vitality of the charism; iv) Restructure our boarding houses offering the young people adequate training to become self-supportive in society.

The participants expressed their deep sentiments of gratitude to the communities of Jaigaon, Provincial House Dum Dum, Vasant Vihar and Bandel who have hosted the Transmission of GC XXIV, to the provincial Sr. Leelamma and to Sr. Stella who worked unstintingly day and night in preparation for the group transmissions making the sessions very lively, innovative, interesting and appealing.
Sr. Lily Perumpettikunnel