FMA – IN THE WORLD PERSPECTIVE
Through the loving initiative of God and the direct intervention of Mary, inspired by the Charity of Christ the Good Shepherd, with the active collaboration of St. Maria Domenica Mazzarello, Don Bosco founded the Institute of Daughters of Mary Help of Christians on 5 August, 1872 in Italy as a response of salvation to the profound hopes of girls and young women. It is an international Congregation with more than 12,000 Sisters working in five continents. We the Salesian Sisters are Consecrated Women, who live in Community dedicating our entire life to mould the young people to be Good Christians and Honest Citizens. We are a living part of the Salesian Family which comprises of thirty vital groups engaged in the Christian Education according to the Preventive System. The three dynamic components of Don Bosco’s Preventive System are – reason, religion and loving kindness.
FMA INDIA
Filled with passion for God and compassion for the young, following the motto of Don Bosco “Give me souls and Take away the rest”, the six undaunted pioneers from Italy – Sr. Teresa Balestra – a skilful teacher to the catechists, Sr. Catherine Marnetto rich in the knack of management of people and things, Sr.Maria Angeleri with tender care for the sick, Sr. Luigiana Appiano strong willed in her fidelity to the rules, Sr. Consiglia Tarricone an exquisite builder not only with bricks but human hearts and Sr. Teresa Merlo a good organizer set their foot on the sacred soil of Tanjavur on 22 November 1922. Following their foot prints today there are 91 Novices, 205 temporarily Professed, 1154 perpetually professed Sisters working in 195 houses belonging to 7 Provinces in India.
FMA – INT
Ninety six fruitful years have swiftly glided in the annals of FMA India as it gave birth to the seventh Province – Our Lady of Snow – INT, Tiruchirapalli on 10 June, 2017 during the tenure of Pope Francis and Mother General Yuonne Reungoat, under the able guidance of Sr. Amalanathan Mary Margaret the first Provincial. The aim of establishing the new Province was to facilitate the Charism of the Founders to take root in the soil of Tamil Nadu in areas where there is a Thirst for Education and Evangelization.At its nascent period there were only eight budding Apostolic School Candidates, eight Contact period Candidates, four aspirants, one postulant, three first year Novices, three second year Novices, fourteen temporary Professed Sisters and Hundred and two Perpetually Professed Sisters.Within a year, the Province witnessed the demise of three Sisters – Sr. Abramo Teresa, Sr. Fernando Juliet and Sr. Muthusamy Rosary who radiantly dwell today in heaven to bless and intercede the Lord for the Province. The Sisters of the Province of Our Lady of Snow render their dedicated service in districts stretching their roots in ten dioceses nestled in nineteen Communities and 3 presences in 2018. The Province renders its service for young people at risk, Marialayas, well established boarding houses, schools,social work centres, colleges for the higher education of the poorer girls and formation houses.
One of the creative out pouring of the Province to the downtrodden women in the Society is their service through nine Vocation Training Centres. The Province forges ahead with the belief that it all began with Mary, under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Snows. May the Province and all the Sisters who belong to it become the perennial hymn of Don Bosco’s gratitude to Mary.