Milan. On 30 May, the FSP Book Publishing Sector in Milan organized a pilgrimage to Alba, focusing special attention on the birthplace of Sr. Thecla Merlo in Castagnito and that of Fr. James Alberione in San Lorenzo di Fossano. Participants in the initiative included the staff of the publishing house (the sisters and their employees, together with their families) and a number of authors and illustrators whose works are published by the FSPs. All our collaborators expressed their gratitude for this chance to enrich themselves on the spiritual and human levels, get to better know the charism of the Institute, and discover aspects of the Pauline apostolate that were previously unknown to them.
Como. On Sunday, 14 June, many priests, relatives, friends and collaborators of the Daughters of St. Paul gathered in the Como Cathedral to participate in a Eucharistic Liturgy celebrating the Centenary of foundation of the Daughters of St. Paul. In his homily, the Bishop of the diocese, Diego Coletti, said that when he is having a hard day he goes to the FSP Book Center because it is a place overflowing with religious content and proposals, but above all with hospitality, cordiality and friendship. All this warms the heart, he declared. He also said that while reading the book, Mi Protendo in Avanti, he was struck by Fr. Alberiones yearning to reach everyone who did not know Jesus Christ, and he urged our sisters to continually look ahead, seeking to use every instrument possible to offer everyone the charity of the truth.
Ferrara. At the service of a culture born of faith
This is how Archbishop Luigi Negri described the mission of the FSPs in his sermon during a solemn Eucharistic Celebration in the Cathedral of Ferrara on 14 June to commemorate our Institutes Centenary of foundation and 75 years of presence in his diocese. In her brief introduction to the Liturgy, Sr. Daniela Cau, superior of the FSP community, stressed that the Pauline mission is to communicate the beauty of the Gospel. The service was enlivened by the beautiful voices of the Communion and Liberation Choir and refreshments were available during the fraternal gathering that followed the Mass. The joy of the participants, united in prayer to the Lord, and the best wishes of the Archbishop, marked the opening of a new stage of the Pauline journey in Ferrara and prompted our sisters to renew their commitment to the communications apostolate in order to promote a fresh flowering of faith among the People of God.
Messina. A festive Eucharistic Celebration, presided over by Archbishop Calogero La Piana in the Church of Santa Maria del Graffeo, brought to conclusion a series of 13 initiatives launched by the FSPs of Messina in May 2014 to commemorate the Institutes Centenary of foundation. Participating in the joyous Liturgy were many FSPs of the Reggio Calabria region, together with other members of the Pauline Family and many collaborators and friends, all of whom flocked to the beautiful Byzantine church to help our sisters commemorate this special event. The different initiatives programmed throughout the past year were organized by our sisters and carried out in close collaboration with various diocesan offices. In his homily, the Archbishop reminded the assembly that Fr. Alberione gave the FSPs the mandate to offer the charity of the truth to everyone and he urged our sisters to commit themselves wholeheartedly to this apostolate so that many more people will come to know Christ, the sole Way, Truth and Life of humanity.
Udine. On 15 June, the FSP community of Udine threw wide its doors to other members of the Pauline Family, friends, collaborators and their families so as to spend an afternoon celebrating together the FSP Centenary of foundation. Fr. Ampelio Crema, ssp, opened the event with a brief power point introduction on the significance of a Centenary and the beauty of being a single Family with many different faces. This was followed by a Eucharistic Celebration of thanksgiving in which everyone participated enthusiastically. The gathering concluded with a fraternal and festive supper.