Beloved Guanellian Family!
Grace and peace to you in the Risen Lord. As we enter into the sacred mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord, we are invited not merely to remember, but to journey. Easter is a living path, a movement from darkness into light, from confusion into clarity, from Jerusalem to Emmaus. In this light, we are called to contemplate our own congregational journey:
1. Pianello Lario to Como – The Journey of Grace (140 Years)
On the evening of April 5, 1886, a humble yet deeply prophetic event took place when the sisters were sent from Pianello Lario to Como to begin a new foundation with Sr. Clare Bosatta, Sr. Martina Silvetti, and four orphans. Their journey, undertaken in a small boat (barchetta), was marked by poverty, courage, and trust. They carried within them not material security, but the richness of the charism and a profound trust in Divine Providence and reached the shore of Lake Como on April 6, 1886. Therefore, this Easter, which falls on the same day, has a significant mark in our life.
Today, Como stands as the living root of our charism and the sanctuary of our Founder. It remains a place where the spirit of the Founder continues to inspire and guide us. This journey reflects the Emmaus experience, where the Lord walks with His disciples, often unrecognized, yet deeply present. In that humble crossing, the sisters carried the living experience of the Founder, reciting the Chaplet of Providence, and landed the following morning in Como, where a mission was born that continues to bear fruit even today, 140 years later.
2. From Como to India – The Journey of Mission (40 Years)
Forty years ago, on July 3, 1986, on the solemnity of St. Thomas the Apostle the same spirit of grace reached Indian soil through the first humble step of our confrere, Rev. Fr. Tito Credaro. With simplicity, courage, and faith, the journey of the Servants of Charity began in India. This marked a significant and remarkable year in our Indian history.
We are deeply grateful to God and to our beloved pioneering confreres and sisters who brought the seeds of mercy to the people of God. Their lives were marked by humility, sacrifice, and fidelity. They lived the Gospel through concrete acts of love among the poor, the abandoned, and those most in need. What we are today is the fruit of their silent sacrifices and unwavering dedication. Their journey continues in us, calling us to be faithful stewards of the charism we have received.
3. Call to Live the Charism amid Challenges
As we stand at this moment of grace, we are also confronted with serious global realities. War, crisis, market crashes, and world economic instability have begun to cripple our resources and challenge our mission. Yet, this is not a moment of discouragement, but a call to deeper authenticity and trust in Divine Providence.
We are invited to accept these challenges with courage and spiritual discernment. This is a time to return to the essentials, to live with minimum resources, and to offer the maximum of ourselves. It calls us to embrace personal sacrifice, mortification, and a life of simplicity rooted in the Gospel.
In this context, our Superior General, wishing us Easter Blessings and speaking from the suffering reality of Congolese Africa, offers us a remarkable and prophetic invitation that must guide our response today: to live in true solidarity with the daily struggles of the poor; to love our people as Christ loves, through total self-giving; to embrace detachment from wealth with complete trust in Divine Providence; and to practice Eucharistic solidarity by avoiding waste at our table and sharing our lives generously with others.
4. Easter Journey …….
Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we are called to encounter the Risen Lord, recognize Him in the breaking of bread, and return with renewed zeal to proclaim His presence. Dear confreres, take care of your health and well-being, remain rooted in Easter joy, and actively search, find, and send candidates for the vocation camp. Our mission continues wherever Christ is present in the poor.
Happy Easter!
Read about these events and more in the latest issue of NEWS and VIEWS.
Fr. Gnanaraj, SdC
Provincial Superior
In all things, LOVE!
Making Charity the Heart of the World!
