On Wednesday, September 17, M. Loreto, Superior General, and M. Maribel arrived at our community and apostolic work of Cottolengo, (Río Cuarto, Argentina), where they were received with great joy by the residents, who were waiting to welcome them.
From the moment they arrived, these days of their visit unfolded in an atmosphere of fraternity, closeness, and attentive listening. The community gatherings provided an opportunity to share life, mission, and daily challenges in an environment of respect and loving, attentive listening.
Celebrating life and shared joy
On Sunday we celebrated a beautiful welcome party for the Sisters, which also coincided with the arrival of spring. It was a particularly meaningful afternoon, in which the residents, staff, godparents, the Pastoral and Liturgy team, and the Friends of Cottolengo Commission all participated.
Music, dance, and art took center stage. We enjoyed performances by folk dance groups, Spanish dance groups, and tango dancers, and, of course, the artistic presentations by our own residents, who shared various acts prepared with enthusiasm and dedication.
It was a beautiful afternoon of gathering, joy, dancing, and music, but above all, of deep affection and fellowship. A celebration that expressed, through simple gestures, the richness of a community built on sharing and caring for life.
A meeting with those who sustain the mission every day.
Another particularly significant moment was the meeting of M. Loreto and M. Maribel with all the staff of the Cottolengo and the religious community.
The meeting began with a dance performed as a form of prayer, preparing hearts for this moment of listening and communion. Following this, a few words were shared, framing the pastoral visit and expressing gratitude to the staff for their work, commitment, dedication, and the affection with which they accompany the residents each day.
Each participant also had the opportunity to express their feelings, concerns, perspective on the current state of the work, and their hopes and aspirations for the future. It was a rich and fraternal space where they could share experiences, pursuits, and dreams that help them continue walking together in the mission.
The meeting concluded with a potluck lunch, extending at the table the joy of sharing and fraternity experienced during the day.
"Daughter, I've come for you"
At the end of these days of visiting, the Cottolengo community expresses its deep gratitude for the closeness, welcome, respect and affection shown towards the residents, the Sisters, the staff and all the friends of this house.
These are days that remain as an experience of fraternity and as an opportunity to recognize, once again, the presence of God who makes his way in our history and in our mission.
With special emotion, the community also expresses its gratitude for the Foundress's time spent at this institution, recalling those words that continue to resonate in the heart of our mission: "Daughter, I come for you."
May the Lord continue to bless M. Loreto and M. Maribel during their visit to our Province, and may He encourage and strengthen them in the service that the Congregation has entrusted to them.