Yes to vocation…
13 February 2025On the 3rd of February we entered to the second week of our formation journey with the theme “Jesus said to her give me a drink” Yes to vocation by Priscilla, our Superior General.
The stage of youth is a decisive stage in a person’s life. Many things are decided at this stage for better or for worse. It was the same with our Founders. Their youthful searches, doubts, fears and criteria for discernment helped us to reflect on our own process and to become aware how we responded to the call of God.
We started the week remembering this precious time of youth and going back to our parental home where we spent our youth. With the dynamic of drawing and painting the parental home and the house of the present, we projected ourselves into the future, how we would make our own house with a vision of the future; it gave us real joy and confidence. The exchange was very enriching, we gained a lot of positive energy from listening to each other and seeing their simple, unique and welcoming homes.
The opportunity to read, pray, reflect, deepen and share on how our Mother Foundress responded to God’s call: her decision to enter the Company of Mary, the initial vision, the challenges she had to face and the inspiration of Claret as an apostolic missionary who would help her in the foundation of the New Order; have confirmed her strong trust in God, her great desire to know God’s will and to fulfil it.
On the 5th we set out on a deeply spiritual and life-inspiring pilgrimage to Tarragona and Vallmoll, following in the footsteps of Maria Antonia Paris. Walking along the same paths she trod, we headed towards the places where she was born, where she lived with her mother and sister, where she discovered her vocation, and where she began her journey of religious life: the Company of Mary.
The setting of the Mediterranean balcony in Tarragona, the immensity of the sea, reminded us of God’s boundless love and the mission entrusted to us to continue the work of evangelisation and service.
One of the most moving moments of our journey was our visit to the Cathedral of Tarragona and precisely in the chapel of the Cloister. There, in the presence of the Virgin, we prayed and expressed our gratitude for the charismatic birth of the Congregation: Maria Antonia made a vow never to be separated from her 4 companions before crossing the ocean.
In our prayer, we asked for the grace to be artisans of communion; we made present to the whole Congregation, to all those who entrust themselves to our prayers, benefactors, relatives, collaborators and all those who are supporting the formation we are carrying out.
We continued our pilgrimage by visiting the Sisters of the Company of Mary who welcomed us with great joy, sharing the story of our Foundress with warmth and enthusiasm. Their hospitality made us feel at home, and we were touched by their deep love and commitment to preserve her legacy.
At Vallmall, the house where María Antonia París was born, a place that holds the humble beginnings of a life dedicated to God made us to feel her presence and guidance. Then we visited the church where she was baptized, it was a moment of deep significance for us all. Standing before the baptismal font where she received the sacrament of new life, we renewed our own baptismal promises, reaffirming our commitment to faith.
On the 6th we delved into the youthful age of our Founder reading his autobiography, his family, the desires he had, his conversion, how he responded to the call of God, etc. This time, our reflections were brought out on the stage acting out different aspects of vocational discernment of Father Claret.
The peak moment of the week was praying and depicting our own initial vision and the personal call that each of us has received. Priscilla invited us to creatively represent our initial vision using different coloured pieces of cloth in the company of Mother Paris in the crypt.
With hearts full of love, joy and gratitude we continue our journey, welcoming all the surprises that God offers us in this graceful time.
