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Come contattarci ?
Per Posta elettronica
al seguente indirizzo:
mvtrombetta@fastwebnet.it
EBorella@gabelgroup.com |
Nasce la famiglia Verniana
in America
21 marzo 2004
Carissimi Mario e Emilio,
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NOTIZIE DALL'AMERICA
Al Presidente dei laici verniani
Con grande
tristezza, io ti scrivo che Suor Margherita Sarago', la
nostra "guida spirituale" della Famiglia Verniana, e' morta
ieri, 20 Agosto. Sono ancora sotto schoc perche' e'
successo tutto a un tratto. Durante la cena, lei si e'
alzata per andare in cucina quando le Suore l'hanno sentita
cadere. Sr. Margherita non aveva piu' vita quando
l'ambulanza l'ha portata al pronto soccorso, dove i dottori
hanno tentato di salvarla. Era morta subito dopo. Il cuore
non ha funzionato piu'.
Ricordiamo
Sr. Margherita nelle nostre preghiere, e nelle preghiere
della Famiglia Verniana.
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Good evening. My name is
Cynthia Kandra, better known as Mrs. Kandra to the children. I
thank the VMPA president, Mr. Bill Farino, and the officers, for
allowing me to say a few words about the Vernian Lay
Association, of which I am the Regional President, at this
gathering tonight.
When it was suggested to me
that I give a brief talk about the Lay Association during the
VMPA meeting, I was looking for a way to find the relevance of
the Association to the VMPA. Then I thought about a member who
recently joined the Lay Association: a parent of 3 adult
daughters who all attended Verna Montessori School. She told me
that when her daughters went here, the parents were so impressed
and so appreciative of the Sisters’ dedication to their vocation
and to their children, that the parents’ group formulated a
schedule of volunteers to come in to help with the summer
cleaning of the school. These parents shared the same sense of
community with the Sisters: the school was not just another
institution to which they paid tuition to send their children,
they genuinely saw the Sisters as an extension of their family
whom they would not hesitate to entrust the care of their child
and as family, whom you would not hesitate to help. This was
not just the Sisters’ school, but it was a school that the
families felt belonged to them too.
Some of you have developed an
affectionate bond with the Sisters caring for your child. Many
of you already work closely with them. The Vernian Lay
Association takes that relationship one step further. We are a
group of people with a common love and respect for the Sisters
and their Foundress, and a sense of charity and respect towards
others.
The Vernian Lay Association
exists as the Lay auxiliary to the order of Sisters of Charity
of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea. It is an international
association with a membership of about 500 lay men and women in
Italy, Argentina, Lebanon, Tanzania, Kenya, and Switzerland.
As you may have been aware, the number of religious vocations
have been steadily declining in recent years. In our Sisters’
order alone, 70% of the nuns are older than 60 years old. In
response, the Sisters have looked to the laity who are
sympathetic to their ideals to help spread the charism of their
Foundress, Maria Antonia Verna. Thus the need for this
Association.
The courage, perseverance, and
great faith of this extraordinary woman are the reasons we are
here today. Without the Foundress, there would be no Order of
Sisters, and without the Sisters, there would be no Verna
Montessori. Mother Antonia Verna had a special love for
children. She saw Christ in every one of her little charges.
Today, the Sisters follow in her footsteps by heeding the call
to serve God, freely and without compensation, by serving the
poorest and the neediest with love and charity.
Members of the Vernian
Association seek spiritual growth as individuals and as a
community. If we want to raise our children in a moral world,
based on Christ’s teachings, we cannot afford to stand aside and
do nothing. It is difficult to live a Christian life in today’s
world. Many times we feel that we are going against society’s
current trends when we stand for our beliefs. We need the
support of like-minded people to bolster our faith and encourage
us. This group provides the support, spiritually and
physically, that we need to make a difference in our community.
What kinds of activities does
the Vernian Lay Association do? We meet for spiritual formation
and discussion. During past meetings, we have discussed the
life of Mother Antonia, the Rule of Law of the Sisters’ Order,
and societal challenges facing Christian families today, to name
a few. We also strive to put our faith into action. In
Argentina, for example, the Vernian Laity has opened in the
poorest slums in the cities, a facility which provides food and
child care for the most destitute of people, human beings who
live on top of garbage landfills. Other groups in Italy have
raised funds to send to the Sisters’ African missions to help
children who are HIV positive and people with AIDS. Our
American chapter has decided to seek the poorest and the
neediest within our local community and provide assistance.
I would like to invite you to
find out more about the Vernian Lay Association. Also, if you
are aware of an individual or a family who could benefit from
our charitable service, please let us know. I can be reached by
a note you may send through your child, or by calling me after
school or at home (see the school directory). Our next meeting
will be held on Sun., Oct. 15 at 9 am at the convent. Thank you
for your time and may God be with you and your families.
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