Rome, November 16th 2011
Dear Sisters,
It is with joy that I am contacting you to communicate, that a few days ago Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints informed our Brother Alfred Bell, Postulator for the Cause for the Canonization of the Good Mother, that the examination of the diocesan process carried out in Paris on the life and virtues and reputation for holiness of the servant of God Henrietta Aymer de la Chevalerie, has finished and that nothing opposed to it has been found, and as of October 15th 2011 grants the “Document of Validation” which authorizes the Postulator to continue with the process for canonization.
The next steps to be taken are:
The Postulator, Alfred Bell sscc must apply to the Cardinal Prefect to appoint a ‘Relator’.
The ‘Relator’ whom the Cardinal names, will be the person who directs and accompanies the work carried out by the person to whom the Postulator entrusts the preparation of the ‘Positio’.
The ‘Positio’ is an investigation which includes a biographical profile of the Servant of God, in this case, our Good Mother, a justification of the importance of this cause at the present time, and a detailed study of the virtues of the Servant of God.
On November 7th, Alfred Bell has asked the Cardinal who names a Relator, that if possible this person would be French speaking and our proposal -sisters of the General Government- presented as collaborator Sister Jeanne Cadiou ss.cc. for the preparation of the Positio.
Once the Relator is appointed, Jeanne will need to start working under his direction, which involves having two or three meetings in the year to receive guidance and to give an account of the work which she is carrying out.
All these ‘legal regulations’ are in place, as stated above, in order to move the process forward, along with the historical research into the figure of the Good Mother, it is necessary to show that her reputation for holiness has continued to the present day, that her life and virtues are a source of inspiration for us and that we have recourse to her, confident in her intercession before God.
If the ‘experts’ have to carry out the first task the second is up to each one of us. In particular I want to appeal to all the communities and sisters who have the means to make the figure of the Good Mother known, through pastoral activities in colleges, schools, parishes etc. If we believe that through her mediation the Spirit gifted our world with a charisma that is necessary for the Heart of God it is worthwhile to make it known and not allows it to get lost.
Along with the above, it is an essential requirement to obtain a miracle through the Servant of God for the beatification. Here is where making known the Good Mother and turning to her intercession is fundamental.
Today I want to take advantage of the reception of this document from the Congregation for the Cause of Saints to invite all of us to go beyond the anecdotal and to deepen our inner knowledge of our Good Mother, to contemplate the movement of the Spirit who dwelt in her and led her to take options in favour of the reconstruction of her country, educating poor children in Christian values .We know that her generosity knew no bounds and that there were many and varied ways in which she empathized with the suffering of those who had lost everything.
May this same Spirit , who was working during her hours of Adoration and led her to treat people in need and to assist them, also energize us and make us sensitive to the needs of people today, especially the most urgent.
Once more let us enter deeply into this communication from the Good Mother to the Good Father, trying to discover what message these words said by her with such conviction, can have for us today:
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“The Lord wants an order that is destined to adore His Heart, to repair the insults the He receives, to enter into the interior pain of this heart, to reproduce the four ages of His life …He wants it to enter the interior crucifixion of His Heart … Our Congregation … has become necessary for the Heart of God.” (February 3rd, 1802) |
May we prepare to celebrate the feast of the Good Mother, not just as another year but rather as a new year, open to the newness that the Spirit, in the context of preparation for the General Chapter, and what it wants to offer our world through us.
Always united in the love of the Sacred Hearts,
Rosa María Ferreiro ss.cc.
General Superior
11/16/2011