Italy – Study conference: "The lengthy term of governance of an educational institute 1881-1924"
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11 June 2024

(ANS – Rome) – A study conference called "The lengthy term of governance of an Educational Institute 1881-1924" was held in Rome at the General House of the Sisters. It was promoted by the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) and the  "Auxilium" FMA Study Centre of the  Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences, on Saturday, 8 June 2024,  aimed at exploring the figure of Mother Catherine Daghero (1856-1924), FMA. A figure of great importance and significance for the FMA Institute – of which she was Mother General for 43 years, from the age of 25 until her death – but little known within the Salesian Family itself.

There were numerous and qualified contributions to the day, moderated by journalist and writer Ritanna Armeni. After an introductory biographical video, the first to speak was Fr Francesco Motto, SDB, who illustrated the complex and problematic world context in which Mother Daghero found herself operating.

Reports by Sister Grazia Loparco, FMA followed. Tje first on her governance at a time of decisive institutional transformations for a large female educational institution; another on the missionary dimension in Argentina, by Sister Ana María Fernández Otero,FMA; another on the edition of her correspondence in print, by Sister Maria Concetta Ventura, FMA; and on the figure that emerges, thanks to Dr. Giulia Galeotti : To conclude, finally, with some unpublished considerations on charismatic-educational aspects, was a contribution from Sister Piera Cavaglià, FMA.

The study day, which opened in the morning with greetings from the Mother General of the FMA, Mother Chiara Cazzuola, the Rector of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS), Fr Andrea Bozzolo, SDB, and representatives of cultural institutions, ended in the late afternoon with a musical surprise from the FMA novices.

 The event was followed by a very large FMA audience, including the entire General Council, Mother General Emerita, Sister Yvonne Reungoat, the President of the Union of Superiors General of Italy (USMI), Mother Micaela Monetti PDDM, the World President and the Italian section of Past Pupils, Mother Daghero's great-grand niece, other friends and scholars.

The event was also streamed live for hundreds of people on five continents, receiving around 3,000 views in just two days. For those interested, the video of the event is available on the FMA Institute's YouTube channel.

The hope is that the Proceedings of the Conference may be available soon, in order to make available all the inputs that the stimulating government of Mother Daghero offers to the future of Religious Life, the Church, and particularly of educational institutions.

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