Intercultural Formation Month

Today, September 17, 2025, the Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis, the Intercultural Formation Month
begins.

Fifteen sisters of our Institute, convened by the General Government in the previous months, are meeting at
Santa Maria degli Angeli, at the Casa San Giuseppe, to begin this time of listening,
knowledge, fraternity, and sharing, for personal and mutual enrichment, especially with the
goal of subsequently contributing their experience to their fraternities,
their districts of origin, and, therefore, to the entire Institute.

After beginning to familiarize ourselves with the place and with the sisters of the different language group,
this time begins with a moment of prayer in the Chapel of the Motherhouse: through the Word
of God, Franciscan sources and those of the Mother Foundress, and the Franciscan documents of this year,
the themes that will be addressed and experienced during this time are outlined: conversion of heart,
fraternity, the renewal of promises between God and each of us, and also the knowledge of the places
that are dear to us, starting precisely with the Motherhouse. Mother Lorella Veri introduces us by proposing the “common thread” of the
journey: making room for God within each of us to welcome the newness, diversity, and beauty
that surrounds us, especially in our sisters.

Sr Pia Luciana Marinelli and Sr Alma Letizia Razionale, offer us the welcome of the Mother Foundress

and the sisters in Santa Maria degli Angeli, who joyfully await us in the square to greet us.
Among them, we meet sisters from “Casa MAdre” the Spirituality Center, and Sant’Andrea.

On this feast day for the Franciscan family, we receive the grace of celebrating the Eucharist and
Vespers in the Porziuncola.

We thank the Lord for this gift He gives to our religious family, and, bearing in our hearts
the words of the Mother Foundress, “May the Seraphic Father St. Francis not permit us to be his daughters
in appearance, but that we all be confirmed in our vocation in the rules we have embraced” (Letter 279),
we ask each of you to accompany and support these sisters with prayer.
The participants in the month of intercultural formation, led by the General Councilors Sr. Mabel Rojas
Abiera and Sr. Rosa Maria Magaz Garcia-Porrero, are:

sr Maribel Graciela Mattos Fabian – Perù

sr Maria Mercedes Gutierrez Palomino – Perù

sr Jackeline Reina Vaca Ayreyu – Bolivia

sr Sara Lopéz Segovia – Bolivia

sr Maricar Del Prado Raagas – Filippine

sr Riza Anajao Abol – Filippine

sr Katherine De La Torre Garcia – Filippine

sr Elsa Yolanda Sanchez Nova – Colombia

sr Sandra Aguilera Lopez – Colombia

sr Arelis Gaviria Montoya – Colombia

sr Shprese Kroi – Albania

sr Irene Rizza – Italia

sr Elena Letizia Biffi – Italia