Rachiteni (Romania), 11/22/20, Sr. Victoria Balteanu.– We had a simple celebration to receive Marie Poussepin to our country and with three different reasons: discover the “House of Saint Anne”, celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beatification and the celebration of the birthday of our foundress.
With a group of lay people whose directress is Gabriela Gherca, the first laywoman to join this group, the “School of Rachiteni” was formed. It includes 13 students, 2 teachers and son of one of them who were initiated into a lay group for the Congregation. To form this group, there was a preparation focusing on the values of Marie Poussepin: This group prepared a play to invite Marie Poussepin to Romania, emphasizing the values of piety, simplicity and work.
Since October 2019, we met every month to study and reflect on the values inspired by Marie Poussepin. In April 2020, we formed a blog: www.impreuna.blog and a group of WhatsApp to continue our meetings, since it was impossible to meet in person by the consequences of Covid-19 Pandemic. From September 2020, we restarted face-to-face activities, safeguarding the established protocols of security. The group grew in number, thanks to the integration of students who wanted to be part of Marie Poussepin’s Laity. Five adults and 13 children made their commitment on Sunday, October 18th this year. In my parent’s house, now called “St. Anne’s House” I have a space dedicated to our Foundress, Marie Poussepin’s Chapel, where we gathered to pray to Marie Poussepin and each expressed a spontaneous intention. Almost all of them asked the Lord to help us to have vocations so that Marie Poussepin would be known in Romania; all of them committed themselves to pray the rosary every day and to place their intentions in the hands of Marie Poussepin. Another great reason that encourages them to pray is to ask for the presence of the Congregation in their village, Rachiteni, which has no religious communities. They pray for the arrival of a community of Marie Poussepin in their village.
Then, in the yard, all were offered a journey through the history of the Congregation, through a play, highlighting the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beatification of Marie Poussepin. Finally, they organized a moment of excitement, placing a picture of Marie Poussepin decorated with balloons in the center and greeted her with a song. It was a very moving moment: one of my friends dressed as Marie Poussepin, the mothers made pizza, director of the lay group prepared a cake, then I offered them Brioche and juice in the house. Then we went together to visit the Church in my village and the Castle “Alexandru I Cuzaa Miclauseni” which is 8km away from my village.
At the end of the day, we agreed that the next meeting would be in three weeks, one of the students will prepare a moment of reflection on Marie Poussepin. We ended our gathering with the prayer to Marie Poussepin and Salve Regina.
I unite myself with each Sister of the Congregation, I ask your prayers for the Project in Romania, to continue to give life to the Charism of Marie Poussepin.
Triple significado para la fiesta de Marie Poussepin en Rumania