The FMA Mother General made her first stop at the St John Bosco school where she was welcomed by the Salesians, prenovices, students, teachers, and school staff. In a true celebration, everyone sang in unison, welcoming the FMA Superior General.<\/p>\n
At 3:00 p.m. local time, the religious went to the so-called ‘Orto di Padre Cícero’ (Father Cícero’s Garden) to learn about the legacy left by the Servant of God to the Salesians of Don Bosco. Once there, Mother Chiara Cazzuola admired the statue of Father Cícero and visited the Living Museum, the house of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus, and the Church dedicated to the Good Jesus in the Garden.<\/p>\n
Immediately afterwards, the Superior General of the FMA visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, where she was welcomed by the Rector, Fr Cícero José, and prayed at the foot of the image of the Virgin on the high altar of the Basilica Sanctuary. The last stop of the afternoon was the Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, where she paid homage and prayed at the tomb of the Servant of God, Father Cícero Romão Batista. Finally, she also visited the place that commemorates Blessed Maria de Araújo, another figure of holiness who arose in Juazeiro do Norte.<\/p>\n
Concluding her visit to Juazeiro do Norte, Mother Chiara Cazzuola then attended Holy Mass in the Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, known as ‘the Salesian church’. There, she addressed a message in Portuguese to all the faithful gathered there.<\/p>\n
‘When we meet, even just to exchange greetings, sharing and communion grow,’ observed Mary Domenica Mazzarello’s 10th Successor. ‘It is interesting to be here to learn a little about the life of the servant of God, the famous Padre Cícero, so loved by the people of the Northeast. Reading something about him, I realised that he was a man of faith and prayer who had great trust in God. Herein lies the secret of his ability to reach people with practical methods and simple, direct language, rooted in reality, which thus fostered the assimilation by families and the population in general of human and Christian values, such as respect, honesty, prayer and the appreciation of the sacraments.’<\/p>\n
The Superior of the Salesians in North-East Brazil, at the head of the St Aloysius Gonzaga Province of Recife, Brazil (BRE), Fr Francisco Inácio, accompanied Mother Chiara Cazzuola throughout her visit and said, ‘Her presence is a historic event. She came as a pilgrim to live this experience of faith in this sacred place.’ Leaving Juazeiro, Mother Chiara Cazzuola continued on to the capital of Pernambuco, thus continuing her visit to the Northeast of Brazil.<\/p>\n