It’s like a tree planted along a stream…

Dear Sisters
we would like to recount to you about an intense moment, a sign of hope that we Sisters had on Saturday November 20th in the early afternoon: the planting of two trees, an olive tree and an orange tree. A symbolic gesture with which we wanted to thank the Lord of Heaven and Earth and to highlight importance and the necessity of taking care, together with the Creator, of what He has placed in our hands.
The initiative to this gesture came about after watching a short film entitled “The Man Who Planted Trees”, an allegorical story by Jean Giono, published in 1953. It is the story of a shephard who alone, with unwavering commitment, manages to reforestate a barren valley at the foot of the Alps in the first half of the 20th century.
We, too, are called to be collaborators in God’s work, to contribute to the good of all and to take charge of the Common House that the Father has entrusted to us.
At the end of the film, we went to the garden of the house at Celle Ligure where the ground had been prepared for this significant gesture, accompanied by a brief celebration prepared by the contemplative sisters.
After listening to a passage from the Word of God, we prayed together to the Lord to bless our work; then the Mother General sprinkled the blessed water to all of us and the surrounding garden.
While singing the Magnificat we planted the two small trees and together we covered the roots with soil and watered them thoroughly!
We make our own the words of the prayer of blessing said in this rite:

God, Creator and Father,
at the origin of the world
you established that the earth
should produce shoots and fruits of every kind,
the seed for the fields and the bread for the table;
grant that our countryside
gladdened by an abundant harvest,
fruit of our toil
and gift of your blessing
may contribute to the common good.

Deo gratias!
the chapter sisters