Vila Prudente – Sao Paulo
It was 124 years have passed since the arrival of Mother Assunta Marchetti, from Italy to Brazil, in this space, today called Casa Madre Assunta, a blessed house, by the Mother of the orphans and the abandoned, and by many other people of God , home for the immigrant children of his time.
This same house, the courtyard, the rooms, the corridors and stairs, but above all the chapel of our Lady of Lourdes, where the little ones bent their knees in prayer, and with their eyes turned towards the imposing statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is where they pleaded for support for body and eternal peace for dead parents, this same house has opened its doors to other children, to other families, or to the new migrations of today.
Thanks to the decision of the general government a space was opened for reception, in the Casa Mother Assunta, to host immigrants from Venezuela, six families: 12 children and 13 adults.
Deo Gratias! The venerable servant of God Father Joseph Marchetti would say. Deo gratias! Because the whole Congregation participates in this welcoming project, thus continuing the Scalabrinian work.
This presence of immigrants, in the Casa Madre Assunta , helps the community of Sisters who live in this space to open up more intensely to the need for mission. Together with them we try to live the Scalabrinian charisma today, being “migrants with migrants”, with the comforting certainty of Jesus’ promise: “Whoever welcomes one of these little ones, welcomes me” (Mt 25:40).
Our mission goes from the simple smile, to teach him the first elements of the Portuguese language, of culture, as well as to zealously maintain and preserve the faith, favoring participation in religious celebrations, helping them in the search for work, inserting children in the school and above all living and witnessing solidarity and universal brotherhood.
From Roraima to the city of Sao Paulo, in the Casa Madre Assunta, we want to help overcome the logic of emergency: we believe that we are thus a spark of God’s providential love, for these migrants that providence gives us today to serve and love , to live concretely the passage of the Gospel: “Come blessed of my Father (…), because I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).
“To be for the migrant the smile of the distant homeland” (Beato J. B. Scalabrini), this is our day-to-day commitment!
Sr. Leocadia Mezzomo, mscs
Postulator of the Cause of Canonization
of Mother Assunta Marchetti
