On May 11th, 1885 in the Shrine «Our Lady of Montiel» (Valencia – Spain), a small group of women promised to live according to the Form of life drawn up by the young Capuchin, Father Luis de Massamagrell; it was born in the Church the religious Family of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family.
Since then, on this date and every year, the Sisters remember this event and they joyfully celebrate it because, what happened on that day, continues along the time.
A religious congregation foundation is something similar to a child birth that requires a patient waiting and care by the person who will give birth and, as we know very well, Father Luis Amigó prepared this moment, not only following his dreams and personal projects, but remaining attentive to the signs that the Lord was sending him in his daily life and ministry and discerning them in prayer.
May 11th is a birthday celebration gathering all the Sisters, but it cannot be only a feast day to remember with emotion our foundation and to thank the Lord for what we have lived through and for the witnessing of life we discover in the congregational history, but it is an opportunity to reaffirm our personal and community commitment that allows our history to continue through the engagement of the Sisters walking every day along the roads of the world, faithfully reflecting in their lives the light of the Charism received from Father Luis Amigó.
Undoubtedly, the community renewal of Religious Profession that we make on this day, expresses our will to be faithful to our commitment but, at the same time, entails for us a “renovation” of our consecrated lives. The time and our lives continue their course, continually presenting us new challenges and the renovation of our religious vows means not only to reaffirm what we promised years ago, but to commit ourselves to “make new” our vocational response since our experience and well knowing that the One who called us one day, will not retract his promise (cf. 2Pt 3,9) and, as the Risen One, will always be with us, in the moments of light and in those of darkness, sustaining us along the path and giving peace to our heart.
The Saint Francis’ Little Flowers narrate that, during the Chapter of the Withes, Brother Francis talked to more than five thousand friars gathered there and told them: “My sons, great things have we promised unto God, but greater are the promises of God to us-ward; let us observe the promises we have made unto Him and let us await with confidence those things which he promised unto us” (cf. Lit Fl. XVIII). May these words of the seraphic Father Saint Francis bring a further touch of joy and hope to our celebration and may the blessing of Father Luis, humble protagonist of May 11th 1885 in Montiel, continue accompanying our personal and fraternal journey and as Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family.