Opening – Triennial cycle – Mother General

Your Excellency, dear Sisters, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, all participants of today’s meeting,

I warmly welcome each and every one of you on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, which has already arrived for us here in Italy, to the first meeting of our three-year cycle, “The Path toward the Jubilee of the 1700th Anniversary of the Birth of Saint Basil the Great.” For us, this is not only an opportunity to remember the great figure of our spiritual Father, but above all a time of spiritual renewal, of deepening our vocation, and of returning to the sources of Basilian spirituality.

Today, I would especially like to mention that the initiative of this three-year preparation proposed by the General Administration of the Order was joyfully and wholeheartedly embraced by our Basilian Sisters in Argentina. This is a very meaningful sign for the entire Order. As we begin this journey toward the Jubilee, we are not only deepening our spiritual roots, but we are also striving to concretely put into practice the Vision for the Future of the XII General Chapter — to build bridges of hope and peace within the Order and in the world. And it is precisely this common journey toward Saint Basil the Great, which brings together different countries, languages, and cultures, that helps us experience even more deeply our unity as one Basilian family.

Today we begin this journey guided by the words of Saint Basil the Great: “Guard your heart with all vigilance.” These words have become for us a special guide during this year of prayerful and spiritual preparation for the Jubilee.

In his “Longer Rules,” Saint Basil urges us “to guard our hearts carefully lest they lose their longing for God… and to keep the holy thought of God continually in our souls like an indelible seal.” These words are extraordinarily relevant today. We live in a world that easily distracts the human person, weakens inner silence, and takes away the ability to listen to God. That is why Saint Basil brings us back to the heart — to that deepest place where prayer, fidelity, love, and true consecration are born.

I see our common journey toward the Jubilee — not merely as a series of events or meetings, but as a path of inner transformation. Together, as the Basilian family, we desire to learn from Saint Basil love for Sacred Scripture, fidelity to prayer, attentiveness to our neighbor, and a profound life in God’s presence.

I believe this will become not only a sign of unity for us, but also a source of spiritual strength and mutual support. Moreover, many initiatives, events, and even surprises prepared for us by the Lord still lie ahead. What is important is to listen to His voice and fulfill His will.

Dear Sisters, today the Lord once again entrusts us with the mission of being a prayerful, healing, and life-giving presence of God in the world. And today the world deeply needs people whose hearts remember God — people who know how to build bridges of peace and hope.

Thank you all for your presence and openness of heart. I pray that this journey toward the Jubilee may be for the glory of God and for the good of all participants.

M. Emanujila Vishka, OSBM