During the Christmas season, as the year draws to a close, we feel the need to pause and look back on the journey we have traveled. Christmas does not interrupt history; rather, it quietly moves through it, offering a simple light to help us understand what has been lived and to look forward with trust to what lies ahead.
The year 2025 has been especially meaningful. Above all, it was a Jubilee Year—a time that invited the Church to set out once more on its path and to renew the responsibility of Christian witness in everyday life. Within this context, the Daughters of St. Joseph of Rivalba have lived this year as a time of gratitude and reflection on their own journey.
On November 12, 2025, the Institute celebrated its 150th anniversary, a milestone that allowed them to revisit their origins and recognize God’s faithfulness across generations. At the heart of this memory stands the figure of Clemente Marchisio, the Founder, whose insight continues to guide the present. His words about Christmas still speak to us today:
Who were the first to be called by Jesus to His manger? Perhaps the rich, the powerful, the learned? Humble, He turns away from the grandeur of the world. It was only a few shepherds, watching over their flocks, who were privileged to receive this call. Jesus also wants to call us.
During the same year, another important anniversary was commemorated: 100 years of the Daughters of St. Joseph of Rivalba serving in the Vatican, caring for St. Peter’s Basilica with continuity, discretion, and dedication.
2025 was also marked by the XXIV General Chapter, under the theme PILGRIMS OF HOPE – Looking Beyond with the Heart to Share the Gift of the Eucharist with Those Near and Far, a time of listening, dialogue, and shared responsibility. From this journey came a change in leadership, entrusted to the prayer and trust of the entire religious family, a natural step in the life of the Institute.
All of this has been woven into the ordinary life of the communities in the countries where the Institute is present: Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Nigeria. Different places, different contexts, yet united by the desire to live the charism with fidelity, simplicity, and care for others.
Christmas is a time of balance and reflection. It does not simply mark the end of a year full of events, but helps us grasp its deeper meaning. God continues to draw near, not in extraordinary moments, but in the ordinary life lived with care and responsibility.
In this spirit, Christmas becomes an opportunity to give thanks, to entrust, and to start anew.
May the birth of Jesus accompany us in the transition between years and guide our journey ahead, filling it with hope that is expressed through simple and faithful daily actions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!