In the ocassion of the Feast of Our Lady Consolata, to be celebrated on the 20th of June, Fr. James Bhola Lengarin, The Superior General of the IMC, shares this message to all missionaries, lay people, benefactors and people of good will.
By Office of Communication
“Let us recall the profound conviction that St. Joseph Allamano cultivated in the silence of the Turin Shrine, expressed in his well-known exhortation: “Do everything for the Consolata, with the Consolata, to the Consolata.” Born of a devotion that lies at the heart of our history, these words continue to challenge and guide us. They remind us that the Feast of the Consolata is not merely an anniversary, but a moment of grace that helps us rediscover the beauty of our vocation and the strength that sustains our mission in the world,” The Superior General sustains.
Moreover, he expresses his sincere gratitude to all missionaries for their dedication, fidelity, and generosity in offering their lives to the Gospel in different contexts that they serve.
‘In the Consolata, we recognize the presence of a Mother who precedes us, accompanies us, and supports us in the joys and trials of our mission. With Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted, let us turn our gaze to the many wounds of today’s world and learn from her how to show compassion: by seeing, listening, drawing near, and caring”, he says.
The Feast in contexts
The Superior General also reminds on the context in which we celebrate this Feast; that there are wars that sow death and destruction; forced migration that tears families and communities apart; diseases that strike the most vulnerable; unemployment that extinguishes the hopes of the young; loneliness that burdens the elderly; and poverty that wounds human dignity. Mary takes us by the hand and leads us into these realities so that we, as Consolata missionaries, may promote justice, foster peace, and inspire hope.
“The 20th of June, the Feast of Our Lady Consolata, is also World Refugee Day, established by the United Nations to honor the strength and resilience of millions forced to flee their homes because of war, violence, or persecution. Mary knows the tragedy of exile from her own experience: she, Joseph, and the Child Jesus fled to Egypt (cf. Mt 2:13–15, 19–23). She continues to accompany displaced persons and refugees, sharing their anxieties and hopes. She urges us to support the poor, the displaced, and the afflicted by tending to their wounds with “the oil of consolation and the wine of hope,” he recalls, pleading to the intercesion of Our Lady Consolata.
A special intention for our communities
In the ocassion of the Year of Community Life, The Superior General wishes to entrust a special intention to Our Lady Consolata that her example and maternal presence may sustain all the missionaries “as we build communities that value our differences, heal wounds, foster trust, and bear witness to the Gospel through our lives and actions. For our witness to be credible, our communities must become living sacraments of God’s consolation: small lights shining in the shadows, seeds of the Gospel growing in silence. At the center of this stands Jesus Christ, with Mary as our travelling companion.”
In his same message, Fr. James alludes to the Apostles who “persevered in unity with Mary in the Upper Room as they awaited the Holy Spirit, so today she gathers us, forms us in communion, and sends us forth in mission.”
His call to the missionaries is to fight, through their life testimony, against “the culture of individualism, haste, and efficiency, and instead cultivates mutual listening, unconditional welcome, forgiveness, and fraternal sharing. This is a missionary fraternity that does not flee from the world’s complexities but embraces them with evangelical courage, prophetic discernment, and deep compassion.”
Consolata’s maternal intercession
The Superior General expresses a deep conviction that under Mary’s loving gaze, all things can be reborn, that the Consolata communities may thrive as homes of true fraternity, the missions may pierce the darkness with light, the people they serve may find peace and dignity, and friends and benefactors may be rewarded with her maternal tenderness.
“May the Feast of Our Lady Consolata rekindle in each of us the freshness of our vocation, renew our passion for mission, and strengthen our conviction that Mary, Mother of Consolation and Queen of Missions, continues to guide us, protect us, and intercede for all her children. With affection and deep gratitude, I wish all our communities a blessed and holy Feast of Our Lady Consolata 2026”, The Superior General concludes.
Below is the full text of the Superior General’s Message.