Família Salesiana tem 27 grupos. Agosto de 2009.

São 27 os grupos que compõem a Família Salesiana
30/7/2009
Fundadas na Índia em 1976, as Irmãs de Maria Auxiliadora são o mais novo grupo da Família Salesiana

No dia 28/07/2009, o reitor-mor e o Conselho Geral da Congregação Salesiana acolheram o pedido das Irmãs de Maria Auxiliadora (Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix / SMA) de fazer parte da Família Salesiana. Com a entrada de mais essa congregação religiosa, agora a Família Salesiana é formada oficialmente por 27 grupos.
As SMA foram fundadas na Índia pelo padre salesiano M.C. Antony para desenvolver atividades de assistência e intervenção social. No dia 13/05/1976 ele deu início a uma Pia União, com quatro jovens. O carisma das SMA é expresso pelo lema “Cuidar dos pobres e das meninas abandonadas”.
Tornaram-se uma congregação de direito diocesano em 1999. No dia 15/12/2005, a congregação teve aprovadas suas Constituições. Hoje são 110 irmãs distribuídas em 23 comunidades presentes em sete dioceses da Índia.
As SMA trabalham com educação formal e não formal de crianças pobres; com evangelização; com orfanatos e centros de acolhida diurna. Empenhadas na área social, trabalham em rede com outras instituições, inclusive em alguns lugares com os salesianos.


SISTERS OF MARIA AUXILIATRIX (SMA)
HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION:
The seed for the Tree of the Congregation of Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix was sown and nurtured by the Salesian Priest, Rev. Fr. M.C.Antony SDB on 13th May 1976 along with four girls with a charism "to look after the poor and the abandoned young girls" who are socially, materially and spiritually neglected at Vyasarpadi.
Prior to the year 1976, the Government of Tamil Nadu had allotted place at Vyasarpadi for the Repatriates from Burma for their inhabitation. But the Government had not cared for their daily livelihood. Seeing the agony and the trauma of the people, Rev. Fr. Francis Schoolz SDB, the then Parish Priest of Beatitudes Centre visited and consoled them. He also offered assistance to them in terms of both cash and kind. Then, Fr. Schoolz realized that these displaced people needed direction and guidance for their development. For this reason, Fr. M.C.Antony SDB, became the asst. parish priest, to take care of these underprivileged and oppressed people, so as to enable them to live a decent living. With little hesitation, Fr. M.C. Antony took up this noble assignment along with the Legion of Mary. Having witnessed the enormity of the trauma and the pathetic condition of the people, especially young girls, Fr. M.C.Antony realized that a Religious Congregation was needed to take care of them. This vision gave him an impetus to start the Congregation of Sisters of Maria Auxiliatrix.
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Here, we have to see the two natural situations for the birth of the Congregation: Fr. Schoolz realized that an exclusive missionary type of work was required for the care of the underprivileged repatriates, in the course of his noble mission. Fr. M.C.Antony realized that an exclusive Religious Congregation was required for the care of the young girls. Fr. Schoolz’s thinking ignited the mind of Fr. M.C.Antony and the traumatic and pathetic condition of the young girls inspired Fr. M.C. Antony to begin the Congregation.



LATEST STATISTICS (July 2009)
Foundation of the Congregation ‐ 1976
Death of the founder ‐ 1990
Diocesan Congregation ‐ 1998
Superior General ‐ Rev. Sr. Jeya Rani (3rd Sup.Gen.l)
Mother house ‐ Vyasarpadi, Chennai,
Generalate ‐ Thapalpetti, Chennai.
No of General Chapters ‐ 02
No. of Communities ‐ 25
Total No. of Professed Sisters ‐ 111
Perpetually Professed ‐ 76
Aspirants ‐ 10
Pre‐novices ‐ 08
Novices (in two years) ‐ 09
Collaboration with Salesian Centres ‐ 12
No. of Dioceses ‐ 09