Dear member of the Movimiento Laico Concepcionista,

Special days come and I can't stop thinking about you. First of all, a greeting and the wish that you feel blessed by the Lord and his Mother, Mary.

We are in the novena to our Immaculate Mother, whom we remember in a special way during these days and whom we contemplate as the Creature full of Grace, because she is full of God.

But before the date of the 8th, the 6th day dedicated to Santa Carmen Sallés arrives, and the day to remember in a special way the MLC and each of its members. Just as on the 8th we religious renew our vows, on the 6th those belonging to the Secular Concepcionist Movement have been asked to renew their commitments. And in the middle of both days, the 7th, we remember that 130 years ago the Congregation was founded in Burgos. All are reasons for gratitude for such a blessing.

Therefore, the first thing is to give you my CONGRATULATION for belonging to this Movement and to this Congregation dedicated to the special worship of Mary Immaculate.

As an invitation for these days, I want to remind you of the one that M. Carmen Sallés makes us: "Raise your gaze to Mary…”. He asks us to “look at Mary”, why? because whoever looks at Her, and in Her takes the example of her life, she will know how to look at everyone as God looks at them.

This is the charismatic intuition of M. Carmen, from Her she took the inspiration to found the Congregation, from the Spirit and from Mary she received the charism, for this reason she also said that "Everything in the Congregation is the Work of Mary"

Carmen Sallés sensed in the Immaculate Conception a way of educating, of preparing hearts to welcome the love of God, which always prevents. She is the perfect Image because what God did with Mary, he wants to do in each one of us.

Looking at Mary Immaculate and Santa Carmen fills our heart with joy, our eyes with light and our life with beauty.

And a question arises: How should our Marian devotion be so that it is more authentic every day? Because more important than your privileges (which are not denied) are your virtues, your own decisions and choices from listening to the Word.

• Mary is the first believer and for this reason "what the Lord has told her is fulfilled in her".
• She is the one who listens and meditates on the Word. “keeping it all in their hearts”.
• She is the faithful disciple of her Son. "Standing by the cross was Mary, his mother."
• The one that is present in the first Christian community. "The apostles remained in prayer with Mary the Mother of Jesus."

I wish that in these days you follow the advice of M. Carmen, "raise your gaze to Maria" and contemplate her a lot.

With my congratulations, I send you a hug with all my love.

Mother Rosario Moreno

MLC Responsible

December 6, 2022