Greetings from Tivoli, Italy! Hello my name is Sister Kylie Maree Fowler. I am an Australian consecrated woman, born and raised in the Sandhurst Diocese in the city of Bendigo. For the last 24 years I have been living in Italy, together with a group of Sisters and Brothers of the consecrated family to which I belong – The Franciscan Family of Mary Immaculate.
Bishop Shane's Visit to Tivoli and Genazzano
In October, we had the joy of receiving a special visit from Bishop Shane Mackinlay at the Marian Shrine where we live and serve in Tivoli, a city approximately 30 km east of Rome.
Before the beginning of the Synod in October 2024, I was informed by my mother Helen Fowler, a member of Saint Kilian’s parish in Bendigo, that Bishop Shane would be coming to Rome for this important event. After praying about this visit, I was moved to write to Bishop Shane on the fifth anniversary of his Episcopal Ordination (16 October – the Feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque), assuring him of my prayer and extending to him an invitation to come to Tivoli, if possible, for a brief visit to the Marian Sanctuary – Our Lady of Quintiliolo, where a community of our Sisters and Brothers provide service and also to the Sanctuary of our Lady of Good Counsel at Genazzano, which is not too distant from Tivoli.
To my surprise, notwithstanding his busy schedule for the Synod, Bishop Shane responded to my email invitation, after only a few hours. More so, in his response he expressed his joy at having heard from me personally; he thanked me for my prayer and expressed a sincere desire to come and visit Tivoli. His quick reply and the content of Bishop Shane's email left me in a state of wonder and I received all as a gift of divine providence.
Bishop Shane decided that he would make his way from Rome to Tivoli by train. This is quite an easy trip, as the train is direct, yet sometimes there are delays, which is common in Italy! Although finding some difficulties with changing schedules at Rome, Bishop Shane had no problem working through these problems and arrived at Tivoli with only a 20-minute delay; thanks to God and Our Lady!
Upon arriving we were able to take Bishop Shane directly to the Shrine of Quintiliolo, a well-known sanctuary on the outskirts of the city which is much-loved by the local community. At the Shrine, Bishop Shane shared lunch with a small group of our Sisters and Brothers from different nations, including America, Italy and New Zealand. He was also able to visit the olive grove and large garden on the Sanctuary ground.
Bishop Shane’s presence amongst us was very edifying as he listened to the Sisters and Brothers present, and also shared many of his experiences and reflections on his involvement in the Synod. It was a very special Catholic-universal experience of communion. Bishop Shane also shared his own vocational story and we told him our own stories.
At the conclusion of Bishop Shane's visit to the Shrine of Quintiliolo, we were able to take some photos with him. Then, together with Fr Brendan Glynn from New Zealand, we visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel at Genazzano, a 45-minute drive away. It was a special experience, as the little Chapel where the image of Our Lady of Good Counsel is held is of rare beauty and antiquity, and the Sanctuary is also very welcoming.
We were able to pray silently and closely in front of the image of Our Lady of Good Counsel, visit the Sanctuary and its museum, and experience the simple, joyful, fraternal charity of the Augustinian community who live and work at Genazzano.
Bishop Shane returned to Rome by train from the station closest to Genazzano – Valmontone, after a day spent in generous service and rich fraternal communion.
We thank Our Lady for this providential gift of his visit and offer his intentions and the Diocese of Sandhurst to her loving care, protection and intercession. God Bless. United in the Heart of Jesus.
Above: Bishop Shane with Sisters and Brothers of the Franciscan Family of Mary Immaculate in Tivoli. Sister Kylie is to the right of Bishop Shane (third on the left).
My Vocational Story
I entered into Consecrated life within our Spiritual Family in Rome in the year 2000. I made this choice after a long period of human and spiritual searching, which left me with a deep desire to discover my Catholic Christian spiritual roots and the foundations of Christian prayer and contemplative life.
I left Australia in 1999, having completed a university degree in Psychology and having worked for a few years as a social worker and counsellor. It was in India in 1999, when I was 27 years old, that I underwent a deep conversion, facilitated by a return to the sacraments and through living with some local Christian communities. Upon departing from India, I arrived quickly in Turkey where divine providence enabled me to meet a community of our Sisters who, at that time, were situated at the House of Mary at Ephesus. These Sisters invited me to move to Rome where I met our Italian-born Mother Foundress, Maria Elisabeth Patrizi (1941-2020), on the Feast Day of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, (14 August 2000). I was blessed with many positive experiences with our Sisters in July and August that year, so I decided to remain in Italy to continue to discover the project that the Lord has always desired for me and was revealing at that time.
Over these last 23 years I have lived in different parts of Italy and served in different apostolate activities, including maternal schools and Sanctuaries. At this moment my apostolate and service is in the home of the Bishop of Tivoli and in providing Sacramental formation to children.
The spirituality of the Franciscan Family of Mary Immaculate which embraces Sisters, Brothers and lay people, is deeply Marian and inspired in a particular way by Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. Drawing on both the Franciscan and Carmelite Spiritual traditions our spirituality is deeply contemplative whilst, at the same time, lived actively in the world. We have not one specific apostolate activity but are open to the variety of apostolate expressions that Mary Immaculate herself calls us to. This is because, apart from making the three traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, we also profess a fourth vow of total consecration to Mary Immaculate.
This vow invites us to follow Mary’s example of docility to the Holy Spirit and to be loving instruments of her maternity. One of the first names thought of for our family by our Mother Foundress was “Universal Sisters and Brothers”. This was because, together with Saint Maximillian Kolbe, she desired ardently that our charism be expressed in all parts of the world so that Mary could guide all human beings to an experience of God’s love, and the true happiness and peace that stems from this. Our charism is directed to the conversion and sanctification of all. At this time, our Consecrated family is a small yet international community, with Sisters and Brothers from Italy, France, America, New Zealand and Australia.
Return to Sandpiper e-News 87 (29 November 2024)
If anyone is interested in making contact I would be most happy.
Sr Kylie
If you would like to contact Sister Kylie by email, please contact the Chancery on 5445 3600 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will provide email details.
