NUNTIA – APRIL 2006

Published on 17 May 2006 by freundj in Nuntia

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NUNTIA – APRIL 2006

30. Holy See

Msgr. Ghattas resigns. The Holy See announced that the Synod of the Coptic Catholic Church, gathered in Cairo (Egypt) from 27-30 March, accepted the resignation of our confrere, His Beatitude Cardinal Stephanos II Ghattas, 86 years of age, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts since 1986. To succeed him, the Synod elected, on 30 March, Msgr. Antonio Naguib, 71 years of age, who is originally from Minya (Middle Egypt). Msgr. Ghattas was born in Cheikh-Zein-Eddin near Tahta on 16 January 1920. He entered the Minor Seminary of Egypt in August 1929. He did his secondary studies in the Holy Family School of the Jesuits, finishing them in 1938. In September of that year, he was sent to Rome to the “Propaganda Fide” School. In 1944, he obtained a degree in Philosophy and Theology and was ordained a priest on 25 March of the same year. Upon returning to Egypt, he was named Professor of Philosophy and Dogmatic Theology at the Major Seminary of Tahta, afterwards Tanta. In 1952, he entered the Congregation of the Mission. He made his Internal Seminary in Paris. After six years of apostolate in Lebanon, he was named treasurer and superior of the Vincentians in Alexandria. In 1967, the Coptic Catholic Synod elected Fr. Andraos Ghattas, Bishop of Thebes-Luxor and he settled in the Cathedral of Tahta on 16 June of the same year. In 1984, after having completed the constructions of the bishopric of Luxor, His Excellency Msgr. Andraos Ghattas was named, on 24 February, Apostolic Administrator of the Patriarchy, to replace His Beatitude Stéphanos I Sidarous, C.M., elderly and infirm. The latter offered his resignation to the Catholic Coptic Synod, gathered in the patriarchal residence of Pont-de-Koubbeh. On 9 June 1986, His Excellency, Msgr. Andraos Ghattas was unanimously elected Patriarch of Alexandria. He took the name of Stephanos II, out of devotion to and affection for his illustrious predecessor, and to indicate continuity.

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CONGREGAZIONE DELLA MISSIONE
CURIA GENERALIZIA

Via dei Capasso, 30 Tel. (06) 661 3061
00164 Roma – Italia Fax (06) 666 3831
e-mail: cmcuria@tin.it

11 May 2006

To all the members of the Congregation of the Mission

Dear Brothers,

May the grace and peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ fill your hearts now and forever!

I hope all of you are living the graces that came from the celebration of Holy Week with an abundance of life in community and in your service of the poor in your various apostolates.

I recently made a trip to Mozambique during which I had the opportunity to visit with many members of the Vincentian Family. In particular, I met with our confreres who are members of the Vice-province, the community of the Province of Mexico in Chongoene and the community of the Province of Salamanca in Nacala. I also visited the Daughters of Charity in different places throughout the country.

I have one purpose in mind for writing this circular. As you are well aware, we have a shortage of missionaries available in the various apostolates that depend on foreign missionaries. The number of volunteers, in response to the Mission Appeal letters that both Fr. Maloney, my predecessor, and I have written, has fallen off dramatically. This raises for me a question, which requires reflection on the part of all members of the Congregation of the Mission, especially the Visitors, who are responsible animating the missionary spirit of the provinces. Are we instilling, within the hearts of each member, the spirit to serve as missionaries either at home or abroad? [...]

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