1. Postulation of the Saints
Future Beatifications. On 6 December 2006, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints to promulgate, among others, the decrees with regard to the martyrdom of Sister Lindalva Justo de Oliviera, a Brazilian Daughter of Charity, and the Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God, Salvatore Micalizzi, (1856-1937), an Italian priest of the Congregation of the Mission, who died in Naples. We are hoping for four beatifications for this year, 2007: Venerable Sister Giuseppina Nicoli, who died at Cagliari in 1924, Venerable Sister Marta Anna Wiecka, who died at Sniatyn in 1904; Venerable Sister Lindalva Justo De Oliveira and Venerable Father Salvatore Micalizzi.
2. Curia
Itinerary of the Superior General. From 1-9 January, he was in Nigeria. From 10-16 January, he participated in the Workshop “To Help Confreres in Difficulty” in Rome. From 17-21 January, he participated in the meeting of the JMV International Council in Madrid. At noon on the 25th, he shared in the festivities for the Anniversary of the Foundation of the Congregation with the community of the Leonine College in Rome. From 25-31 January, he visited the Province of Slovenia.
Formation for the Visitors. The Superior General convoked all the Visitors for a workshop on the theme, “Helping Confreres in Difficulty.” The meeting was at Casa Maria Immacolata in Rome. The objective was to help the Visitors act on the cases of confreres in difficult situations. The speakers offered psychological, spiritual and juridical orientation. Seventy-one confreres participated. Although the work was intense, the participants had the opportunity for relaxation in the Eternal City.
3. European Conference of Visitors of the Mission (CEVIM)
Standing Council. On 8 December, the members of the Standing Council of CEVIM met in Zaragoza: Stanislav Zonták (Visitor of Slovakia), Nicola Albanesi (Visitor of Rome), Corpus Delgado (Visitor of Zaragoza) and Giuseppe Turati (Province of Turin).
Treasurers’ Meeting. From 8-15 January, the first formation meeting organized by CEVIM on a European level was held. It was destined for the European Provincial Treasurers of the Congregation of the Mission. Twenty confreres, representing 15 provinces, participated. Fathers John W. Gouldrick and Elmer Bauer III, present and former General Treasurers, respectively, were present. There were four study-sessions each day, alternating with rest days and taking the opportunity to visit places important to religious Spain.
4. Fortaleza
Spiritual Exercises. The province convoked all the confreres to participate in a spiritual retreat from 27-31 March in Belem. The preacher will be Fr. Guillermo Campuzano Vélez, (Colombia). The theme will focus around apostolic insertion in the world, community life and the experience of God complementing and uniting them in the life of the missionary by prayer. In fact, prayer renews faith, fraternal love and apostolic zeal.
Formation Commission. The Formation Commission met on 4-5 December 2006 in the Provincial House. Fr. Francisco José Oliveira, member of the Commission, spoke on the theme: “The Challenges and the Perspectives of Formation in the PFCM.” The other members present were: Fathers Fernando Barbosa (Visitor), Carlos César (Formator), Silvio Mitozo (Formator), Francisco Ivo (Formator), Evaldo Carvalho (Formator), and Edauto Farias (theology student) and Edson (philosophy student).
5. North India
Doctorate in Theology. On 23 January, Father Francis Kannampuzha, received a Doctorate in Theology, specializing in Youth Pastoral Work and Catechesis at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. The title of his dissertation was: “The role of the lay catechist in the formation of the faith in adults in Coastal Orissa, India.” We congratulate our confrere, Father Francis, on this degree.
6. Mexico
Provincial Assembly. Monday, 22 January, began with a spiritual retreat and the celebration of the Eucharist. This new event in our provincial assemblies was well received by the members of the assembly. In the after-noon, the Assembly opened according to the steps indicated in the Directory. Six ex-officio members and 18 elected ones (24) participated, with a majority of young missionaries assisting for the first time at an assembly. The theme of the Assembly was: “We are missionaries; this is our mission.” Its motto was: “The being and task of our missionary vocation.” The work was divided into three commissions: 1) community and formation, 2) missionary pastoral work, and 3) missionary parishes. A final document, with the title: “We are missionaries; this is our vocation,” was developed. In it were put lines of action on the three themes of the commissions. Apart from this document, a guide for putting it into practice was drafted, indicating ways, times and actors. Finally, the necessary up-dating was done on the Provincial Norms. On 25 January, our Congregational feast was celebrated with the Eucharist and a fraternal banquet, functions in which the missionaries of the nearby houses, the seminarians of the Internal Seminary and the students of theology took part. This celebration also contributed to the animation of the Assembly. The Assembly closed on 26 January.
7. Peru.
Fifteenth Provincial Assembly. From 29 January to 2 February, the 15th Provincial Assembly was held in the Saint Vincent de Paul Seminary in Lima. Twenty-three delegates participated in it. The theme was: “Evaluation of the Provincial Plan 2004-2006 and Priorities of Action for the following years 2007-2010.”
8. Paris
Vincentian Day. The members of the Vincentian Family of Lille and the surrounding region held a meeting on Saturday, 13 January. In that area there are four branches of the Vincentian Family: AIC, the Congregation of the Mission, the Daughters of Charity and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. After the presentation of the four branches of the Vincentian Family, Fr. Bernard Schoepfer, spiritual advisor for the SSVP, gave a talk, insisting on the relevance of the Vincentian charism. The three discussion groups were: “Our practice of welcoming,” “Immigration,” and “How to encourage vocations to volunteer work.” The meeting concluded with the Eucharist.
Assemblies of the French Provinces. From 21-26 January, the Assemblies of the French Provinces were held at the Mother-house in Paris. The Paris Assembly had 24 delegates and three observers, while that of Toulouse had 20 delegates and one observer. Each province had times of prayer and meetings for sharing common questions, formation, and works. The participants were of six nationalities: French, Canadian, Colombian, Iranian, Togolese, and Vietnamese. Some of the topics treated were: the Vincentian mission in today’s world, community life, internationality of the provinces. They concluded with some “Lines of Action.”
9. Turin
Spiritual Exercises 2007. The dates and places for the Spiritual Exercises on the level of all the Provinces of the Congregation in Italy are proposed: from 16-20 April at Casa Maria Immacolata in Pallanza, from 3-7 September at the Provincial House of the Daughters of Charity in Cagliari; from 4-8 June at Casa Pia in Siena; from 27-31 August at the Leonine College in Rome.
10. Zaragoza
Interprovincial Meeting. On 9-10 December, the Visitors of France, Portugal, Lebanon and Spain met in Madrid, together with Fathers Santiago Azcárate and Félix Álvarez, to begin the configuration of the Interprovincial Internal Seminary.
NOMINATIONS
DISU MACAZO Bienvenido 12-01-2007 Visitor Philippines
DUARTE ALONSO Pedro J. 24-01-2007 Director DC – Argentine and Paraguay
PRIESTLY ORDINATIONS
ELAYANIKKATTU Augustine (Siby) InM 29-11-2006
NJARACKAL George (Saji) InM 17-01-2007
ELUKUNNEL James (Biju) InM 18-01-2007
THONAKARA George (Cino) InM 20-01-2007
NECROLOGIUM
HIDALGO CRUZ Rafael Sac 03-01-07 Cae 72-53
GUTIÉRREZ CHIAPPINI Tomas Sac 08-01-07 Arg 84-66
MARTINS Silvio Batista Sac 12-01-07 Flu 77-59
TRUNK Vincent E. Sac 18-01-07 Orl 88-61
MANFREDA Giannantonio Sac 23-01-07 Nea 81-52
MANNA Rafael Sac 26-01-07 Flu 56-30
PATO BACEIREDO Andrés Sac 27-01-07 Sal 67-49
DEKKERS Jan Sac 30-01-07 Hol 87-67
GONNELLA BASUALDO Jeremias I. Sac 30-01-07 Arg 72-52
NOVOA ÁLVAREZ Ramón Sac 30-01-07 Sal 74-56
DEBRECZENI Gyula Sac 03-02-07 Hun 89-71
SOETERBOEK Laurens Sac 05-02-07 Hol 82-61
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Archconfraternity of the Holy Agony of Our Lord Jesus Christ: http://www.sainte-agonie.fr
