22. General Curia
Pastoral Itinerary of the Superior General. Father G. Gregory Gay, Superior General, had various activities this month. From 5-9 March he was in the Tempo Forte council meeting at the General Curia. On 9 March, he presided the Eucharist at the opening of the AIC International Assembly outside Rome and preached the homily. On 10 March, he had dinner with the Board of Trustees of Saint John’s University and some cardinals in Rome. On 11 March, he shared Eucharist and lunch at the Leonine College in Rome with the Board of Trustees of Saint John’s University. On 13 March, he met in Rome with the members of the Board of Trustees of Niagara University. From 14-23 March, he made a visit to Ethiopia, where he met with members of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity and laity of the Vincentian Family. On 24 March, he was in Paris for the renovation of the vows of the Daughters of Charity. He remained there until 26 March. From 31 March to 8 April, he celebrated Holy Week in the mountains of Panama and thus was able to share faith and hope with the people of God.
Tempo Forte. From 5-9 March, the Superior General and his council held their March tempo forte meeting. Various topics were treated:
– Nomination of Father Claudio Santangelo (Province of Rome), as the new Secretary General.
– Decision that one of the topics for discussion at the International Visitors’ Meeting in June will be the frequency, duration and contents of General Assemblies.
– Appointment of Father Giuseppe Guerra as Legal Representative of the Curia in Rome. He will continue as Postulator General and will also carry out, full-time, the office of Procurator General.
– Study on the Vincentian Historical Sites, especially the Berceau and the Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris. Father Alain Pérez (Province of Toulouse) has outlined a project on ongoing formation at the Berceau for the International Vincentian Family.
– Information that 19 volumes of the General Councils, from 1827-1969, have been put on CD and on microfilm. The consultation process to help reorganize the Archives of the General Curia will continue.
– Report from Father Robert P. Maloney (Eastern USA Province), Coordinator of the Think Tank. The new name of this commission will be: “Commission for Promoting Systemic Change.” The Commission presented a report on the annual meeting of the international heads of the Vincentian Family, at which the decision was made to take Systemic Change as the theme for the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul this year. The Commission suggested some new criteria for the Systemic Change Award, which will be made known in the next letter sent out about the Systemic Change Award. The Commission will publish a book and a teaching kit.
– The final Financial Report of the former Treasurer General, Father Elmer Bauer III, was studied. He has concluded his service and returned to his Province of Origin, Eastern USA. Thank you, Father Elmer, for your years of generous service in this role!
– The Superior General and his council made the decision that the Mission Distribution Fund will be for the internal needs of the different provinces of the Congregation of the Mission. It recommends that social programs direct their requests to the Vincentian Solidarity Office. Those who received a letter of 13 February are reminded that their petitions and reports must be presented to the General Curia before 30 April.
– Father José Antonio Ubillús Lamadrid, Assistant General and liaison with the CIF Program, reported on the various courses: there will be a mini-CIF, from 24 June to 21 July; the Leadership course was cancelled (25 February to 25 March); the Ongoing Formation Program of CIF will be from 9 September to 7 December in English, French and Italian; the Vincentian Heritage Program will be 15 April to 11 May in English. Everyone is encouraged to participate in these magnificent opportunities for deepening Vincentian spirituality.
– The Superior General and his Council decided to increase the number of provinces which can be candidates to receive monies from the Vincentian Solidarity Fund. The official list will be distributed at the Visitors’ Meeting in June and will take effect on 1 July 2007.
– Report of Brother Peter A. Campbell (Eastern USA), Director of the Vincentian Solidarity Office. From December 2006 to 28 February 2007, the Office accepted six new projects. During that same period, the Vincentian Solidarity Fund granted donations for four micro-projects. All readers are invited to visit the website of the Vincentian Solidarity Office (www.famvin.org/vso).
– Report of the activities of Father Manuel Ginete Futalan (Philippines), Delegate for the Vincentian Family: participated in the annual meeting of the international heads of some branches if the Vincentian Family (Rome, 2-4 February); visited the Philippines together with the Superior General; participated, from 2-4 March, in the National Missionary Days of COVIDE-AMVE and JMV in Spain and participated in the AIC General Assembly from 9-14 March.
– Report from Father John B. Freund (Eastern USA), Webmaster of the Website of the Vincentian Family, in which was communicated the death of Sister Gail Reith, RSM, who recently had been named to assist the Webmaster. There was a video-conference with Father Freund and he said he wanted to show how the adequate use of the internet can be a richness for the service of the poor. It can also be a means of raising funds to sustain our ministries. They spoke about the possibility of improving communication from the Curia to the provinces and vice versa by means of new email addresses. This topic will be treated in greater detail at the Visitors’ Meeting in Mexico.
– Commented on the letter from the Visitors of the Midwest, South and Western Provinces of the United States, which presented their plans for reconfiguration. The three Visitors will come to the General Curia on 26 April in order to discuss this process in greater detail with the Superior General, the Vicar General and the Treasurer General.
– Report of Father José Antonio Ubillús, Assistant for the Missions, in which was highlighted: the sending of articles to missionaries of the entire Congregation and the possibility of participating in various workshops of ongoing formation for missionaries.
– On the topic of the International Missions, the Superior General and his Council approved the Community Plan presented by the missionary community of El Alto, Bolivia. They discussed the possibility of beginning an international site of MISEVI in El Alto. They approved the revised contract between the Catholic Church of the Solomon Islands and the Congregation of the Mission. They announced that there will be a new missionary in Papua New Guinea, Father Justin Eke, from Nigeria. He will be a member of the seminary faculty, thus freeing Father Homero Marín Arboleda from the seminary work to be pastor of a new parish, which has been offered to the Congregation by the Archbishop of Port Moresby. We are reminded that there is an urgent need for missionaries for parish ministry in the Solomon Islands and seminary work in Papua New Guinea.
– They spoke about two documents drafted by the Asia-Pacific Visitors’ Conference (APVC): the second draft of “APVC Responsibility for the Mission in the Solomon Islands Agreement with the General Curia,” and the third draft of the “Memorandum of Understanding Among the Visitors of APVC Regarding the Solomon Islands Mission.”
– Received the announcement of the course that the Conference of Latin American Vincentian Provinces (CLAPVI) is organizing in Rio de Janeiro, from 22-28 April, on the theme “Lectio Divina and Vicentina.” The speakers will be Fr. Gabriel Naranjo Salazar (Colombia) and Fr. Carlo Josafat.
– Received from the Conference of Visitors of Africa and Madagascar (COVIAM) a copy of the report of the 2006 Assembly. They presented the topics for the formation of formators during the year 2007. The Visitors and Regional Superiors will have a meeting from 1-3 August at which there will be a workshop on the Ratio Missionum seen from the perspective of Africa. Received reports from Father Sylvester Peterka (Eastern USA) on his visits to the Province of Congo and the Region of Cameroon.
– The Superior General and his council will make a donation to contribute to the setting up of the Chair of Frederick Ozanam at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas “Angelicum” in Rome. One of the promoters of this chair is the Frederick Ozanam Foundation of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Rome.
– Fixed the dates for the team evaluation of the General Council up until 2010. These reviews respond to what was established in the General Council Project which states: “Evaluate, revise and update this ‘Project of the General Council.’”
Visits to the Curia. Brother Peter A. Campbell (Eastern USA), Director of the VSO, was in the Curia from 5-21 March. Father Carlos Peleteiro Pedras (Peru) was there from 6-17 March, when he participated in the International Assembly of AIC. Father Michael Ngoka (Vice-Visitor of Nigeria) was here on 6 March. Father Juan José Mendoza Bonilla (Central America), Tomaž Mavrič (Saints Cyril and Methodius) and Jolly J. Maliekal (North India) resided in the Curia for almost a month. They participated in a workshop for “Provincial Treasurers” organized by the Association of General Treasurers in Rome from 13-30 March.
23. Chile
Meeting of Visitors of the Southern Cone. As is traditional each year at the inauguration or closure of the Internal Seminary, the Visitors of the Southern Cone Provinces meet. This year, the meeting was held in San Miguel, Argentina, on Sunday, 11 February. Participating were Fathers Vicente Bokalic Iglic of Argentina, Pedro Rubén Borda Montes of Peru and Carlos de la Rivera Rojas of Chile. On this occasion, the Visitors received the report of the Director of the Internal Seminary, Father Pedro Duarte Alonso, who has left this office and assumed that of Provincial Director of the Daughters of Charity of Argentina and Paraguay. They evaluated the interprovincial mission, carried out last July in the Parish of San Columbano de Santiago. Finally, they agreed to continue working together and outlined the plan of an upcoming formators’ meeting, which will be held in 2008.
24. Madrid
National Missionary Days. On 3-4 March, the National Missionary Days, organized by COVIDE, AMVE and JMV, were held. The theme was: “Mission Shared with the Vincentian Family.” The talks were varied. The first day, they were the responsibility of Father Manuel Ginete, Delegate of the Superior General for the Vincentian Family, and were: “The Vincentian Family in the World: A Family in Mission” and “The Shared Mission in the Vincentian Family.” The second day, the talk was given by Msgr. Antonio Algora Hernando, Bishop of Ciudad Real on “The Shared Mission in the Spanish Church Today.” The Sunday Eucharist was presided by Msgr. Antonio Algora.
Meeting of Vincentian Missionaries and Laity. On 3-4 March, a meeting of Vincentian missionaries and laity, who work in parishes, was held in the Vincentian Formation Center of Avila. The theme, “The Phenomenon of Immigration: A Challenge for Our Parishes,” was presented in various talks. These were the following: “The Phenomenon of Immigration Today” and “Think of the Social Integration of the Immigrants” by Julio Martínez, S.J., Professor at the University of Comillas; “Migration as the New Poverty, a Challenge for Every Vincentian” and “Criteria That the Social Doctrine of the Church Offers Us to Situate Ourselves Before Migrants, by Father José Aparicio y Malo (Madrid). On the second day, various “Communications” were presented, that is, diverse experiences of work with immigrants. Around 40 participants (15 Vincentians and 25 laypersons), who work in Vincentian parishes, met. It was a meeting with a topic that constitutes the whole initiative for Vincentian pastoral work.
25. Mexico
Holy Week. In preparation for Holy Week, the community of Chinatú, a community of indigenous peoples in the mountains of Chihuahua says: “We are awaiting some lay missionaries from Torreón, Guadalajara … around 80 persons. They will divide into two groups. One will work with the mixedrace peoples and the other with the indigenous. Now, to prepare the material and be concerned with the logistics. They will come exclusively to spend Holy Week in these lands. The group from Torreón will obtain a large quantity of food (a long box trailer full) for the indigenous peoples. Now they are going to bring even a dentist. To see what they are able to do in a week with the people. We need, certainly, many doctors who want to come to consult the people. Let us hope that the professional friends of the fathers of the communities organize themselves to come for a minimum of two weeks to do social service.”
26. Toulouse
Association “Middle of the Street.” Prostitution has existed for a long time in Limoges, as it has in other cities. In September 2001, the Association was struck by the increasing number of people gathering and settling in a particular area of the city center. The new bishop of the diocese asked a Daughter Charity, who had just retired from her “professional” ministry, to explore the needs of these young women. Eventually a project was started attached to the local city center parish in which a community of Daughters of Charity resides. In 2002, the organization called “Middle of the Street” was born. A few months later a Vincentian priest joined the project. The project took on board the emerging group of those “without”: without the correct papers and documentation, without housing, or living in other precarious situations. Today, the project mostly accompanies women in prostitution. Many others have their burdens eased by other organizations which have a similar Vincentian ethos. The aim of the “Middle of the Street” project is: “To go into the street emptyhanded, without any formal role, in order to create a bond and establish friendly relations with the men, women and children who live there.” After a time of basic formation and establishing contacts with the Movement Nid (for a society without prostitution) they made a start … 2 or 3 of them take a “turn” each week to go out and meet the prostitutes on streets of the city center. The large majority of these young women come from English-speaking African countries or from Eastern Europe. Language is a problem, but they try hard to understand and engage people in conversation one way or another. They want to be close to these people in order to be a “bridge” directing them towards the services (health, social, educational, etc.) which they need. Above all, however, it is a question of being with these people, listening to them, offering a free, discreet and friendly presence. This is a delicate, sensitive service and there are very few to date. The first concern is to find out how to meet their needs better. After five years in existence, they are convinced that this is the right place for Daughters of Charity and Vincentians to be. The charter of the organization is so relevant to their charism and it constantly motivates them: “The street is a space in the city where people, prostitutes, tramps, young people with difficulties and so on, find themselves on the margins of society … It is their living space, their place of meeting… We go on to the streets empty-handed, without an official role, in order to establish a bond of friendship with the men, women and children who live there.” They want to be signs of hope by being a kind, listening and creating community. God loves all these people because they are particularly close to his Kingdom.
27. Vincentian Family
AIC International Assembly. From 8-14 February, the AIC International Assembly was held in Rome. Three hundred fifty members from 50 countries throughout the world participated. The theme was: “Women and Poverty in Cultural Diversity.” During the meeting there were conferences and moments to share experiences. There was the election of a new Executive Committee. The meeting ended with the drafting of Operational Guidelines for the coming four years.
Meeting of AIC Advisors. On 11-12 March, the Advisors, who participated in the AIC International Assembly, had a meeting. There were 23 participants (13 members of the Congregation of the Mission, eight Daughters of Charity, Mrs. Patricia Nava, AIC Representative to the Vincentian Family, and Father Manuel Ginete, C.M., Delegate to the Superior General for the Vincentian Family and AIC Ecclesiastical Assistant). In the meeting, there was a sharing of experiences, suggestions and recommendations for improving their service as AIC Advisors.
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NOMINATIONS
MAŁŻEŃSKI Kazimierz 28-03-2007 Director DC – Warsaw, Poland
KELLY Fergus 28-03-2007 Director DC – Great Britain
ZERACRISTOS Yosief W. 06-04-2007 Visitor – Eritrea-Saint Justin De Jacobis
PRIESTLY ORDINATIONS
PRESIDENTE ARÉVALO Rafael Antonio AmC 17-03-2007
NECROLOGIUM
Nomen Cond Dies Ob Prov Aet Voc
MEDARD Pierre Henri Sac 27-03-2007 Par 91-73
GARCÍA VILLANUEVA Francisco Sac 27-03-2007 Mat 84-66
HARTUNG István Sac 03-04-2007 Hun 92-75
URBANEJA FERNÁNDEZ Vicente Sac 05-04-2007 Mat 94-78
VAN DIJCK Jan Willem Sac 10-04-2007 Hol 77-57
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“Dear brothers and sisters, through the wounds of the Risen Christ we can see the evils which afflict humanity with the eyes of hope. In fact, by his rising the Lord has not taken away suffering and evil from the world but has vanquished them at their roots by the superabundance of his grace. He has countered the arrogance of evil with the supremacy of his love. He has left us the love that does not fear death, as the way to peace and joy. ‘Even as I have loved you – he said to his disciples before his death – so you must also love one another’ (cf. John 13:34)”.
Benedict XVI
(Urbi et Orbi Message)
