1. Holy See
New Archbishop of Tripoli. On 28 December 2005, the Holy Father approved the election, carried out canonically by the Synod of Bishops of the Church of Antioch of the Maronites (Bkerké, Lebanon from 18-24 September 2005), of various prelates. Among the elected was Fr. Georges Bou Jaoudé, C.M., as Archbishop of Tripoli of the Maronites (Catholics 101,350, priests 171, religious 226) in Lebanon. The Archbishop was born on 27 December 1943 in Jouret El-Ballout (Lebanon). He pronounced his vows in the Congregation on 11 November 1961 and was ordained a priest on 9 February 1968. Most recently, he was superior of the community of Mejdlaya. Congratulations!
2. General Curia
Activities of the Superior General in December. Fr. G. Gregory Gay was in Turin from the 12th to the 14th and in Honduras and Guatemala from the 15th to the 22nd; in each place, he had meetings with the different branches of the Vincentian Family. From the 26th to the 30th he participated in the 2nd General Assembly of MISEVI in the Berceau (France).
Agenda of the Superior General in January. Fr. Gregory began the year 2006 by visiting, on the 1st, the Daughters of Charity at the Motherhouse in Paris. On the 2nd, in Rome, he held an ordinary meeting of the General Council. From 3-9 January, he made a visit to Egypt (Province of the Orient), where he met with the confreres, Daughters of Charity and laity of the Vincentian Family. From the 11th to the 14th, he visited the Interprovincial Internal Seminary in Teruel (Spain). From the 18th to the 24th, he participated in the Fifth New Visitors’ Meeting in Rome. From the 26th to the 30th, he was in Paris for the annual meeting of those responsible for the different International branches of the Vincentian Family. From the 30th to the 31st he had a meeting with the International Coordinating Council of the AMM in Paris. On the 31st, he had a meeting with the Visitors of France.
New Visitors’ Meeting. From the 18th to the 24th, the New Visitors’ Meeting was held in Rome. Thirteen confreres from the following provinces and Vice-Provinces were present: Nicola Albanesi (Rome), José Augusto Alves (Portugal), Jesús Arzate Macías (Mozambique), Agnaldo Aparecido De Paula (Rio de Janeiro), Norbert Ensch (Germany), Biagio Falco (Naples), Roman Gorowski (USA-New England), Matthew Kallammakal (North India), Michael Ngoka (Nigeria), Segundo Perugachi (Ecuador), José Francisco Ramos (Central America), Euzébio Spisla (Curitiba) and Daniel Arturo Vásquez (Colombia). The workshop-meeting consisted in the study of the new Practical Guide for the Visitor. Fr. Corpus Delgado (Zaragoza) was the moderator. The team of translators was made up of four confreres from four countries: Joseph V. Cummins from the USA, Félix Álvarez from Spain, Nélio Pereira from Portugal and Andreas Müller from Germany. The introductory talks for the study of the Guide were the responsibility of various confreres: some Italians, Carlo Braga (Rome) and Alberto Vernaschi (Rome), and others, members of the General Curia.
Confreres Visiting the Curia. On 14 January, Fr. Félix Álvarez (Madrid) was here. On the 21st, the confreres of the New Visitors’ Meeting passed through the house. From the 15th to the 24th, Fr. Patrick J. Griffin (USA-Eastern) was with us. From the 25th to the 27th Fr. Daniel Vásquez (Visitor of Colombia) and from the 25th to the 28th Fr. Francisco Ramos (Visitor of Central America) spent time at the Curia.
Reception of Ministries. Brother Adam Budzyna received the Ministries of Acolyte and Lector at the Mass of 24 December. Fr. G. Gregory Gay, Superior General, presided the celebration with the members of the General Curia. In his homily, Fr. Gregory said: “In this night, we want to renew in ourselves the three gifts which Christmas brings us: happiness, love and peace… These ministries are an occasion to renew our commitment to proclaim the Word of God and to serve with care at the Lord’s table.” Congratulations, Brother Adam!
3. Argentina
Commission for the 150th Anniversary. In 2009, the province will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the sisters and the Vincentian missionaries in these lands. A commission was been formed for this event. It proposed a three-year preparation period with a thematic core. For 2006, the theme will be Vincentian Spirituality; for 2007, Mission and Charity; and for 2008, The Vincentian Family. During this three-year period it is hoped to promote the deepening of the Vincentian identity of the entire Vincentian Family and the renewal of service and commitment with the poor. For 2006 a series of meetings on the regional level have been planned throughout the province.
4. Nigeria
Vice-Provincial Assembly. In the Vincentian Theologate in Maryland (Enugu), the Vice-Provincial Assembly was held from 2-7 January. The theme was: “Vincentian Ministry to the Poor in Nigeria: Challenges and Evaluation.” Forty-five confreres participated. The moderator was Fr. Fabian Eke, a diocesan priest who studied with the confreres at the University of the Philippines. At the Assembly, the confreres revised the norms, evaluated the ministries, and offered suggestions for the future of the Vice-Province. It was an excellent experience for the participants.
5. Paris
25th Anniversary of the CM Presence in Cameroon (1980-2005). From 23-27 November, the confreres of the Region of the Cameroon celebrated its 25th anniversary. This region has 22 confreres and 30 students. Fr. Claude Lautissier was present as the representative of Fr. Pierre Cornée, Visitor.
Visit to the Region of Vietnam. Frs. Pierre Cornée and Bernard Schoepfer, Visitor and Assistant of the Province of Paris respectively, visited the Region of Vietnam from 7-16 December. Last year, the Province of Paris celebrated the 50th anniversary of the presence of the Congregation in Vietnam (1955-2005).
In Preparation for the Feast. From 18-19 January, in the Motherhouse, the Province of Paris organized a study session on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Thirty-eight confreres from the province and several from the Province of Toulouse participated. The session was led by Fr. Bruno Cadoré, O.P., and served as a preparation for the feast of 25 January.
6. Salamanca
In Preparation for the Provincial Assembly. The Provincial Formation Commission and the Preparatory Commission for the next Provincial Assembly, July 2006, organized a formation and discernment course which served to reflect on the themes in the Domestic Assemblies. The title of the course was: “Emergencies that today’s world asks of our province. Emergencies to serve, to live, on which to act.” The course was given in two sessions: the first from 9-11 January and the second from 22-24 January. In this way, all the members of the province could prepare themselves for the Domestic and Provincial Assemblies.
7. Toulouse
New Members of the Vincentian Research and Animation Group. The Vincentian Research and Animation Group (G.R.A.V.) asked the Provinces of France for new confreres to become a part of this study team. From the Province of Toulouse, the confreres are: Jean-Pierre Renouard, Jean-François Desclaux, Jean-Marie Lesbats, Germán Niño and Alain Pérez.
8. Daughters of Charity
150th Anniversary of The Icon of Charity. The Province of Siena celebrated 150 years of the presence of the Daughters of Charity with various activities. Among them, the exposition of a work of art, The Icon of Charity, stands out. The triptych, produced by a painter from Piacenza, depicts, in the center, the face of Christ with the Parabola of the Good Samaritan in the background; on the sides there are the seal of the Daughters of Charity and the image of the founders, with a scene of daily charity. The Daughters of Charity are noted for the service given in hospitals throughout Italy.
9. Vincentian Family
12th Meeting of Those Responsible for the International Vincentian Family. From 27-29 January, the annual meeting of those responsible for the International Vincentian Family was held at the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in Paris. Participating were Marina Costa (AIC), Patricia P. de Nava (AIC), Sr. Evelyne Franc, (DC), Sr. Margaret Barrett (DC), G. Gregory Gay (CM), Manuel Ginete (CM), Benjamín Romo (AMM), Martha Tapia (AMM), José Ramón Díaz-Torremocha (SSVP), Marco Bétemps (SSVP), John Meahan (SSVP), Yasmine Cajuste (JMV), María de Jesús García (JMV), Felipe Nieto (MISEVI), Marcos Amador (MISEVI), Yvon Laroche (RSV) and Yvon Sabourin (RSV). Invited guests were: Mark McGreevy (Depaul Trust); J. Patrick Murphy, Marco Tavanti and Mary McGuiness (De Paul Leadership Project). The representatives of the branches of the Vincentian Family shared the most important activities of 2005 and the projects for 2006. Patrick Murphy and his team presented the work that DePaul University (Chicago, USA) is developing on leadership. Its objective is to study and deepen the vision, the values and the practices of St. Vincent, as they are manifested today in the Vincentian leaders and organizations of the world. Mark McGreevy and his team presented the work of the Depaul Foundation (Great Britain), its history, its accomplishments, its projects and its challenges. Marco Bétemps gave a report on the Tsunami Project and the Political Campaign Against Malaria. John Meahan spoke about the “Intervention Plan in Africa” on the part of the SSVP. A discussion was held on clarifying the criteria for belonging to the Vincentian Family and other issues. The theme and motto for the feast of St. Vincent in 2006 were defined. The next meeting will be 2-4 February 2007 in Rome. Some Congregations or Associations of Vincentian inspiration or some National Council of the Vincentian Family will be invited. The meeting was satisfactory.
New International Coordinating Council of AMM. The Coordinating Council of AMM, both the past members and the new ones, met from 30-31 January in Paris. The new members are: Fr. Henry W. Grodecki (USA-Midwest), Olimpia E. Freire (Portugal), Luis Alfonso Rodríguez (Colombia), Sr. Blanca Libia Tamayo, D.C., General Councillor.
MISEVI Assembly. From 26-30 December, the 2nd International Assembly of MISEVI was held at the Berceau (France). Some 40 people, coming from various continents, participated. On the part of the Congregation were Frs. G. Gregory Gay, Superior General, Manuel Ginete, Delegate for the Vincentian Family, and Felipe Nieto, Director of MISEVI, among others. On the part of the Daughters of Charity were Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General, and Sr. Rosa María Miró, D.C., General Councillor. A new International Coordinating Team was elected at the Assembly, which consists of: Carmen Lupiañez (Spain) as President, Carla Brunetti (Italy), Araceli González (Mexico) and Marcos Amador (Spain). Congratulations!
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PRIESTLY ORDINATIONS
FINLEY FOSTER Samuel Bar 17-12-2005
NECROLOGIUM
NOMEN COND DIES OB PROV AET VOC
GERMOVNIK Francis Sac 02-11-2005 Ocn 90-70
BROWN Gerald Joseph Marie Sac 02-11-2005 Ocn 78-57
ROA ARAGÓN Francisco J. Sac 10-11-2005 Mex 91-67
CASELLA Thomas A. Sac 20-12-2005 Orl 59-39
HAAZEVOET Pedro Sac 23-12-2005 For 90-70
TCHANG Antoine Marie Sac 27-12-2005 Sin 86-58
RIASOL FARRUS Ventura Sac 30-12-2005 Arg 77-61
BOHÓRQUEZ BELOGLIO Julio César Sac 01-01-2006 Per 81-64
CASARSA Alberto Sac 09-01-2006 Tor 93-74
KLEINEMEIER Heinrich Sac 16-01-2006 Ger 91-72
LUCENA DEL MORAL Juan Sac 20-01-2006 Mat 75-57
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New addresses:
Vice-Provincial of Mozambique: vicpmoz@tvcabo.co.mz
Visitor of Ecuador: visecuador@yahoo.es
Province of Slovakia: www.vincentiani.sk
