The Province of Barcelona celebrates “Their Day”
Fausto A. Leonardo Henríquez, CM
Today, January 27th the members of the Province of Barcelona gathered together to celebrate the a special day for the Province and a special day for the Congregation of the Mission … the Missionaries from the various local communities participated in this event.
At 10:30 in the morning, Father Jaime Corera, CM spoke about the translation from English into Spanish of the monumental work of Father John E. Rybold, CM, A General History of the Congregation of the Mission. Father Corera highlighted some significant events in our history as he reviewed various eras in the history of the Congregation.
After the words of Father Corera there was a break and then the participants gathered together for the celebration of the Eucharist. We not only gave thanks to God for the establishment of the Congregation but we also celebrated Father José Mulet’s and Father Jaime Pratdesaba’s 60th anniversary of ordination as well as the 25th anniversary of Father José Vicente Nácher and Father Enrique Alagarda (Visitor of the Province of Barcelona) who presided at the Eucharist. Father Alagarda thanked Father Mulet who received him into the Congregation and accompanied him during his early years of formation. He also thanked Father Pratdesaba who along with other confreres from the Mission in Honduras established a lively and well-organized Church and Community. Father also expressed his thanks to Father Nácher with whom he had shared years of formation and both were ordained on the same day.
As Father spoke about King David he reminded us of the fact that we have to read the events of history, our own history and that of the Congregation … and that history has to be read from a different perspective, that is, read from the perspective of what God’s does for us rather than from the perspective of what we do for God. As Father spoke about the gospel of the sower he reminded us of the need to plant seeds without being afraid of failure … even though some seed might fall in the midst of some unsuitable soil, nevertheless we must trust that the land will produce good fruit. Father concluded by inviting us to prepare for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of birth of the Vincentian charism.
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM
