My dear confreres,
May the grace and peace of Jesus be always with us!
Since 2019, when we had the grace of meeting Pope Francis and promising him that the Little Company would do all in its power to send 1% of its members (30 confreres) to the missions ad Gentes every year, so far, by Jesus mercy, we have been able to fulfill the promise.
It is my ardent desire that this year, 2023, and the years to come, we will be able without the slightest hesitation to continue volunteering for the missions ad Gentes, and so keep donating to the Church and the Poor 1% of the confreres, as one of the clear indications of the continued revitalization of our identity, a new missionary springtime, a beginning of a new Pentecost within the Congregation. One of the signs of our revitalized identity will be the opening, year after year, of new missions in countries where our Little Company still is not present: missions inspired and opened by provinces, vice-provinces, and regions or international missions by the General Curia.
I would like to repeat what I shared in the Mission Appeal of the last two years: our Little Company is missionary by nature. It is, therefore, so important that the missionary spirit that shapes our Congregation be present and fostered in the initial stages of formation and deepened throughout our lives. In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all the provinces, vice-provinces, regions, and missions to have this missionary spirit always present in the different stages of formation and to urge our seminarians to be ever open to the call to go to the missions ad Gentes, if Providence so desires.
I also would like to thank deeply the many provinces, vice- provinces, and regions that are so open to encouraging confreres to go to the missions ad Gentes, to the international missions coordinated by the General Curia or to the missions coordinated by the individual provinces, vice-provinces, or regions.
In a special way, I would like to invite those provinces, vice-provinces, and regions, who presently have large numbers of confreres, to reflect with your Councils and the confreres in what countries, where we are not yet present, you could open a new mission. Then send your reflections to me at segreteria@cmcuria.org for the General Council to consider how we can help you to open the new mission ad Gentes.
As every year, I would like to invite all confreres of the Congregation who feel the call to serve in the missions ad Gentes to volunteer as Jesus’s much-needed collaborators in announcing the Good News to the ends of the earth. This could be in the international missions, regions, or houses coordinated by the General Curia or in the missions coordinated by individual provinces, vice-provinces, or regions. If, after prayer, discernment, and discussion with your Visitor, you wish to volunteer to go to one of our many missions around the world that are so much in need, or be part of the opening of a new mission in a country where we are still not present, please write to me at: segreteria@cmcuria.org.
Dear confreres, the sooner you write, the sooner we will be able to discuss your letter in a General Council meeting, and the sooner we will be able to respond to the many requests for help. As I mentioned in my previous letters, if you feel called to the missions ad Gentes but cannot go immediately because of present commitments where you serve, you can volunteer today, adding that you will be available in one or two years.
I have the joy to announce that the opening of new missions ad Gentes in 2024 are underway: Uganda by the Vice-Province of Kenya; Congo-Brazzaville, Togo, and the North part of Congo in the city of Goma by the Province of Congo; Pakistan by the Province of Vietnam.
The opening of a few other missions is in the process of reflection. In addition, some of the International Missions have begun to be accompanied by a concrete province or vice-province, with the hope to include them as part of its own structure in the near future.
Here are the missions that, at this moment, need special attention and volunteers:
ALASKA
The mission in Alaska is no longer dependent on the General Curia, but rather on the Western USA Province. It is still in need of additional missionaries from other countries. Because the mission serves English and Spanish-speaking populations, ability to speak English and Spanish is required. In addition, the following skills are imperative for a missionary in Alaska: the capability to drive an automobile, strong pastoral skills, and adaptability to extreme climatic conditions.
BOLIVIA
The Bolivian Mission has two major mission centers:
- The Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Huayllani, Cochabamba, with an extensive territory and in three different zones: a city part, a rural part, and the Altiplano with a fairly large population. We need to increase the number in order to develop the mission and the presence of the CM in Bolivia.
- The Beni Mission: in the city of Trinidad and the region of the rivers, inhabited by various indigenous ethnic groups. The pastoral needs are urgent because it is an area in continuous colonization. It is a difficult mission, not only because of the climate (tropical), but also because of the distances and the situations in which the communities find themselves, so far inland in the rainforest.
In the Mission, we are very hopeful about the vocational promotion we have been developing. May God favor us with new and holy vocations. The vocation ministry is carried out jointly with the Daughters of Charity and the branches of the Vincentian Family, which are also increasing. The number of missionaries is limited for the number of pastoral demands that arise every day in the different areas.
CHAD
We are presently in need of confreres in two missions in Chad:
- Chad Bebalem: There is a need for a missionary for pastoral work in parishes and schools. The language spoken is French and the local language.
- Chad-Koundoul: There is a need for a missionary for pastoral work in parishes and at the Minor Seminary. The language spoken is French and a local language.
CAMEROON
Cameroon-Batoke: There is pastoral need in the parish and also to live internationality and interculturality. The language spoken is English and some French.
COSTA RICA
Talamanca is the most important indigenous territory in Costa Rica and is located in the south of the country, on the Atlantic coast. Since its origins, the mission has been the responsibility of the Congregation of the Mission. The missionary service has two realities: parish life, providing monthly pastoral care to some 36 communities that are difficult to access (navigating rivers, by motorcycle, or walking); and the mission ad Gentes, where it takes up to five days walking through the mountains to visit hundreds of people living in miserable conditions. The indigenous languages are Bribri and Cabécar, but, in most communities, it is possible to communicate in Spanish.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is considered a Christian country, with a total population of around eight million. Its Catholic population is about 30%. The Church in PNG is comparatively young and needs the help of missionaries to grow and develop. Our mission there began in 2001.
- In addition to the present confreres serving in PNG, the mission needs one more confrere who can serve in the Holy Spirit Seminary, preferably with some experience in formation. He can be a second Spiritual Director, teach in the Catholic Theological Institute (possible, but not necessary), and be responsible for disciplinary matters or liturgical formation. The growing number of seminarians dictates the urgency of this request (from 52 last year to 82 this year).
- Bishop Rolando Santos, CM, Ordinary of the Diocese of Alotau-Sideia, also requests two more priests who would help out in the popular missions and train young people to become missionary volunteers, formation of the laity, and organizing the Vincentian lay organizations; i.e. Children of Mary, Vincentian Marian Youth, SSVP, and helping out in parishes where there are no priests.
- Bishop Siby Mathew Peedikayil of the Diocese of Aitape likewise has written an appeal for two priests for his Diocese. The Diocese has 27 parishes and five quasi-parishes in addition to other pastoral, educational, and health institutions. “The Catholic population in the diocese is around 166,000 (almost 75% of the population). Both diocesans and religious together are only 14 active priests. Though the people are poor in terms of development and financial security, they are very rich in their faith. Our people are longing for the Word of God and the Sacraments. If our people are not fed by the Word and the Sacraments and strengthened in their Catholic faith there is the danger that many more will leave the Church to join other denominations or cult groups” (Letter of Bishop of Aitape).
Volunteers need to have a good command of the English language and should be prepared to learn the local language and be immersed in the culture of the people.
ANGOLA
Presently, we have three confreres serving in the mission of Lombe. The Vice-Province of Mozambique started to accompany the mission that is extensive and poor. The presence of other members of the Vincentian Family, the Daughters of Charity and MISEVI, serving in various works and places gives us a further reason and commitment to do everything possible to keep developing the present mission, and try to respond to further requests from the local bishop to open new mission stations. The mission needs more missionaries. Angola is a Portuguese-speaking Catholic country with awaking local vocations.
CUBA
The Region of Cuba is making great efforts in the field of vocational ministry, with the desire to increase the number of local vocations, improve the quality of their formation, take care of their stability in the Congregation, and advance the service of the evangelizing ministry of the poor. Because of this, it is urgent for us to have some missionaries who want to work more directly in formation.
We can say that the Region is doing well and this fills us with joy and hope. The language is Spanish.
HONDURAS
Even though three different provinces are involved in the missionary work of Honduras, we continue to pray to the Lord to send us workers. The Province of San Vicente de Paúl, Spain, has missions in La Mosquitia, in San Pedro de Sula, and in Tegucigalpa. The Province of Slovakia has a mission in Sangrelaya, which is a group of small islets between the sea and the waters of lagoons and rivers. The Province of Saragossa has the missions of Cuyamel and Puerto Cortés. We are particularly concerned with the mission of La Mosquitia. The diocese is poor in resources and personnel. It is a vast territory, difficult to access, in many areas only by plane or boat, due to the inhospitable terrain. Help in this area can be a magnificent missionary experience, but above all, an authentic gesture of charity, fraternity, and dedication. The language is Spanish.
GUATEMALA
The Province of Central America has given pastoral attention to the Sayaxché Mission in an indigenous territory with different ethnicities of the Mayan culture and dialectal ramifications for many years. Two missionaries now animate the communities, but despite their apostolic zeal, they are not enough.
It is not an easy mission. The Petén region is a jungle area with difficult access to cities and communities in the interior, especially when it rains. At least two more missionaries should be sent to support such missionary and Vincentian work. The language is Spanish.
ARGENTINA
The number of members in this province does not allow it to advance on the missionary path on which it set out. The project of forming a mission team for the parish missions has been stopped, not only by the pandemic, but also by lack of personnel. The province is collaborating with missionaries in the different needs of the Congregation and yet it has dared to open a new community in the poorest and most needy area of Paraguay. The province needs missionaries to reinforce some of the ministries that have been affected because of the opening of the new mission. It is a good opportunity to advance the internationality that our missionary spirit implies. The language is Spanish.
VICE-PROVINCE OF MOZAMBIQUE
The mission needs four missionaries, two for formation: one formator for the house of formation of the propaedeutic seminary and another for the house of formation of philosophy and theology.
Two missionaries would be for the missions in poor areas, on the peripheries with the suffering and abandoned people.
Portuguese is spoken in Mozambique.
VICE-PROVINCE OF SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS – RUSSIA
The Mission in the Ural Mountains in the city of Nizhny Tagil greatly needs missionaries who can obtain visas for Russia. The work is slow, mostly Eucharistic celebrations on Sundays in three small parishes requiring 350 kilometers of travel. There is also collaboration with the Daughters of Charity, the Association of the Miraculous Medal, and some other Vincentian-Charism-inspired groups. Before starting the service, the confreres will be able to do an intensive course in the Russian language, which is the language of ministry, in Russia itself.
NETHERLANDS
The mission house in Panningen is starting a new mission; namely, to keep alive the charism of Saint Vincent de Paul and the presence of the Vincentians within the context of the Netherlands. This new mission is open to potential new ministries that are, while keeping in mind the context of the country, in line with the Vincentian charism. A new plan has been made by the mission house in Panningen to develop ministries that include: (a) formation for priests/laity to evangelize in the context of a secularized society and (b) creative pastoral ministries within the local Church such as migrant groups and parishes. For this reason, two confreres (for the time being) are needed to begin this mission. It is expected that the confreres would have the following skills: (a) at least five years of priestly ordination; (b) good command of the Dutch language; (c) willingness to live in an international community; (d) availability for and openness to secularized cultures; and (e) creativity for ministries (formation of the laity, digital ministries, liturgical animation, pastoral work, service to the poor, etc.).
The two confreres who volunteer and are accepted to join the mission in the Netherlands will be offered all that is needed to prepare for the mission, including language studies.
ETHIOPIA – SOUTH SUDAN
The Province of Ethiopia needs two missionaries.
- A confrere to open a new Mission ad Gentes in South Sudan. The Superior General had asked us to open a mission in South Sudan, but due to lack of personnel we are unable to act. We are therefore looking for a missionary who speaks English.
- Our province also lacks a confrere who can write projects. We need a confrere who can help us in this area. The language is English. He would live in Addis Ababa.
MADAGASCAR
The Province of Madagascar is always ready to take on missionaries.
Manantenina: Parish and a few bush areas.
Ranomafana: Parish and some bush areas.
Seminary: Professor (philosophy, theology).
We even have a mission ad Gentes itself, and we are ready to send missionaries elsewhere.
We also want to keep Madagascar international. The languages are Malagasy and French.
MEXICO
The Province of Mexico needs one or two missionaries, especially in the vast Sierra Tarahumara where two confreres are already working. This parish area consists of 105 communities in the north of Mexico. It is a mountainous, timber-producing area with the presence of several mining companies, as well as problems caused by the drug crop. The minimum altitude in these areas is 2200 meters above sea level. With a lot of material poverty and an urgent need for evangelization, this region has the lowest indexes at the national level in education and social security.
The profile of the missionary for this Mission should be: a spirit of love and dedication to the congregational project of which we are a part; stable health and physical strength, because the altitude, basic medical attention, and the routes to reach the communities are quite demanding; a faith that is nourished through sincere prayer and the encounter with the different populations and their faith experiences; ability to develop and structure projects that are beneficial to respond to the various problems of the area; ability to dialogue with the people who are present in this area.
TANZANIA
The area where the mission in Tanzania needs assistance from missionaries is in our seminaries to serve as Spiritual Directors.
We need two missionaries who know English and are above 45 years of age, one to serve as Spiritual Director in our Minor Seminary, and the second to serve as Spiritual Director in our Major Seminary or as Spiritual Director in our Internal Seminary.
CONGO
The Province of Congo is planning to open new missions in our country and elsewhere, in response to the Superior General’s call to revitalize the Vincentian charism and expand worldwide. However, the number of confreres is limited. With this in mind, it needs two missionaries to meet the present need. French is the language spoken in our two mission locations.
- One confrere priest as spiritual accompanier for the Internal Seminary at Bikoro in the Province of Equateur, with at least 17 young people in formation.
- The second confrere in Congo Brazzaville, more precisely in the Archdiocese of Brazzaville, which is a new mission with a focus on youth education and parish ministry, along with two other confreres.
May Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Saint Vincent the Paul, and all the Saints, Blessed, and Servants of God of the Congregation of the Mission, as well as of the whole Vincentian Family, intercede for us!
Your brother in Saint Vincent,
Tomaž Mavrič, CM
Superior General
