October 16, 2011 Make text bigger | Make text smaller FROM THE EDITOR:
FROM THE CONFERENCES: FROM THE PROVINCES: ACTIVITIES OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT: ANNOUNCEMENTS: NEW REDEMPTORIST WEBSITES: TRANSITIONS:
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José María Montes Palomino, C.Ss.R., Superior of the Mission of Ivory Coast, a mission of the Province of Madrid, passed away suddenly in the Ivory Coast on August 13, 2011.
 Padre José, originally missioned from the Madrid Province, was also a missionary in Africa, Peru and Belgium. He spent most of his priestly life in Africa – first in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then called Zaire) and as part of the original mission to the Ivory Coast. He was the last native Spaniard Redemptorist ministering in the Ivory Coast. According to his wishes, he was laid to rest at the church of St. Mark in Bouaké, Ivory Coast. Ordained a Bishop on August 12th in the Vice Province of Bahia, Marek Marian Piatek, C.Ss.R will be installed as Territorial Prelate of Coari, Amazonas Brazil on October 23rd at Sts. Ann and Sebastian Cathedral in Coari. Father Paschal Ahanonu, C.Ss.R., of the Vice Province of Nigeria, sends us these photos of the new parish Church and complex in Alaba:
Is your unit engaged in a new pastoral initiative? Send us your story and photos to inform the confreres throughout the world what you are doing to preach the gospel ever anew. Grace and Redemption for All!
North American Conference
Second Meeting of the Conference of Redemptorists of Africa & Madagascar (COREAM) Editor's note: Abbreviations used in this text: Besides the Superiors and Vocales from the units, the Coordinator, Father Guy-Arnaud Agbossaga, C.Ss.R., along with the Procurator for Africa & Madagascar (A&M), Gerry O´Connor, C.Ss.R. , Consultor General João Fernandes, C.Ss.R. and an observer, Fr. John Berminghan, from the future foundation of Mozambique/Malawi were present. The Ivory Coast was not represented, unfortunately, due to the death of its Superior, Father José Maria Móntez, a few days before the meeting. Of the 20 participants, 7 were there for the first time, including the Coordinator. This resulted in some difficulties with continuity from the 1st meeting. But the group went to work with heart and soul keeping a busy schedule and making the most of the time available . The main themes of the meeting were: The Mission (methodology for pastoral priorities and common conference projects); the Fund for the A&M and financing of Conference activities; voting to present the Statutes of the Conference to the General Council; discussing the establishment of basic structures of the Conference, for example, Councils, Commissions and Secretariats of COREAM. Of the six days of meetings, 2 of those days were devoted to a workshop on the protection of children to begin to develop an active awareness of this important topic for the good of the Church and our mission.  Joint Projects of Mission: Joint Formation: The three African houses of Novitiate (Nigeria-Ghana; Kenya-South Africa-Zimbabwe; Angola-Burkina-Congo-Madagascar) have begun to write a contract for the sharing of responsibilities in regard to staffing, financing etc. Madagascar, with a large number of candidates, plans to open a novitiate on the island in 2012 and invite others to participate in it. In two or three years, the Congo would like to send novices to an Anglophone context to give its students a diverse experience of language and culture. In regards to a common theologate in the French speaking units, there is need for further discussion. Finances: An important step in taking responsibility for the Conference by the Units was the decision to establish an annual tax for each unit. If the Conference is going to ask for money from others to establish the Fund for A&M and COREAM, , it felt it needed to take the first step among its own membership. Fund for Africa & Madagascar: Father Gerry O'Connor submitted a detailed report of what he has done so far and what he could not do during this first year of his appointment. From the reactions to the report, there was concern that after a year the Fund has not taken off and a fear that the decision by the 24th General Chapter to make Africa a priority for the whole Congregation would remain just a good wish. Council, Commissions & Secretariats:
Sean Wales (South Africa) and Nicolas Ayub (Burkina-Faso) were elected to the Conference Council.
Spain On Saturday,August 20th, the Redemptorists of the Madrid Province hosted a celebration for all the young people from around the world with ties to the Redemptorist charism, who had travelled to Madrid for World Youth Day 2011. This celebration, designated an "Alphonsian Day", took place in our parish of St Gerard and at the adjacent Gamo Diana School, in the Aluche sector of Madrid. Present were the Superior General, Fr. Michael Brehl, Fr. Alberto Eseverri, Consultor General and General Government liaison with Youth Ministry and Fr. Pedro Calvo López, the Spanish Provincial, as well as a large group of confreres who had come from the Redemptorist communities all over Spain, and from other countries, amongst whom could be counted three Redemptorist bishops.
"Alphonsian Day" was the context also for the celebration of the first professions of the three Spanish novices: Carlos Antonio Galan Moreu, Pablo Jiménez Ruiz, and Antonio Puerto Diosdato . Following their years of postulancy in Valencia and novitiate in Ciorani (Italy), and accompanied by Fr. Maurizio Iannuario, novice master, took their first vows, giving witness before all those present that they wanted to give their lives for the proclamation of plentiful redemption.
Despite the suffocating heat, which was soothed by a continuous supply of drinking water being handed out, the celebration proceeded with feeling and participation. Afterwards, the novices, their families and fellow Redemptorists shared a meal in the church hall, and all the young people received a bagged picnic lunch to eat in the playground. After the meal and a short meeting between Father General and those Redemptorists present, there followed the delivery of Father General's message to the young people, which drew the encounter to a close. Later the young people left for Cuatro Vientos in order to participate in the all-night World Youth Day vigil and prepare for the encounter with Pope Benedict XVI.
A most sincere congratulations and thanks to those who made the smooth running of this "Alphonsian Day" possible, especially the Redemptorist community and volunteers at St Gerard's parish. Editor's note: Go to
b. Commitment of Redemptorist Missionaries and our Partners to Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the World today This Alfonsiana Encounter has confirmed once again that Redemptorist Missionaries and our partners and associates are committed with you to ministry with Youth and Young Adults. I cannot over-emphasize how important this commitment is for all of us – young and not so young, women and men of faith, from many cultures and from all around the world. I urge all of you – Redemptorist missionaries, Redemptorist associates and partners, young men and women – to renew your personal commitment to this ministry. Let us commit ourselves together to bring the Good News of Jesus to the youth of the whole world! In this way, World Youth Day will continue to touch our lives and to make a difference in our world. The Reality of the contemporary world in which we live Sisters and brothers, never forget that we share this world with all people – believers and non-believers, Christians and non-Christians, young and old. We live in the world filled with joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments. This world is the only world there is. And it is our common home.
Our world is a world with many gifts and many hopes. Advances in new technologies offer cures for diseases and the possibility of feeding the world's population. Advances in media make the world so much smaller and better able to communicate and share. It has become possible for all of us to engage more fully and directly in work for justice and peace, for education and respect. We dare to hope that we can make a difference. We can share the Good News of Jesus with our brothers and sisters in new and exciting ways. And we can begin to appreciate differences and the rich variety of cultures as gifts to enrich us rather than threats to divide us. World Youth Day is an excellent example of this. This whole week bears witness to the real possibility that our hopes can become our reality. The sharing we have just experienced today from all the different parts of the world confirms our best hopes, and strengthens our faith.
But this is not the whole story about our world. Our world is also broken and fragile. Our world is still divided by war and violence. We see the effects of this every day in the news. In our world, the massacre of young people in Oslo, Norway can take place – and it does take place. Our world includes the suffering people of Somalia, starving during a drought and afflicted with bloodshed. On the margins of our society and the edges of our cities we find so many abandoned, afflicted and troubled youth. Human beings continue to damage the eco-system of our world. Human trafficking – especially women and children – enslaves our sisters and brothers. We all know that our world is very broken. It is a great challenge in this world – both beautiful and broken – to remain firm in the faith and to share with others our relationship with Jesus in a way that brings hope. We cannot respond to this challenge alone and by ourselves. We can only live the theme for this World Youth Day through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to build up one another in Jesus Christ. To be firm in the faith means to deepen our friendship and relationship with Jesus Christ in the Spirit and as members of his body. Built up in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12 – 13) – To be his Body in the world is to become more fully human in Jesus Christ, the full human being (Constitution 19) Together we are the Body of Christ. We are called more and more to grow into the fullness of Christ. This is what it means to be built up in Jesus Christ. Remember that God sent us Jesus as one of us. Jesus, the Word of God, chose to become human. Jesus fully shares our humanity in every way that we are human. The Church teaches us that Jesus our Redeemer sees with human eyes. He hears with human ears. Jesus tastes and smells with human senses. He touches real flesh and blood with human hands. Jesus our Redeemer thinks with a human mind and loves with a human heart. To be built up in Christ means to become as fully human as Jesus is fully human. Never forget that to follow Jesus does not mean to deny our humanity, but to become more human. To develop our humanity, we need to develop our five senses and our sixth sense too. I would like to suggest that we use the image of these senses as a concrete symbol of how to be built up in Jesus and how to grow in our relationship with him and with others.
What would it be like to see the world as God sees the world? Well, first of all, God sees everything that he has created as good! God sees men and women as very good. To see the world as God sees the world means that we learn to see with the eyes of Jesus Christ. How does Jesus see the world? Where other people see sinners, Jesus sees children of God – even if they are lost sheep. Where others see enemies, Jesus sees brothers and sisters – even if they need to be reconciled. Where others see the world as a resource to be exploited, Jesus sees God's garden to be cared for and enjoyed by all. Jesus sees with the eyes of God. The way Jesus sees the world changes the world – just look at the gospels to see how often this happens! Think of your own life and you will recognize that this is true. Jesus sees you as the beloved child of God you really are. This vision has the power to change you. When we recognize this truth about ourselves, we begin to see others differently. As you are, so is the world you see. We begin to see with the eyes of God, with the eyes of Jesus. We become more human.
I think that to taste the world as God tastes the world is to be full of life and full of joy – 'Taste and see that the Lord is good!' Not all taste is pleasant – just think of your own sense of taste. Tastes can be sweet or sour, bitter or exotic, pungent or delicate. Jesus tasted the joy of life – in food and drink, in nature and friendship. He also tasted the bitterness of betrayal and suffering. He tasted it all – he drank it all in. He told his disciples: "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full." To be built up in Jesus Christ and to become more fully human, we too must taste life to the full. We must taste the bitter and the sweet, the joy and the suffering. To taste life is to live as if there is great joy to be experienced around every curve in the road, and an abundance of goodness in every person you meet. Sometimes we might be disappointed with the taste. Most often, we are surprised with wonder and joy. To hear with the ears of Jesus – what a beautiful image! I think that this sense describes two very fundamental and important ways of listening to God in our lives. We learn to listen like a disciple when we hear the Word of God in the Scriptures and in the signs of the times. Jesus was steeped in the Scriptures. He knew the psalms by heart and he prayed them daily. He quoted the prophets from memory, especially Isaiah. His way of seeing, tasting and living was shaped and formed by this living Word of God – which he knew was spoken by God to him, and to all people. Jesus also listened to the signs of the times. He knew that his Father continues to speak through the events and people in daily life. About forty years ago, Fr. Karl Rahner, a great theologian, said that to listen to the Word of God today, Christians should have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. Today we might use the internet rather than the Bible, but you understand the idea. To listen to the signs of the times, Jesus heard the cry of the poor, as God does. From the beginning of the Bible, we see that God pays special attention to the prayers of the poor and the suffering. Listening like God, are moved to compassion.
In English, we use the expression 'to follow one's nose'. This means, to follow your intuitions as you seek out where you are called. Jesus followed his nose to search for the abandoned and the poor. The Redemptorist charism calls us to do the same. We too are called to search for the ones on the margins, just as the good shepherd looks for the lost sheep. This sense calls us to accompany the abandoned and the poor – all those on the margins of society. We cannot wait for them to come to us. They might never come. We must follow our nose and seek them out!
One of the most striking things about Jesus is the way he touches people. He gets close to people. He is not afraid to reach out his hand and touch the leper, the sick, the sinner, the person who is afraid. He embraces children and picks them up. He never hesitates to reach out his hand and touch. To touch others, we need to draw close to them. This closeness to people is one of the great characteristics of St. Alphonsus and the Redemptorist charism. We follow the example of Jesus who was always close to the people. As we develop these five senses, we become more and more human. We become more and more the Body of Christ. We learn to see as God sees the world and this changes our perspective. We taste life – both the bitter and the sweet – and we embrace life and commit ourselves to live fully. We listen to God speak to us today in the Scriptures and in the signs of the times, especially the cry of the abandoned and the poor. We follow our nose as we seek out those in greatest need – and we accompany them. We draw close to others – close enough to reach out our hands and touch others in welcome, comfort and support. As we do this with Jesus, we are built up more and more in Christ. As St. Teresa of Avila wrote: Christ has no body now but yours. We become his hands and feet, his voice and ears and nose, his body, his real presence in today's world.
As we grow in these five senses, I think that we develop a 'sixth sense' which is the most important sense of all. We learn to love as God loves, with the heart of Christ the Redeemer. Tonight, at the Vigil, Pope Benedict will dedicate and consecrate all youth to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What does this dedication mean? I believe that this is a call to a deeper and more profound personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This consecration commits us to love with the Heart of Jesus. Through this commitment, we become 'redeemers in the Redeemer' – Jesus embraces the world through us, and through our love for our brothers and sisters. Like Jesus, we learn to give our lives for others, for plentiful redemption, just as Jesus gave his life for us. St. Alphonsus understood that this love is at the heart of our Redemptorist missionary vocation – to love Jesus Christ and to love all our sisters and brothers in him. Nothing is more important than this. Firm in the Faith Built up in Jesus Christ, we ask the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to help us proclaim to others the Good News which we have experienced. In a world both beautiful and broken, we dare to live the love of God in Jesus Christ. This is Good News! And it is a gospel of hope. Before she was killed in the death camps of Auschwitz, Anne Frank wrote in her diary: "Everyone has inside them a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't yet realize how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" The power of the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to believe in this Good News and to announce it to others. In the community of the Body of Christ, Jesus teaches us how to incarnate this new humanity, how to become what we believe. This is what it means to be firm in the faith. Some orientations for RYVM over the next time To conclude, I would like to offer some hopes and orientations as you prepare for the highlight of our World Youth Day tonight and tomorrow. First of all, to the young men and women associated with our Redemptorist charism around the world. The Congregation is grateful that you are part of our Redemptorist family. There are many different ways in which you can become more engaged with us in living and proclaiming of the Good News. Second, to Redemptorist Associates, Sisters and leaders who work with us in youth and young adult ministry. You are an essential part of who we are. Thank you for your generous gift of yourselves in this very important ministry. I would like to challenge you to develop it even further, and to keep challenging the Redemptorists in their commitment. We need you. Confreres, remember that you have a special and important role to play in youth and young adult ministry. Work with and accompany the young people and the youth leaders who look to us and share our spirit. - Ask each Conference to establish a Commission or Secretariat for RYVM.Conclusion Thank you for your patience and your attention. Thank you especially to the Redemptorists of Madrid for their hospitality. Let me finish with an invitation and a challenge. There is a Bantu proverb from Africa which says, "the word 'yes' may bring trouble, but the word 'no' leads nowhere." Please, say 'yes' to Jesus, and say 'yes' to life. Together, we can make all the difference. P. Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R.
Canada
Over the 100 years, about 1000 Redemptorists have in one way or another committed their livef in the footsteps of the Redemmer, to further the charism of St. Alphonsus Liguori. They have done this by spreading the hope of abundant Redemption beyond Quebec, Canada into Vietnam Japan, Uruguay and Haiti. Under the theme centenary them of "In the footsteps of the Redeemer," the festivities underlined the one hundred year history of the mission of the Redemptorists to these lands. A historical presentation during the celebration showed that the Redemptorist missionary life is still alive and well, in its origins, its commitments and its missionary vision. During the centenary, the Redemptorists organized a panel on ¨challenges and future paths of religious life in a changing Church and a changing society.¨ The event helped to stimulate creativity and encourage the missionaries to be audacious in proclaiming the Gospel ever anew. We will have more news about the centenary next month in SCALA. Brazil I would like to share some information about one of the missionary institutions of the Vice-Province of Bahia: the "Centro Missionário Redentorista"- Redemptorist Missionary Center. Some twenty years ago, a strong missionary awakening in our Unit resulted in the creation of a mission preaching team and the idea of a Missionary Center was born. The dream of the confreres became a reality in the general objective of the Center. This objective is rooted in the desire to live and be faithful to the Redemptorist missionary charism with sensitivity to the signs of the times. The result was a renewal and adaptation of our manner of evangelization before new ecclesial and social scenarios. The objective of the Center is as follows: In the spirit of genuine Redemptorist missionary tradition, in harmony with the proposal of evangelization of the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean, as expressed in the Document of Aparecida, and following the pastoral orientations of the conference of Bishops of Brazil, the Redemptorist Missionary Center will: I would like to share some brief news notes of recent happenings connected to the Missionary Center. 1. Interprovincial Mission: Pre-Mission stage. 2. Pilgrimage to historical Redemptorist places in Europe. 3. The spirit of St. John Neumann encourages us. 4. A lay missionary published a book about St. Alphonsus. She writes: "This work has brought me various benefits and a better knowledge of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori. It allowed me to meet persons of profound spirituality, such as the professed Redemptorists....Coming to know the mission of these self-sacrificing Redemptorists has led me to a greater love of God and neighbor. I am amazed by the surprises of God. Just as I thought that, after 70 years I was arriving at the end of my mission, The Lord of the harvest invites me to renewal, enabling me to participate in the Extension Course in Missiology through the Redemptorist Missionary Center. Thank you Lord Jesus, for having given us Saint Alphonsus Liguori and inspiring him to found such a blessed Congregation of Redemptorist Missionaries."
ACTIVITIES OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT: Annual Redemptorist Spirituality Courses This year there were two courses in Redemptorist spirituality sponsored by the Redemptorist Spirituality Center. The first one, in the English language, was held from June 5 to 26th. There were 27 confreres gathered from four of the five conferences of the congregation: From the conference of Asia-Oceania there were 4 from Bangalore, 3 from Canberra, 3 from Bangkok, 3 from Cebu, 1 from Tokyo, 1 from Vietnam, 1 from Colombo, 1 from Mumbai, and 1 from Ipoh. From the conference of Africa there were 1 from Kenya and 1 from South Africa; from the conference of Europe there were 1 each from Lviv and Saint Clement Province. From the North American conference there were 1 from Baltimore, 1 from Yorkton, 1 from Extra patriam, and 2 from Denver.
The course was led by Father Félix Catalá, outgoing Director of the Redemptorist Spirituality Center, and P. Serafino Fiore, the new Director. The program was intense and varied. It included visits to the historic sites of the Congregation (Scala, Ciorani, Materdomini, Pagani, Deliceto, Muro Lucano, Marianella, Napoli) and then retreat days and moments of sharing. The better part of the three weeks was occupied by lectures on various topics: the origins of Redemptorist spirituality, Redemptorist spirituality today as outlined by our Redemptorist Constitutions and Statutes, and the Redemptorist way of life as illustrated in the lives of Alphonsus, Gerard, Clement, the other Saints and Blesseds and other various confreres of the Congregation's origins. Broader issues like the relationship with the Word, Redemption, the relationship between spirituality and morality, being prophetic in the world, and the popular missions today were topics of group discussion. Each confrere also had the opportunity to present, with PowerPoint, video, or by simple testimony, the Redemptorist mission carried out in his territory. Although the participants came from very different cultures, the community spirit melded excellently in both courses. Creativity in prayer and the groups' joyful spirit were the most obvious features. Equally obvious is the usefulness of these courses. All the participants agreed that the course is filling a need and represents a unique opportunity: the closer and more systematic knowledge of our Redemptorist history and spirituality and concretized by the visits to the places of origin that gave birth to our congregation. Baltimore Province
Francis Gargani,C.Ss.R. Featured Websites: Our two featured websites this month are from the Province of Buenos Aires. The Redemptorists in Salta, Argentina have dynamic apostolates at their Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and at the Colegio Parroquial San Alfonso, which is community-based pastoral education center formed in the Redemptorist charism and dedicated to the integral formation of children and youth in an atmosphere of fraternity and community spirit. The websites can be found at: www.iglesiasanalfonso.org.ar y www.colegiosanalfonso.org.ar Recent noteworthy events in the Redemptorist Family. For a complete record of Transitions visit the Officialia site First Profession of Temporary Vows: Profession of Perpetual Vows: Ordination to the Priesthood: Deaths: Jubilees - November: 70th Jubilee of Profession: 50th Jubilee of Profession: 25th Jubilee of Ordination:
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