Newsletter of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
Rome, Italy
May 16, 2005

From the Editor

In this issue of SCALA, we take one more look back as we recall Pope John Paul II’s activity with the Redemptorists during his reign.

Also in this edition, we feature a confrere of amazing accomplishment: Father Cyril Axelrod, C.SS.R. On May 12th, Father Cyril launched his autobiography, “And The Journey Begins,” recounting his life experiences of Jewish ancestry, deafness, blindness and the ministries these life experiences and Providence led him to. We hope you enjoy his story of looking back and looking forward too.

We also have a photo of the statue and fountain of a much beloved late Spanish Redemptorist, Father Agustin Panero, which the citizens of Merida, Spain erected in his honor because of his tireless work for the sick and the poor. It’s good to know that our pastoral efforts are effective and noticed.

The approaching summer season means that confreres in many parts of the world are receiving new assignments. In this edition of SCALA, we bring news of the Northern European provinces’ merger and efforts of some provinces to renew their life and ministry. Father Sean Wales gives confreres working in parishes some thoughts on what makes a parish “Redemptorist.”

The Communications Office is preparing a Redemptorist version of Instant Messenger. Many of you probably already use AIM or MSN messenger. Ours will be very similar, but only for Redemptorists. We will communicate with you shortly on how to sign up for this service that we hope will help confreres stay in touch with one another around the world. It has many possibilities for both individual usage and for group chats.

Grace and redemption for all!

Gary Ziuraitis, C.SS.R.

Recent noteworthy events in the Redemptorist Family. For a complete record of transitions
visit the Officialia site

First Profession of Temporary Vows:
Rafael Enrique Esquén Odar, Vice Province of Perú North, January 5, 2005
Pabel Vladimir Mejía Castillo, Vice Province of Perú North, January 5, 2005
Marcos Antonio Mota Moraes, Province of Porto Alegre, February 2, 2005
Hyeon Cheol Park, Region of Korea, February 14, 2005
James Nang Kyu Yoon, Region of Korea, February 14, 2005
Gabriel Yang, Region of Korea, February 14, 2005
Francisco Xavier Yoshiyuki Hagihara, Vice Province of Tokyo, March 19, 2005
Joseph Yoshiaki Hori, Vice Province of Tokyo, March 19, 2005
Stefano Yasunori Noda, Vice Province of Tokyo, March 19, 2005

Profession of Perpetual Vows:
Felix Olusola Alabi, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Paul Mary Anoyochukwu, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Fidelis Enejo Marie Okpanachi, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Johnson Obinna Ozor, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Godfrey Chukwuemeka Udeh, Region of Nigeria, October 1, 2004
Augusto Antonio García Oajaca, Vice province of San Salvador, February 19, 2005
Jorge Eduardo Díaz Carcamo, Province of Santiago, March 13, 2005
Néstor Flaminio Díaz Manríguez, Province of Santiago, March 13, 2005
Chandana Sanjeeva Kumara Perera, Vice province of Colombo, March 15, 2005

Ordination to the Priesthood:
Dimas Arce Estrada, Vice province of San Salvador, June 26, 2004
Nkem Jude Anyaegbu, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Donatus Ekwugha, Chukwu, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Anthony Sixtus Eluka, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Noel Joseph Eshikena, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Levi Thankgod Ihejirika, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Boniface Sabon Obiora Nnabuike, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Daniel Chukwudi Nwankwo, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Lawrence Odoemena, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Anthony Paul Thompson, Region of Nigeria, July 3, 2004
Agustín Elías Acevedo Barrios, Vice province of San Salvador, July 17, 2004
Antônio Márcio da Costa Amoras, Province of Porto Alegre, January 8, 2005
Ivair Rodrigues Nascimento, Province of Porto Alegre, January 29, 2005
Moyo Samuel Tryvis, Vice province of Zimbabwe, April 16, 2005

Electoral News:
Father Winand Claessens elected Regional Superior of Belgium-South.
Confirmed on December 14, 2004

Father André Orban elected Regional Vicar of Belgium-South.
Confirmed on December 14, 2004

Father José Rafael Nieto Cabrera elected Provincial Superior of Quito.
Confirmed on April 2, 2005

Father Edmund Matthias Hipp elected Provincial Superior of Munich.
Confirmed on April 6, 2005

Father Peter Renju re-elected Vicar Provincial of Munich.
Confirmed on April 6, 2005

Father Danilo Bissacco re-elected Provincial Superior of Rome.
Confirmed on April 6, 2005

Father Antonio Cirulli elected Vicar Provincial of Rome.
Confirmed on April 7, 2005

Father Dominic Dinh Minh Hai elected Vice Provincial Superior of the Extra Patrium
Confirmed on April 18, 2005

Father Clement Vadakkedath elected Vice Provincial Superior of Alwaye.
Confirmed on April 18, 2005

Father José Luis Bartolomé re-elected Provincial Superior of Madrid.
Confirmed on April 19, 2005

Father Pedro López Calvo re-elected Vicar Provincial of Madrid.
Confirmed on April 19, 2005

Father Alphonse Peter elected Provincial Superior of Strasbourg.
Confirmed on April 22, 2005

Father Gérard Forst electged Vicar Provincial of Strasbourg.
Confirmed on April 22, 2005

Supression of House:
Holy Rosary in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Vice province of Richmond.
Suppressed on April 20, 2005

Deaths:
Father Charles Portman, 83, Province of Helvetica, March 7, 2005
Father Mauricio Alfredo Cardona Guadrón, 39, Vice Province of San Salvador, March 10, 2005
Father Thomas Landtwing, 81, Province of Helvetica, March 17, 2005
Father George William Drew, 85, Province of Baltimore, March 29, 2005
Father Gerard Costello, 91, Province of London, April 3, 2005
Father Kazimierz Lasak, 70, Province of Warsaw, April 6, 2005
Father Marie-Louis St-Amand, 83, Province of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, April 7, 2005
Father Pascal (José) Loward, 86, Region of Belgium South, April 13, 2005
Father Agostinho Gomes Sanches, 67, Province of Lisbon, April 13, 2005
Father Mario Azaña Sánchez, 87, Vice province of Perú South, April 19, 2005
Father Kevin Donlon, 79, Province of Dublin, April 21, 2005
Father Wenanty Wilkosz, 69, Province of Warsaw, April 24, 2005
Father Albert Vieira de Araújo, 87, Province of Rio de Janeiro, April 26, 2004

   Index

News from the Provinces

The beginnings of the Saint Clements province
(1994-2005)

On August 1st -- God willing – the province of Saint Clements will be erected. The provinces of Flanders, Amsterdam, Cologne and Switzerland will cease to exist. Then the territories of these provinces will join together – as Regions –to form the new province.

The early history of the Saint Clements Province goes back to 1994 and up to the present. By order of the provincials of North-West Europe a group was formed to examine the wishes and possibilities for closer cooperation. Apart from the concrete recommendations, which resulted in particular projects of cooperation, the group came to the conclusion that structural changes would be needed in order to arrive at concerted and lasting cooperation. In January 2002, reviewing the cooperation in the particular projects, the provincials found this cooperation positive. But the need to structure this cooperation was once more emphasised.

This challenge was taken up by Fr. Henk Erinkveld (Province of Amsterdam). In a memorandum, he brought together the various possibilities of restructuring. He did not shun the word ‘fusion’ (merger). The Government of the Amsterdam Province endorsed this memorandum. Next, the Government engaged itself in conversation with the neighbouring provinces. The memorandum was also presented to the General Government. From the moment the option of joining the North-West Provinces together was mentioned, things started to move. In the memorandum of H. Erinkveld a ‘fusion’(merger) between the provinces of Cologne, Flanders and Amsterdam was put forward. On the basis of this memorandum, the Chapter of the Province of Cologne declared itself in favour of concrete deliberations regarding a possible ‘union’. In January 2003 the provincials of Cologne, Flanders and Amsterdam met. They asked a working group to develop clear structures of cooperation and to outline the route for arriving at a change of structures.

Early in the year 2003 this working group recommended the erection of the ‘Saint Clements Province’. This meant a new structure in which two things were guaranteed: one, a lasting and binding cooperation on particular matters; two, a certain autonomy for the Regions which would make up the province. During the pre-chapter meeting of the North European Region in Perth (March 2003) the recommendations were presented. At the same time, other provinces were invited to join in the discussions, especially the provinces of Vienna, Munich and Switzerland.

On the basis of the model ‘Province of Saint Clements’, formal ‘Unionsverhandlungen’ (‘negotiations aiming at an union’) were started. The General Chapter in Autumn 2003 played the role of catalyst. Father General himself encouraged the process. The provinces of Vienna, Munich and Switzerland joined with interest in the reflections. In January 2004 the Swiss Province decided to join the development towards the establishment of the Saint Clement’s Province; but the other two provinces remained hesitant. The provinces of Munich and Vienna are looking for other ways of cooperation among the two of them, but also with the future province of Saint Clements. Along a so-called ‘second process’ of regular encounters this communication continues.

So far five rounds of negotiations have taken place: in December 2003 (Wittem), in March 2004 (Hennef-Geistingen), in July 2004 (Gadheim near Würzburg), in December 2004 (Matran) and in February 2005 (Hennef-Geistingen). Fr. Jacek Dembek was present at a few of these meetings representing the General Government. Unfortunately, on Christmas 2003, Fr. Walter Corneillie, the Flemish Provincial passed away. He was one the pioneers of the intiative to merge. Less than a year later, sadly, his confrere Fr. Harry Mattheessens died. He was one of the architects of the ‘Saint Clements Province model”.

During the deliberations attention was given to many aspects: the governing structure, the juridical and legal design of the new province, the different phases in the decision-making process, the dissemination of information, the spiritual preparation of the confreres regarding the fusion (merger), the name of the province, civil-juridical aspects of the international fusion, etc. etc..  Furthermore an orientation took place on why it all began: our pastoral mission. Each time the results of the deliberations were well received by the provincial chapters and the General Government.

For a moment, consideration was given to name the province for the place where the provincial offices would be located: Wittem. However the original name was kept: Saint Clements. By choosing a name which is not tied to a territory, space is being created so other provinces can eventually join. Furthermore there are historical and inspirational motives. It is precisely around the person of Saint Clement Maria Hofbauer that the North European branch of the Congregation developed, also and particularly in our region. Furthermore he was and remains a symbol of one searching for new ways, to give shape to the redemptorist charism:

Text: Provincial Council Amsterdam
Translation: Fr. Werner Vanmoerkerke

Editors note: The Denver Province has recently fortified it’s parish mission preachers by adding two young Redemptorist preachers and one Hispanic preacher to the mission band. The following story about the Missions in the heartland of America is excerpted from the National Catholic Reporter.

Parish mission sets fire
Collaboration between congregation, presenters leads to conversion
By Patricia Fening Gayes

It is the start of the third evening of a five-day parish mission at St. Patrick’s in the town of Wadsworth, Ill. The lights are out in the church, except for the paschal candle, which is the symbol of the night’s talk. The 1,000-plus people in the church are quiet. “May the light of Christ dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds,” says Fr. Pete Schavitz, a Redemptorist mission preacher. He lights a candle from the paschal candle, a lifetime symbol, he said, of hope and confidence that God will never give up on us.

Everyone in the church received an unlit candle when arriving that evening. Now Schavitz lights the candles of several helpers who continue to spread the light to others throughout the church. Within minutes, the dark church is converted into a glowing room of soft firelight. After he invites everyone to hold their candles high, the combined brightness echoes off the walls and ceiling, filling the church with light.

“When the light of Christ within each of us is united to the light of Christ alive in our brothers and sisters, we not only dispel the darkness of this church, but of the whole world.” The mission night ended with the opportunity to celebrate this light of Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Parish missions -- also called parish retreats -- have been a part of the fabric of the Catholic church since the 1600s. “The mission is open to anybody who wants to experience God’s loving mercy and is serious about wanting to grow in relationship with the Lord,” Schavitz said. A mission is a preaching event at a parish, most lasting four to six days, although in the past it was common for missions to extend as long as a month.

The Redemptorist order, whose name is synonymous with mission preaching in the United States, has been offering missions since St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the community for this purpose in 1732. Many other religious orders of men and women also include mission preaching as one of their ministries. In addition, some diocesan priests have taken up this work. Lay people as well are presenting an increasing number of missions. As might be expected, each group has its own flavor. The unique quality of a Redemptorist mission is based on the order’s motto, “In him there is plentiful redemption.”

Typically, missions begin with invitational talks at weekend Masses. Most missions center around the evening talks each night, but also include Masses with homilies each morning and availability for visits to the schoolchildren and for one-on-one meetings during the day.

The goal of a mission is conversion -- either an initial conversion to Christ and the Catholic church or a renewal of the continual conversion that occurs in a person’s life. Through the conversion of its individuals, the parish also is renewed. If successful, the impact of a successful mission lasts far past the closing night’s talk.

Mission preparations vary depending on the preachers. Most parish missions really start several months ahead of time, when the preacher meets with a volunteer planning team. “The committee’s job is to fill the church for the first evening’s talk. My job is to keep them coming back,” Schavitz said. How well a parish publicizes and involves others is key to the success of the mission. “Get everyone to participate -- that’s the principle. Get them involved, get everyone a job. Start with a small group, who then ignites a larger group. Get babysitting, provide food. Remove the barriers to attendance,” Schavitz added.

He said the same principle of involving the people also applies during the mission talks. “From the time of St. Alphonsus, we have tried to speak in language people will understand, we try to inspire as well as entertain, so that people will come to a deeper lived experience of God’s redemption.”

Debbie Micksch is a parishioner at St. Patrick Church in Wadsworth, Ill., where Schavitz has given three missions over the last nine years, along with another Redemptorist priest. “While attending our first parish mission, I was led into answering a call to a deeper and much more intimate relationship with God,” Micksch said. “That was seven years ago. My life has not been the same since. It was like my eyes and ears were opened in a whole new way and what I experienced then continues to bear fruit every day of my life.”

Since then, she said, she has become much more involved in ministries within the church, “and I am not alone. Listening to testimonials from many others who have attended our parish missions, the stories are similar.” Micksch cited examples of the fruits of the missions: several new Bible study groups, eucharistic adoration, women’s and men’s ministry, and prayer groups. “The mission is not a one time parish event,” she said. “It is a living entity that lives on in individuals long after they attended the mission, and because of that, the parish itself receives an ongoing deeper commitment to the church.”

Index

In Spiritu Redemptionis

Redemptorist Parishes
Sean Wales

Statute 018    The Parochial Ministry

Members assigned to this Ministry should perform their parochial duties with wholehearted dedication. They should bear in mind that the more they are activated by the missionary spriit, the more they are, as it were, engaged in a continual mission.

Our long experience in working for parish renewal through our Missions and in ministering in our own parishes (those we have now and those we have had in the past) teaches us about the enduring needs of the people: the hunger for depth in their relationship with God and in the quality of their Christian living, the need for adult education in the faith, the desire for a real experience of community and the imperative to translate the faith experience into practical action for the most in need.

Some of elements in parish spirituality which could help shape our ministry in the future include:

1.  PRAYER AND WORSHIP. Redemptorist communities which are involved in parish ministry could become schools of faith and schools of prayer. The quality of liturgical celebration, the level of lay participation in ministries, the warmth of the devotional life of the parish are all elements which would challenge us in our apostolate.

2.  CHRISTIAN FORMATION. A central aspect of parish renewal is the commitment to adult education in the faith. Our charism of explicit proclamation of the Gospel comes into focus here. While catechesis is indispensable in parish renewal, often it is not followed up by an adequate mystagogy. Ours is a religion not only of the head but of the heart: we need to experience in prayer and in life that of which we speak.

3.  COMMUNITY. One of the commonest complaints about parish life anywhere today is its functionality: many people do not experience the parish as a community. Given the theological emphasis on the Church as Communio it will continue to be a call to all in parish ministry to help create a sense of community. This question has particular relevance for us who minister in parishes as a community. We are a redeeming community at the heart of the parish community; perhaps the lukewarmness of our parish communities is a reflection on our Redemptorist communities ?

4.  OUTREACH. A parish, like faith, without good works is dead ! Authentic spirituality manifests itself in a sense of Mission. The sense of the parish being a local-church-in-mission is constitutive of it being Christian. The primary mission is to proclaim the Word of God, to worship the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. Evangelization remains the great task of each Christian and of all expressions of Christianity. We have come to recognize that the criterion for authentic Christianity is love and therefore the parish is a centre of Christian concern and outreach to all in need. The local Church of South Africa has been guided by the theme ‘Community serving Humanity’. Each of our parishes has ample opportunity to develop Christian outreach in ways which are imaginative and sensitive to the overriding concern about the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

5. STEWARDSHIP. Now we are talking! Or are we? Is stewardship just a matter of how to raise more and more money (for good purposes of course) or does it go deeper? While good financial management is required, are we not talking here about all the talents and abilities of the parish and how they are put at the service of the wider community ? Does it not impinge on our care for the environment, on the artistic beauty of everything to do with sacred worship, on how we deal with those employed by the parish etc ?

It strikes me that we could tease out some useful principles for our parish ministry from Chapter 5 of our Constitutions and Statutes. It would be interesting to see how to apply the principle of co-responsibility (C.92) and the spirit of collegiality (C.100) to our parishes. The principle of subsidiarity (C.94) could influence the parochial structures we promote. The principle of solidarity (C.95) could apply to work both within the parish and with other parishes,/church groups, whether Catholic or not. The principle of adaptability (C.96) would free us from ancient claims (“It has always be done like this in this parish”) to be imaginative and responsive to new contexts.

Index

Redemptorists in the News

Deafblind Ministry
‘Open Hands’
Written by Ian Urqhart
London, England

A Mass on Saturday, November 27th, 2004, marked the beginning of a Ministry to Deafblind people in the Diocese of Westminster. Fr Cyril Axelrod was honoured to concelebrate the Mass with Bishop Bernard Longley who was at Fr. Cyril’s side throughout the Mass, even signing the Deafblind alphabet!

When I went inside Westminster Cathedral I was attracted to the “yellow hands” signs attached to the sides of each pew. There were also some volunteers wearing a red and white sash – the colours identified with Deafblind people. The Deafblind were seated on the Sanctuary at both sides of the Altar with their own interpreters.

One of them was even allowed to bring his own guide dog for the blind into the Sanctuary!

The Mass itself went well, clearly signed and interpreted for the deafblind. The Gospel reading was about St Thomas who refused to believe Jesus has risen from the dead until he saw Him and could touch His wounds. Fr Cyril referred to the story in his homily and highlighted the meaning of “Touch” because Deafblind people rely on touch to guide them and to communicate with others.

There were a few interesting things about this particular Mass. At the start Bishop Bernard Longley allowed each Deafblind person to feel his Crosier (Pastoral Staff) and later they were also able to feel the Offertory bread and wine. Some of the Deafblind people also communicated the Bidding prayers – all of the Deafblind people were involved in the Mass and it was a very positive boost to the Deafblind community.

Afterwards the Deaf and Deafblind who came were invited to tea in the Archbishop’s house. Fr Cyril was presented with a special tactile gift of an open hand to celebrate the Anniversary of his Ordination.

The Deafblind exhibition in St Patrick’s Chapel was very impressive. The ten panels consisted of two separate sections. The top devoted to the history of Blind and Deafblind people and the bottom devoted to the Deafblind Manual Alphabet –the exhibition allowed all visitors to understand more about what it means to be Deafblind.

Index

Vatican News as seen from Via Merulana

Pope John Paul II and the Redemptorists.

Editor's note: Thanks to Noticiario Español Redentorista (NER#504) of Madrid, we are able to present a summary of the late Pope John Paul’s association with the Redemptorists.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the first of these. We all have heard many times about Pope John Paul's devotion to Mary under this title as a young man. We have heard it from his own lips when on June 30 1991 he visited our Church of Sant’Alfonso in Rome to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the veneration of the Icon of Perpetual Help in our Church on the Via Merulana. In a conversation with the community after the religious ceremony he said “ I remember during the last war in the period of the Nazi occupation of Poland, I was working in a factory in Krakow. In the evening when returning home I used to drop in to the Church of the Redemptorists. In that Church was the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. How many times have I knelt before it not only because I happened to be passing but also because I found it very beautiful! I visited the Church again as Bishop and Cardinal of Krakow. I preached there many times and administered the sacraments especially Confirmation. For this reason coming here is like a journey into the past, back to my youth”(CSSR Communicationes, N° 85).

As Cardinal of Krakow he attended the Eucharistic Congress in Melbourne, Australia. His plane made a stop in Manila and the Cardinal was anxious to celebrate Mass but there was no chapel at the Airport. Moreover there was no diplomatic relations between Poland and the Philippines. However the authorities ‘illegally’ permitted him to exit and Cardinal Santos of Manila suggested that he should go to the Church of Baclaran that was quite near. It was Wednesday the day of the Perpetual Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Later as Pope he arrived in Manila on an apostolic visit and celebrated Mass again in our church of Baclaran when he pronounced these memorable words: ‘I am here again for the second time in my life. The first was during a stop over on my way to the Eucharistic Congress in Australia and when I celebrated Mass that night I witnessed the truly filial, joyful and confident devotion that you, Mother of Perpetual Help, enjoy among the faithful and among the people of this great city, the capital of the Philippines (Communicationes Nos. 4, 88).

Our Founder, St. Alphonsus.
St. Alphonsus is another link with the Pope.

On 1 August 1979, in the first year of his pontificate and being the feast of St. Alphonsus, falling on a Wednesday that year, the Pope, during his usual audience, quoted St. Alphonsus three times (Orbis, N° 49, p 53).

There are many documents in our Archives dealing with Alphonsian anniversaries during the years of his pontificate.

- 6 December 1979. A short time previously we had the General Chapter but it was impossible to have an audience with the Pope. In compensation he received the General Council on December 6. The Pope’s address was published in the ‘Osservatore Romano’ on Dec. 7 under the title ‘Renew your missionary effort in fidelity to St. Alphonsus’ (BPE, XVI, 95-97).

- 14 June 1982. A letter of congratulations through the Secretary of State on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the Congregation (BPE, XVII, 230-233).>

- 18 November 1985. Audience with the members of the General Chapter held that year (NER, 279).

- 1 August 1987. Apostolic Letter on the Bicentenary of the death of St. Alphonsus (BPE, XX, 169-177).

- 12 November 1990. Address in the Basilica of Pagani on the occasion of his visit to the Archdiocese of Naples (BPE, XXI, 261-265).

- 24 September 1996. Message on the occasion of the Third Centenary of the birth of St. Alphonsus (BPE, XXIV 347-351)

. - 11 October 1997. Letter to his legate for the close of the Tercentenary of the birth of St. Alphonsus (NER, 423).

- 3 October 2003. Audience with the Capitulars (Web page CSSR. XXIII General Chapter, Papal audience).

- In addition there is the Message sent by the Pope to the Redemptoristine Sisters on the occasion of the Tercentenary of the birth of Sister Marie Celeste Crostarosa, 31 October 1996 (BPE, XXIV, 351-354)

Beatifications.
During the pontificate of Pope John Paul there was an unforeseen increase in the number of our Beatified:

- 23 may 1982: Fr. Peter Donders.
- 24 April 1988: Fr. Gaspar Stanggassinger.
- 12 may 1996: Fr. Jenarius Sarnelli.
- 9 April 2000: Fr. Francis Xavier Seelos.
- 27 June 2001: Bishop Nicolas Charnetskyj, Zenón Kovalyk, Basil Velychkovskyj and Ivan Ziatyk.
- 4 November 2001: Fr. Metodio Domingo Trcka.

St. John Neumann had been canonised before his election, but on the occasion of his visit to the United States, Pope John Paul prayed at his tomb in Philadelphia and in his address to the American hierarchy he described him as a model for all bishops (Orbis, 51, 14-15).

Coincidences
In an address on the occasion of the Pope’s visit to the General House for the 125th anniversary of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the then Superior General, Fr. Juan Lasso de la Vega, reminded him of some coincidences. He was elected Pope on October 16, the feast of St. Gerard; he published his first encyclical ‘Redemptor Hominis’ on March 15, the feast of St. Clement: other encyclicals had the title of the Redeemer: ‘Redemptoris Mater’, ‘Redemptoris Missio’…(CSSR Communicationes, 85).

Anecdotes
The late Redemptorist Cardinal, Joseph Clement Maurer used to say in jest that though he did not desire the death of Paul VI, he would like to participate in a conclave. By good luck or as a punishment he took part in two! In his first personal greeting to Pope John Paul II after his election he said these words: “Be strong and show yourself a man! We are going to help you, we are going to pray for you”. In his reply the Pope said that he had committed himself to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Redemptorist House in Krakow on Oct. 26 but that now unfortunately he could not carry out his promise (Orbis, 46, 74-75).

In the issues of the newspaper ‘Ya’ of 27 October 1981 and 24 January 1982, there appeared a photo with this caption: ‘Fr. Paul Dezza, Papal delegate to the Jesuits with Pope John Paul’ (photo UPI). In reality the man with the Pope was not Fr. Dezza, but our confrere, Brother Adrian Maria Cremades receiving a Papal blessing for his brother, Fr. Antonio Maria Cremades, on the occasion of his 60 years of profession (NER 237).

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Congress on Mariology in Malta in 1983, a Letter came from the Vatican signed by Pope John Paul in which he praised the contribution to Mariology made by the saints of the XVIII century such as St. Louis de Montfort and St. Leonard of Port Maurice; there was no mention of St. Alphonsus. Our Fr. Angel Luis, who took part in the Congress, could not suffer such a great omission. As he passed through Rome he had an interview with Mgr. Martinez Somalo and asked him as a favour to rectify the omission in the publication of the letter in the ‘Acta Apostolicae Sedis’ and offered the text to be inserted. When the Letter appeared in the AAS, signed by Pope John Paul it contained the words of Fr. Angel Luis: “And how can one forget the incomparable authority of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, who, as St. Pius X justly recalled, was not only the fearless defender of the Immaculate Conception, but also the great apostle who propagated devotion to her who was conceived without any stain of sin? (NER, 261).

Index

Monthly Picture Gallery (  for online viewing only)

Shetland
Two members of the Community at St Patrick's Edinburgh, Fr. Ed Hone and Father Richard Reid, recently gave a Parish mission in Shetland Islands, which is further north than St Petersburg, Russia or Helsinki, Finland!
#1  and  #2

P. Agustín Panero, C.SS.R.
A statue and fountain were erected in Merida, Spain in honor of the much loved Father Agustín Panero who worked tirelessly for the sick and the poor. He died three years ago. The honors resulted from popular demand of the people. A street was also named for him. Another street was also renamed in honor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

Father Cyril Axelrod’s book cover

Liturgy for Deaf/Blind Ministry Launch of Father Cyril Alexod
#1 and #2

Reception display for Father Cyril Axelrod

Bishop Bernard Longley and Father Cyril Axelrod

Pope John Paul II and the General Council of 1990 – 1997

Pope John Paul II and former Superior General Juan Lasso de la Vega

Index

Activities of Father General and the General Council

Visit to the Vice-Province of Burkina-Niger
Frs. Serafino Fiore and Athanase Nsiamina
17 January to 13 February, 2005

The General Consultors, Frs. Serafino Fiore and Athanase Nsiamina, visited the Vice-Province of Burkina-Niger, 17 January to 13 February 2005.

The first confreres arrived in Burkina-Niger in 1946 from the Province of Lyon-Paris. They started immediately to establish the Church, by setting up mission stations and then parishes in the service of the dioceses. This was the beginning of the Vice-Provinces of Fada N’Gourma and Niamey. Since 3 January 1996 these two Vice-Provinces have joined together to become the Vice-Province of Burkina-Niger. At the time of the Visit this Vice-Province numbered 43 confreres, including 1 bishop, 24 priests, 4 brothers, 12 professed students, 3 theological students doing pastoral experience and 7 novices. They have also 9 postulants studying philosophy.

The confreres of this Vice-Province come from different Continents: there are 26 Africans from Togo, Niger, Burkina-Faso, Benin, and Ivory Coast; 16 Europeans, including 13 French, 2 Polish, 1 Spanish and 1 from Australia. Our itinerary was as follows: Niamey, Tchirozerine and Maradi for the Niger and Kantchari, Fada N’Gourma, Tibigi and Ouagadougou for Burkina Faso.

The majority in the Niger are Muslim with a large number of animists and only 3% are Christian. Although the Redemptorists have evangelised the Niger for more than 50 years there is scarcely a handful of Christians: in Tchirozerine we counted 25 who for the most part come from bordering countries. At Easter they had the joy of celebrating 3 baptisms -- 2 young people and an adult. About ten Tauregs have been baptised or are on the road to faith in Jesus Christ. Three confreres work there in the catechumenate and celebrate the Eucharist. The Mission in Niger is largely a mission of presence among the Muslims. Conversions are rare and pastoral work is among Christians from bordering countries. The population, however, welcomes the presence of Christians in this country because the Church is involved in development and social projects. Despite the small number of conversions, this mission is imbued with a specific spirit to give witness and to dialogue. The confreres recognise that it is not an explicit proclamation of the Gospel, but rather a response by living the gospel “being with the very poor”. Furthermore three confreres -- two priests and a brother -- are of Muslim and animist origin. We can therefore say that there is hope of having young people of the Niger in the Redemptorists.

In Burkina Faso the landscape changes. At the frontier one sees the baobab trees and the green is a welcome change though the desert has not completely spared this country either. The Church is alive and flourishing. Our confreres work as parish priests or curates or they are engaged in training catechists and preparing for the sacraments (150 baptised last year). They also visit the villages, directing religious groups, teaching the illiterate and instructing the people on HIV /AIDS. They also help in boring for wells, in the struggle for justice especially as regards forced child marriages and female circumcision. Our confreres work in close cooperation with the other religious institutes, especially in the field of formation.

There were two other highlights during the visit of the Consultors, the visit to the Redemptoristine Sisters and the close of the Visitation by Most Rev. Fr. General.

This fraternal visit helps us to live the life of another culture, which we are evangelising and which evangelises us.

Profiles

A Profile
Cyril Axelrod CSsR
by Larry Kaufmann CSsR

Cyril Axelrod has got to be one of our most unique confreres in the Congregation. Born Jewish and still proud of it, born deaf and now totally blind as well, fluent in Braille, fluent in several international sign languages, as well as fluent in English, Afrikaans and Cantonese, Cyril is the recipient of many global awards, as well as an honorary doctorate (in 2001). He is about to publish his autobiography entitled “And The Journey Begins” (edited by Douglas McLean Publishers, of Gloucester, UK, it will be launched at Church House, Westminster Abbey, on May 12th this year. Director of Communications Father Gary Ziuraitis will represent Father General at the event).

As a young Jewish boy, Cyril had wanted to become a rabbi. As a young Jewish man , Cyril changed his mind and after school started a career as an accountant. But God had other plans for him, planting the seed of a call to priesthood in the Catholic Church. But there were obstacles to overcome.

The story is told of how Cyril applied to Bishop Green of Port Elizabeth for admittance as a candidate for ordination. The bishop, a supporter of the deaf apostolate, was delighted at the prospect and started filling in the forms. He asked: "Your father's religion?" Cyril replied: "Jewish." The bishop went on: "So your mother must be a Catholic then?" "No," said Cyril, "she's also Jewish." "Then you are a convert?" "No," Cyril replied, "I have not been baptised yet." "Well," concluded the bishop, "that will be your first step on the road to your ordination."

And so, after his reception into the Church on 15 August 1965, Cyril was sent by Bishop Green to do liberal arts at Gallaudet University in Washington DC, the only academic university for the deaf in the USA (and probably in the world). At the same time he studied philosophy at Catholic University. He returned to South Africa in 1967 to complete his theology, and was ordained by Bishop Green for the Diocese of Port Elizabeth on 28 November 1970. The ordination was a memorable event, with sign language provided by an American Redemptorist, Father David Walsh, a chaplain to the deaf whom Cyril had come to know during his time in the USA. However, there were other remarkable aspects of the ordination. At that time Cyril was only the second born-deaf person in the world to be ordained. But most remarkable was that Cyril's mother attended the event. Most of us would take that for granted. But as a strict Orthodox Jewess, Cyril's mother had decided that she could not be present at a Christian priestly ordination of her only child, having struggled enough as it was to accept his conversion from Judaism. But three days before the event she made a decision, and when Cyril was called for ordination, it was she who led him up to the bishop.

Cyril's priestly ministry as a deaf person has assumed universal proportions. He has been school chaplain in deaf schools (having been himself a pupil at St Vincent's School for the Deaf, Johannesburg); he has conducted missions and retreats for the deaf all over South Africa in several languages, and he established a nursery school for the deaf in Soweto and a hostel for the Black deaf north of Pretoria. All the while Cyril was taking care of his elderly widowed mother. Secretly, however, he was nurturing the dream of becoming a Redemptorist. Cyril’s mother died on the feast of Saint Alphonsus.

The following year, 1975, Cyril entered the Congregation. He became Vice-Provincial bursar and in 1984, Novice Master. During his first 12 years as a Redemptorist, Cyril was much in demand as an international missionary, preaching missions to the deaf in Italy, Ireland, the UK, Holland, USA, Singapore, and Australia. It was while in Singapore that Cyril discovered a severe lack of pastoral care for the deaf in the Far East. It seemed God was calling him to distant mission fields. Cyril started studying Chinese, mastering 4000 characters, and after two years felt he was ready to take up the offer of a ministry to the deaf in Hong Kong and Macau, where he moved in 1988, joining the Australian Province which started a community there.

Suffering from retinitis pigmentosa Cyril became progressively blind. After almost 15 years of deaf apostolate in the Far East, through total blindness he was forced to retire, and has moved to “Deafblind UK”, in Peterborough, England, where he has studied Braille, has qualified as a massage therapist and aromatherapist (his sense of touch is his main source of communication now), and where he is developing an international apostolate to the deafblind, starting with the launch in 2004 of a ministry to the deafblind in the Archdiocese of Westminster.

I was with Cyril when his progressive blindness was originally diagnosed. With complete conviction, inner peace and courage Cyril simply said to me: "God has used my deafness in his work. Perhaps he will be able to use my blindness too."

Cyril’s computer transposes regular text into Braille for him. Email is probably his main source of communication with the “outside world”, and he certainly enjoys correspondence from confreres. He can be reached at cyril@axelrod1.freeserve.co.uk

Featured Redemptorist Website

This month’s featured website is www.redemptorists.com

It is a collaborative work of the North American Region.

We thought you would enjoy this audio/visual tribute to Pope John Paul II

http://michaellewismusic.com/pope/

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