1. 4th Meeting
of New Visitors
From 12-17 January, at Casa Maria Immacolata in Rome,
the 4th meeting of recently named Visitors was held.
Organized by the General Curia, 19 Visitors (Aeq, Arg, Aul, Aus,
Cae, Cub, For, Mat, Mex, Ocn, Occ, Phi, Pol, Por, Sln, Slk, Tau,
Tol and Ven), the Superior General, the General Council, and
the officials of the Curia, as well as confreres invited as moderator,
expert, speakers, or translators, took part. This type of meeting
is considered a good means for the formation of the Visitors,
through a greater understanding of the specifics of the office
and of his rights and obligations toward the province, the local
community, the CM and the Vincentian Family. For this reason,
the principal objectives of the meeting were: to delve into an
analysis and study of the Practical Guide for the Visitor with
a view to quality service in the mission confided to him, to
make the communion of the entire CM visible, to share the dynamism
of the Vincentian charism in the multiplicity of the cultural
situations in which the CM fulfills its mission, to reflect together
on the service of animation that the Visitor is called to carry
out, and to have the possibility of a personal meeting with the
Superior General, the members of the council and the officials
of the Curia.
All these objectives were realized through personal
reading of the proposed texts, presentation of the themes thanks
to the help of experts, work in language groups and discussion
in plenary sessions, and an hour-long personal meeting of each
Visitor with the Superior General. The entire Visitors' meeting,
the personal meetings, the study and discussion were united through
a spiritual thread: prayer in language groups, Mass, and hymns
before and after the plenary sessions. All the participants evaluated
the meeting as a useful means for success in the exercise of
the office of Visitor.
A significant moment of this meeting was the visit
that the participants made to the General Curia on 15 January.
They were able to meet the staff who work there, as well as to
visit the various offices. Afterwards they shared an aperitif
in the Curia and then lunch in a nearby restaurant.
2. Daughters
of Charity
New Director General. On 21 January, after a wide process of consultation,
and with the consent of the members of the General Council, the
Superior General named Fr. Javier Álvarez as the Director
General of the Daughters of Charity. He belongs to the Province
of Madrid and was born in Pedrosa de Muñó (Burgos,
Spain) on 20 March 1954. He entered the Congregation of the Mission
on 11 September 1973. On 8 November 1982 he was ordained a priest
by Pope John Paul II in Valencia (Spain). During the first two
years after his ordination he served at the Apostolic School
of Tardajos (Burgos). In 1984 he was assigned to the Theologate
of Burgos as a formator and, at the same time, obtained a degree
in Spiritual Theology. Subsequently, he earned a degree in Philosophy
from the Pontifical University of Salamanca. In the year 1997,
he defended his doctoral thesis in the Faculty of Burgos to obtain
a Doctorate in Theology. From 1986 on, he served as Director
of Students of the Province of Madrid in Burgos, and from 1991-1997
as Provincial Councillor; also from 1987-1997, he collaborated
with the Faculty of Theology of Burgos, teaching courses in the AReligious Life@ department.
From 1990 on, he was a member of the Commission organizing a
program in Vincentian Studies offered each year in Ávila
for the confreres and sisters. In this program he taught various
subjects. On 22 July 1997 he began his service as Director of
the Daughters of the Province of Santa Luisa in Madrid. Fr. Javier álvarez
replaces Fr. Fernando Quintano who, for ten years, in close communion
with the Superior General, rendered service as Director General.
The sisters have not stopped pointing out the generous and creative
service that Fr. Quintano gave to the Company in this duty.
3. General
Curia
Meeting with the Mother General. On
31 January, before leaving for China, Fr. Maloney met with the
Mother General in Rome. This annual meeting is the final step
in the preparatory process for the renewal of the vows of the
Daughters of Charity on 25 March.
Visit to Madrid. On 25 January Fr. Maloney joined the confreres of
the Madrid Province, as well as several of the Visitatrixes and
the presidents of the lay groups in Madrid, for the celebration
of the Foundation of the CM.
Trip to Paris. Fr. Maloney was in Paris from 29 December to 4 January
in order to celebrate the Eucharist with the Daughters of Charity
and with the confreres at the end of 2003 and the beginning of
2004. On the morning of 1 January he gave a conference to the
Daughters of Charity entitled: "Five Snapshots of Lesser-Known
Vincentian 'Saints.'"
Beginning of the Visit to Zaragoza. On
24 January Fr. José Antonio Ubillús, Assistant
General, began the canonical visitation of the Province of Zaragoza,
which will extend until 30 April.Practical
Guide for the Visitor. On 8-9 January the Commission,
named by the Superior General for the revision of the Practical
Guide for the Visitor,
met in the General Curia in view of preparing a new edition.
The Commission is composed of J. Kapuściak, C. Delgado
and A. Vernaschi. They examined the Guide and some proposals and
suggestions made by a group of Visitors and persons who were
consulted. The result of the Commission's work was submitted
to the Superior General.
General
Treasurer's Office. From 18-27 January Fr.
Patrick Griffin, former Treasurer General, came to the General
Curia to work with Fr. Elmer Bauer, present Treasurer General.
This annual consultation and collaboration has been helpful
in reviewing the work of the Treasurer and developing future
plans for the office.
Fraternal Meeting in Rome. As in previous years, the missionaries of the local
communities situated in Rome, and belonging to that province,
visited the General Curia on 24 January in order to celebrate
together the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and the Foundation
of the CM. The Visitor, Fr. G. Passerini, accompanied us too.
Fr. G. Miscia presided the Eucharist. In his homily he highlighted
the virtues of the Apostle of the Gentiles and the episode of
Folleville, which had so much repercussion on the life of St.
Vincent. After an aperitif and fraternal meal, the guests returned
to their respective houses.
4. Causes
of the Saints
Sr. Gabriella Borgarino, DC (1880-1949). On January 4, in the chapel of the Daughters of Charity
in Lucerna (Turin), during
Vespers, the diocesan process for the beatification of the Servant
of God Sr. Gabriella Borgarino, DC (1880-1949) was closed. The celebration was presided by the Bishop
of Pinerolo, Msgr. Pier
Giorgio Debernardi. Also participating in this event were Fr.
Roberto D'Amico, Postulator General; Sr. Maria Pia Bertaglia,
Visitatrix of Turin; Fr. Ferdinando Manzoni, Director of the
Daughters of Charity; and a significant number of Daughters of
Charity and religious.
5. Colombia
Ongoing Formation Weeks. The province has organized four study weeks for 2004.
Fr. John Rybolt, led the first two on the life of St. Vincent
and the history of the Congregation, in the Seminary of Theology
and Philosophy; a group of specialists will lead another on sexuality
and consecrated life, in the Seminary of Theology, and Fr. Carlo
Braga will also be in the Seminary of Theology, between October
and November 2004, giving a daily conference on the Constitutions.
M. Vincent and M. Olier. From 4-10 January the Visitor, Fr. Gabriel Naranjo,
spent time as a facilitator at a session of the Sulpician Delegation
of Latin America in Bogotá (Colombia). This service was
motivated by the family and charismatic relationships of the
two communities, which go back to the Founders: M. Vincent and
M. Olier, and to the common vocation of formation of the clergy.
With the participation of the Provincial and his first Councillor,
coming from Canada, and 25 other Sulpicians who work in seminaries
in Colombia and Brazil, the project, "To be Sulpicians Today
and Tomorrow in Latin America," was given an impetus.
6. Madrid
Meeting
of Confreres who work with Daughters of Charity. On 1-2 December 2003 some 40 missionaries who work
in pastoral ministry to the Daughters of Charity met at Los
Almendros (Madrid). They came from the four Spanish provinces
and the one in Portugal. The theme of reflection was the new
Constitutions of the Daughters of Charity, which have yet to
be approved by the Holy See. Fr. Fernando Quintano analyzed
the criteria that made the changes in these Constitutions possible:
decentralization, inculturation, the role of the woman, identity,
and unity in diversity. He also explained which changes the
General Assembly recently approved and how they were formulated.
These appear most clearly in the theme of the government of
the Company. Sr. Margarita Morante and Sr. Rosario Sillero
also addressed the manner of bringing the mentality of the
sisters closer to the changes proposed in the Constitutions.
Sr. María Gutiérrez and Sr. Ramona Alonso spoke
on the collaboration which, starting from the renewed Constitutions,
the priests who work in the spiritual and formational care
of the sisters can give. For more information, please consult: "Boletín
Informativo," Padres Paúles - Provincia de Madrid (octubre
- diciembre 2003), pp. 15-17.
7. Vincentian Family
JMV. From 23-25 January, the Superior General was in Los
Molinos (outside Madrid, Spain) for a meeting of the International
Council of JMV. This meeting also gave Fr. Maloney the opportunity
to meet the four new lay members of the International JMV Secretariat
who have volunteered to work there for a three-year period. In
addition to reports on contacts with the 65 countries where JMV
is now functioning, the meeting focused on planning for the year
2004, including visits to various countries and the organization
of meetings of the National Councils of Asia and those of Latin
America. Much time was also spent on long-range preparation for
the Second General Assembly of JMV which will be held in August
2005, just before World Youth Day.
Visit to London. From 1-6 February, Fr. Benjamín Romo, Delegate
for the Vincentian Family, made a visit to the Vincentian Family
in London (England), from where the national organizations of
the various branches of the Vincentian Family of England and
Wales function. On the agenda there was a visit scheduled to
the offices of these organizations and a meeting of those responsible
for each of the branches present. Fr. Romo met with the Provincial
Council of the Daughters of Charity, visited the confreres and
met with the leaders of the following groups: AIC, SSVP, Depaul
Trust, Young Vincentian
Volunteers, Brothers of Charity, and the Company of Priests of
the Mission (CMP). He also had the opportunity to learn about
the VMP (Vincentian Millennium Partnership), integrating the
various branches of the Vincentian Family. Among the things to
highlight from this visit to London is the formation program
for the recruitment of new young members in the SSVP. In the
last four years, this branch, through a concrete program, has
successfully established new groups with 4000 young members.
You can learn about this program by visiting www.youthsvp.org.uk Fr.
Romo also visited the community of the Young Vincentian Volunteers
and learned about two of its projects: one for homeless persons
(The Passage) and the other for immigrant families (The Family Space).
On the last evening of his visit, Fr. Romo met with those responsible
for all the branches (some 30 people) to give them a talk on
the Vincentian Family, exchange impressions, and seek together
ways for more effective collaboration. The Visitor of Ireland
participated in this meeting. The Vincentian Family of England
has just introduced its web site: www.vmp.org.uk
*****
"There
are more than 300 million acute cases of malaria each year
globally, resulting in more than a million deaths. About 90%
of these deaths occur in Africa, mostly in young children.
Malaria is Africa's leading cause of death for those under
five years of age. But it is quite possible to combat it actively,
to diminish its effects gradually, and even eventually to wipe
it out (a success that has already been achieved in a number
of countries). What is lacking is the "political will," and
the corresponding financial support. In other words, governments
often have other interests and establish other priorities for
the use of their money."
(Taken
from the Letter of the Heads of Some of the Principal Branches
of the Vincentian Family. Rome, May
10, 2003)
*****
HERNÁNDEZ
G. Andrés M. 03-12-2003 Director
DC - Dominican Republic
NGOKA
Michael 09-01-2004 Vice-Visitor - Nigeria
MARTÍNEZ
B. Benito 10-01-2004 Director
DC - San Sebastián
ÁLVAREZ M. Fco. Javier 21-01-2004 Director General Daughters of Charity
ESTÉVEZ
CONDE Antonio 28-01-2004 Director
DC - Venezuela
WITZEL
Georg 30-01-2004 Director
DC - Germany
FALCO
Biagio 30-01-2004 Visitor - Naples
ROCHE Paul 31-01-2004 Vice-Visitor - Sts.
Cyril and Methodius
SCHREIBER
Alois 31-01-2004 Director
DC - Austria
KANNAMKULATH George 01-01-2004 InM
BOTET CARIDAD Manuel 10-01-2004 Bar
ESONO EYENE Manuel 24-01-2004 Sal
NECROLOGIUM
2003-2004
Nomen Cond Dies
Ob Prov Aet
Voc
FASSBENDER A. Dart Sac 30-09-2003 Mer
5º 92-73
MAROTHI Zoltan Sac 02-01-2004 Hun
1º 77-57
RIVADENEIRA A. Oswaldo C. Sac 15-01-2004 Aeq
2º 75-58
BOUCHENDHOMME Gérard Sac 20-01-2004 Par
9º 54-32
SERINO Sebastiano Sac 23-01-2004 Nea
4º 87-65
FERVARI Ernesto Sac 26-01-2004 Rom
2º 81-63
SUMMARY
YEAR 2003 (In
parenthesis year 2002)
| |
Africa |
Latin A. |
USA |
Asia |
Europe |
Oceania |
Total |
|
Newly Incorporated |
21
(16) |
17
(25) |
7
(1) |
22
(13) |
18
(13) |
1
(1) |
86
(69) |
|
Newly
Ordained |
16
(3) |
31
(23) |
4
(0) |
11
(13) |
16
(11) |
0
(2) |
78
(52) |
|
Deaths |
3
(0) |
16
(20) |
11
(17) |
3
(5) |
34
(43) |
2
(0) |
69
(85) |
