The February issue of NUNTIA is now online. Read it for news of the Superior General and his travels especially to the United States, reports about the work od the Congregation in India, Hounduras, etc.

2013-February-English PDF with graphics

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O Jesus, eternal Shepherd of souls, deign to look with mercy on your beloved flock. We join the universal church in praying for the new bishop of Rome. We ask that, anointed by Your Holy Spirit, he will know how to lead us to the fidelity of your kingdom and your project of life. We ask this through the Immaculate Virgin Mary, your gentle and Holy Mother. Oh Jesus, give us holy shepherds, give us shep- herds according to your heart.

Nuntia 2-2013

The Editor

With faith in the shepherd of shepherds, Jesus Christ, we place in your hands February’s Nuntia. As the invitatory psalm invites us each morning: “Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God and we are his people, the flock he shepherds.”

With this confidence we walk toward Easter as a people, and as a community that accompanies this people, which seeks always to be Good News for the poorest.

The Superior General

He dedicated most of February to the visit of the Western Province of the United States. Actually the visit to the Western Province began on 22 January at a meeting with the Visitor and his Council. Then he toured the province’s various houses. He began this tour in Los Angeles, Montebello, Santa Barbara, the seminary in Camarillo, and the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Patterson, California. In every place he had the opportunity to meet other members of the Vincentian Family. Through these meetings he could verify the great dynamism of the Vincentian Family.

Later he went to Denver, where, in addition to meeting with the confreres, he had the opportunity to take part in the ceremony of affiliation to the Congregation of the Mission of four lay persons. They are two couples. One couple coordinates the Vincentian Volunteers of Colorado and the other accompanies laity in their growth in Vincentian spirituality.

After that, he went to Dallas, Texas. Holy Trinity Parish is located there. Among its activities, this parish is very committed to people who are marginalized by society. He also had the opportunity to visit some works that the Vincentian Family has in this area. In addition, he visited Holy Redeemer Parish (in San Antonio, Texas). A confrere works with the African-Americans there.

Later he visited Little Rock, Arkansas. There the con- freres have a small parish that is used principally for the formation of lay missionaries. Among his activities was a meeting with more than 300 persons at which some of them shared their testimony as Vincentian lay missionaries 

From there, he went to New Orleans where there is a parish with a well-developed social ministry. Within it is a program called “re build:” a program focused especially on street people.

Then he travelled to Kansas City, Missouri. There  a group of confreres works in the popular missions. He also met with members of the AIC. Later he travelled to Saint Louis, arriving first in Perryville, which is the site of the first mission of the Congregation of the Mission in the United States. There he met with the confreres, members of the Vincentian Family and had the oppor- tunity to take part in a ceremony of affiliation to the Congregation of the Mission of two laypersons.

After that, he visited Chicago, where there are three houses of the Congregation, all related to DePaul University: a house of formation; a house for the mis- sionaries who serve at the University and on other missions; and a house of studies for confreres from different provinces. At this moment there are eight confreres from other provinces studying at DePaul: two Ethiopians, two Nigeri- ans, two Indonesians, a Vietnamese, and a Slovak. For the next semester, six confreres are expected. He had the opportunity to get to know all the programs and services that the university offers.

At the end of the visit he had a meeting with the three Visitors of the provinces of the United States, in an effort to strengthen their work together. Initial formation, ongoing formation, work with the Vincentian Family, and work with Latino communities, among others, were some of the issues addressed in strengthening the integration among the provinces in the work already done.

New appointments for the Curia 2013

G. Gregory Gay, Superior General of the Con- gregation of the Mission, announced two recent appointments for the personnel of the General Curia in Rome. These will be effective in March 2013. Agnus Heru, a Vincentian missionary from the Province of Indonesia, has been named Director of  the Archives and  Li- brary of the General Curia of the Congregation. Shijo Kanjirathamkunnel, a Vincentian from the Province of South India, will assume the posi- tion of Procurator General. Father Heru will replace Alfredo Becerra from the Province of Mexico. Father Kanjirathamkunnel replaces Alberto Vernaschi from the Province of Rome.

Father Heru was born in Indo- nesia in 1969. He  entered the Saint Vincent de Paul Minor Seminary in 1985 and then went to the Internal Seminary in the Philippines.

He returned to Indonesia, where he continued in the Major Seminary to complete his theologi- cal studies. Father Heru was ordained a priest in 1998. Furthermore, he studied Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University and has been engaged in parish ministry and seminary formation. Since 2011, Father Heru has served as provincial secretary of the Province of Indonesia while working as a pastor in Surabaya.

Father Kanjirathamkunnel was born in 1976 in Kerala, India and entered the Minor Semi- nary of the Vincentian Fathers in 1991. After the  Internal Seminary, he  continued his studies, earning degrees in philosophy, psychology, and  theology. Father Kanjirathamkunnel was ordained a priest in 2004.  He studied Canon Law at the University of Navarra, Spain, where he received a masters and a doctorate. Since 2011, Father  Kanjirathamkunnel  has served as rector and Superior of Vincentian Vidya Sadan in Pune, a house of studies for seminarians of the Provinces of the India. He also has served as Executive Secretary of the Asian Pacific Visitors’ Conference (APVC).

Gregory Gay expressed his gratitude to Alfredo Becerra and Alberto Vernaschi for their contributions to the General Cu- ria. Father Becerra is the current Director of the Archives and Library of the Curia and Father Vernaschi is the current Procurator General. In the words of the Superior General: “Father Alfredo is the second most senior member of the staff of the General Curia. He came in 2005, just after I was elected Superior General. He has given generously of him- self in working in the Curia, not only in the archives and the library, but in his dedicated relationship with the Office of Justice and Peace. I am very grateful for his hard work and dedication, and I wish the best for him on his return to the Province of Mexico. I am also grateful to the province for allowing Alfredo to put his gifts at the service of the General Curia during these years.”

Father Gregory also expressed his gratitude to Father Ver- naschi, who has served as Procurator General since 2009. In his words: “In addition to his work in the General Curia as Procurator General, Father Vernaschi is also treasurer of the Province of Rome and Superior of the Provincial House.

Vincentian India: all green with fresh and warm blood.

(Padre Zeracristos Yosief)

“ ‘Mom! Why can we not live on earth with  humans?’ a little fish asked his mother. And she an- swered:  ‘My  little  innocent  one, the land is not for fish, it is only for the selfish’ ” (Indian Saying).

From 27 January to 22 February 2013, I carried out the canonical visitation of the Province of South India. It is a real marvel to see both Indian Provinces flourish. In these short lines I want to make you participants of my happiness. Allow me to begin with a bit of history.


Everything began in Odisha, in north-central India, where they remained almost immobile for decades. The most curious thing is that the formation of the na- tives began in India 30 years later, in 1952. Conse- quently, the first five Indian Vincentians were ordained in 1962. Divine Providence, however, made them grow and prosper, so as early as 1970, the Province of India was erected.
The history of our presence in the India states that, after a persistent request by the Holy See from Propaganda Fidei (today the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), the Province of Madrid, Spain, with the permission and blessing of the Superior General at that time, had a humble beginning in India. It was the year 1922.

For obvious reasons of growth and organization, in seeking to make the Vincentian presence in India, a very big country, more significant, this province was divided in two in November 1997: the Province of North India and the Province of South India. After the division (within the last 15 years), the province has grown by 76 confreres. And, if God so wills it, next year we will have another 12 new members. Among these, 44 confreres are between 25-35 years of age. It is a province quite green and flourishing! India is a huge country with a population of 1200 million people.

I write these lines to share my happiness with all of you. I am glad because, if the Congregation of the Mission in Western Europe and North America seems to have gray hair, with visible signs of fatigue, aging, and diverse dis- eases that are curving its back, in Africa, Asia, and Latin America it has warm and fresh blood in the veins of young confreres who assure its future.

Young people are thrilled by our charism, our vocation, and our Vincentian mission. Yes, our charism is alive, active, and present. It is challenging the hearts of many and filling them with enthusiasm to offer their youth to Christ the Lord and the cause of the poor. Certainly, in India things are changing little by little, because there are few large families as before. Most of our confreres come from small families (two or three members). Some of them are even “only children,” which for the people of the East, if they do not have a very strong and deep faith, can be an existential problem. Having lis- tened to the vocation story of some confreres I remained deeply impressed.

The great majority of our confreres come from very reli- gious and practicing families. Let us remember that In- dia is the mission land of Thomas, the apostle. They jealously preserve his mortal remains in Chennai. Be- cause trees are recognized by their fruits, as Jesus says, we cannot expect any more than good, delicious, and abundant fruit from these two provinces of India be- cause their Christian roots are good, healthy, and deep. And the CM can count on it.

The number of young confreres of the province moved me deep- ly: the total num- ber of confreres is 121, of which 95 are less than 50 years old. It is impressive.

Some time ago I made the visits to the Province of Holland and the Region of Belgium, where the average age is very high. Both have been instrumental in the way of the Congregation. They have exhausted their forces travelling this journey and today there appears on their skin the visible sign of this weari- ness with the accumulation of time. Seeing them today, they seem to be moving in “wheelchairs,” but they bear in their his- tory the “memory” of being pioneers in missionary areas that flourished and became provinces, which are now part of the future of the Congregation.

Today we see a Province of South India ready for the game on any terrain: flat or hilly, thorny or smooth, because it has boil- ing blood. It is a blessing of God for the Congregation of the Mission. Yes, all these young brothers that I have come to know in these days are the secret treasure of the whole Con- gregation. The CM has a future!

I saw confreres who edified me: men  who  do  not think of themselves or their comfort, but totally dedicated and im- mersed in the mission of evangelizing the poor.

I was also very happy with the life and service of our sisters, the Daughters of Charity. I had the opportunity to get to know four centers in which they are taking care of people with mental and physical disabilities, the sick, orphans, and the elderly poor.

The two provinces of India, as well as the Daughters of Charity, have Vincentian works indeed! With their love for Christ and their passion for the poor they do us honor. May the Good God bless the good that they are doing for the poor.

Internal Seminary CLAPVI-South

Four seminarians: a Peruvian, a Brazilian from the Province of Argentina, and two Ecuadori- ans, began the Internal Seminary CLAPVI-South 2013-2014. The admission of the new seminar- ians took place on 8 January in San Sebastian Parish, Macul (Santiago, Chile). The Eucharist was presided by the Visitor of Chile, Fernando Macías, and was concelebrated by the Visitor of Peru, Pedro Guillén; the counselor of  the Province of Argentina, Sergio Plana; and  the present and former Directors of the Internal Seminary, Carlos Arley Cardona and Carlos de la Rivera.

The previous day (7 January), in the same place, six young men concluded this stage, making their Good Purposes: three from the Province of Chile and three from the Province of Argentina. Two other young men, belonging to the Province of Ecuador, and who are of the same group, made their Good Purposes in their country.

“Our ever-young faith is capable of satisfying the needs of all centuries, as it can heal the wounds of all souls.” Frederick Ozanam

On the move toward a new light” “isti wap- aia ingni raya kumra” (Miskito Language).

As we know, years ago the Congregation of the Mission, with the initiative of the Spanish confreres, began its missionary project in the Honduran lands (Central America). Specifically, the Province of Barcelona carries out a task of evangelization in the Church of its brother country of Honduras. Evangelization has three important aspects: human promotion, through different projects of integral development for the poor; catechesis and Christian formation of both pastoral agents and Christian communities; and, finally, the liturgical celebration of the sacraments, aimed at an experience of faith that illumi- nates life. All this work is carried out together with other branches of the Vincentian Family: Daughters of Charity, MISE- VI, and JMV, among others.

Among the different areas of work are the Missions within the Vicariate of Moskitia, a missionary area which also is support- ed by other provinces, like Central America and Colombia, as well as other branches of the Vincentian Family.

In these days this Vicariate held its  Vicarial Assembly, with the aim of “renewing faith in Jesus Christ to be disciples and missionaries in communion, knowing it, confessing it and celebrating it, through a pastoral ministry rooted in the social, cul- tural, and ecclesial reality.” This took place in Port Lempira on 12-13 February. Pastoral agents from all areas of Moskitia were present to set out under the motto: “on the move toward a new light” (“isti wapaia ingni raya kumra”).

It is good news for this area, which, as a Vicariate, plants the seeds that one day will become those new shoots that will continue renewing the Church. “As Church, as Vicariate, as parishes, as communities, and as persons who believe in Christ we must help our brothers and sisters to experience a full life through Faith.”

The assembly worked on the aspects of Community of communities, missionary, Vicarial Samaritan Plan, Easter dimension, delegates’ directory, contributions for the diocese, and conclusions. The assembly ended with a cultural night renewing traditional rites, dances, and drinks of the Miskita culture. Finally the work concluded with the approval of the final document, which will be translated into Miskito, in order that it may give life to all the communities of Moskitia.

Nominationes / Confirmationes

PRAGER John Patrick 31/01/2013 Director DC Ecuador
CARVALHO DOS SANTOS Evaldo 26/01/2013 Visitor Fortaleza
 MANIANGAT Joseph K.  21/02/2013  Visitor North India
 GUERRA GONZÁLEZ Alcibiades Ivan  28/02/2013 Superior Regional Panamá

Ordinationes

TARIKU Yohannes Hagos

Sac

Aet

20/01/2013

Necrologium

Nomen

Cond Dies ob. Prov. Aet. Voc.
LACHOWSKI Joseph M. Sac 20/12/2012 Nan 33

3

HALLORAN John Ignatius Sac 23/12/2012 Aul 83 63
COELHO FERNANDES Joaquim Modesto Sac 02/02/2013 Lus 81 63
DICTUS Wim (C.) Sac 17/02/2013 Hol 90 70
FRESCHI Antonio Sac 19/02/2013 Rom 87 67
GUTIÉRREZ LÓPEZ Máximo Sac 19/02/2013 Ven 84 68

PS Note there is an error in the Necrology

Fr. Lachowski was  84 years old, 65 in vocation.

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