the constitutions: a plan for life - …...n 20 - new series, june-july 2009 supplement to l’eco...

N° 20 - New Series, June-July 2009Supplement to L’Eco of Saint Gabriel, July-August 2009 Sped. in a.p. -45% art.2 comma 20/c legge 662/96

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INDEXTHE CURIA INFORMS

THE CONSTITUTIONS: A PLAN FOR LIFEFr. José Luis Quintero Sánchez (SANG) . . . . . . . . pag. 3

MEETING OF PASSIONISTS INTERNATIONALFr. Jesús María Aristín (General Curia) . . . . . . . . . » 10

THE POPE’S GIFT TO THE HOLY LANDFr. Gianni Sgreva (CORM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 12

PASSIONIST LIFENews from the Configurationsand the ProvincesCHAPTER OF THE PROVINCE OF THE PASSIONIN THE PHILIPPINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pag. 15

IBERIAN INTERPROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . » 16

CENTENARY OF THE CHURCHOF “ESPÍRITU SANTOY SEÑOR MUEVE CORAZONES”, MEXICO . . . . . . . » 17

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF PASSIONISTPRESENCE IN CHIAPAS, MEXICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 17

MEETING AT RIVERDALE (USA) OF THECONFIGURATION OF JESUS CRUCIFIED . . . . . . . . . » 18

THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE ABRUZZOREGION OF ITALYAND THE SHRINE OF ST. GABRIEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 19

FIRST MEETING OF THE MAJORSUPERIORS OF THE CONFIGURATIONOF BLESSED EUGENE BOSSILKOV (CEB) . . . . . . . » 20

PROVINCIAL CHAPTEROF THE IOS PROVINCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 21

CENTENARY OF PASSIONIST PRESENCEIN ENNISKILLEN, IRELAND (PATR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 22

CONGRESS OF OUR LADY,MOTHER OF AFRICA (MATAF-PATR) . . . . . . . . . . . . » 23

SALV CONGRESS (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICOF CONGO) MARCH 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 24

NEW LEADERSHIP FOR THE CONFIGURATIONOF THE PASSIONISTS OF AFRICA (CPA) . . . . . . . . . » 25

NEW PASSIONIST COMMUNITY IN THE O.L. OF FATIMA PROVINCE MISSION IN ANGOLA . . . . » 26

PASSIONIST FAMILY GROUP MOVEMENT (SPIR) . » 26

WITNESSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 27

PASSIONIST SISTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 28

PROFESSIONS AND ORDINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 28

NEW PUBLICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 30

NOTITIAE OBITUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . » 31

Passionist Bulletin International N. 20 - New Series - June-July 2009

Supplement to L’Eco of Saint Gabriel, July-August 2009

EditorGeneral Curiaof the Congregation of the Passion

General Consultor for Communications Denis Travers, C.P.

Editing and Translation of TextsFrancesca PerettiLawrence Rywalt, C.P.Luis Enrique Bernal, C.P.Marco Pasquali, C.P.Miguel Angel Villanueva, C.P.Ramiro Ruíz, C.P.Stanislao Renzi, C.P.Tarcisio Tagliabue, C.P.

PhotographsLawrence Rywalt, C.P.Miguel Ángel Villanueva, C.P.Floriano De Fabiis, C.P.

AddressUfficio ComunicazioniCuria GeneraliziaP.zza Ss. Giovanni e Paolo 1300184 Roma - ItalyTel. 06.77.27.11Fax. 06.700.84.54Web Page: http://www.passiochristi.orge-mail: [email protected]

GraphicsFlorideo D’Ignazio - Editoriale Eco srl

Cover LogoLoretta Lynch

Cover photoDiary of St. Paul of the Cross, 1720

Final page photoStatue of St. Paul of the CrossCastellazzo Bormida (AL)

PrintingEditoriale Eco s.r.l.

Località San Gabriele - Colledara64045 San Gabriele (Teramo) - ItalyTel. 0861.975924 - Fax 0861.975655E-mail: [email protected]

Bishop Francesco Maria Arboreo di Gattinara, (1658-1743)Bishop of Alessandria.

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I. Various perspectives for reading: The frame-work for situating reflection on the theologicaldimension

The objective of this reflection is to systematical-ly present an existential understanding of theConstitutions that is both “faith-based and charismat-ic” that are received and embraced as a “plan for life”in faith. This is understood as a process of configu-ration “through Christ” and “in Him”.

The theological dimension of the Constitutionscan be perceived from various perspectives. I willlist several of these:

A) The theological dimension of theConstitutions is expressed in speaking about God,

about Christ, about the Church, the Holy Spirit andthe fundamental charism. We can approach theConstitutions with a certain disquieting challenge inorder to discover: What face of God do theConstitutions present to us? How do theConstitutions present Jesus Christ to us? How dothey envision religious life? This kind of study is nec-essary and enriching. However, it is not sufficient ifthe only thing that I discover in them is information.Although they contain theology, the Constitutions arenot merely a theological manual.

B) A second way of considering the theologicaldimension of the Constitutions is to view theprocess of growth as a work of the Spirit, in thewomb of the Church, the first fruit of a gratefulbeliever, St. Paul of the Cross. In his Diary hedescribes it in this way: “I asked my Sovereign Goodif he wished me to write the Rule for the Poor ofJesus and I felt myself strongly moved with greatsweetness.” (27 November 1720). This approachdoes not refer to the content as much as it does to theinspiration that created the Constitutions. If we con-sider them to be the fruit of the Spirit, the crystalliza-tion of a grace which in light of its objective and theinterpersonal dimensions that they acquire – in acommunity setting – then there is power to be com-municated and shared, configured through relation-ship with others from the first moment of their exis-tence. In this study one can discern the resolution ofinconsistencies which already existed in the life ofSt. Paul of the Cross. He too struggled as he wres-tled with successive modifications and approbations.This was something that he bore in a spirit of greatself-confidence and trust. He wrote about this to thebishop of Alessandria, Bishop Gattinara: “And sothat Your Excellency may have a clearer idea of theInstitute, I would emphasize that our Rules andConstitutions were allowed to remain in theiressence except for a very few things, which do nottouch on the essentials of the Institute. They wereapproved as written, for they were based on the infal-lible truth of the Gospel.” (Let. II, 270; 6 July 1741).

➥

THE CONSTITUTIONS: A PLAN FOR LIFEA Reflection on the Occasion of the 25th Anniversariof the Approbation of the Constitutions (1984-2009)

“THE THEOLOGICAL DIMENSION”AS A GUIDE FOR STUDY AND FOR LIFE

by FFrr.. JJoosséé LLuuiiss QQuuiinntteerroo SSáánncchheezz ((SSAANNGG))

C) A third way of viewing the Constitutions froma theological perspective is to look for ways in themof configuring our personal and community exis-tence in its external dimension or that of “commun-ion”. It is a theological dimension because it is thepraxis of communion, belonging and the fulfillmentof the mission. This approach tries to highlight theinstitutional origins of the Constitutions, as well astheir charismatic and social dimensions that pertainto a charism that aims at being ecclesial.

The theological nature of the Constitutions can beconsidered from at least three perspectives: doctri-nal, inspirational or charismatic, and institutional.

II. The “theological” dimension of theConstitutions: Meaning, means of access andexperience.

Keeping in mind the elements that were studiedabove and using them as fundamental components,the Constitutions are a concrete expression of evan-gelical life that we have chosen, the realization ofour baptismal existence: “Baptism immerse us inthe flood of divine power welling up from the deathand resurrection of Jesus, and consecrates us as

June-July 2009 - PIB n. 20

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members of the people of God. This consecrationwe reaffirm, and resolve to live a fuller life throughour religious profession, faithful to theseConstitutions.” (Const. No.7) Emphasizing thisdimension indicates that the Constitutions are notmerely a spiritual book about vows; they are the“theological path which configures me to Christ,in his Paschal mystery, which God in his lovedesires for me.” It is by entering into the theological,Christological and “personal-intimate” nature of theConstitutions that I can arrive at the reality of a “per-sonal, theological plan for life.”

The theological dimension, as different from doc-trinal dimension, highlights what is of primary andfundamental importance. It is that by which one“encounters”, enters into a personal relationship; bywhich one establishes a dialog, employing the planby which one is radically identified at the source ofhis being; the realization that one is called. This doesnot occur on the perimeter of the “logos”, of the“word”, of signs and structures. These are incarna-tions, facilitating factors, but they do not have tocompromise any of the character of “mediation”(which in the Christian tradition is more correctlyreferred to as ‘sacramental’, ‘symbolic’ and ‘parabol-ic’.) The Constitutions as a written text serve as areference point. They are a very effective ‘sacramen-tal’ sign which produces an interaction that is consti-tutive and that places demands on my life. St. Paulof the Cross reminded his religious on 30 November1760: “I ask you to be most exact in the observanceof the Rules, even the least rule, which were approvedby the Sovereign Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ, asappears in our apostolic brief, and were establishedby God to bring you to holiness by the exact obser-vance of the same.”

Now we may ask: How can we profoundly live outthis dimension of the Constitutions? What means orroutes should we take? What faith dimension needsto be developed on a personal as well as a communi-ty level?

ACCESSING THE THEOLOGICAL DIMEN-SION OF THE CONSTITUTIONS

1. Realize that the Constitutions are the fruit of anexistential dialog initiated by the Spirit and whoseaction and presence are enduring.

“In the beginning…” there was an invitation andthe attractive and transforming power of Jesus Christthat calls forth from the Church a person or personswho highlight an aspect of this Mystery and of a needor a Mission. They reveal this Mystery, and embodythis Mission. These produce a process of discern-ment, calculations and realizations. In subsequent

The Church of San Carlo at Castellazzo, where St. Paul ofthe Cross wrote the first Rule in 1720.

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moments, companions or brothers gather. The indi-vidual acquires a communitarian dimension and, insuccessive phases he acquires a universal or ecclesialdimension. This ongoing process has successivephases, one of them being the “crystallization” of atext in order to discover its meaning and intrinsicvitality. It always has to be discovered and be under-stood within the context and the dynamic from whichit arose. If I permit it to do so, it speaks to me aboutthe impact, the welcoming, the intuition and the ini-tiative of the Holy Spirit in those who are Founders,and reveals a symbiosis that provokes a tension thatis enigmatic or paradoxical. The Spirit configuresexistence but at the same time it offers a model and isenfleshed in the personal perception of the one whoembraces it. Thus, we constantly refer to the Founderso that today we may discover his charismatic graceand also the challenge to insert that experience intotoday’s reality (the signs of the times.) Paul of theCross writes: “God infused into my soul in a lastingmanner the form of the holy Rule to be observed bythe Poor of Jesus….Under obedience and by thegrace of the Holy Spirit I shall proceed to write thisRule. Let it be known that the intention God gave mewith regard to this Congregation… I have written thisto make it known that this was a special inspirationfrom God”. (The Diary and Preface to the Rule,1720)

2. The Constitutions: a means of living out morefully the Paschal dynamic that takes place in bap-tismal consecration (see Const. 7).

The grace of following is, in the first place, thefruit of a personal encounter in which Jesus Christassumes the primacy, making possible within us afree response in virtue of the Paschal Mystery. Ourbaptismal consecration bears the charismatic dimen-sion of the memory of the Passion, “We seek the unityof our lives and our apostolate in the Passion ofJesus” (see Const. 5); and it also highlights that thisaspect is articulated as “a call to live the fullness ofChristian love in an evangelical community”.(Const. 25)

This second point allows us to recognize theConstitutions as the place or the context for listeningto and receiving the word that my response shapeswithin me. It has as its goal that of eliciting from mea personal response within a community context oflove that is fundamentally personal and radical: thatwhich is seen in Christ in his Paschal Mystery. Thusit becomes a place of revelation, of self-giving andconfiguration.

One of the peculiarities of our Constitutions is thecontinual reference to the community as the environ-

ment in which this personal response occurs. We canstudy the Constitutions and cite the numerous timesin which we can see this plurality: our; we aremoved; we accept, etc.

3. Together with the Gospel they offer a particu-lar charismatic way of living out our baptismalcommitment in the context of the “evangelicalcounsels”: “We Passionists make the PaschalMystery the centre of our lives.” (cf. Const. 65)

The Constitutions offer me a way of extending thedynamic of Jesus Christ in his Gospel. They are pre-sented as the prism that allows me to visualize andpersonalize its inestimable richness. Thus “my way”is transformed by Him who is “the Way”. They arenot the Gospel, but they reflect it and are its fruit.They permit and construct a means of reading theGospel and understanding its essence: “In this sameatmosphere of sharing, we ought to examine both ourcommunity living and our daily lives, taking as ourstandard the Gospel, our Constitutions, and the signsof the times.” (cf. Const. 27) “We accept the urgent ➥

The room at San Carlo where St. Paul of the Cross wrote theRule during a retreat of forty days.


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demands made on each of us by the personal call ofthe Father to follow Jesus Crucified, namely: a per-sonal and continual vigilance to make the Gospel thesupreme rule and criterion of our life; a steadfast willto live and work joyfully as a community of brothers,observing these Constitutions in the spirit of SaintPaul of the Cross…” (cf. Const. 4) The Constitutionsdon’t construct this reality; they place us on the roadwhere we can meet Christ in the charismatic commu-nity that makes us disciples who are poor, obedientand chaste. In this sense “they are a letter”, an inter-mediary step and not the definitive means. They arethe “truth and symbol” of a “means”, conscious thatChrist concluded all mediations since He is present inall of them.

The Constitutions of every Congregation present away of living the vows since the Christ who theyencounter does so through a unique and personalway, offered by means of a particular grace that theSpirit grants in the origi-nal charismatic gift. “Weexpress our participationin the Passion by a spe-cial vow, which is at oncepersonal, communitarian,and apostolic…In thelight of this, we seek toincorporate this vow intoour daily lives by livingthe evangelical coun-sels.” (Const. 6) The vowof poverty is a response tothe love of Christ mani-fested in his becoming“poor for our sake” (cf.Const. 10); the vow ofchastity introduces us to the dynamic of self-offeringand the universal love of the One who came “to serveand to give his life as a ransom for many”(Const.17); the vow of obedience forms part of thewill of the Father in obedience “unto death”.(Const.20)

4. I assent to them as the “plan” that God offersme, integrating all the dimensions of my personal-ity in a plan of action that is inserted into his“Plan of universal love and communion.”

We are a “plan” in our most fundamental and ele-mental anthropology. Others express it within the cat-egory of “fundamental option” made within this scopeof meaning, an appropriation of values such as dynam-ics of existence and concrete options in a perceivedand desired direction. Existence calls forth plans thatare integrated into a “Unifying plan” that is formed

from a synergy of dynamics that constitute us andinterconnect those partial plans in which we partake.

The radical human plan that God the Father offersus consists of being “sons within the Son” from aChristian perspective. This has been ratified, con-firmed and amplified in the action of Christ (histori-cal incarnation and Paschal mystery). Without goinginto more detail, the Constitutions offer us a clarifica-tion or description of the human dynamics that aremade “Christ like” in a visible way – similar to aparable and a sacrament. The three counsels or vowsexist to make present, visualize, and actualize waysof living poorly, obediently and chastely, that Jesuschose for himself in his historical existence and Marylived in an eminent and radical way. Furthermore,they refer to those more fundamental dynamics thatconstitute the human being: love, freedom and gen-erosity. The internal dynamic of our Constitutionsoffer a fourth human dimension that we are called to

live out in a special waywhich is relational andcommunitarian. It wouldseem that the insistenceon the mandate “to gathercompanions” is constitu-tive to our charism.

In this sense, theConstitutions achieve areading of Scripture thatshows how the universalcall to love according tothe spirit of theBeatitudes and accordingto the lifestyle of theapostles, invites me topersonal involvement in

the midst of this charismatic community. The insis-tence on specific texts of the Scriptures is not areductionist process or a skewed reading; rather theyare keys or means of accessing the totality that allowsme to become a unique configuration in virtue of thegrace and the charismatic gift that is received. TheGospel shows us the “Passion of Christ and thePaschal dynamic” as a way of being Christian.Obedience to the loving will of God and at the sametime, my personal configuration to this will throughits “memory”, makes explicit the teaching of theMaster in which being configured by the charism iselaborated: “We Passionists make the PaschalMystery the centre of our lives. This entails a lovingcommitment to follow Jesus Crucified, and a gener-ous resolve to proclaim His Passion and death withfaith and love. His Passion and death are no merehistorical events. They are ever-present realities topeople in the world of today, “crucified” as they areby injustice, by lack of a deep respect for human life,

“Under obedience and by the grace of the Holy Spirit I shallproceed to write this Rule”.

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by a hungry yearning for peace, truth, and the full-ness of human existence. Our vocation as Passionistsprompts us to familiarize ourselves thoroughly withthe Passion of Christ, both in history and in the livesof people today…” (cf. Const. 65)

5. The Constitutions express and accomplish com-munion as a theological entity

Configuration in Christ occurs within the ChristianCommunity. It is something that the Spirit causes inthat it guarantees the pres-ence of Christ and is asource of Trinitarian com-munion. TheConstitutions, as a docu-ment, are a sign of the cre-ativity of the Spirit andthis creative power isexpressed in communitylife, the objective of acommon plan. It simulta-neously recreates commu-nity and makes it fruitful.It flowers in a family, isproclaimed and is lived ina family by establishinginteraction that is similarto the hermeneuticalprocess and growth inmeaning that a textacquires as it is receivedby the reader. They offerme a communal identity,a sense of belonging; itfacilitates human and the-ological bonds. It estab-lishes fraternal life, asense of belonging andinter-communion ascharismatic categories.“The Christian community is founded on the love ofChrist, who by His Cross, ‘tore down the wall of sep-aration’, and made all one people”. (cf. Const. 26)

The Constitutions emerge from the river of primalexperience; but they allow for successive reformula-tions because they have not remained fossilized in thepast. On the contrary, by calling forth life in varioussituations and diverse responses, they offer insightsand new expressions in “creative fidelity”. They area “living family book” because, enlivened by theSpirit, they are life-giving and challenging. In onesense, they remain a point of reference and a “norm”.They offer a personal and communal “theologicalplace for discernment”.

6. The Constitutions as a personal and communaltheological place of Mission from which we aresent forth.

Christ incorporates those that he has chosen toparticipate in his Mission, making them participantsin the love of the Father and the power of the Spirit.The category “mission” is not only the specificationof an external activity; it the radical continuation ofits very being and its own plan. The Constitutionsdefine the specific “Mission” as the fulfillment of the“Plan of God”. “Since we have been called to unite

ourselves to the life andmission of Him who“emptied Himself takingthe form of a servant”, wecontemplate Christthrough perseveringprayer. By giving His lifefor us He reveals God’slove for all people, andshows the path they mustfollow as they make theirway towards the Father.Faithfulness to thiscontemplation enables usto show forth His lovemore fully, and to helpothers offer their lives inChrist to the Father.” (cf.Const.5)

The Constitutionsinvite me to accept thistask not as mere externalactivity; rather as beingconscious of who I am, asa “point in salvation his-tory”, as a “theologicalplace” of “encounter” and“self-giving”. Mission,understood in this way, isa source of discernment

for my activities. It allows me to understand thoseelements that contribute to the mission of theCongregation, how to live and how to develop mypersonal qualities and charisms. At the same time,Mission calls forth new gifts from me and allows meto discover new areas to be made fruitful within myown personal reality. The common Mission will callforth unity and communion in the midst of diversity.Thus we read: “Recognizing in Saint Paul of theCross the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church withher supreme authority approved our Congregationand its Rule, and entrusted us with a mission: topreach the Gospel of the Passion by our life andapostolate.” (cf. Const. 2) “to keep constantly alive ➥

“We Passionists make the Paschal Mystery the centreof our lives.” (Crucifix in the Founder’s room at SanCarlo).


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in the hearts of the faithful the memory of thePassion, in which the love of our Saviour is so emi-nently expressed; and she looks to us by our apostoliclabors to render more and more fruitful that redemp-tive love.” (cf. Const. 62; Bull: “SupremiApostolatus) “The ministry of the word we hold inthe highest esteem.”(cf. Const. 63)

7. The Constitutions offer theological insights inorder to integrate charismatic and institutionaldimensions in reciprocal relationship and inter-dependence.

The primitive charismatic experience becomescommunal and institutional since this process is oneof the elements that exteriorly guarantees its perma-nence. The human structure is corporeal andChristian revelation has its center in the “concretehumanity of the Son of God.” This incarnational ele-ment extends throughout all of human history.Although certain tensions are present, placingcharism and institution, hierarchy and prophetic

stances in opposition to each other cannot be justi-fied. Without trivializing the tension that exists in thelife of the Church and which it needs to address, weneed to affirm that the institutional dimension is anelement that is a part of the charismatic process andwhich has to be rooted in it. The institution or the“communal structures” will be the reflection – with acertain degree of objectivity and permanence – ofcommunion. They are an aspect of communion, away of promoting it and achieving it. TheConstitutions offer us the means of living out author-ity with evangelical meaning, beginning with listen-ing and obedience to the will of God, freelyembraced and sought in common. Through charis-matic grace, the Constitutions teach us the most ade-quate way to express visibly and tangibly our com-munion in life and mission. “As followers of Christwe too accept our role in this plan. Alert to theFather’s voice and to do His will, we try daily toascertain His loving purpose in an attentive and lov-ing search. Day by day, we confront our lives with theGospel values and the example of Christ, ponder theevents of life so as to discern ‘the signs of the times’,

“The Constitutions offer me a communal identity, a sense of belonging; it facilitates human and theological bonds”(Students from Sts. John and Paul, Rome).

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and endeavour to fulfill our mission by living theseConstitutions under lawful authority.” (cf. Const.20)The Constitutions allow us to perceive the impor-tance and the need for structures and also their rela-tive and contingent character, above all, through theirconcrete expression, offering ways of modification,purification or substitution.

8. The Constitutions reveal their theological char-acter when giving evidence of their relativity andinsufficiency.

The Constitutions are not an ends in themselves.By means of them we cannot establish absolutes oridols. They are “holy” to the extent that they reflectthe “holy One”; they are a “way” to the degree thatthey reflect He who is “the Way”. Its words are holybecause of the Spirit that dwells within them, directsthem or presents them. In order to reveal their inte-rior richness, “we need” the Master of the InteriorLife to prepare the hearts and the minds of those whodraw near to Him. They are an indispensible, but notan absolute aid. They need to be enlightened by theGospel and enlivened by the Spirit. They run the riskof being only words if the Spirit who engenderedthem is not embraced by the one who contemplatesthem. St. Paul of the Cross wrote: “Under obedi-ence and by the grace of the Holy Spirit I shall pro-ceed to write this Rule... Let it be known that when Iwas writing, I wrote as quickly as if someone were

dictating to me; I felt the words coming from myheart. I have written this to make it known that thiswas a special inspiration from God…” (Paul of theCross to Bishop Francesco M. Arborio di Gattinara,Bishop of Alessandria, “Preface to the OriginalRule”{XIX} (L.IV, 217-221).

He also wrote that they “are held to be a mostpowerful means and well suited for attaining toChristian perfection, in this state of life which theyhave chosen.” (Rule of 1775, Chapt. XXXVIII). Thesame version of the Rule of 1775 concludes using thelanguage of that time: “If fulfilled with care and witha faithful and pure heart, they will bring you a tran-quil temporal life, and likewise an eternal one,which, may the almighty and merciful God, whoseglory is sought by them, impart to all. Amen.”

Conclusion: “Open your hands to receive the giftof God”

The Constitutions are incomplete and insufficient;they are not an end in themselves. To understandtheir essence we need to embrace them and live them.To the degree that they are a “plan” they need to“continue to be rooted in reality” and this cannot hap-pen unless they are received as such. They presentand show a way, but they only reveal their completetruth when the journey has been completed. Theyindicate a direction and a destiny. However, like anysign, their truth can only be perceived by the pilgrimwhen he arrives at the goal and the destiny to whichit directed him.

The Constitutions echo what Christ accomplishedby his words and deeds, as well as his personal pres-ence — all that the Father and the Spirit revealed toHim. Furthermore, in the Constitutions we discoverexpressions of all that the Church is and the vocationthat is proper to every Christian. They reflect andthey are the fruit of the action that is unique to theSpirit in a specific person and in a specific momentof history. They offer us a means of experiencing theongoing actuality and creative power of the gift ofGod in history. They offer the promise of the Spiritto promote and sustain the charismatic grace that wasgranted at a point in time, transforming theConstitutions into an instrument for living out in aunique way the “following of Jesus Christ” in a per-sonal and communal way. They indicate a Missionthat is incorporated in the “mission that the Fatheroffered his Son.” They dwell in the womb of theChristian Community as “the universal sacrament ofsalvation.”

And they demand “to be lived”, “experienced”and “shared” in personal and communal ways so as toreveal the true reason for their existence in “salvationhistory”.

“Open your hands to receive the gift of God”.

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On 4-5 May 2009 the Board of Directors ofPassionists International met in the PassionistCommunity of Jamaica, New York. Those attend-

ing were: Fr. Kevin Dance (SPIR), Bishop William Kenny(IOS), Fr. Ferdinando Valsecchi (CORM), Fr. Jesús MaríaAristín (General Curia), Sisters of the Cross and Passion:Srs. Mary Ann Strain, Joanne Fahey, Bernadette Hughes,and Mr. John González (translator). Absent and excusedwere Fr. Jefferies Foale (SPIR), Mr. Tim O’Brien and MaviAlfaro.

Fr. Ferdinando Valsecchi, was invited to this meeting asan Italian language representative of the InternationalCommission for Solidarity. He was present with the hope ofstrengthening collaboration between the PassionistsInternational Commission for Solidarity and PassionistsInternational.

Fr. Kevin Dance, our Passionist representative at the UNreported about recent projects in this area:

(1) Participation of the NGO’s in the Committee forfinancial Development Assistance: On 27 April Fr. Kevin

participated in the annual meeting of ECOSOC (UNEconomic and Social Council), with the World Bank, F.M.I.(the Food and Marketing Institute), OMC (World TradeOrganization) and UNCTAD (the United NationsConference on Trade and Development). At this meetingthe Secretary General of the UN (Ban Ki-moon) spokeabout the urgent need to reform the world economic system,underlining that this objective is a matter of life and deathfor so many people who live in poverty. The following dayhe participated in a meeting of the “G77” (composed of rep-resentatives from 133 countries, including China) wherethey analyzed the causes of the world financial crisis and itsgrave consequences for the poor. This coincided with theaffirmation of the urgent need to reform the structure of thecurrent world financial and economic system.

(2) Participation in the following committees and workgroups: the NGO’s committee on Human Rights (seewww.un.org/webcast); the work group on Israel-Palestinethat analyzed the situation in Gaza following the invasion.Three months have passed and the promised reconstruction

MMEEEETTIINNGG OOFF PPAASSSSIIOONNIISSTTSS IINNTTEERRNNAATTIIOONNAALLby FFrr.. JJeessúúss MMaarrííaa AArriissttíínn

General Secretary for the Missions and JPIC

(L-R) Sr. Bernardette Hughes, Sr. Mary Ann Strain, John Gonzalez, Fr. Jesús María Aristín, Bishop William Kenny.

has still not taken place; The Social DevelopmentCommittee is currently addressing the priority of SocialInclusion; the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Affairs inwhich Fr. Kevin plays a major role; and the Group onClimate Change.

(3) Fr. Kevin also participated in and represented us onthe World Social Forum that met in Belén, Brazil from 26January to 23 February studying the topic: “Another Worldis Possible”.

(4) Sr. Mary Ann Strain, CP, continues to work on topicsassociated with the work group on young women (WGG –see: http://www.girlsrights.org/newsletters.php.) She alsoparticipates in the work of the Commission on the status ofwomen (CSW53), recognizing and defending the rights ofwomen in all environments.

(5) Fr. Kevin and Sr. Mary Ann continue to offer cours-es, workshops and conferences throughout the US(Pittsburgh, New York, New Jersey, etc.) as well as overseas(England, Peru, Brazil, etc.).

(6) The web page of the Passionists International(http://www.passionistsinternational.org) has been updatedwhere they address issues of international concern that areassociated with the UN and the work of our representatives.

The Board of Directors also approved the proposedbudget and they spoke about the DVD that was produced bythe Office for Passionist Solidarity and the Missions. ThisDVD contains a large amount of material about JPIC andthe social doctrine of the Church. Fr. Jesús distributedcopies of the new booklet entitled, “JPIC Passionist” whichhas been translated in six languages and has been distributedto all the Passionist communities throughout theCongregation. If anyone wishes copies they may be

THE CURIA INFORMS


(L-R) Fr. Ferdinando Valsecchi, Sr. Joanne Fahey, Sr. Mary Ann Strain, Fr. Jesús María Aristín, Sr. Bernardette Hughes,Fr. Kevin Dance.

obtained from the JPIC/Missions office in Rome. All arereminded about the Congregation’s new web page onJustice and Peace: http://www.jpicpassionist.org/. We hopethat this will provide a forum for all men and womenPassionists who work in the area of JPIC. Fr. Jesúsinformed those present about workshops that he will offerduring the upcoming weeks in Argentina, Chile, Mexico andColombia.

Finally, the next meeting is scheduled for 13 October. Inan effort to reduce travel costs, the meeting will take placevia video-conferencing.

A historical moment in the Congregation: The PassionistPresence at the UN

Situated at the United Nations in New York, PassionistsInternational intends to bring the work and the dreams andthe hopes of the members of the Passionist Family aroundthe world to bear on the decisions that are made by the 191nations that make up the body of the UN. The initiativecame from a decision of the Passionist General Chapter inBrazil in 2000. Fr. Kevin Dance (SPIR) was appointed asthe first Passionist NGO representative. Facing the realityof globalization, we came to see how we are affected by thelifestyles and decisions of other countries. We wanted tofind other places to express the hope and the healing that goto the heart of our Passionist charism.

On 29 May 2009 Fr. Kevin informed us that theCommittee on NGO’s (Non-governmental organizations) atthe UN recommended us for Special Consultative Status.This means that we can now, in our own name asPassionists, make written or oral statements at the meetingsof governments within the UN system. ●

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It was well known that from the first days of hiselection to the Pontificate, that Pope Benedict XVIwanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I

remember in 2005 he repeatedly asked the thenApostolic Nunzio to Israel, Bishop Pietro Sambi,when it would be possible for the new Pope to makea pilgrimage to Israel. Considering the difficulties ofthat period of “Intifada” (uprising) it would be diffi-cult to devise a plan and establish a date. And thenwith the arrival of the new Nunzio, Bishop AntonioFranco, it seemed that the visit of the Pope wouldremain only a dream. However, all of sudden, in theautumn of 2008, everything moved into place. Noteven the war in Gaza, in the early part of 2009, wasable to stall this possibility. But there was one obsta-cle: various Christian Arabs, Palestinians as well asIsraelis, felt that a visit at this time was not a goodidea because they feared that in the final analysis thisvisit would be seen as direct support for the politicsof Israel. Evidently the Pope’s visit to the Holy Land,according to the mind of the Pope, should be under-stood solely as a pilgrimage in order to share and sus-tain by prayer the peace of the local Christians and topurify and solidify the inter-religious dialog with theJews and the Muslims. However, it could not avoidbeing affected by the various religious, social, culturaland political views of the different interested parties.

On Christmas night 2008, I was invited by theItalian TV station, “Telepace”, to participate in aninterview about the meaning of the Pope’s visit to aLand that, while remaining holy, i.e. having an indeli-ble uniqueness and a special vocation in the variousphase of God’s salvation history, in reality it is a com-plex land and therefore, enigmatic and difficult tounderstand. The Pope – I stated in the interview –was coming to visit God’s Land, the Land of JesusChrist, the Land of the Mother Church of Jerusalemand to visit to people of this land, all the people, ofevery ethnic origin (Arab and Jewish) and religion(Jew, Muslim and Christian), and to proclaim thetruth about the inhabitants of the Holy Land, of what-ever creed or political affiliation they belonged.

He was coming to encourage the Christians whoare in the social minority, to be positive forces inmeetings with the religious majorities – Jewish andMuslim – in order to reveal that for people who live

in the light of God — a God who is the same foreveryone – there is the one, common truth that is thepresupposition for every meeting, and that there is noother God. He would encourage them to be a peoplewho are well-disposed to forgiveness and collabora-tion in a society – that of the Holy Land – that is richin ethnic diversity, traditions, languages and religiousexpressions and therefore, a model of universality forthe entire world.

The four Passionist religious of the community ofBethany-Jerusalem shared in these hopes, which attimes were dampened by the fear of possible embar-rassment in the event of the unpredictable develop-ments – negative or positive – of this papal visit. Atthe same time we were very hopeful that, in the finalanalysis, the pilgrimage of Benedict XVI would be atrue blessing from God.

The Nunziature contacted the various Christiangroups, priests, religious and laity, asking for their

THE POPE’S GIFTTO THE HOLY LANDAccording to the Passionists

of Bethany-Jerusalemby FFrr.. GGiiaannnnii SSggrreevvaa ((CCOORRMM))

aa rreelliiggiioouuss ooff tthhee PPaassssiioonniisstt ccoommmmuunniittyy aatt BBeetthhaannyy

“In a world where more and more borders are beingopened up – to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples, tocultural exchanges – it is tragic to see walls still being erect-ed. How we long to see the fruits of the much more difficulttask of building peace!”- (Pope Benedict XVI prays at theWailing Wall, Jerusalem).

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➥

reflections, hopes and suggestions in order to offerthe Holy Father some salient points about the socio-political and religious situation in the Holy Land. Inparticular, with regard to the input of our Passionistcommunity, until the end of February of this year,we spent time in intense prayer for a “prophetic”outcome of this visit, especially during our dailyEucharistic adoration that is always part of our com-munity prayer life. The Apostolic Nunzio asked Fr.Gianni Sgreva in particular to prepare a generalreport on the situation in the Holy Land, from thesocio-political, ethnic and historical, religious andecumenical points of view and to send this to theHoly See together with other materials. In thisreport I emphasized the universal aspect that char-acterizes the Holy Land and which, in the light ofthis vocation to universality, found in the wordsdirected to Abraham by God (see Gen. 3:15), itwould be good to consider the Holy Land as the epi-

center of the world, a place of unity between twopeoples and two ethnic groups, Jewish and Arab,from the perspective of the Constitutions of twoStates, reconciled in the same parcel of land, andopen to welcoming all peoples of the Earth. I insist-ed on this so that in social, political and religious-pastoral languages we could go beyond a vocabu-lary of active and passive occupation, in order togive space and formation for a mentality of purifica-tion of memory, of re-reading of historical situa-tions, in favor of adopting a language that wouldfavor encounter, sharing and reconciliation. Andthat Jerusalem, in particular, would be considered acity that would welcome all of the children of theworld, all peoples, the three monotheistic religions,by means of a statute and a special juridical defini-tion. However this would be removed from reparti-tions connected with exclusivist pretexts on the partof the Israelis and the Palestinians. The Christian ofthe Holy Land in this plan of universal vision, notrelying on the power of quotas, are encouraged torediscover incentives for ecumenical unity at theservice of the universal vocation of the Holy Landin the educational-cultural journey of its inhabi-tants. In particular, Catholic Christians, belongingto various rites, all present in the Holy Land, havethe task of educating in a catholic-universal senseevery religious, ethnic, social and political dimen-sion of this Land.

And among the Latin Catholics, the MotherChurch of the Latin Patriarchate should be exempla-ry in this ministry of the promotion of catholicity, inorder to foster a Christian community that is bi-cul-tural, bi-lingual, Arab and Jewish, which educatestoward the purification of memory of the Arabs andthe Jews, of the Jews and the Muslims, of ChristianArabs, Palestinians and Israeli Christians. All of thisin view of a universal vision in which the old city ofJerusalem would be the universal convergence pointof all peoples of the earth, and therefore, contempo-raneously, of the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples,of Jews and Arabs, and the other three monotheisticreligions.

As the date of the visit of the Pope drew near, thepreparations continued in earnest in the differentareas of the local Catholic Church, in the Muslim andJewish sectors, in the political sphere and in one areain particular – that of security. At the same time,there seemed to be some embarrassment and uncer-tainty on the part of the local Christians.

The visit of the Pope, divided among three days inJordan, four days in Israel and one day in thePalestinian territory (Bethlehem) was seen, in thefinal analysis, as a valuable gift and a great source ofconsolation for the Christians themselves. In each ofthe various contexts the Pope expressed words ofconcrete encouragement to the Christians them-selves in that they assume their own vocation ofbeing a small flock whose calling is to be a source ofunity, ecumenical unity, and to be instruments of

“Allow me to make this appeal to all the people of theselands: No more bloodshed! No more fighting! No more ter-rorism! No more war! Instead let us break the vicious circleof violence. Let there be lasting peace based on justice, letthere be genuine reconciliation and healing…” (PopeBenedict XVI, Closing Address).


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14

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inter-religious and ethnicreconciliation. They arecalled to be a positive pres-ence in a Holy Land thatpolitically should be admin-istered in a context of twoStates, at the service of theuniversal dimension of theinternational community.

The religious of the com-munity of Bethany, who werethree during the days of thePope’s visit (the superior, Fr.Pol Plaza (PASS) was in thePhilippines for the ProvincialChapter) participated in themajor moments of the Papalcelebrations— concelebrating the three PapalMasses in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. ThenFr. Gianni was present at the most significant eventssuch as the interreligious dialog between Christians,Jews and Muslims at Notre Dame Center; at themeeting between the Pope and the Latin Patriarchand at the concluding event at the site of the HolySepulcher and Calvary.

Although it was very difficult to get near to thePope because of the high level of security on the partof the Israelis, nevertheless his prophetic presencewas felt through his actions and his words that pro-foundly touched everyone – especially the Christians,but also the Muslims and Jews. This did not excludesome strident, although hushed voices of those whowished to maneuver the Pope and his word in favorof their cause. During his almost thirty interventions,the Pope offered the Holy Land a veritable encyclicalon the vocation of the Holy Land and it future ofpeace and reconciliation for all people.

Now we have already begun the period of “reac-tions” to the beneficial effects that were created bythe visit of the Pope. We are preparing to study theteaching of the Pope, to elaborate, if we wish, onthose lines that were necessarily delicately andrespectfully illusive concerning situations and proj-ects for a Holy Land with two lungs, Arab andJewish, with Christians of Arab and Jewish origin, ina society that is distributed between two states,Palestinian and Israeli.

The teaching of the Holy Father was also a chal-lenge for us Passionists to be educators of a universalvision of the Holy Land. This is a vision that entailslocal entities, Jewish and Arab that are open to allpeople, precisely in the spirit of Paul the Apostle whosees in the “blood of His cross” the razing of everywall and reconciliation between Jew and Gentile (cf.Eph. 2), in the mystery of the “catholic” Church ofChrist that has its origins in Jerusalem as well as itsuniversal spirit and which embraces all peoples andnations.

Our community of Bethany, that is located in thiscity of Jerusalem, in this Holy Land that was visited

“Standing in this holy place, and pondering that wondrousevent, how can we not be “cut to the heart”...Here Christdied and rose, never to die again. Here the history ofhumanity was decisively changed. The long reign of sin anddeath was shattered by the triumph of obedience and life;the wood of the Cross laid bare the truth about good andevil...Here Christ, the new Adam, taught us that evil neverhas the last word, that love is stronger than death, that ourfuture, and the future of all humanity, lies in the hands of afaithful and provident God…” (Pope Benedict XVI at theHoly Sepulchre, Jerusalem).

and enlightened by the prophetic teaching of thePope, feels itself impelled to use every means to beuniversal, embracing all nations, all provinces, andeven local places, Jewish and Arab, in order to helpthe Church of Jerusalem to truly be a Mother for allpeoples, to breath with two lungs, as the maternalwomb for Christian Arabs and Christians of Jewishorigin, and to present them with the vision of univer-sality, of catholicity, precisely on the basis of theCross of Christ-Peace (Eph.1:1-14). The Pope chart-ed the road. The task and the challenges that await usare immanent and exciting.

The banner-logo of the Holy Land is a while redcross on a white background, including four addition-al small crosses in the respective four quadrants ofthe large cross. It is as if to say that the Holy Landrepresents the entire world that is embraced, savedand touched by the Cross of the Lord that was plant-ed in Jerusalem.

The emblem of the HolyLand: “(it) representsthe entire world that isembraced, saved andtouched by the Cross ofthe Lord that was plant-ed in Jerusalem”.

PASSIONIST LIFE


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From May 11-15, 2009the Third ProvincialChapter of the PASS

Province of the Philippinestook place at Spiritual Centerof Mindanao. In addition tothe religious of the Province,also present were Fr.Ottaviano D’Egidio,Superior General, Fr.Clemente Barrón, GeneralConsultor, and Fr. MarcoPasquali, personal secretaryto Fr. General and translatorfor the event.

In his addresses at thebeginning of the Chapter, Fr.General spoke about the his-tory of the Province. Herecalled that “the first mis-sionaries…largely camefrom our suppressed mis-sions in China, one of whomis here present, Fr. HilarionWalters – who was also a missionary in China,and…Brother Robert McKenna, who has also beenin the Philippines for many years. I especially wishto remember Fr. Malcolm La Velle, SuperiorGeneral and Fr. Harold Reusch, GeneralConsultor for the PASPAC region who spent signif-icant parts of their lives in this land of thePhilippines… The present Chapter is also a part ofthe history that was begun by the religious of theProvince of St. Paul of the Cross (PAUL) and whichcontinues, as do the current ten Passionist commu-nities with the 53 religious who live and work in thePhilippines, as well as the students, novices andpostulants.”

During the Canonical Visitation prior to theChapter, Fr. Clemente Barron learned from the reli-gious about their concerns and hopes for the futureof the province. In addition to the area of the econ-omy and finances, “another area of concern in theProvince is that of formation with numerous youngreligious in formation and with 14 young religiousalready in Theology, 5 novices and approximately

CHAPTER OF THE PROVINCE OF THE PASSIONIN THE PHILIPPINES

35 young men who are involved in a formation pro-gram.” There was also reference to the missionaryendeavors of the PASS Province. It was noted that“there is great interest and anticipation especiallyamong the young in the process of Restructuringthat opens more numerous possibilities for mis-sionary collaboration among the various parts ofthe Congregation. Here I wish to highlight the mis-sionary spirit that has distinguished this Provinceand its generosity in collaboration with other partsof the Congregation.” Specifically Fr. Generalspoke of the missionary presence of the PASSprovince in Bethany in the Holy Land and inSweden in conjunction with the religious of theIOS Province of England.

During the Chapter the following religious wereelected to positions of leadership: Fr. Julito SanateVillarente, Provincial Superior; Fr. Louie YeeFuentespina, First Consultor; Fr. AntonioDalangbayan Saligan, Second Consultor; Fr.Nazario Poblator Benitez, Third Consultor; and Fr.Vicente Brancia Gabut, Fourth Consultor.

(L-R) Frs. Vicente Brancia Gabut, 4th Consultor; Nazario Poblator Benitez, 3rdConsultor; Julito Sanate Villarente, Provincial Superior; Louie Yee Fuentespina, 1st

Consultor; and Antonio Dalangbayan Saligan, 2nd Consultor.

PASSIONIST LIFE


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An Interprovincial Assembly of the religious ofthe regions of Spain and Portugal took placein Corella, Spain on 15-16 April 2009.

Within the context of the new Configurations thegoal of the meeting was to offer some material forstudy and decision-making during the upcomingProvincial Chapters of this region. Following thediscernment document proposed in the Synod, theyreflected on the three areas of Solidarity: Finances,Formation and Personnel.

The following are some of the reflections and pro-posals that were offered for consideration during theupcoming Chapters:

Solidarity in Finances:The financial aspect is one of the elements to be

considered in the new Configurations in order toachieve greater solidarity within the Configurationitself and be mindful of availability to the entireCongregation. They noted that this aspect of financeshas to be viewed from the perspective of the criteriaproposed by the Gospel and by religious poverty.This is for the good of the mission and revitalizationof Passionist life and presence.

Concrete proposals to the Chapters:— Coordination and work in common with the

various provincial economes creating a commissioncomprised by them.

IBERIANINTERPROVINCIAL

ASSEMBLY

Members of the Configuration of the Sacred Heart, of the Iberian zone.

— Develop common criteria for managing materi-al goods.

— Adequate formation for the religious who dothis ministry.

— Develop criteria to establish priorities.— Some of these priorities that needed be studied

are: formation, the elderly and sick, pastoral ministryand financial commitments.

Solidarity in FormationWe agree that Vocation Ministry has to be organ-

ized according to the specific zones of theConfiguration.

We propose to the Chapters:— A team that would work at making various

materials available for common use (Web page,activities, programs, etc.). The ways of doing thiswould be specified during the various Chapters.

— There is a need for preparation for ministry inthe area of vocations and also a need for religiouswho are available and willing to work in this area.

— Need to keep in mind the importance of specif-ic communities that are designated for the purpose ofvocation discernment, entrusting them with this mis-sion.

We conclude that there are future needs in the areaof Formation.

We propose to the Chapters:— Preparation for formation personnel.— Create teams to coordinate the various stages

and oversee the formation communities. This has tobe a conscious choice.

— Endorse the formation program, in which thefundamental elements of Passionist identity are gath-ered, while being attentive to the specific and newmind-set of the Congregation.

The construction of the Church of “Espíritu Santo ySeñor Mueve Corazones” (the Holy Spirit and theLord, Mover of Hearts) of the REG Province in

Mexico City was begun through the generosity of Mr.Carlos Hachenbeck and Mrs. Paz Pliego, a couple that wasmarried on 19 March 1909, the day on which the corner-stone was laid for the church. The building was complet-ed and dedicated in July, 1910.

Mrs. Pliego offered the church to the Passionists with the proviso that it would be the center and the beginning of anew foundation in Mexico. In response, the General Curia of the Passionists accepted the offer and entrusted the foun-dation to the Mexican Passionists, Frs. Abraham Medina, Hernán and Brother Severiano, together with ItalianPassionists, Frs. Pasquale Borgia y Sergio Contini.

In 1946-47, American Passionist, Fr. Edward Viti (CRUC, 1909-1981) arrived and filled with great zeal, revivedparish life in particular through the development of a catechetical program and the organization of a EucharisticCrusade. He invited the Mexican Passionist Sisters, the Daughters of the Passion, to minister to the youth of the parish.On 24 April 1947, the Italian Passionists Frs. Benito Convento (+1992) and Nazario Gavoto (+1966) arrived from theCORM Province of Northern Italy. They assumed responsibility for the church and gradually, a new Mexican Passionistpresence was established.

Mass celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Parish ofEspiritu Santo, Mexico City.

PASSIONIST LIFE


CENTENARY OF THECHURCH OF “ESPÍRITUSANTO Y SEÑOR MUEVECORAZONES”, MEXICO

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF PASSIONISTPRESENCE IN CHIAPAS, MEXICO

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Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, locatedtowards the southeast part of the country. As of themid 1990s, most people in Chiapas were poor, rural

small farmers. About one quarter of the population were offull or predominant Maya descent, and in rural areas manydid not speak Spanish. The state suffers from the highest rateof malnutrition in Mexico, estimated to affect more than 40%of the population.

These indigenous peasant farmers felt that their poor andlargely agricultural region had been too long ignored by theMexican government. In January 1994, indigenous rebels ledby the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) in thesouthern state of Chiapas, Mexico rose up in protest againsttheir government, demanding indigenous autonomy, democ-racy for all Mexicans, and economic policies that would ben-efit the majority of Mexicans rather than just a small eliteportion of the population. The Passionists of the REGProvince made their first foundation in this region in theParish of San Miguel Arcángel (St. Michael the Archangel) inthe city of Tumbalá during this period of open conflictbetween the federal government and the EZLN. This yearmarks the twenty-fifth anniversary of this presence.

One of the first events of this anniversary celebration wasthe blessing of the outdoor walkway in the atrium of theparish church on 2 February, during the liturgical celebrationof the patroness of the parish, Our Lady of the Presentation.The construction of this walkway symbolized the journey ofthe Passionists in this parish during these past fifteen years.

However, the official date of the celebration was February28, 2009. This event was scheduled to coincide with theliturgical feast of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin, notingthat there is also a neighborhood within the parish boundariesthat bears this name. All of the catechists from the various ●

communities were invited, and they agreed to give witnesstalks, prepare musical pieces and other forms of entertain-ment for this gathering. The Passionist Sisters, Daughters ofthe Passion, who work in the city of Tila were also present,as well as their diocesan pastor, Fr. Heriberto Cruz. The peo-ple from the neighborhoods surrounding the parish organizeda social-cultural presentation, which involved the young peo-ple, children of the catechetical programs, musical groupsand others.

During these celebrations tribute was paid to the greatPassionist missionary, Pietro Noris (Fr. Ildelfonso) who,several days before his death in Tumbalá, Chiapas on (3January 1994) expressed the desire that his brotherPassionists assume responsibility for this mission. In someway Fr. Ildelfonso was present during these celebrations.With great gratitude to God, the province also recalled theordination of Fr. Cristóbal Díaz, who is not only aPassionist, but also the first priest of the Ch’ol peoples ofthis region.

Children celebrating the Passionist presence in Chiapas,Mexico.

PASSIONIST LIFE


The Configuration of Jesus Crucified had its firstformal meeting at the Cardinal Spellman RetreatCenter in Riverdale, April 20-23. St. Paul of the

Cross Province hosted the meeting, organized by theCoordinators of the Configuration, Frs. Joseph Jonesand Norberto Donizetti. Every region of theConfiguration was represented: Reference Consultor:Fr. Clemente Barrón; Coordinators Frs. Joseph Jones(PAUL) and Norberto Donizetti (CALV); PAUL: Frs.James Price, James O’Shea and Jack Douglas (secre-tary); CRUC: Frs. Donald Webber, James Strommer andPhilip Paxton; DOL: Fr. Enzo Del Brocco; PRAES: Fr.Fiorenzo Bordo; FAT: Fr. Laureano Aves; CONC: Fr.Juan Rosasco; REG: Fr. Francisco Valadez; CORI-PAC:Frs. Jesús Echeandia and Moisés Ríos; SPE-LIBER: Fr.Eleno Marques De Araujo; CALV: Fr. Augusto Canali.

The basic goal of the meeting was to address thethree areas of Solidarity (formation, finances andpersonnel).

The groups reported that the Configuration will needto have international centers for formation (novitiateand theology), encourage our men to learn another lan-guage and recruit candidates who can learn to func-tion/minister in other languages and cultures. A notestruck by both groups is that we need to redefine ourunderstanding of “belonging” and emphasize a newmodel of interconnectedness that reaches beyond theProvince or individual country. Will we need to closelocations in order to make personnel available to new

MEETING AT RIVERDALE (USA)OF THE CONFIGURATION

OF JESUS CRUCIFIED

structures responding to greater needs of formation andministry? All emphasized that our Charism andPassionist Mission are to be at the heart of any decisionsor new structures.

We need a set of standards for our Configuration toassess ministry needs and prioritize those needs. Weneed to encourage leadership to make difficult decisionsabout personnel. We need to begin preparing formationpersonnel for this new reality. We need to keep in mindthe ten priorities and the criteria for structuring. Weneed to use communication avenues available to us toprovide timely information to all. Younger students needto have broader cultural experiences. We need toemphasize missionary experiences among the poorest.

Maybe we need to subdivide the Configuration. Weneed to determine where we want the Passionist Familyto be present. We need to have the attitude of St. Paul ofthe Cross, i.e., his sense of itinerancy and availability,going where no one else wants to go. We realize thereare some patrimonies in structures of historical value;we need to develop criteria by which we can decidewhether to keep these properties/structures or closethem.

A finance committee will be established. They willbe asked to study how each region reports their finances,whether financial reports are transparent and accurate,what are the financial strengths and weaknesses of eachregion, how can we establish a Fund for theConfiguration, and what criteria do we use to dispensefunds. We would want these members to have an aware-ness of the ten priorities of the General Chapter, the cri-teria for restructuring and a sense of Passionist mission(i.e., all decisions are not made solely on the bottomline). Fr. Francisco Valadez (REG) is the responsibleagent.

A personnel committee will consist of Frs. AugustoCanali (CALV), Don Webber (CRUC) and Enzo DelBrocco (DOL). They are asked to study the personnelsituation of each region, the ministry needs of eachregion, how to prioritize needs, how ministry relates toGeneral Chapter directions, how decisions will be madeto exchange personnel, visa challenges, how to help allpersonnel in the Configuration feel connected to thewhole, etc.

A formation committee will consist of Frs. PaulZilonka (PAUL), Moisés Ríos (CORI-PAC) and JuanRosasco (CONC). Fr. Moisés is the responsible agent.They are asked to study where formation centers mightbe located, the pros and cons of those locations, theexpenses of those locations, possible formation person-nel and their preparation, projection of novices and stu-dents over the next few years, collaboration with otherConfigurations, develop a formation plan with an under-standing of the Congregational Plan and the variousConferences of Bishops requirements for ordination,address the different educational calendars, how do weencourage learning different languages, etc.

The next meeting will be in November, 2009 in theDOL Province.

Configuration of Jesus Crucified: Standing: Frs. Enzo DelBrocco, Jesús Echeandia, Donald Webber, Juan Rosasco,Clemente Barrón, James O’Shea, Moisés Ríos, NorbertoDonizetti, Philip Paxton, Joseph Jones, Fiorenzo Bordo,Eleno Marques De Araujo and Fr. Jack Douglas.Kneeling: Frs.Augusto Canali, Francisco Valadez, LaureanoAves, Joseph Jones and Mr. Loni Barrone. ●

PASSIONIST LIFE


During the night of Monday of Holy Week, 6April 2009, a strong earthquake measuring5.8 on the Richter scale, struck the Abruzzo

region of Ialy, in particular the city of L’Aquila at3:30 AM. There were over 300 deaths, more than60,000 homeless of which 35,000 are living in tentsand there are a large number of wounded. A localofficial described it as “an earthquake of significantproportions, the likes of which we have not experien-ced in the past ten years.” In addition to the loss oflife, numerous public buildings and private homeswere seriously damaged; some were totally destro-yed.

The Passionist Shrine of St. Gabriel, of the PIETProvince, is located in this region, approximately 20km. (12 miles) from the epicenter of the earthquake.On Good Friday afternoon, 10 April 2009, Fr.Piergiorgio Bartoli, PIET Provincial Superior, repor-ted on the situation at the Shrine, including our adjoi-ning monastery, province infirmary and L’Eco prin-ting press: “I too am here at St. Gabriel’s to share inthe problems of my religious. The earthquake wasalso very powerful here at the Shrine. There havebeen many strong and small aftershocks, especiallyduring the night. The old Shrine was declared unin-habitable due to several significant cracks. Also thebuilding that houses our printing press is inaccessi-ble due to serious structural damage... The monaste-ry of St. Gabriel, up until now, is still intact – onlysome minor cracks here and there. Some of the sick inour provincial infirmary are sleeping in a trailer,while the others cannot leave their beds. The structu-re is holding up well and we pray that there will notbe any more strong aftershocks.”

Thanks be to God, there were no deaths amongour religious or their families. However, some of thehomes of these families were destroyed, businesseswere closed, and there are numerous other problemsassociated with the instability of structures and thepsychological stress on individuals. Subsequently,Fr. Jesús María Aristín, Secretary for Solidariety andthe Passionist Missions wrote to the religious of theCongregation and the Passionist Family concerning

THE EARTHQUAKE INTHE ABRUZZO REGION

OF ITALY AND THESHRINE OF ST. GABRIEL

The original church of St. Gabriel with scaffolding for repairwork.

this situation: “It would seem that we are obligatedto express our concern and solidarity for these ourconfreres and, through them, to their families, who invarious ways form part of our Passionist Family.Solidarity is another name for the Passion and it hasbecome one of the key words in the process ofRestructuring in the Congregation. Those who areable and who desire (may) send an offering to theOffice for Passionist Solidarity and the Missions(Ufficio della Solidarietà e Missione Passionista) ofthe General Curia.”

These were also the sentiments of Pope BenedictXVI when on 28 April he visited the region and thosewho were affected by the earthquake. In his addressto them he said: “The crucified Lord is risen anddoes not abandon you. ... He is not deaf to the angui-shed cries of so many families who have lost every-thing: houses, savings, work and sometimes evenhuman lives. Of course, His tangible response comesthough our solidarity, which cannot be limited to theinitial emergency, but must become a stable projectover time. I encourage everyone, institutions andcompanies, to ensure that this city and this land mayarise again”. ●


PASSIONIST LIFE

●

FIRST MEETING OF THE MAJORSUPERIORS OF THE CONFIGURATION

OF BLESSED EUGENE BOSSILKOV (CEB)

On April 21-22, 2009 the first meeting of theConfiguration of Blessed Eugene Bossilkovtook place in a retreat house of the Pallotines

religious near Warsaw, Poland. Present were: Fr.Luigi Vaninetti, (General Consultor), Fr. AndrzejJakimiak (Provincial Superior ASSUM), Fr. WaldemarLinke (translator ASSUM), Fr. Gregor Lenzen(Provincial Superior VULN), Fr. Lucas Temme (reli-gious of the VULN Province), Fr. Guy Sionneau(Provincial Superior MICH), Fr. Jean Claude Delion(religious of MICH), Fr. Giuseppe Martinelli(Provincial Superior CORM), Fr. Piergiorgio Bartoli(Provincial Superior, PIET), Fr. Antonio Curto(Provincial Superior, LAT) and Fr. Leone Masnata(Provincial Superior, CFIXI).

The meeting was preceded by a day of prayer at theShrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa, where they cele-brated a Mass before the miraculous icon of Our Lady.

The group worked with the Circular Letter that Fr.General sent to the Congregation using the followingmethod: – listening to the responses of the Provinces to the que-

stionnaire of the General Curia; – listing the action steps and the decisions to be taken

The participants at the Assembly of the Configuration of Eugene Bossilkov.

immediately or in the future in the three target are-as of formation, personnel and finances. Those stepsto be taken immediately are: learning other langua-ges; a meeting of the CEB formation personnel; theformation of a CEB group of formation experts;and collaboration concerning the house in Lourdes(France);

– Creation of a work group composed of nine religious,three for each area of solidarity;

– The next meeting of the Provincial Superiors will ta-ke place in Bulgaria, 15-19 September 2009;

– Search and choice of a Secretary for the CEB. In conclusion, the participants felt that the meeting

was useful, practical and open to future new ventures,especially considering all of the different cultures thatwere present. Thus they were able to consider someconcrete measures that were taken which strengthenedthe process and generated hope that we are enteringinto a period that is favorable for the life and the mis-sion of the Congregation in these regions. They werealso grateful for the wonderful spirit of hospitalityoffered by the religious of the Polish ASSUMProvince which was a great source of encouragementfor their dialog.

PASSIONIST LIFE


●

The Province of St. Joseph(IOS) held its provincialChapter during 13-16 April

2009 at our Retreat House ofMinsteracres, England.

Present were Fr. OttavianoD’Egidio, Superior General, Fr.Denis Travers, General Consultor aswell as Fr. Marco Pasquali, personalsecretary to Fr. General and transla-tor for the Chapter. Also presentwere the Provincial Superiors of theConfiguration of Blessed EugeneBossilkov: Fr. Frans Damen, of St.Gabriel’s Province (GABR); Fr. LeoBos, of the Mother of Holy HopeProvince (SPE); and Fr. PatrickDuffy, of the Province of St. Patrick(PATR) as well as the religious of theprovince

In his opening address, Fr.General stated that Fr. Denis haddone the Canonical Visitation. The“Conversation Days” were “a signif-icant opportunity for members to bewith one another in theProvince…These days offered an opportunity for fra-ternity, prayer together, sharing, and the exchange ofopinion.” Among the new initiatives of the Provincewere: the position of a province health-care coordina-tor (a layman) who is in dialogue with the religiouswhen the religious need assistance in managing theirhealth care needs. He also spoke about the new com-munity at Herne Bay, under the direction of Fr. MarkWhite, Local Superior and Pastor and the activity ofthe community of Minsteracres under the care of thelocal Superior, Fr. Jeroen Hoogland (SPE).Minsteracres is a beautiful house located in a pictur-esque setting that is typically English. The communi-ty is also composed of laity who, in addition to caringfor a small parish, also organize various hospitalityprojects as well as retreats for people with various dif-ficulties. During the Chapter a proposal was approvedto use a part of the house for health-care needs. Inaddition to the Province, there are also several reli-gious residing there who are involved in ministry toyoung people with legal problems or who are in prison,as well as those who are refugees or who are seekingpolitical asylum.

Fr. Ottaviano also referred to the missionary activi-ty of the Province in Sweden, now over 50 years old.Many religious of the Province of St. Joseph, totaling17, have been missionaries and have worked in theSwedish Vicariate. They have worked zealously tobuild the local Church, and the Province has lavishedenergies and a substantial financial contribution toward

the growth of the Swedish Church, especially in theProvince of Småland, in southern Sweden.

He also spoke about the community of Highgatewhere our house and parish in London, England (IOS)are located. For several years the Province of St. Josephhad planned to relinquish the parish of St. Joseph inHighgate to the Diocese of Westminster and to under-take a plan of urban development for the area of theproperty of the Province that is annexed to our retreatand church. However, following a meeting with the IOSProvincial and his Council and in the midst of some dif-ficulties with the Diocese, the General Council decidedthat the General Curia will assume responsibility for theparish and the community. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, approvedthis decision and Fr. Patrick Fitzgerald (PATR) wasnamed as pastor and Fr. Raymond Brain (SPIR)parochial vicar. Fr. General spoke of his gratitude to theprovinces of St. Patrick and Holy Spirit for their gener-ous response and for making these religious availablefor this mission. He also expressed his gratitude to Fr.Denis Travers for having accepted the service of “inter-im Superior” of the Community. For as long as will beneeded, the IOS Province will collaborate with the plansthat are programmed for the area.

During the Chapter the following religious wereelected as Provincial and Consultors: The followingreligious were elected: Fr. John Sherrigton, ProvincialSuperior, Fr. John Kearns, First Consultor (Confirmed)and Fr. Mark White, Second Consultor.

PROVINCIAL CHAPTEROF THE IOS PROVINCE

The IOS Provincial Chapter: Religious of the IOS Province, guests, Fr. OttavianoD’Egidio, Superior General and Fr. Denis Travers, General Consultor.

PASSIONIST LIFE


●

On 25 March 1909, two Passionists arrived at“the Graan” to open a new novitiate housefor St. Joseph’s Anglo-Hiberian Province.

One of them was Fr. Eugene Nevin who had been inthe Mount Argus community during the lifetime of St.Charles Houben and was one of his first biographers.

Later in that year a public chapel was dedicatedand the first group of novices was clothed in theHabit. The community was placed under the patron-age of the newly beatified Passionist, Gabriel of OurLady of Sorrows and it continued as a novitiate until1975. Through all that time, the people of the sur-rounding areas came in great numbers and the fameof the place grew. Even today, the faithful still cometo receive the ministry of the Passionist community.

Passionist Religious who made their FirstProfession of Vows in Enniskillen have served the

CENTENARY OF PASSIONIST PRESENCEIN ENNISKILLEN, IRELAND (PATR)

Church beyond the territory of St. Joseph and St.Patrick Provinces in Australia, New Zealand,Argentina, Chile, USA, Canada, Paraguay, India,Tanzania and other areas.

On 7 May 2009, the President of Ireland, herExcellency Mary McAleese and her husband, Dr.Martin McAleese visited the community. The localbishop, Most Rev. Joseph Duffy, and a large group ofPassionists and diocesan priests concelebrated aMass marking the Centenary anniversary. Aftermeeting the people in a specially erected marquee,the President had lunch with the community.President McAleese is originally from the Passionistparish of Ardoynne, in Belfast, and her visit renewedcontacts with some of the religious that she had pre-viously known, including Fr. Ailbe Delany, CP, whopresided at her marriage.

(L-R) Fr. Anthony O’Leary, Fr. Brian D’Arcy, Fr. Marius Donnelly, Dr. Martin McAleese, Bro. Mark Reilly, President MaryMcAleese and Fr. Ailbe Delaney.

PASSIONIST LIFE


CONGRESSOF OUR LADY,

MOTHER OF AFRICA(MATAF-PATR)

(L-R) Fr. Aloysius John Nguma (CORM); Fr. Denis Travers,General Consultor CPA, Fr. Emery Kibal Nkufi, Vice-Provincial SALV; Fr. Anthony Sikhalele Mdhluli, RegionalVicar; Fr. Raphael Mangiti (CORM) and Fr. MichaelOgweno, CPA Regional Coordinator.

tors and 5 students; Novitiate: Forest Hill, Botswana;Novitiate: Nairobi, Kenya: 3 novices; Theology:Nairobi, Kenya: 3 students. Of those in InitialFormation: 2 from Malawi; from Botswana; 1 and13 from Zambia. In the light of our discussions themajority were leaning towards having Postulancy inZambia and Philosophy in Zambia after furtherinvestigation. The following mandate to the newcouncil was agreed unanimously: The Congress man-dates the New Curia to continue and complete theinvestigation and movement of Philosophy toZambia. Implications were discussed and offered aspoints needing further consideration. Suggestionswere also made about how progress with the mandatecould be communicated to the Vicariate. Review andimplementation of Formation Policy could be builtinto any meetings that are held. Frs. Denis CP andMichael CP delivered a report – a powerpoint presen-tation – on the current progress on restructuring ofthe Congregation.

After prayer and discernment, Fr AnthonySikhalele Mdhluli CP was elected Regional Vicar;Frs Emmanuel Kabinga and Andrew GodiraoneMakgetla were elected Consultors. Fr EmmanuelKabinga was elected First Consultor.Congratulations were expressed by all and this his-toric moment was duly celebrated.

On the final day of the Congress an importantissue regarding the sustainability of the Vicariate wason the agenda. Issues such as self-reliance, budget-ing, financial prudence and generating income werepart of the discussion.

On 7th February 1952 four Passionist priestsand four Cross and Sisters set foot inBechuanaland and took over three small

mission stations in the south-east of the country at theedge of the desert. Over fifty years laterBechuanaland has become Botswana and theCatholic Church has grown to a Diocese in the southand a Vicariate Apostolic in the north served by twobishops and priests and sisters from Botswana andmany countries in the world. The Passionists stillremain in small numbers. Over the years over 70 dif-ferent Passionist priests and brothers and over 60Cross and Passion Sisters worked in Botswana.

The Congress took place from the 12th to the 15thMay 2009 at the Good Shepherd Retreat Centre,Hartbeespoort, South Africa. Fr. Arthur McCann,Regional Vicar, welcomed all to the Congress,including Frs. Pat Duffy (Provincial); Denis Travers(General Consultor) and Frank Keevins (1stConsultor, St Patrick’s Province. Also welcomedwere Sr. Emer McNally, IBVM (Facilitator) andSr. Megan Craig OP (Secretary).

In his opening address Fr. Pat spoke of theCongress taking place at a time of extraordinarychange and upheaval, a time of restructuring, a timeof challenge and transition and also a time of grace.A great blessing and gift is that there are many candi-dates at the various levels of formation and we cele-brate the recent Final Professions of Ernest andO’Brian. Challenge and responsibility as well as joyand hope comes with this growth. It is our mission tocontinue to develop and establish Passionist AfricanApostolic life. We are “companions” (Const. 1) onthe journey of faith together. Fr. Arthur in his reportspoke of the last four years as a time of life and death,highlighting the Ordinations of Patrick andEmmanuel and the two Final Professions. He remem-bered also the four men who had died since the lastCongress. A landmark was the opening of the firstPassionist mission in Zambia, mandated by the lastCongress.

An important area for the Congress to address wasFormation. Here are listed the places of Formationand the numbers of students as well as Formators:Postulancy: Molepolole, Botswana, 2 formators and5 students; Philosophy: Irene, South Africa, 2 forma- ●

PASSIONIST LIFE


The ‘field’ in which our religious labour in

Congo is indeed a huge one. Congo is the

third largest state in Africa with much of the

land covered by tropical rainforests. The DR Congo

has a population of around 70 million of which

approximately 70% are Catholic. French is the

national language and the capital, Kinshasa (on the

western boundary of the country) has around 9 mil-

lion people by all estimates. Over the past decades

the Congolese people have suffered from civil unrest;

invasion by rebel armies and until recent times has

often lacked a strong central government. Poverty is

very prevalent and many people get by on little

income – often gained from small and simple ‘enter-

prises’ like road-side sales.

While this is part of the context in which our reli-

gious must labour, to dwell on the difficulties the

Congo must face as a society is to miss so much else.

There is a patience and great tolerance amongst the

people. They have little apart from their family and

SALV CONGRESS (DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC OF CONGO) MARCH 2009

faith life, but it means a lot to them. Every Sunday

huge crowds gather in our parishes to truly ‘cele-

brate’ mass for up to 2-3 hours or more. The

Congregation has been present in DR Congo for over

75 years and our presence here was initiated by reli-

gious form the Province of St Gabriel in Belgium

(GABR). Today all but one of the religious in the

Vice Province of Christ Saviour is a Congolese

national and the Vice Province (SALV) is our biggest

entity in the Configuration of Passionists Africa

(CPA). There are 11 communities (including Jandrain

Belgium) in addition to several mission areas and

among the principal ministries are our 6 parishes and

4 formation houses.

In March, I joined with Fr. Guy Sionneau

(Provincial MICH) for the Visitation of SALV and

we were also joined by Fr. Ottaviano D’Egidio,

Superior General, who visited some of the commu-

nities prior to presiding over the Congress itself. A

feature of our visitation was that we were also able

to visit most, if not all, the communi-

ties of Passionist Sisters, and the

community of our sisters, the

Daughters of the Passion, from

Mexico. The Vice Province is well

resourced with men who have had

post-graduate or undergraduate study

both abroad or within the Democratic

Republic of the Congo and apart

from our own formation houses, the

members of the SALV are responsi-

ble for two major teaching institu-

tions of the Catholic Church within

Kinshasa.

One of the sad results of all the

social disruption in the DR Congo as

a result of wars in the past decade is

the number of children left orphaned

by such fighting and violence.

Because of this urgent need, our

(L-R) Fr. Timothèe Poso Tangalemba, 2nd Consultor; Fr. Ceslaw Duda, 3rdConsultor; Fr. Emery Kibal Nkufi, Vice-Provincial; Fr. Mathieu AnakaniKubanza, 4th Consultor and Fr. Willy-Felicien Okey Mukolmen, 1st Consultor.

by FFrr.. DDeenniiss TTrraavveerrss, General Consultor

PASSIONIST LIFE


Passionist brothers in SALV have begun an initia-

tive to care for orphans and children deserted by

family as a result of the recent wars and civil unrest.

This is a collaborative project conducted with the

support of a parish in Florida USA and is a most

impressive outreach.

With the assistance of St. Gabriel’s Province

(GABR) the Vice Province of SALV is building a

new Novitiate in Kikwit (approximately 500kms

from Kinshasa). This is a very impressive project and

one that will be a significant development in the life

of the Vice Province as it continues its journey to full

status as a Province. The Novitiate buildings are sim-

ple but suitable and the location will place the

Novitiate in an area where there are many other

Religious Orders and resources.

Another feature of Passionist life in Congo is that

many older members in SALV who originally studied

in Kisima, Nairobi, have a good knowledge of

other Passionists in Africa. This is a good basis for

further possible collaboration within the new CPA

configuration.

During the recent Congress Fr Michael Ogweno

(Coordinator for Restructuring in CPA) was able to

be present. Together with Michael we presented a

report on the current state of our Congregational

Restructuring and explained the present tasks and call

to the CPA Configuration.

The Congress re-elected Fr Emery Kibal Nkufi as

Vice Provincial and elected Fr. Willy-Felicien Okey

Mukolmen Miki-lle, First Consultor; Fr. Timothèe

Poso Tangalemba, Second Consultor; Fr. Ceslaw

Duda, Third Consultor and Fr. Mathieu Anakani

Kubanza, Fourth Consultor. ●

●

This year, 2009 has marked a historic momentfor our Congregation. The first five months of2009 have witnessed the four Congresses of

our Vice Province of SALV (DR Congo) and theRegional Vicariates of CARLW (Kenya), GEMM(Tanzania) and MATAF (South Africa/Botswana/Zambia) and the elections of African Passionists tocontinuing or new positions of leadership. Thischanging reality – the movement from missionaryleadership to that of indigenous leadership – is awonderful moment of growth and maturity not justfor this Configuration of but for the entire Passionistfamily as we see our Charism further incarnated intothe life of the African church.

Fr Michael Ogweno, Coordinator forRestructuring in the Configuration spoke about thesignificance of this new moment at the CPAConfiguration meeting in Kenya on 19 May 2009. Inhis opening address Michael said: “We gather at thishistoric moment in the history of our Congregation inthis Continent. For the first time, the leadership ofour Congregation has changed in Africa to reflect thereality that indeed Passionist life has taken root herein Africa. We acknowledge with heartfelt gratitude,the work that the missionaries from our mother

NEW LEADERSHIP FORTHE CONFIGURATIONOF THE PASSIONISTS

OF AFRICA (CPA)

(L-R) Fr. Raphael Mangiti (CORM); Fr. Denis Travers, GeneralConsultor; Fr. John Muthengi Kathoka (CORM); Fr. AnthonySikhalele Mdhluli (PATR-MATAF); Fr. Aloysius John Nguma(CORM); Fr. Emery Kibal Nkufi (SALV); Fr. Priscus MichaelMassawe (CORM); Fr. Francis Keevins (PATR); Fr. MichaelOgweno (PATR-MATAF); and Fr. Patrick Duffy (PATR).

provinces have done in planting the seeds ofPassionist life and watering it to the point that wehave reached today. We wish to thank them all, thosewho are still present with us, those who have goneback to their home provinces and particularly thosewho have passed on to the next life. We pray that Godwill shine His perpetual light upon them and rewardthem with eternal life. I am certain that it was not aneasy task for the missionaries to do what they havedone up to this stage. There had to be many strugglesand sacrifices made to establish the Congregation inAfrica. They gladly made it and we are today thefruits of that labour and those sacrifices”.

PASSIONIST LIFE


●

Directors of the Passionist Family GroupMovement (PFGM) from around Australiaand New Zealand met last weekend at the

PASSIONISTFAMILY GROUP

MOVEMENT (SPIR)

Stradbroke Room in the Province Centre atMarrickville. Twenty five people were present.

Apart from reports presented by each Director,there was time given to reflecting and sharing on thetheme of ‘Mission’ and on the medium to long-termplan of the Movement with particular emphasis onthe engagement with young families, youth andschools.

Among the topics that were discussed, the follow-ing were stressed: Formation of similar age, culturalor interest groups was encouraged; Guidelines for aprocess to recruit Parish Coordinators were set inplace; and Challenges for the Directors and theirfuture role in 5-10 years.

As the founder and coordinat-ing Director of the Movement, Fr.Peter McGrath, continues to dedi-cate his life to this ministry, travel-ling far and wide, nationally andinternationally, to inspire andmotivate group leaders and mem-bers to create and be “A FAMILYFOR ALL”.

Fr Brian Traynor’s commitmentto establishing and nurturing thePFGM in New Zealand was recog-nised during this weekend gather-ing when the NZ Representativespresented him with a gift markingthe 21st year of the Movement’slife in NZ.

PASSIONIST FAMILY

the Shrine and in September hewill be joined by two additionalreligious, Fr. Bruno Dinis andFr. Hugo Figueria. In addition tothe pastoral work of the Shrine,they will also assume responsi-bility for the mission area ofZangos.

The FAT Provincial Superior,Fr. Laureano Alves, wrote in thebulletin of the Province: “Maythe Lord be with us and bless usin this venture of a new Mission— something that is always difficult. May this step,that the entire Province shares, be for the greaterglory of God, for the good of the Church and of theCongregation which we all love and wish to see con-tinue to grow”. ●

The FAT Province of Portugal has opened anew house in the diocese of Viana in Angola.The diocesan bishop offered us the pastoral

ministry of the Shrine of St. Joseph in the city ofCalumbo. He also donated the land on which a housefor Passionist formation will be built.

In the month of July, 2009, Fr. Gabriel QuerubimMoreira dos Santos will begin this new ministry in

NEW PASSIONISTCOMMUNITY IN THE O.L.

OF FATIMA PROVINCEMISSION IN ANGOLA

Fr. Gabriel QuerubimMoreira dos Santos(FAT)

Participants in the meeting of the Passionist Family Group Movement (SPIR).

WITNESSES


●

Father Damian Wojtyska, historian, theologian, priest, Passionist, died on March 24,2009 at the Passionist Community of Lodz, Poland. He was 75 years old.Henryk Damian Wojtyska was born on 13 May 1933 near Regiminie Ciechanów. He

entered the Passionist Congregation in 1950 and was ordained a priest in 1957. In the years1958 to 1962, he studied church history at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.His doctoral thesis was on the work of Cardinal Hosius, Legate to the Council of Trent(published in 1967).

In 1969 he became a researcher and lecturer at the Catholic University of Lublin. He obtained his Habilitation (post-doc-toral degree) in 1975 on Diplomatic Relations between Poland and the Papacy 1548-1563 (published in 1977), and wasappointed the first Professor of the History of Theology at the Catholic University of Lublin, a post he held from 1976 to 1998.Between 1981 and 1983 he was the University’s Vice-Rector for Youth. In the difficult period of martial law, he was accus-tomed to visiting students who were in custody and accompanying them to court. He organized active assistance for thosewho need it. For this reason, he enjoyed great respect and the confidence of young people.

From 1985 to 2004, he was a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences in the Vatican. In the years 1985-94, he was Vice-President of the Polish Historical Institute in Rome. During these years, he began editing the seriesActa Nuntiaturae Polonae, the first ten volumes of which appeared between 1990 and 1994, under his direction. He is theauthor of the first volume in the series (Acta Nuntiaturae Polonae. T. 1: De fontibus eorumque investigatione et editionibus.Instructio ad editionem. Nuntiorum series chronologica. Rome 1991). He also published studies in the same series onindividual nuncios.

A member of the Scientific Society of Lublin and the Scientific Society of the Catholic University of Lublin, theAccademia di San Carlo (Borromeo) and the Reformation Commission of the Historical Committee of the Polska AkademiaNauk. Until 2004, he was a Consultor of the Doctrine of the Faith Commission (Historical Section) for the Polish episcopate.

He was Provincial of the Polish Passionist Province from 1994 to1998. In the years 2006-07, he published a monumentalwork on the history of the Passionist Congregation in Poland (volume 1 - Prehistory and Foundational Period to 1938, Lodz2006; volume 2 - War and Occupation 1939-1945, Przasnysz 2007). He also published a book on the Polish Passionist Martyrsof World War II (Przasnysz 2008).

FR. DAMIAN WOJTYSKA (ASSUM)

FR. THOMAS BERRY (PAUL)

Fr. Thomas Berry aPassionist religious andpriest and internationally

recognized historian of cul-tures, died on June1st, 2009 at Well-SpringRetirement Community,Greensboro, North Carolina.His writings and lectures on the

relation of humans with the cosmos and the earth havenotably influenced the intellectual and spiritual history ofthe twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

Born in 1914, he was the second of eight sons in a fam-ily of thirteen children. In 1933 he entered the Passionistsand assumed the name “Thomas” after philosopher-theolo-gian St. Thomas Aquinas. Thomas began doctoral studies inhistory at the Catholic University of America, writing on thehistorical theory of Italian philosopher- historianGiambattista Vico (1668-1744), published by the CatholicUniversity of America Press in 1951.

Believing the wisdom of Asia indispensable for ade-quate learning, Thomas went to China in 1948 to teach atFu Jen Catholic University in Beijing and returned toAmerica when Mao took over China in 1949. Subsequentstudies in Chinese language and culture at Seton Hall

University, New Jersey and, later, Sanskrit and South Asianculture at Columbia University, New York City. Thesewere interrupted by service as United States ArmyChaplain in Germany 1951-54. Afterwards Thomas under-took a teaching career, first with the Asian Institute ofSeton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, 1956-61; then with the Asian Institute at St. John’s University,Jamaica, New York (1961-65); finally, as AssociateProfessor of Religion at Fordham University, New York(1966-79), where he instituted the doctoral program in theHistory of Religions.

In 1970 Thomas inaugurated the Riverdale Center forReligious Research (1970-95) in Riverdale, New York.From this base and with his presidency of the AmericanTeilhard Society (1975-1987), Thomas’s international influ-ence as thinker, writer, and lecturer expanded rapidly. Hisawards include seven honorary doctorates; the UnitedStates Catholic Mission Association Award (1989); the1992 James Herriot Award of the Humane Society of theUnited States; Honorary Canonship of the EpiscopalCathedral of St. John the Divine (1992); the 1993 BishopCarroll T. Dozier Medal for Peace and Justice; the CatholicUniversity of America Alumni Award for Research andScholarship (1993); and the 1992 Prescott CollegeEnvironmental Award.

●

Historian of cultures

Professor at the Catholic University of Lublin and Historian

Fr. Melquíades Lima Filho (SPE-LIBER)


PASSIONIST SISTERS

28

On 30 April 2009 in the cemetery of Rocca diPapa, Rome, a ceremony took place duringwhich a commemorative plaque was blessed

and installed on the tomb of Fr. Diego Alberici, CP byFr. Ottaviano D’Egidio, Superior General of thePassionists. Also present at this celebration wereMother Guadalupe Aguilera, CFP, Superior General ofthe Daughters of the Passion, and the community ofthe Sisters of Rome, as well as several religious of thelocal community and representatives of the civilauthorities of the region.

Fr. Diego Alberici (PRAES, 1846-1904) was theFounder of the Congregation of the Daughters (Hijasde la Pasión de Jesucristo y de María Dolorosa) inTacubaya, Mexico together with Mother DoloresMedina y Zepeda (1860-1925) in 1896. They werefounded for the purpose of teaching catechism to young girls, especially among the very poor. Their aposto-late now includes teaching and administering schools for girls and other forms of pastoral ministry, includingmany apostolates that they share with the Passionist religious, including caring for the community of theGeneral Curia in Rome. The Institute has houses in 8 countries, for the most part in Central America.

BLESSING OF A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUEON THE TOMB OF FR. DIEGO ALBERICI, CP

Fr. Ottaviano D’Egidio and the Sisters, Daughters of thePassion and the Sorrowful Virgin.

●

PRIESTLY ORDINATIONSFr. Melquíades Lima Filho of the SPE-LIBER

Vicariate was ordained to the priesthood in Brazil on7 February 2009. On 7 March, 2009 in the CALVProvince of Brazil, Fr. Francisco das Chagas da SilvaMarques was ordained to the priesthood. In the

T H O M - C R U CVicariate of India,Fr. ThomasA n a m a t t a t h i lVarughese wasordained on 18April 2009. Frs.Christopher BardeAkiatan, StanleyDalagon Baldon,Mark RegganGregory Tobias and Rey Carvyn Pedrera Ondap of the PASS

Province of the Philippines were ordained on 11 May,2009. On 16 May, in the PIET Province of Italy, Fr.Giuseppe Simeoni was ordained to the priesthoodand in the same Province on 18 June 2009, Fr. MarcoCatorcioni was ordained.

Fr. Franciscodas Chagasda Silva Marques(CALV)

PROFESSIONS AND ORDINATIONS

PROFESSIONS AND ORDINATIONS


2009, Juan de Dios Antonio MondragónVelásquez and Omar Trejo Valdéz of the FAMProvince of Spain were ordained deacons

PROFESSION OF FIRST VOWSIn the MACOR

Province of SouthKorea, the followingreligious professed FirstVows on 27 February2009: Marius Jae HyongLee and Joseph FrancisSong-Ho Park. On 28February 2009 in theCORI-RES Vicariate ofPeru, José ManuelSandoval Flores pro-

fessed First Vows. On 22 March 2009, JohannesRothärmel and Markus Seidler of the VULN Vice-Provinceof Germany-Austria professed First Vows. And finally, on2 May 2009 in the PASS Province of the Philippines thefollowing religious professed First Vows: Wilver JamesS. Neri, Arlan A. los Baños, Froilan P. Somodio, GilbertG. Ytac, and Fr. Lai Xue Long.

PROFESSIONOF FINAL VOWS

In the CRUC-THOM Vicariate ofIndia, four religious professed FinalVows: on 17 March 2009: Deacons ShajiJoseph, Dennish JosephMuricknamkuzhiyil, Junesh XavierVakkapadath and Sugun VilayilayyathVeed. And in the PASS Province of thePhilippines, the following religious pro-fessed Final Vows on 02 May 2009:Jovanni Tomon Abad.

DIACONATE ORDINATIONSOn 22 February 2009, our religious Anaclet Muke

Samba and Thierry Ntam Yer-iyo of the SALV Vice-Province of Congo were ordained to the

diaconate. In the CRUC-THOM Vicariate of India, ShajiJoseph, Dennish Joseph Muricknamkuzhiyil, JuneshXavier Vakkapadath and Sugun Vilayilayyath Veed wereordained deacons on 19 March 2009. On 23 March 2009,the following religious of the DOL-VICT Vicariate ofBrazil was ordained to the deaconate: Aurélio AparecidoMiranda. Our religious Augustine Ekechukwu and JohnOkafor of the PRAES Province of Italy were ordained tothe diaconate on 4 April, 2009. And finally, on 19 April

Fr. GiuseppeSimeoni

(PIET)-center

Fr. Marco Catorcioni (PIET)

Fr. Christopher Akiatan, Fr. RayCarvyn Ondap, Fr. Mark ReaganTobias, Fr. Stanly Baldon (PASS).

P. Thomas Anamattathil(CRUC-THOM)

José ManuelSandoval Flores(CORI-RES)

Johannes Rothärmel andMarkus Seidler (VULN)

Giovanni T. Abad (PASS) – Perpetual Profession and FirstProfession: Wilver James S. Neri, Arlan A. los Baños,Froilan P. Somodio, Gilbert G. Ytac, P. Lai Xue Long (PASS).

AA.VV.SLOWO KRZYZAROCZNIK POSWIECONY TEOLOGIIKRZYZA ORAZ DUCHOWOSCI IHISTORII PASJONISTOWEdizione: WARSZAWA Anno Edizione: 2008,pp.327

Clementi, Antonio, C.P.IL CUORE DI DIOMagistero, teologia e misticaEdizione: Agnesotti editore Anno Edizione:2009 pp. 240

Di Feliciantonio, Francesco, C.P.IL COSTATO TRAFITTOGv 19,31-37Edizione: PONTIFICIA UNIVERSITÀ GRE-GORIANA Anno Edizione: 2009Tesi di Licenza. Facoltà di Teologia,Dipartimento di Teologia Biblica — Direttore:R.P. Prof. Javier López, S.J. Anno Accademico 2008-2009, pp.105

Di Giannatale, GiovanniPROFILO DEL P. FABIANO GIORGINIPassionistaEdizione: CURIA GENERALE DEI PASSIONI-STI Anno Edizione: 2009, pp. 69

Galgani, GemmaSANTA GEMMA GALGANI - AUTOBIO-GRAFIAIL FAMOSISSIMO MANOSCRITTO ORI-GINALE FIGLIA DEL PADRE, SPOSA DICRISTO, GLORIA DELLO SPIRITOEdizione: ED. CASTELLAZZESE AnnoEdizione: 2009, pp. 335

García Macho, Pablo, C.P.EL PARTIDO DE JESUS LA OPOSICIONEL MALIGNOPara pensar y orar

Edizione: EDICEPI Anno Edizione: 2009,pp. 142

García Macho, Pablo, C.P.A CRUZ DE CADA DIAEdizione: EDICOES PASSIONISTAS AnnoEdizione: 2009, pp. 164

Pereira, José Carlos, C.P.PASTORAL DA ACOLHIDA

GUIA DE IMPLANTAÇÃO, FORMAÇÃOE ATUAÇÃO DOS AGENTESEdizione: PAULINAS (Brasil) Anno Edizione:2009, pp. 118

Pierangioli, Alberto, C.P.VOI SIETE MIEI AMICIMeditazioni sulla Passione di Gesù -PreghiereEdizione: Editrice Ancilla Anno Edizione:2009, pp. 442

Plet, Philippe François, C.P.15 DIAS CON GEMA GALGANIEdizione: Ciudad Nueva Anno Edizione: 2009Título original: Prier 15 jours avec GemmaGalgani2007 Nouvelle Cité, pp. 123

Schweska, John JosephAT THE CROSS WITH MARYLIFE AND MESSAGE OF ST. GABRIELOF THE SORROWFUL VIRGINEdizione: MANCIPIA PRESS (Massachusetts-U.S.A. Anno Edizione: 2008, pp. 138

Suryanto, Stefanus, C.P.LA TRADIZIONE APOSTOLICA COMELA TRASMISSIONE VIVA DELLA FEDESECONDO IRENEO DI LIONEDissertazione per il conseguimento laLicenza in TeologiaEdizione: Roma Anno Edizione: 2009Pontificia Università S. Tommaso D’AquinoIn Urbe “Angelicum” - Facoltà Di Teologia,pp. 96

PAUS BENEDIKTUS XVITentang Rahasia Ketiga Fatima, DominusIesus, dan Skisma LefebvreEdizione: OBOR Anno Edizione: 2008pp.131

SANTO SUBITOMENGENANG SAAT-SAAT TERAKHIRYOHANES PAULUS IIEdizione: Yayasan Pustaka Nusatama AnnoEdizione: 2008, pp.145

Villani, Eugenio, C.P.PRESENZA PASSIONISTA IN CAPITA-NATAEdizione: BIASCO (Manduria) Anno Edizione:2009, pp. 303

NEW PUBLICATIONS

NOTITIAE OBITUS

Usque ad diem 15 febbraio 2009 – 12 giugno 2009, acceptae

DIE OBDORMIVIT PROVINCIA NATUS VOTAIN DOMINO NUNCUPAVERAT

26/02/2009 Sac. Ermanno Masia DOL 01/11/1925 08/11/1942

04/03/2009 Fra. Antonio Figurelli PIET 28/07/1915 19/11/1935

24/03/2009 Sac. Damian Wojtyska ASSUM 13/05/1933 04/09/1951

13/04/2009 Fra. Luis Zarrabe Gerenabarrena CORI 25/10/1919 09/07/1936

26/04/2009 Sac. Gabriele Serena Gnesotto CORM 10/08/1947 22/08/1966

19/05/2009 Sac. Théophane Vincent GABR 10/02/1925 04/09/1946

31/05/2009 Fra. Jeffrey Daly SPIR 31/10/1943 20/08/1966

01/06/2009 Sac. Thomas Berry PAUL 09/11/1914 15/08/1935

02/06/2009 Fra. Saverio Lorenzetti PIET 13/09/1924 04/10/1944

Fra. Antonio Bueno Escolano FAM 18/09/1921 28/03/1950

MONIALES ET SORORES DEFUNCTAE

02/01/2009 Sr. Giuseppina Farani quae Monasterio Passionistarum

de Napoli 13/11/1913 21/05/1970

11/02/2009 Sr. Vincent Strambi Helfron quae Inst. Sororum SS. Crucis

et Passionis D.N.I.C. (Anglia) 28/02/1925 26/03/1955

13/02/2009 Sr. Aldina di San Paolo della Croce Inst. Sororum Passionistarum

(Addolorata) Saracino quae a S. Paulo a Cruce (Signa) 13/04/1927 17/09/1955

14/02/2009 Sr. Carmela di S. Raffaele (Maria) Inst. Sororum Passionistarum

De Petris quae a S. Paulo a Cruce (Signa) 15/05/1914 30/10/1939

21/04/2009 Sr. Paul Mary Grieve quae Inst. Sororum SS. Crucis


27/04/2009 Sr. Juliana Dold quae Inst. Sororum SS. Crucis


01/05/2009 Sr. Mª Elisabetta di Gesù Nazzareno Inst. Sororum Passionistarum

(Vincenza) Monachesi quae a S. Paulo a Cruce (Signa) 17/01/1923 28/04/1947

23/05/2009 Sr. Cândida do Preciosíssimo Sangue Inst. Sororum Passionistarum

(Gema Maria) Fioresi quae a S. Paulo a Cruce (Signa) 30/12/1915 03/02/1933

16/06/2009 Sr. Laura di Gesù Crocifisso Inst. Sororum Passionistarum

(Antonietta) Facchini quae a S. Paulo a Cruce (Signa) 15/02/1920 02/02/1943.

32

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