February 2004
8 Holy
See
Nomination. The Holy Father accepted
the resignation of Cardinal Eduardo Martínez Somalo from
his position as Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated
Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which he presented
in conformity with Canon 354 of the Code of Canon
Law. On 11 February the Holy Father named Msgr. Franc Rodé,
C.M., until now Archbishop of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Prefect
of the said Congregation.
9 10th Meeting
of those responsible for the principal branches of the International
Vincentian Family
From 20-22 February,
the 10th Meeting of those responsible for the principal
branches of the International Vincentian Family was held at the Motherhouse
of the Daughters of Charity.
a.
Participants
Anne Sturm, AIC; Myriam Cuchet, AIC; Robert Maloney, CM; Benjamín
Romo, CM; Évelyne Franc, DC; Margaret
Barrett, DC; José Ramón Diaz Torremocha, SSVP; Marco
Betemps, SSVP; Gladys Abi-Saïd, JMV; Edurne
Urdampilleta, JMV; Eva Villar, MISEVI; Felipe Nieto (CM), MISEVI; Charles Shelby (CM), AMM;
Martha Leticia Tapia, AMM; and Yvon Sabourin, RSV.
b.
Campaigns against Hunger and against Malaria
After each branch shared
its activities and projects, Fr. Benjamín Romo presented
a report on the Campaigns of the Vincentian Family against Hunger
and against Malaria. With regard to the first, it was decided to
continue it, in an ongoing way, emphasizing the fact that the best
results have been achieved in those countries which established
a National Organization of the Vincentian Family. The Campaign
Commission will soon send out a broader communication on the Project
against Hunger. For his part, Marco Betemps, SSVP, reported on
the "political action" Campaign against Malaria. The steps to follow
are these: 1) The Commission responsible for the Campaign will
present to the heads of the International Vincentian Family a text
with concrete proposals on the way of developing the document on "political
action" against malaria. 2) After its approbation, the Commission
responsible for the Campaign will send it to the National Organizations
of the Vincentian Family. 3) Each National Organization of the
Vincentian Family, with the help of this text, with develop its
own "political action" document against malaria in order to present
it, if it judges opportune, to the government and institutions
of its country.
After the discussion on these two Campaigns,
Fr. Benjamín Romo also reported on the activities which the
participants of the Vincentian Month for Advisors of the Vincentian
Family (Paris, 2002) have accomplished in their own countries, noting
that the contents of this Session are still being shared with Vincentians,
Daughters of Charity and laity, through courses, seminars and workshops,
and that there is better quality in the accompaniment of the lay
groups of the Vincentian Family. Later, each branch made a presentation
of its website, highlighting its internal structure, formation materials
and usefulness for the poor.
d.
The Journey of the Vincentian Family in the past 10 years
Fr. Benjamín Romo presented a synthesis
of the 10 years of meetings of those responsible for the Vincentian
Family, underlining how the Vincentian Family passed from information
to formation, prayer and common commitment in favor of the poor.
After this reflection, the participants celebrated the Eucharist
to give thanks to God for the gift of the Vincentian charism and
for the work accomplished by Fr. Maloney who, throughout his mandate,
encouraged the various associations of the Vincentian Family, animating
them to get to know one another, to rediscover in depth the Vincentian
charism and to work together for the service of the poor.
e.
2004-2005: Year of Youth in the Vincentian Family
The celebration of the
common feast of St. Vincent was evaluated, highlighting the fervor
and enthusiasm which it has caused in the Vincentian Family in
many parts of the world. For the Common Day of Prayer of 2004 and
as a common theme of the Vincentian Family, this was chosen: 2004-2005,
Year of Youth in the Vincentian Family: "Sharing the charism with
all generations." Prayer-formation-service.
The 10th Meeting
of those responsible for the principal branches of the Vincentian
Family was very positively evaluated by the participants, emphasizing
the steps taken in these ten years toward mutual understanding,
work as a group and service of the poor. The next meeting is scheduled
for 28, 29 and 30 January 2005, in Paris, at the Motherhouse of
the Daughters of Charity.
10.
General Curia
Visit
to China. From
1-6 February, Fr. Maloney visited Taiwan along with Fr. Elmer
Bauer. There they met with the Visitor of China, with the Provincial
Council and with the Board of Trustees of the Beunen Foundation. Fr. Maloney also met
with all the confreres of the province in Kaohsiung and gave
a conference on "Our Vincentian Mission in Taiwan and in Continental
China Today." In addition, he participated in meetings of the
Daughters of Charity and the Vincentian Family both in the south
and in the north of Taiwan. Later, from 6-11 February, Fr. Maloney
went to mainland China accompanied by the Visitor, Fr. John Wang.
There they met many of our confreres and Daughters of Charity
in various cities. A letter to the Congregation, describing this
visit, will soon be sent out.
Installation
of the New Director General. On
the evening of 22 February, Fr. Javier Álvarez was installed
as the new Director General of the Daughters of Charity. A very
large number of Daughters of Charity and confreres took part
in the ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the conference hall of the Motherhouse
of the Daughters of Charity. The Superior General gave a brief
conference on the role of the Director General and, while welcoming
Fr. Álvarez as the new Director, also thanked Fr. Fernando
Quintano for his most generous service as Director over the past
ten years. The Mother General, Fr. Quintano, and Fr. Álvarez
each spoke briefly within the context of Evening Prayer. All
then joined in a buffet supper at Rue du Bac.
Practical
Guide for the Local Superior. On 23 February Fr. Ignacio
Fernández de Mendoza, Vicar General, left for Chile
to participate in a meeting organized by CLAPVI on the Practical
Guide for the Local Superior.
In traveling to his destination, the Vicar General spent a
few days in Peru and in Bolivia.
11.
UN - CM
Children
and HIV/AIDS.
This year, Fr. Joseph Foley, CM representative at the UN, is
the Chair of a UNICEF NGO Working Group on Children and HIV/AIDS.
The purpose of this group is fourfold: 1) preventing the transmission
of the disease from parent to child; 2) insuring quality care
for children infected with the disease; 3) protecting vulnerable
populations such as orphans and refugees; and 4) advocacy -- focusing
attention and financial resources on the needs of children, whose
issues continue to fall between the cracks.
This
Working Group has produced a brief survey to surface the most important
advocacy issues. This survey (available in English, French, Spanish
and Chinese) will soon be distributed to 360 UNICEF representatives
in various regions of the world. It will enable the NGO community
to advocate in critical areas on behalf of children.
Fr.
Foley encourages confreres who work directly with children infected
with the AIDS virus or who work with an organization that treats
children with this disease to participate in the survey and in
the UNICEF network. Fr. Joseph Foley, C.M. can be contacted at
the following address:
80-14 217th Street
Queens Village, NY 11427
USA
Email: Jpfcm@att.net
12.
Germany
Canonical Visitation. From
9-13 February, Fr. Victor Bieler, Assistant General for the Missions,
made the canonical visitation of the Province of Germany. This
small province is composed of 12 priests and two coadjutor brothers,
in three canonical houses. The confreres minister in parishes and
as chaplains in hospitals and to the Daughters of Charity and religious
congregations of Vincentian inspiration. One confrere also works
as a military chaplain. The province presently has three candidates
for the priesthood.
13 Haiti
(Province of Puerto Rico)
Social
and political crisis. Before
the fall of Aristide, President of Haiti, on 29 February, one
of our missionary confreres in Haiti (where there are two local
communities which serve, one the Internal Seminary of the province,
and the other a parish) wrote to the Superior General describing
the "very difficult and dangerous situation": "Daily life is
totally paralyzed. Nothing functions. The people prefer to remain
in their houses for fear of dying in the street at the hand of
armed groups. The majority of the society -- who live from their 'little
street business' or daily work -- are beginning to go hungry.
Because of the economic blockade, the price of food increases
daily. The people are desperate and do not know how they can
get out of this crisis. And here is where our mission begins." The
groups of the Vincentian Family present there, AIC, CM, DC, SSVP,
JMV and AMM, through their pastoral and charitable activity,
are a relief for the "tormented population." At the end of the
message, Fr. Jaroslaw Lawrenz affirms that "without doubt, the
support of the prayer of the Vincentian Family will be our strength
to reach Easter," and he mentions the 2004 Lenten letter of the
Superior General, to enlighten this harsh situation: "we must
remain standing before the Lord, before the others and before
the poor with great truth and humility." We all hope that this
martyred nation will be able to find the political and social
stability it needs.
14 Zaragoza
Canonical
Visitation. From
24 January to 7 February, Fr. José Antonio Ubillús,
Assistant General, completed the first step in the canonical
visitation of the Province of Zaragoza. On this occasion he visited
the houses of New York, Los Angeles and the mission of Honduras.
Fr. Ubillús returned quite impressed by the work that
the confreres accomplish together with the laity, Daughters of
Charity and other religious. This work takes place, especially,
among the poorest and most needy. In the mission of Honduras,
evangelization and catechetics are united to important services
of education, social assistance and many others, which respond
to the real needs of children, adults, and the elderly.
15 Vincentian
Family
AMM - Meeting of the International Coordinating
Council. From 23-25
February the members of the International Coordinating Council
of AMM met in the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity. Present
were: Frs. Robert Maloney, Charles Shelby and Janusz Zwolinski;
Sr. Marie-Yonide Midy; and Miss Martha Leticia Tapia. Also taking
part in the meeting was Fr. Benjamín Romo. These were
the topics treated during the meeting: 1) the expansion of the
Association to other countries where it does not exist and, therefore,
developing new contacts for this end, especially with the confreres
and the Daughters of Charity in those places; 2) AMM and youth
(there were a variety of proposals for establishing relations
between them); 3) the formation of the members of AMM: to this
end the writing and publishing of a monthly catechesis, which
is appreciated on the website of the Association (www.amminter.org),
will continue. During the meeting there was also discussion on
the apostolate of the Association, especially through home visiting,
and preparations were begun for the Second International Meeting
of AMM, which is planned for October 2005.
AMM - Spain. From 13-15 February, Fr. Benjamín Romo, Delegate
to the Vincentian Family, was in Madrid, invited by AMM of Spain,
in order to participate at the installation of the new National
Director of this Association. The Eucharist to celebrate this event
was held in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Fr.
Andrés Pato, former Director, passed the torch to Fr. Miguel Ángel
Renes, who will take up the task of continuing to animate a large
Association. A great number of confreres, Daughters of Charity
and members of the Association participated in the event. Also
taking part was a representation of all the other Vincentian associations
in the country.
JMV. During his visit to Madrid for the installation of
the new Director of AMM-Spain, Fr. Romo, invited by Fr. Pedro Castillo,
Subdirector of JMV, also took the occasion to meet with the young
volunteers, members of the International Secretariat of JMV. In
addition, on the weekend of 27-29 February, Fr. Pedro Castillo
and Sr. Asunción García were in Rome, at the General
Curia of the CM, to meet with Frs. Robert Maloney and Benjamín
Romo for a planning session in regard to the Association.
Third Latin American Congress of the Vincentian Family. From 3-8 February, the 3rd Latin American Congress of the Vincentian Family was held in Panama. Taking part in this event were 117 members of the distinct Associations of the Vincentian Family, coming from 19 countries. The theme of the meeting was: "The Vincentian Family Communicates the Call of Charity." The subjects treated during the Congress were: the Latin American reality, the present moment and the challenges of Latin America for the Vincentian Family from a Christian experience, the spiritual and corporal service of the poor, the commitment of laity in the Latin American Church, laity in the experience of St. Vincent, how to organize the work of the Vincentian Family as family, the advisors from the point of view of the laity and from the point of view of the advisors, youth, animators of the Vincentian charism, and coordination of the Vincentian Family with organizations of service to the poor.
SSVP. On 14 February, on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the presence of the SSVP in Rome, the Interregional Council of Latium-Umbria organized a meeting to present the first of four volumes in which are collected the historical data of the Conferences of St. Vincent in Rome. Participating in this event from the General Curia were Frs. Ignacio F. de Mendoza, José Antonio Ubillús, Rolando DelaGoza and Roberto D'Amico.
DAIMBO Irénée
Adolphe 14-02-2004 Par
NGUYEN CONG Pierre Tuan 16-02-2004 Par
PHAM THANH Luc Phong 16-02-2004 Par
PHAM VAN Paul Tuyen 16-02-2004 Par
TRAN VAN Pierre Minh 16-02-2004 Par
TRAN VAN Joseph Trung 16-02-2004 Par
NECROLOGIUM 2004
Nomen Cond Dies
Ob Prov Aet
Voc
SINON John F. Sac 11-01-2004 Orl 88-65
"In a time
when there is so much war, so much terrorism, so much hunger,
so much disease, and so many senseless deaths, I encourage
you to see the abundant signs of God's gracious love, even
in the midst of suffering, as did the good thief. I also
pray, with you, that all of us in the Vincentian Family will
know how to stand before the Lord, before each other, and before
the poor with great truthfulness and humility."
(Letter
of the Superior General: Lent 2004)
