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THE XAVERIAN MISSIONARIES USA

A PR I L 2014

SHARING IN CONFORTIS DREAM:

THE FIRST PROCLAMATION CALLS US TO A NEW BEGINNING (XVI CG 57)

terfaith dialogue occur in each circumscription. As you know we have been experimenting with possibilities in the region rich with opportunities for dialogue. The assignment of Fr. Davitti is also a step in that direction as well. Interfaith dialogue as a mission animation project is an opportunity to witness the missio ad gentes for the local church and to encourage the local church to be more involved in this important commitment which belongs to them. We hope to talk with the local bishop in Wayne about this more and to explore with him how we could proceed. Bishop Mitchell Rozanski of Baltimore will be taking over the Committee of Interreligious dialogue for the USCCB in November of this year and has already voiced the possibility of our region being a resource for him in this. The General Direction also is encouraging dialogue with humanism
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ecently the General Direction sent the first of three letters they plan on sharing with us as aids to reflecting on the last General Chapter and its implication in the journeys of each region and delegation. It directs our attention with laser focus on the First Proclamation and our capacity to inspire the local church to commit to this crucial call and responsibility. Even in our small province this responsibility needs to shape the ebb and flow of our lives. The General Direction states that this not merely a series of activities, it is a point of reference...for our entire life. (XVI GC 53). It must shape our conversations, our prayer, our ongoing study, the lens by which we open our hearts to the Word of God and in our preaching. It must also be the guide for our formation for our benefactors and our use of the media. There are five areas specifically in the General Directions first letter that directly affects our province. The first is the insistence that some kind of in-

B IRT HDAYS & AN NIV E RS AR IE S 2014

MAY 16Birthday of Fr. Joe Matteucig 18 Fr. Peter Calza 22 Birthday of Fr. Gerard Furlan Fr. Vasco Milani 31Birthday of Fr. Larry Crosara JUNE Fr. Alphonse Begheldo Bishop Angelo Frosi

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and atheism in response to the work we have been doing in this area along with the Province of the United Kingdom. Lately in the region, we began a local New Jersey/New York dialogue group between religious believers and atheists and the group of 21 members is beginning to muster enthusiasm. More recently, we are in touch with the American Humanism Association and they are very willing to work with us in order to create a similar dialogue conference experience as we did in Scotland. We will be meeting the Executive Director in May and are projecting a possible time for this conference in the fall of 2015 in New Jersey, possibly at Rutgers University. Another issue that the General Direction brings up is the concern of the General Chapter to create a social communications office or team. We have been consulting the General Direction on this issue and it may be very likely that our region could be involved in some way. The concern is to use media more affectively for mission animation and congregational concerns. In the last General Chapter there was more discussion about a European Study Center similar those already set up in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We insisted that the USA should be part of this European project since our regions have the same scope of work and our cultures are similar. As the letter states, we have yet to come together on a common project. The example our collaboration with the Region of the United Kingdom offers some interesting possibilities in the future. One way through this is to wait until after

the Chapter of the UK Region is completed, which begins after Easter, and see what they may say about this issue. We could join them and invite Italy and Spain to begin a dialogue toward a common project that could bring the European/USA Study Center closer to a reality. Finally, the General Direction is inviting our province to look more closely at how we can collaborate with lay people more effectively, as well as other organizations and institutes. This seems a very good topic for our study days as well as our upcoming provincial chapter. The motivation is not to make up for diminishing numbers of confreres on our part, although it has some influence. But it is how we can involve the local church more effectively in the few goals we carry out. CC

A Retreat with Pope Francis

Xaverian Missionaries Provincial Retreat June 511, 2014 St. Joseph Retreat Center Cohasset, Massachusetts

DVD Presentations of Fr. Anthony Ciorro, Ph.D. Explore scripture through the Popes writings, life stories, and personal example.

YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE 2015

Cardinal Braz de Aviz said, The first objective of the Year of Consecrated Life would be to make a grateful remembrance of the recent past. With this positive outlook on the past, he continued, we want to embrace the future with hope the second objective. "This hope, though, he said, cannot keep us from living the present with passion and this is the third objective of the coming Year. This passion, the Cardinal said, speaks of being in love, of true friendship, of profound communion. This is the true beauty of the life of so many women who profess the evangelical counsels and follow Christ more closely in this state of life. In this regard, he said,
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the Year of Consecrated Life will have an evangelical focus, helping people to realize the beauty of following Christ in the various types of religious vocations. The Year of Consecrated Life is expected to begin in October of this year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of Lumen gentium (the Second Vatican Councils constitution on the Church), which has a specific chapter dealing with consecrated life. The GYM and the Communications Board will be looking how we can create a special campaign during this special time focusing on the gift of missionary religious life to the world today.

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English Language Students in the Region

Fr. Carl Chudy, SX Office of the Provincial 12 Helene Court Wayne, New Jersey 08046 973-942-2975 provincial@xaviermissonaries.org Xaviermissionaries.org

We are pleased to welcome Father Martin Ali Keke Ndemsou to the region in order to study the English language. He is a Chadian confrere ordained in 2013 and he is preparing for the mission of Sierra Leone. Martin will be residing in the community of Holliston and attend the English Language Program at Framingham State University. He just received his visa to the USA and should arrive in the middle of May in order to commence his studies at the end of May.

We are also pleased to welcome Fr. Salvador Cruz Rojo from Mexico. Salvador arrived in the Wayne community in March to begin his language study program at Inlingua Language School in Ridgewood, NJ. He has worked for more than ten years in our school at Arandas, Mexico. He studied theology in Parma. He is preparing for his final mission destination in Indonesia. Salvador should be with us at least until the end of October this year.

June 511, 2014Provincial Retreat at St. Joseph Retreat Center, Cohasset, Massachusetts June 2122, 2014-Mission Festival in Franklin, Wisconsin June 30, 2014Communications Board Meeting in Wayne. June 30July 1, 2014Provincial Council Meeting in Wayne.

Sharing from the Provincial Council

The Council made the following personnel decisions:

Fr. Michael Davitti was assigned as the superior of the Wayne community. Fr. Alejandro Rodriquez Gomez, newly assigned to the region was assigned on the Global Youth Mission Team and will reside in Franklin. Fr. Mark Marangone will be the treasurer of Franklin. The Council is grateful for the many years of service

Fr. Caldognetto gave to this work. Fr. Dominic will continue to support the community.

ment program we hope to offer our full time employees through Christian Brothers Services. We discussed the work thus far in the Global Youth Mission program at our shrine in Holliston. Strategic planning for the next few years will be done later in the year. The Council is looking at revising our initial formation program and to bring this and our vocation discernment program

The Council is considering an alternative form of membership in some kind of associate program to explore how we can collaborate with lay people better.

The Council approved a retire3

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Ground project in collaboration with the UK Province. This journal which contains the talks of the presenters and reflections from some participants, will be published both as an e-journal available on the internet with its own ISBN number. We will also print about 250 copies for distribution in the congregation and local churches. The Council approved financial assistance to an ecumenical project in Bangladesh with our confreres. Renaissance Outreach Ministries is assisting in the work of Catholic Schools in Bangladesh. It was reported that a new directive from the General Direction states that the Declaration of Personal Dispositions and Responsibility for new confreres will now be done at the time of first profession instead of final profession. The Council continued their discussion on changes in fundraising and how to plan into the future based on the provincial chapter document. This is seen in two dimensions: province wide fundraising with more centralized work and community fundraising which is localized. Some issues in this: Holliston is looking into developing their own lay advisory board; calling in an expert from the NCDC to help us assess our present reality; Frs. Chudy and Puopolo will attend a couple of workshops of the NCDC to gather insights; capital campaign for the renovation of the shrine or through a loan from the Knights of Columbus national office.

The Annual Lenten Soup & Mission Evening took place on Saturday March 15th at Xavier Hall of Fatima Shrine. This year the featured speaker was Fr. Michael Davitti SX, recently returned Xaverian Missionary from the Philippines. Fr. Michael shared many of his learnings from his ministry there as well as his new appreciation for the Church in the Philippines, especially as it communicates the faith through Art. Soups and desserts were provided by our Xaverian League. Many thanks to all who helped make this evening a welcomed and learning experience for all who attended.

Check out the latest on our new website and social media network.

xaviermissionaries.org facebook.com/catholicmissionaries twitter.com/worldcatholic

We are pleased that the General Direction assigned Fr. Alex Rodriquez Gomez to the USA Region. He leaves behind him six years of work in the Philippines. Prior to his work in the Philippines Alex studied theology in Chicago. Alex is assigned to youth mission animation and vocation work, along with Frs. Pupolo and Menendez on our GYM Team. He will be residing in our community in Franklin and should arrive sometime in July 2014, depending on how fast the visa arrives.
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