The Permanent Working Group for Africa, appointed by the General Council on 19th October 2011, consisting of four experienced confreres – Fr. Stanisław Filipek (SF), Fr. John Kelly (IR), Fr. Steffen Brühl (CJ) and Fr. Romuald Uzabumwana (SF) – will hold its first meeting on 15th and 16 May 2012, at Kigali, Rwanda. The Bursars of all the Pallottine entities present in Africa are also invited to this important meeting. The objective of this gathering is to coordinate and plan together the various aspects of Pallottine life in Africa, especially the economic management. In a letter dated 14th April 2012, the Rector General has further requested this group to look into the possibility of creating a System of Supervision of the Financial Management of the Common Houses of Formation in Africa, which will be constantly monitored by the General Council. Formation is the field that requires much attention, personnel and finance at the moment. The Pallottine presence in Africa is built on collaboration and it should continue. Therefore, this meeting will deliberate on ways and means to coordinate the Common Houses of Formation, especially from the financial point of view. It is hoped that these issues are discussed in the forthcoming Consultative Congress of Majors Superiors from 14-22 October at Thurles, Ireland and certain concrete and lasting decisions are made for the good of our communities in the African Continent.
Official Visitation in Portugal (RJ)
The General Consultor, Fr Gilberto Orsolin completed the Official Visitation, with a good time-tabling, to the local communities of the Rio de Janeiro Region (RJ) at Odivelas/ Lisbon and at Febres/Coimbra in Portugal from March 24th- 31st, 2012. There, whilst the Pallottines do not have property, apart from two cars, their lifestyle is adequate to their needs and their pastoral activities. There are constructive relations between the two communities that meet together every so often especially for birthdays. At Odivelas, a city of more than 80,000 inhabitants, four confreres are involved in parish apostolate that involves five places. Nearby there is a large cemetery with five chapels where about twenty funerals are celebrated weekly. At Febres/ Coimbra, the pastoral care of five parishes is entrusted to two confreres who also visit the hospices and the hospitals. They collaborate well with the bishops and the local clergy who greatly appreciate their apostolic obligation. The formation of laity, in the monthly meetings, is encouraging with many good prospectives for the Union of Catholic Apostolate, but the youth ministry is also very alive. At Odivelas, for example, more than 600 children and youth participate in the catechesis and follow many pastoral movements.
Official Visitation in Mozambique (SM) e Zambia (NA)
From 23rd- 31st March 2012, the First Consultor Fr Adam Golec made the Official Visitation to the local communities of the Santa Maria Province (SM) in Mozambique and those of the Epiphany of the Lord Province (NA) in Zambia. In the visit to the missions in Mozambique - from March 23rd-25th 2012, Fr Adam Golec went to the stations at Inharrime and at Quissico, where the confreres are involved in pastoral activities in two parishes. It is the youngest mission of the Province 'Mary the conqueress' (SM) started only in 1999. The first years, as the confreres recounted, were difficult but now the local population accepts them. Two priests a Brother and a seminarian work at Inharrime and at Quissico there are three priests and a seminarian. Their parishes are large with many distant pastoral communities. The communitarian style of life is very simple adapted to the poverty that is everywhere. In collaboration with the faithful, they have built churches with bamboo cane like the new houses of formation at Inharrime. There are currently eight students attending Pallottine formation, another three participate in the international programme for Pallottine students in South Africa. The pastoral vocations are a true potential for the future. The official visitation to the local communities of the 'Epiphany of the Lord' Province (NA) in Zambia took place from March 26th-31st, 2012. Three Pallottine confreres are working in a parish of the Archdiocese of Lusaka and in a formation house, outside the city. The people appreciate the pastoral routine and the Bishop has great regard for religious, as is exemplified in the request to take over another parish. Our future however is in the formation of new candidates. The confreres have bought a nice piece of ground not adequate for agriculture but useful for other activities. There they are building a new formation house which could house up to twelve students. The offerings from the people for the apostolate are sufficient for the necessities of daily life, but to have other income they produce bricks that they sell and they rent two houses that they have bought. The three confreres of the Nagpur Province are developing their missionary activity with a spirit of sacrifice and creativity.
Fr. Jacob Nampudakam interviewed by Vatican Radio
The Rector General, Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, was interviewed by Vatican Radio on 8th March 2012 on the theme of New Evangelisation and on the vision of our Founder and the contributions of the Pallottines to the Church and the world today in this regard. The interview was done by a young Journalist called Chiara Spoletini who has certainly done a profound research on the spirituality, charism and apostolic commitments of St. Vincent Pallotti in Rome. The very relevant and pertinent questions asked during this interview were capable of contributing to a creative interpretation of Pallotti and his Ecclesial vision for the world today.
Fr. Peter Wagner (CJ)
Let us pray for our deceased Confrere:
D. Peter Wagner (CJ), Germany, born on 20.03.1944; First Consecration on 01.10.1969; Priestly Ordination on 17.03.1974; died on 10.04.2012.
Official Visitation to the "Mother of Divine Love" Province
The Official Visitation to the "Mother of Divine Love" Province (IR) was done, from 22 to 31 March 2012, by Rector General, Fr. Jacob Nampudakam and General Consultor, Fr. Martin Manus. Since the Province has a long missionary tradition, there are very few fields of apostolic activities in Ireland itself. In the actual situation of the society and the Church in Ireland, we feel challenged to commit ourselves even more in this country itself and , in this way, to contribute more to the life of the Local Church through the realisation of our charism, without neglecting, at the same time, the missionary dynamism of the Province. Both in the two Pallottine parishes of Shankill and Corduff and in our Retreat House at Thurles, we can discover a strong Pallottine spirit, which continues to inspire many faithful and serves as a living testimony of our charism. The good number of seven seminarians that we have in Ireland at the moment enables us to have a greater hope for the future of the Province and encourages the confreres to make even greater efforts to promote vocations. The Visitation was concluded with a meeting with the Provincial Rector, Fr. Jeremiah Murphy and his Council, followed by a meal together in a typical Irish way. PHOTO
The Rector General, Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, was interviewed by Vatican Radio on 8th March 2012 on the theme of New Evangelisation and on the vision of our Founder and the contributions of the Pallottines to the Church and the world today in this regard. The interview was done by a young Journalist called Chiara Spoletini who has certainly done a profound research on the spirituality, charism and apostolic commitments of St. Vincent Pallotti in Rome. The very relevant and pertinent questions asked during this interview were capable of contributing to a creative interpretation of Pallotti and his Ecclesial vision for the world today.
Let us pray for our deceased Confrere: 