What's New

The provincial office in Mozambique sent some photos and information on the recent final vow celebration held on August 14, 1999 (CF. Final Vows in Mozambique).

The Dehoniano de Comunicacção Center in cooperation with IRAOPOVO magazine now has a web site featuring suggested liturgical celebrations for the Sunday liturgies. It will be updated on Mondays. The link has been added to our links page under Brazil (CF. www.infocad.com.br/cdc/)
 

North American SCJ Assembly August 16-19, 1999 Hales Corners, WI

The North American SCJ Assembly ended with a closing liturgy on Thursday evening, August 19, 1999, with Fr. Virginio Bressanelli, superior general, as main celebrant and homilist. We have several of the documents from the assembly posted to this week's web site. Please link to North American SCJ Assembly.

In addition to these documents we are posting to the General Conference page, in both English and French the presentation of Robert J. Schreiter, C.PP.S. You may also want to look at the responses to the talk presented by Fr. General and Paul J. McGuire (US). Their reflections are available only in English at this time.

Editor's Note: The logo for the assembly was designed by Herman Falke (CA). It is based on the logo designed for the XXth General Chapter. Shirts with the logo were given to all the participants the logo is pictured on Fr. General's Homily page as well as on Schreiter's presentation.

This edition of the news was written on Monday, August 23, 1999, as Hurricane Bret was still pounding the Texas coastal region. It is an area where US SCJs work (diocese of Brownsville, TX). Reports from Willacy County (CF http://www.vsta.com/~spujdak/) say while, the wind and the rain have been fierce, there was only some minor damage at some of the churches and at the community house. In addition a number of power outages throughout the day and during the night due to down power lines.

What's Happening

From Argentina

G.ral San Martin, Chaco
Argentina

August 23, 1999

This month, in preparation for the Jubilee Year, we held a mission. The Christian community left the parish daily fanning out to the distant corners of the city.

In the city of San Martin, we had 540 "missionaries", that is lay Christians who went house to house proclaiming God, The Father of Mercy. Among the activities :

• We organized 163 "mission centers' where we held four Celebrations of the Word, led by a lay leader;
• We also held 12 Reconciliation Services;
• We visited 5,740 families.

On the day of our patronal feast we had a wonderful celebration!. We had quite a procession, the Eucharist preceded by the Archbishop and a line of 22 Ministers of the Eucharist.

After the mission we plan to visit the families monthly, celebrating the Liturgy of the Word with them. At the same time we are in the process of organizing the same mission in four other cities in the parish.

by p. Eufrasio Clericie (AU)

From The Democratic Republic of the Congo

Message from the Procurator for the Congolese Missions in Brussels

August 17, 1999

Dear Albert and David,

I do not know what fresh news you might have from Congo. In the first place, let me reassure you that all of our confreres and pastoral agents are doing well with the blessing of the Lord.

The city of Kisangani is though through a real war between the Rwandese and the Ugandese, especially overnight Sunday night there was much activity. Fr. Nicoli, to whom I spoke on the phone (August 16 and 17), told me that it is worse then ever. Sacred Heart House (Provincialate) was hit by two bombs. The Bishop's residence was hit by shrapnel from hand grenades. One of its walls collapsed due to the force the explosions. Archbishop Monsengwo spent the night with us at the Provincialate.

The Procurer's roof was hit by a bomb, but, thanks to God once again, nobody was injured. As of noon today (Kisangani time), the situation has calmed down and people are once again in the streets and on the grounds counting the dead, especially Ugandese solders.

Fr. Nicholas sends his best regards. Fr. Mathias has been unable to return from Kigali on his way back from Cameroon.

Best Wishes, Fr. Bill van Gennip

Congratulations

Piet ADAM (NE) 50 years of Religious Life in September, 8th 1999

Born in Amsterdam on February 10, 1929, he took his first vows at Asten on September 8, 1949, and was ordained in Nijmegen, on July 15, 1956.

After his ordination, Piet studied French in Nijmegen. Later he taught at the seminary for adult vocations in Warnsveld. He first came to Rome in 1967, as a member of Centro Studi. He returned to Holland, in 1980 working for 13 years in Breda as a secretary and translator. In 1992 he returned to Rome, to join Centro Studi again, as well as assist in the Archives.

Piet Adam is well known in the congregation for his long service in Rome. He has lived there for 50 years in almost perfect observance, "without original sin," some confreres have said . All those coming to Rome can enjoy the opportunity to listen to Piet's conversations on any subject under the sun.

Piet, congratulations and many thanks from Roma I and II.

provided by office of the secretary general

Dehon Photo of the Week

This week Stefan Tertünte has chosen to write about Fr. Dehon reflecting on the development of his vocation during his years of study at Hazebrouck. Of special importance to Fr. Dehon was the Monastery's chapel (CF. Capuchin Monastery Chapel at Hazebrouck).