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Dearest Confreres,
With the liturgical
time of advent, we prepare to live the birth of the Lord which arrives
each year in the wonder of the mystery that is constantly renewed for
us and involves us in the listening to the Word and in the celebration
of the liturgy.
Just like last
other times, I would like to take the occasion of writing this Christmas
greetings, so I can share with you, at the end of the liturgical year,
some brief considerations regarding the actual journey and appointments
which our Congregation will have this coming year.
We find ourselves
almost a semester after the middle of the six years of our mandate
and just as how fast time passes up to this moment, it will even
be faster for the coming remaining years. According to the new indications
of the norms (nos. 167 and 175), the preparation for the coming General
Chapter has already started with the consultation on the primary theme
to be chosen. For this, it would be useful to mention some commitments
that we are doing together for verification and ulterior exhortation
for participation according to the indications of the 10th
General Chapter.
1. Renewing
and re-lauching our mission at the beginning of the third millennium
is the basic objective that has been given to us. A re-launching which,
according to the orientations of the same Chapter, should include two
perspectives. Above all the spirit, the passion that should animate
our mission, the style that should be acquired, the characteristics
that should be possesed composing, definitively, the necessary conditions
for the same re-launching. The second perspective is the updating and
empowering of the true and proper modes of apostolate that belong to
the charismatic mission of the Institute, the ambits of its practice,
the strategies, the orientations to assume.
This is the
commitment and duty of all the elected Circumscriptions that are finishing
their mandates after the celebration of the Provincial Chapters and
the new Councils of the Delegations. The orientations of the Provincial
Chapters, of the Assemblies and the successive plans of Governments,
have followed this basic objective adapting it to the needs and priorities
of the Circumscriptions. The encounters of sectors, which are programmed
everywhere, have also defined this thing.
During the
two Conferences of the Superiors and Councils of the Circumscriptions
(2006, 2007) and the annual Conventions of the Family of the Rogate
held in Rome around the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the same
renewal of the charismatic mission has been considered as the
specific theme. These initiatives placed the rich problem of our mission
in their study, reflection, discussion among Superiors, Confreres coming
from different countries and the laity who share our charism. The ideas,
perspectives, orientations which emerged in these meetings express interest
and lively proposals evidencing the actuality of our mission in the
Church today. The contributions made by lecturers, authoritative “witnesses”
who are committed in various fields of ecclesial and civil life, those
from confreres, lay collaborators, as well as those that come from the
discussions of the the participants, have presented points of reflections,
placed questions, suggested answers, indicated apostolic horizons, useful
to awaken attention and the capacity to prophetically read the signs
of times. The publication of the Acts of the different encounters
renders possible for all to receive their contents and messages. Then,
this year, for the recent convention on charity (Con i poveri per una
carità creativa, Rocca di Papa, 6-9 December), the actual development
of the discussions has been extended to all through the internet streaming
using the website of the Congregation www.rcj.org . We are referring to a precious way
of communication being offered by today’s technology and the expertise
of the confreres which we need to use. I hope, God willing, to
gather what came out in a letter for the Congregation as contribution
for ulterior common reflection. In the meantine, each in his role, community
programming and apostolic activities, should do discernment regarding
this objective, in the common tendency to make our Rogationist “ministry”
always more adequate to the necessities of the present time, faithful
to the teaching and examples of our holy Founder.
2. Another
important commitment which the Chapter left us is the revision and
updating of the Constitutions and Norms. I saw that it is a work
that has been started too by other religious Institutes. In fact, some
years back, from the first important updating which happened following
the promoted renewal and solicitude by the Vatican II and realized by
the special Chapters, the need of total revision of the normative became
necessary. It takes into consideration the evolution of the theology
of consecrated life, the journey of the Church and the actual circumstances.
Our work is
continuing according to the programmed schedule of the General Commission.
Properly during these days (10-15 December) the latest plenary session
of the same Commission took place at the Curia. It examined the first
proposed draft of the Norms elaborated by the sub-Commission
in the Curia taking into consideration the suggestions and observations
of the confreres and the criteria indicated by the 10th
General Chapter. At the same time, it has also made the first draft
of the Constitutions which is now under study in our communities. We
are therefore in the decisive phase of the definition of its contents
and corresponding formulations. Since this deals with our rule of life,
which has been almost totally re-formulated, everybody should participate
in its study so that it can reach a definition of a text faithful
to our priniciples, attentive to our traditions, actual in its language,
accurately and mutually studied as the 10th General Chapter
prescibes. For this, I invite the communities to continue to dedicate
adequate time for this study and the Superiors of the Circumscriptions,
to accompany its faithful realization.
3. The fourth
cycle of the quinquennial courses of permanent formation
(two annual courses) has been done this year. Up to this time, there
are 160 confreres who took advantage of this important oppurtunity.
The initiative, which qualifies itself according to the orientations
of the Project of Rogationist Permanent Formation 54,6 as
cultural updating, spiritual experience and moment of fraternity,
has identical general organization. It is being updated according to
the suggestions of the participants who amply gave it their positive
evaluation. The first cycle of experience will have its conclusion with
the two programmed courses for the coming year 2008. After this, the
equipe for permanent formation will do the verification for the future
programming of the experience. We are aware that formation, besides
being a sure strategy for an effective spiritual and professional journey,
constitutes today a true and proper resource not only in the religious
field. Only through consistent formation journey, which is not
exhausted in the initial stage of consecration but is prolonged for
the entire life, is possible to continue provide ourselves the necessary
instruments to face the complexities of today’s world with our specific
charismatic contribution. The quinqennial courses, which did not
certainly exhaust this exigency, are definitely a valid and concrete
instrument. They go beyond the ordinary life in the community, proper
place of the permanent formation, to be a solid spiritual and cultural
stimulus besides being an occasion of mutual animation.
4. Finally,
in June of this year, under care of the respective Commission and the
General Postulation, the publication of the Writings of the Father
have been started. The first three volumes of Prayers,
I hope, are already sent in the houses. Indeed, we are not yet dealing
with a critical text which requires ulterior specific procedures of
study. Nonetheless, this consents us to have in our hands what Fr. Hannibal
has written in the original text and in a complete way. “The publication
of the writings, as what I noted in the first volume, gives us a singular
encounter with Fr. Hannibal, with his inspired words, with the sentiments
the filled his soul, with the ideals that empassioned his life, with
the worries that troubled his hectic days”. For this, I invite all
to cherish the opportunity being extended to us to draw near the Father
through the meditation and study of his Writings, making them
object of personal and communitarian readings, doing all to spread these
volumes in the ambit of your apostolate and among the laity.
5. The Congregation,
faithful to the intentions of the Founder, became aware of the missionary
concerns of the Church expressing the compassion of Christ for the tired
and abandoned fold in various parts of the world. Considering the recent
missionary openings, we are actually committed in consolidating our
different existing mission realities. From the central northern province,
with Fr. Alberto Rossini, an ulterior temporary commitment has been
taken in Afghanistan, in Kabul, in collaboration with the “Associazione
Pro Bambini di Kabul”. To all the confreres, who are working in
the frontiers of mission, go our closeness, support and greetings.
6. The Commission
for the revision of the contributions and the updating of the economic
instructions is working. The entire economic situation of the Congregation
requires attention. The difficulty of the globalized economy has its
repercussions also in our Congregation. A certain care in making choices
from the part of those responsible is important. We need to have a sober
research of funds that will allow us to express better our charism in
the different countries where we are committed.
7. The year
2008, which we are about to begin, marks several important anniversaries
of our Rogationist history. In fact, we remember the centennial of the
publication of the Dio e il Prossimo (26 June 1908), the first
periodical of the Pious Work which reached, while the Fr. Founder was
still alive, some hundreds of thousands of copies. With the Dio e
il Prossimo, our apostolate of the press started, typical of our
tradition, as instrument of “threefold” Rogationist propaganda:
the Evangelical Rogation, the Bread of St. Anthony, the Sacred Alliance.
On December
this coming year, then, we should make the memorial of the tragic event
for the City of Messina and for Fr. Hannibal, the earthquake of
28 December 1908. We know how the dramatic event hit the Opera
with the death of our thirteen sisters and the destruction of our
Opere in the City. But just like what usually happens through the
mysterious action of Providence that deduces from the fatal events something
good, the tragic event has marked the expansion of the Congregation
outside Sicily.
We will dedicate,
together with our sisters, the Daughters of the Divine Zeal, the theme
of the apostolate of the Anthonian Press and the spread of the Rogate
during the annual convention of the Family of the Rogate this coming
December 2008. It will further be for us an occasion to organize in
the same period, a meeting of the heads of the Rogate Centers of the
Congregation (9-11 December). To remember the second anniversary, in
the seats of Messina and Oria, a commission that will propose some initiatives
for the celebration is already working.
8. I desire
to summarize again some initiatives to be realized at the central level
during the course of the year 2008 and foreseen in the General Programming,
for opportune knowledge and for programming of the participants.
- The annual
Conference of the Superiors and Councils of the Circumscriptions
that will be held in the USA Delegation from 15-25 May.
- The two
quinquinnial courses of permament formation (Center of Spirituality
of Morlupo) are scheduled in this way: the first from 22 June to 20
July; the second from 20 September to 19 October.
- Just like
every year, the Center of Spirituality of Morlupo offers a Retreat open
to all the members of the Family of the Rogate (particularly those coming
from Italy) from 26 July to 2 August.
- From 21 to
28 October (after the second course of permanent formation), the
second international meeting of formators, foreseen in the programming,
finalized for sharing and deepening of themes, objectives, challenges
and emerging problems of basic formation today.
- On 29 October,
at the Center of Spirituality of Morlupo, the second seminar regarding
the Priestly Alliance will be held. It is a moment of study for the
re-launching of this reality as indicated by the 10th General
Chapter (ADR, 36).
- The annual
Mission Forum for the re-launching of the work of charity for the Rogationist
Mission Day 2008 will be held in the USA Delegation for the month of
February.
- Finally,
in the month of July, the intention to organize an encounter of the
confreres committed in the mission outside of their countries.
9. Further,
I desire to communicate that, regarding the ulterior arrangement of
the decentralized structure of the Congregation, the re-establishment
of the African Delegation and the constitution of the Indian Delegation
are in program for 2008.
The re-establishment
of the African Delegation, suspended in 1999, after the tragic events
that took place in Rwanda some years before and have affected also our
presence in that country, will happen in consideration of the availability
of several confreres (two from the PID, Frs. Shibu Kavunkal and Philip
Golez and the ordination of two rwandan religious, Francois Habimana
and Elisee Kabera) and the re-construction of the formative structures
in Rwanda and Cameroun. The development of the Rogationist presence
in India, above all for the number of the religious and for vocational
and formative autonomy, consents and suggests the constitution of the
Delegation.
Dearests,
During Christmas,
the Son of God comes in our midst as was 20 centuries ago in Bethlehem
and at the fullness of time for the definitive completion of history.
With the words of the Psalm, we express the intimate hope of meeting
the Lord who comes: I hope in the Lord, my soul hopes in his word.
My soul waits for the Lord, more than a watchman for day break (Psalm
129, 5-6).
The theme of
christian hope, as we know, is the object of the recent encyclical
letter of Pope Benedict XVI (Spe salvi). In many of the passages
of the New Testament, the Holy Father observes, the word “hope”
is strictly connected with faith. It is a gift that changes the life
of the one who receives it, as the experiences of many saints demonstrate.
Hope substantially consists in the knowledge of God, in the discovery
of God as good and merciful Father. Jesus, in his paschal mystery, has
revealed to us his face, the face of a God so great as to communicate
to us an solid hope, which not even death can destroy, because the life
of the one who entrusts himself to this Father opens itself to the perspective
of eternal beatitude.
Fr. Hannibal
seems to comment:
“Hope O man!
(…) O beautiful virtue of hope, whoever you may be? You are a ray
in the darkness, you are the anchor of salvation in during failure.
Great are you o hope, when you depend not on creatures, when you wait
not your goods from the world, when you base not on eartly promises.
Divine virtue is your hope O man, when you turn your gaze to Mary, Mother
of Hope.” (Scritti, Vol. 54, Doc. 4230).
“No, it is
not possible that the Queen and Mother of Mercy wiil not hear me, this
is the only hope that sustains me, and I embrace this hope as a drowning
person embraces a floating piece of wood. I hope and will hope against
every hope, against all that would be opposing my hope, against my de-merits,
against the difficulties that oppose the pursuit of my desires, against
my very own little faith, against every unworthiness of mine and others,
I hope and will hope” (Scritti III, Preghiere alla Madonna,
p.285).
“O sweetest
Heart, o most loving Heart, your words are sober and full of immense
hope for me sinner! Therefore, there is hope also for me! I could also
hope to follow this beautiful Union of love, the only one that I desire,
and wait to have and that I spontaneously ask from you most holy Mother!
Ah, my supreme and unique Good. I thank you for the hope that you gave
me; I will throw myself at the feet of the you most holy Mother, day
and night I will beg you” (Scritti I, Preghiere al Signore,
p.487).
Animated by
the warm words of Fr. Hannibal and by the strong exhortation of the
Pope to be persons of hope, I send to all my most cordial greetings
in the knowledge that to the hope of man God has answered by
being born in time and in our journey.
May Mary, star
of hope, who with her “yes” opened to God the door of our world,
guide our expectations and our journey:
“Mother of
God, our Mother, teach us to believe, hope and love with you. Indicate
us the way towards the kingdom! Stat of the sea, shine on us and guide
us in our journey!” (Spe Salvi, 49-50)
Merry Christmas
and Serene New Year.
Rome, December 13th, 2007
Fr. Giorgio
Nalin, RCJ
Superior General
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