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October2014
Outskirts: the Heart of Mission
Teofilo Patini Buon samaritano, Banca Popolare dell’Adriatico, Pesaro
we have for some time been in the month of October, a ‘missionary’ month, a ‘strong time’ when we are called – in a totally special way – to know, to study, to meditate and to live the mission of baptism-mission, to refine our sensitivity towards men and women who through their frailties and their needs call us to a renewed and more convinced form of nearness, starting with the theme that accompanies us this year –‘Outskirts: the Heart of Mission’!
This year in particular our – at time soporific – missionary thinking has been shaken by the tragedy generated by the Ebola virus which is causing thousands of victims, above all in the continent of Africa but which in recent days has also been making its presence felt in Europe. Together with these victims there are men and women who in the darkest corners of the world live in inhuman conditions, risking their lives every day. And many of them die. One of the most recent was the missionary Manuel García Viejo (a religious of the Fatebenefratelli), a victim of the voracious and fatal Ebola virus which is draining the blood from the innards of Africa. He died in Madrid after returning to his country from Sierra Leone where he had directed a hospital. A few months before that another priest of the same religious Order had died – Miguel Pajares.
They were ‘prophets and Samaritans’, men who were the travelling companions of other men, lamps which lit up dark areas of the world where oblivion and hopelessness seem to be the masters; religious faithful to their consecrations, but also qualified health-care professionals, as they were defined by their Superior General at the funeral of Brother Manuel García Viejo.
There comes strongly to mind the homily with that tearing fund of questions posed on 7 March 2014 by Pope Francis at the Holy Mass celebrated at Casa Santa Marta: ‘The most difficult fasting is the charity of goodness such as that practiced by the Good Samaritan who bent over the wounded man…I know how to caress the sick, the elderly, children, but have I lost sight of the meaning of that caress? Am I ashamed of the flesh of my brother? Our perfection, our holiness is linked with our people where we are chosen and become part. Our greatest act of holiness relates to the flesh of our brother and the flesh of Jesus Christ. Our act of holiness today… means not being ashamed of the flesh of Christ which comes here today! This is the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. It means sharing our bread with the hungry, taking care of the sick, the elderly, those who can’t give us anything in return: this is not being ashamed of the flesh! When I give alms, do I drop the coin without touching the hand (of the poor person, beggar)? And if by chance I do touch it, do I immediately withdraw it? When I give alms, do I look into the eyes of my brother, my sister? When I know a person is ill, do I go and visit that person? Do I greet him or her with affection? There’s a sign that possibly may help us, it’s a question: am I capable of giving a caress or a hug to the sick, the elderly, the children, or have I lost sight of the meaning of a caress? These hypocrites were unable to give a caress. They had forgotten how to do it….. Don’t be ashamed of the flesh of our brother, it’s our flesh!’
.In necessary things, unity; in doubt, freedom; in everything, charity (St. Augustine)
Gianfranco Lunardon
FROM THE CAMILLIAN WORLD
THAILAND
Incontro CTF
Last week the international strategic planning meeting of the CTF (Camillian Task Force) took place in Bangkok. Together with delegates from over ten countries of the world (India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam, USA) and Father Aris Miranda, who is the central coordinator of the CTF, the meeting also witnessed the presence of Fr. Leocir Lessini, the Superior General of the Order. Here the Message of the CTF to the whole of the Great Camillian Family
GALLERIA FOTOGRAFICA / L’INCONTRO CON PADRE PESSINI (VIDEO)
THAILANDIA/ VIETNAM
P.Pessini in Thailandia
The Father General, after taking part in the international strategic planning meeting of the CTF, for a fraternal visit met the religious brothers of the Province of Thailand and of the Delegation of Vietnam, at the end of which he sent a message which you can download here in PDF.
BOGOTÁ
Congresso Latinoamericano di Pastorale della Salute e Umanizzazione
On Friday 31 October and Saturday 1 November the Latin American Congress on Pastoral Care in Health and Humanisation will be held at the Camillian Centre for Formation in Bogota. This meeting wants to engage in an analysis of the political-institutional dimension of pastoral care in health, identifying possible strategies for action starting with humanisation, ethics and bioethics. This congress is for bishops and delegates of pastoral care in health of the Latin American Bishops’ Conference, diocesan delegates of pastoral care in health of Colombia, students, teachers, and associations that provide health-care services.
Download here the programme in PDF
Camillian religious, Daughters of St. Camillus, women Ministers of the Sick, and the heads of vocational animation and formation in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, accompanied by Fr. Laureant Zoungrama, the Vicar General and the consultor responsible for formation, met on 22-27 September in Bogota for the Eighteenth Latin American Meeting of Vocational Animators and Formation Providers.
Here you can download the Final Message (in PDF) that they sent to the whole of the Great Camillian Family.
LIMA
Locandina del Convegno “Fragilidad, Prevenciòn y Emergecia”
On the occasion of the Third International Day for the Victims of Disasters (13 October), the ‘Centro de Formaciòn en Salud San Camilo’ of Cefosa organised on 11 October a conference on ‘Fragilidad, Prevenciòn y Emergecia’.
Download here the programme in PDF
INDIA
p.Baby Ellickal Vice-Provinciale, India
Some volunteers of CTF-India have left for Kashmir, a region in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent between India and Pakistan, because the continual periods of rains and subsequent downpours had led to the breaking of banks of rivers and streams, creating extensive flooding. The water level rose by about 25 metres, 200 people lost their lives, 23,000 people were evacuated and almost 16,000 need immediate help. At least 2,5000 villages have been completely cut off and cannot be reached. The diocese of Jammu and Kashmir with the Jammu & Kashmir Catholic Social Service Society and Caritas India is actively involved in aid operations. The prompt help of CTF-India will help to meet the immediate needs of the areas that have been hit and to reduce the suffering of our brothers and sisters.
We thank Fr. Baby Ellickal, the Vice-Provincial of India, for this information.
TAIWAN
Collegio Infermiristico di Saint Mary a Lotung
Fr. Giuseppe Didonè from Taiwan informs us that on 22 September they reopened the school of St. Mary’s Nursing College in Lotung. This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the school by Fr. Aldo Antonelli in 1964. For this reason the beginning of the school year was preceded by a series of events intended to involve the staff and the community.
On 13 September a meeting for the new teachers was organised where the meaning of the concept of a Catholic school was explained to them, with the style of service of Our Lady being taken as a point of reference. On 15 September there was the blessing of the new statue placed at the entrance of the school dedicated to Our Lady. On 16-17 September sixteen new groups of students visited the school and this was an opportunity to give a number of lectures on the spirit of St. Camillus as a nurse and as a model for care for the sick. On 23 September, for the first time in the history of the school, the national meeting of all the heads of Catholic schools in Taiwan took place.
Father Didonè commented on the beginning of this new season in the following way: ‘I express appreciation for the approach of our college, from the point of view of pastoral care as well. On 26 September, when the classes had been organised and the various texts distributed, the Holy Mass of the beginning of the year was organised with the participation of the staff, about a hundred employees, and representatives of the various groups of students. I reminded them of the proverb which says that ‘he who begins well is already half way there’ and the Chinese proverb which declares that the ‘root of happiness is to do good to other people!’. To help in the religious activity, there are also a Camillian sister and two lay women.
PERU
From the Blog “Con Cuore di Madre”
Madre Zélia e Sr. Ester Cusma Pajares, nuova Provinciale del Perù
Mother Zélia, the Superior General of the Daughters of St. Camillus, with the agreement of her council, has appointed Sr. Ester Cusma Pajares the new Provincial of Peru. All the Peruvian sisters resident in Grottaferrata and Torpignattara (RM) were present on this very beautiful Sunday of the Lord to thank and accompany the new superior who today left together with the Mother on her new mission as guide for the sisters in the land of Peru. Very many good wishes to Sr. Ester, and a thank you for her generous ‘yes’ and her readiness to follow the will of the Lord.
Let us pray for her mission!
From the Facebook pAGE “Religiosos Camilos Vice – Provincia del Perú”
Hogar San Camilo
The Hogar San Camilo celebrated its nineteenth anniversary of institutional life by inaugurating a new statue dedicated to St. Camillus. Congratulations!
ECUADOR
Hospice San Camilo
On 9 October the St. Camillus Hospice will celebrate The World Day of Hospices and Palliative Care with a special meeting at 18.00 at the same health-care centre.
VATICAN
Mons. Zygmunt Zimowski
For the year 2014 the Pontifical council for Health Care workers (for Health Pastoral Care) is again organising an international conference. This will be the twenty-ninth edition and will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 20-22 November, at the Synod Hall. Its general subject will be ‘People with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Animating Hope’.
In a few days time we will publish the message of Msgr. Zygmunt Zimowski, the President of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. You can download here the programme of the international conference in ITALIAN or ENGLISH.
THE PROVINCE OF ITALY
Locandina del Weekend Camilliano
From site www.camilliani.it
The first of the three Camillian weekends organised by those responsible for pastoral care for the young of Camillian religious will take place on 17-19 October.
‘The aim is to make our charism known about, analysing the original insight of St. Camillus and his style of service to the sick, exploring the very many ways in which the charism is lived today by the over 1,200 Camillian religious who embody it and interpret it, allowing each participant to ask himself or herself about his or her interest in a possible call by God to take care of the sick in a totalising way.
The camp, which will be near our Casa Soggiorno Bresciani, will provide time and space for meeting those working in this centre (to share a ‘lived Camillian charism) and the elderly who are there and the service dedicated to them’. For further information click here
MOTTINELLO
Locandina dell’incontro della FCL
A formation meeting of the Lay Camillian Family (LCF) of the Province of Italy with the title ‘Why Suffer? Pain in Jesus and St. Camillus’ will take place on 17-19 October in Mottinello di Rossano, Veneto (VI). The new provincial president of the LCF and the governing council will be elected at this meeting.
Download here the programme of this event
ASSISI
Il convegno A.I.P.a.S. ad Assisi
In harmony with the Synod of Bishops on the family which is taking place at the present time in the Vatican, the A.I.P.a.S. (the Italian Association for Pastoral Care in Health) is addressing on 6-9 October the subject of the family within the context of suffering and illness. Religious and/or lay people involved in activity relating to pastoral service for the sick in various hospital contexts, in voluntary work and in assistance in general, are taking part in this meeting. We thank Fr. Fausto Negrini for the photographs.
LAY CAMILLIAN FAMILY
NUOVA COMMISSIONE CENTRALE FCL
Maria Bako (Segretaria) Giosue Sparacino (Tesoriere), Marie Christine Brocherieux (Presidente) e Anita Ennis (Vice Presidente)
The Central Committee of the LCF – which has been recently elected – will meet at the Camillian community of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on 23-25 October to talk about a renewed programme for the next years of the ministry. We would like to remind you that the new committee is made up of Marie Christine Brocherieux (President), Anita Ennis (Vice-President), Maria Bakò (Secretary) and Giosue Sparacino (Treasurer).
FROM ROME – THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE
Tennessee Mens Chorale
On Saturday 11 October at 16.00, in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, the Tennessee Men’s Choral, made up of about fifty singers, will offer a concert containing a repertoire of sacred music.
AGENDA OF THE FATHER GENERAL
Suor Nancy Munene
On 18 October Fr. Leocir Pessini will preside over the celebration of the Eucharist with the perpetual profession of Sister Nancy Munene, who is Kenyan, and the first profession of two novices, Sydonie and Inaselie, who are from Haiti. The celebration will take place in the generalate house of the Sisters Ministers of the Sick in Rome.
Le opere di p.Leocir Pessini
We would like to share with you the intellectual work of Fr. Leocir Pessini and his passion for anthropology and ethics. Here you can download the updated bibliography of the Superior General and we also remind you that the texts can be consulted at the archives of the generalate house. For information write to archivioagmi@gmail.com
SUPPLEMENTS AND CURIOSITIES
La Madonna della Salute
A Chinese priest close to St. Camillus, after a recent visit to the Church and the Camillian community of St. Mary Magdalene, together with one of his seminarians, undertook to translate the prayer of Our Lady of Health into Chinese so as to promote Marian devotion in his country. Download here the prayer in PDF
DECEASED RELIGIOUS
Father Floriano Castelli (the Province of Italy) was born in Casale Monferrato on 30 March 1930. On 24 April 1951 he was admitted to perpetual profession. On 29 June 1954 Father Floriano was ordained a priest at the hands of the Bishop of Casale Monferrato Giuseppe Angrisani. Padre Floriano was on a number of occasions a provincial financial
P.Floriano Castelli
administrator and a provincial councillor and from 1960 until 2012 he was also the local financial administrator of Villa Lellia. Father Castelli loved the Province, Villa Lellia and dedicated the whole of his life to them. He demonstrated capacity and experience in the economic and administrative field. A humble person, discreet, very human, and ready to help, of few words, apparently not very sociable, in reality Father Floriano was a sensitive, tender and welcoming person. He died on 17 September 2014.
The Camillian Province of Ireland and England has informed us about the death of their religious brother Fr. William Rose.
‘Now they live in Christ whom they met in the Church, followed in their vocations, and served in the sick and the suffering. Trusting that the Lord, the Holy Virgin our Queen, St. Camillus and our deceased religious brothers will welcome them in their midst, we commend them in our prayers, remembering them with affection, esteem and gratitude’.
Look here at the press information
On the cover Teofilo Patini the Good Samaritan, Banca Popolare dell’Adriatico, Pesaro
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