OCTOBER 2007 YEAR VIII • N° 9 2

1 Missionary Church Events

2 News Flash from the missionary centre

PAST & CURRENT EVENTS, INFORMATION

3 Charism Corner Mary, an icon of watchful attention and compassion for those who suffer P.Adolfo Antonelli

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S T R E E T S

OF THESA WORLD…

“…the first and priority contribution, we are called to offer to the missionary action of the Church is prayer…” (Benedict XVI° - from 2007 World Mission Sunday Message )

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02-05.10 – • XVI International Marian-theological Symposium (SIM), organised by the Mari- anum Pontifical Theological Faculty; theme: “Mary in ecumenical dialogue in the West.”

04-07.10 Fátima – Portugal • Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE).

05.10 Rome – Italy • Academic Event on the occasion of the of the 498 of the XX Century in Spain, organised by the Spanish Bishops’ Conference at the Augustinianum Patristic Insti- tute.

10-13.10 Vatican • VI International Festival of Sacred Music and Art in the Roman Papal Basilicas, pro- moted by the Pro Musica e Arte Sacra Foundation.

12-13.10 Fátima – Portugal • Solemn celebration for the closing of the 90th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mary, in the presence of the Papal Legate Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State.

15-17.10 Sydney – Australia • International meeting in preparation for the WYD in 2008, with the par- ticipation of delegates from the Bishops’ Conferences, Lay Movements and Associations and those who will be involved in the preparation for the event; also present members of the Pontifical Council of the Laity.

20.10 Tubarão – Brazil • Beatification of Albertina Berkenbrock, a young lay woman and at which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of will preside.

21.10. 2007 World Mission Sunday

Origins of World Mission Sunday: In 1822 Paulina Jaricot begins the Works of the Propagation of Faith. With this organization, she wants to help the Catholic mission works around the world. A century later, Pius XI unifies all the missionary organizations un- der the name of Pontifical Missionary Works. This official organization of the Church has the duty to promote the universal missionary spirit in all the people of . Eventually all Churches, on the 3rd Sunday of Oc- "all the churches for the whole world" tober, celebrate this missionary spirit.

21.10 Frederico Westphalen – Brazil • Beatification of Emanuele Gómez González, diocesan priest an d young lay person, Adilio Daronch, martyrs, at which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will preside.

27.19 Rome – Italy • Beatification of Celina Chludziska widow Borzcka, Founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Rome, in the Basilica of John Lateran; at which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will preside.

28.10 Rome – Italy • Beatification of 498 Martyrs of the XX Century in Spain, in the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, in Rome, at which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will preside.

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P A S T E V E N T S

02.10.1933 Holy See grants permission to transfer the General Curia from to Rome

02.10.1967 The Institute's Special Chapter begins its first session

03.10.1922 The Daughters of Charity arrive in England.

07.10.1824 Margherita Gioseffa Rosmini enters the Institute of the Daughters of Charity in Verona

09.10.1816 leaves the Daughters of Charity in order to found a new religious institution

10.10.1869 Mother Lucia Cupis, first Superior of Hong Kong, dies after 9 years of mission work

11.10.1972 Mother Filomena Annoni is elected the Institute's Superior General.

23.10.1959 The Daughters of Charity arrive in Sao Tomé.

26.10.1981 The new Novitiate opens at San Michele, Rome.

02.10.1988 Pope John Paul II proclaims Magdalene of a saint

30.10.1889 The Daughters of Charity leave Hong Kong for India. They open the first convent in Cochin.

CCUURRRREENNTT EEVVEENNTTSS

VOL UNTARY SERVICE: September 13th 2007: another VOICA Formation period for the long term Volunteers take off! Nicole (USA), Monika ( Poland), Luca (Brescia -Italy), Angela (USA), and Gosia (Poland) have arrived in Rome, at the VOICA house with a desire in their hearts to serve their brothers and sisters who are in need. The volunteers will leave for their missions at the beginning of December after almost three months of formation. Nicole and Monika will go together to Cairo, Luca will go to Congo, Angela to West Timor and Gosia to Malawi. The Lord is good indeed! He has answered to the S.O.S. published in the VOICA Newsletter; "We are looking for volunteers!!" On Monday, the 8th of October, Fausto (Italy) has arrived here. To- gether with Luca, he will go to Congo at the end of November. The surprises are not over yet…Elizabeth (USA) and Cari (USA) have also answered "YES" to the call of the Lord to serve others with love and generosity. In a few days, they will arrive in Rome to join the autumn 2007 formation group for long term volunteers totalling eight in number.

Let's all pray together that the Lord may send His Holy Spirit upon them to guide them and bless them.

3 I N f O R M A T ii O N

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

4-5.10 New York – United States • High level dialogue on understanding and cooperation for peace, in the inter-religious and inter-cultural contexts, at the UNO Headquarters set up by the General Assembly in December 2006, to promote tolerance, understanding and respect in the area of freedom of relig- ion and belief and of cultural diversity.

24-30.10 Disarmament Week (UNO).

29.10 Kigali – Rwanda • Summit for the launching of “Connecting Africa” organised by the International Union of Telecommunications (UIT), in collaboration with the African Union, the World Bank and the Global Alliance of the UNO for the Technology of Information and Communications (TIC).

PARTICULAR OCCASIONS

05.10 World Teachers’ Day under the aegis of UNESCO.

09.10 World Postal Day promoted by Universal Postal Union.

10.10 World Mental Health Day under aegis of UNO; the theme “Mental Health in a changing world: the impact of culture and of diversity.”

16.10 World Food Day promoted by FAO; the theme “The right to food.”

24.10 World Development Information Day (UNO).

OUR BEST WISHES TO THE SISTERS OF THE PROVINCES

ST. TERESA OF AVILA - AUSTRALIA AND “NOSSA SENHORA APARECIDA” – BRAZIL

4 CHARISM COR NER

“Mary, an icon of watchful attention and compassion for those who suffer”

(We continue our reflection on Mary, presenting, in three stages, a meditation given by Canossian Father Adolfo Antonelli.)

I part

The few icons of Our Lady that the evangel- Without making a song and dance about it, who ists allow to surface in the sacred texts give us a knows how many times Mary of Nazareth will have glimpse of the maternal love and compassion told her story (Lk 1: 26-38) to the child Jesus in her that She, Woman of Nazareth and Mother of the arms, while she played with Him and, as a Mother, Son of God, had in her heart. brought Him up. How many times she would have Magdalene reminds her Sisters, “If you long for a told of her anxious journey to Judah where she re- homily, turn to our dear Heavenly Mother, Who mained with her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, for a preaches so well, being as she is the Seat of Wis- good three months (Lk 1: 39-56) and the reason for dom and the fount of mercy” this journey. How many times (even if the Gospels (to Mother Domenica Faccioli, 18 May 1819). tell us nothing about this) Mary and would And again, the Foundress writes to Mother have gone with Jesus to visit His little, same-aged Elena Bernardi, “I have the hospital very much at cousin and his elderly mother! heart. It would be a wonderful part of the world to win over. Great prayer is needed” How many times Jesus would have perceived his (1 August 1822). parents’ concern for Him, particularly when they

Introduction thought He had been lost at the Temple (Lk 3: 41- 51). How many times (and we can grasp this im- First of all, I would dare to say that there is plicitly from His parables) Jesus would have somewhat a link between Mary and Her Son as watched: communicating vessels. · when His Mother mended clothes and sewed His Jesus, as Man, is trained in compassion by Mary. little tunic (Lk 5: 36); Vice versa, Mary is educated by the Son of God to · when She kneaded dough (Lk 13: 21); have an attentive, watchful, considerate and com- · when She cooked (Lk 14: 34); passionate heart towards the world of suffering. · when She decanted wine (Lk 5: 3); Magdalene herself presents them to us as models to imitate, “We need to live the spirit of our · when She lit the lamp in the evening, so that the charism and conform more than ever, in all things, house was filled with light (Lk 8: 16); to those great unique models, Christ Crucified and · when He saw her worried and busy searching for Our Lady of Sorrows” a lost coin (Lk 15:8); and (to Mother Elena Bernardi, 15 March 1817) · when it was time to sow the mustard seeds (Lk Jesus grew in the school of His Mother’s 13: 19). love. Within the domestic walls of the house where He lived in Nazareth until He was thirty, He breathed In my opinion (and I think this is a point that is not to a love for living for each other and the joy of soli- be underestimated), the teachings of Jesus as darity and service. human being on encounters with other people

5 during the three years of His public life was clearly Above all, through her Son’s life, Mary un- influenced by Mary’s watchful attention and ma- derstood God the Father’s true compassion for ternally loving compassion. every man and woman and particularly for those marked by the most varied of illnesses involving the 1. An attention and compassion that is both whole of the person. specific and general and for everyone. The miracles bear witness to this. They re- gard the person in his/her entirety: body, psyche It is an attention and spirit. “… from fever, internal pathologies paid to specific (the woman with a haemorrhage and the man but also general suffering from dropsy) or those of the locomotor things. Suffice system (the two paralytics and the two people to think of the healed on the Sabbath in the synagogue); they miracle at include illnesses of the sensory organs (the blind men, the dumb man and the deaf and dumb During Cana. man), lepers and mentally ill people (the two epi- the first miracle, leptics that Jesus frees from the devil, and the even before her father and mother – the Canaanite – suffering Son’s attention anguish on account of their children). The par- and interven- able of the Good Samaritan also reminds us tion, His Mother about the victims of accidents” (In the image of the is paying spe- “patient” Christ, by Marcello Milani, p. 105, Edited by “ cific attention Messaggero of ”). (Jn 2: 1ff.) The text quoted above also recalls some In this context, I highly significant attitudes of Jesus which doubtless rather like the left their mark on Mary: “To be noted, above all, is excerpt from a the compassion that seizes Jesus when He faces letter Magdalene wrote to Mother Angela Bragato, people’s suffering. It constitutes the basis for His in- “Let us pray to Most Holy Mary that she may hasten tervention” (ibid, p. 105) the divine graces just as she brought the time And again, “Jesus ‘takes by the hand’, helps forward at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, not sick people to get up, ‘lays His hands on people’ or because we want to see things done quickly but for ‘touches’ them”. the sake of serving Our Lord and for His Glory” This happens with Peter’s mother-in-law (Mt. 8: (21 November 1818). 14-15) and when He cures the leper (Mk 1: 41). And In my opinion, Jesus as Man learned partly in the revival of the Widow of Nain’s son (Lk 7: 11- from His Mother how to pay a loving attention to 17). Jesus restores life to Jairus’ daughter (Lk 8: 53). every situation and every person. Then there is the healing of the blind man at Beth- During the first miracle, Mary almost seems to want saida (Mk 8: 22-26) and the man born blind (Jn 9: 1- to help Her Son to be attentive to the needs of His 3) and the healing of the deaf and dumb man (Mk brothers and sisters: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). 7: 31-37) etc. (see In the im- On the other hand, Mary lived as Woman and age of the “patient” Christ, by Mother in her Son’s school (a permanent training Marcello Milani, pp. 105-114). of the heart that, for every true , is never ending or limited by age). 2. Magdalene, too, is Mary certainly followed her Son during considerate: starting with His thirty years of family life (see the “Infancy little things Gospels”, Luke and Matthew) but also during

His three years of apostolic life (we can per- We can say that Magdalene, ceive this from the sacred texts: the Wedding too, was an expert in human at Cana [Jn 2: 1ff], Jesus’s true kinsmen [Lk 8: kindness. The countless let- 19-21], implicitly during the painful journey up to ters she wrote to her Daugh- Mount Calvary and at the bloody hour of the ters, relatives and friends con- cross [Jn 19: 25-27]). firm this. In this way, She will remain as a mission- This is what our Mother writes in ary presence of Her Son in the emerging some of her letters: Church (Acts 1: 13-14).

From Him Mary learned to expand her Heart to “What I recommend is that universal dimensions: “Great hearts, I repeat, you do not tire yourself or strain yourself too great hearts, in imitation of that great Heart that of- much and that you take your rest. I urge you to fered the life of His own Son on Calvary for souls” (to Mother Elizabeth Renzi, 2 December 1827). eat and please do not economise over all those

6 things that are not only necessary but can also be with her beloved poor. And all of it in imitation of beneficial” the Divine Exemplar…. (M. of C. to Bernardi, Ep. III/1, p. 25) Jesus’s compassion for the sick also struck our Holy

Mother: And again, as regards health:

“I am very sorry, my Daughter, to hear “Our Holy Crucified Lord Himself is to be put under that you have been troubled. For goodness the eyes of the Sisters recalling to their thoughts sake, look after yourself. If I get ill, it doesn’t make that, for them and for the sick they go to visit, He much difference because just as I get ill, so I get suffered on the Cross with unconquerable pa- better at the drop of a hat because I’m as light as tience, meekness, sufferance and gentleness. a feather. You, however, are as strong as an ox and He forgot Himself out of love and sacrificed Him- if you drop, you will need great care if you are to self in order to save us” (M. of C., Introduction to the Rules for the Hospital, p. 159 of The Rules of the get up again. Remember that I really desire you to Congregation of the Daughters of Charity). take proper care of yourself” (M. of C. to Rosmini, Ep. III/4, p. 2717) And again:

“I urge you to give me special news of Rosa “I shall not repeat…… the exhortation to charity, della Croce. Take care about her bread. See sweetness and patience when approaching the that she does not eat the house bread but buy sick, having already said enough when I said that her a lighter bread. Control what she eats and the Sisters must treat them as they would treat Je- then keep her doing things that do not tire her sus Christ, whom they represent” (M. of C., Rules and Spiritual Writings, Part II, p. 224) but make sure that you keep her occupied and you will see that she will be alright. Farewell, my After this introduction, I would now like briefly to dear daughter. I recommend that you eat bread reflect with you on THREE ICONS and draw some in broth, boiled bread, fresh eggs and gentlemanly ideas from them that can help us to be greater fare. Leave polenta with fresh herbs to the apostles in charity in this ministry that is so dear to geese” our Foundress: (M. of C. to Terragnoli, Ep. III/3, p. 1694).

Moreover, Magdalene writes about her Daughters’ · Mary at the wedding in Cana (Jn 2: 1 et journey along the road of virtue: seq.): a woman who is watchful and atten- tive to the needs of her brothers and sisters; “My dear Rosa, allow me to talk to you as a mother · Mary at the foot of the cross (Jn 19: 25-27): who truly loves you and seeks only your own good A Woman and Mother who stays there, with and the benefit of your soul. I cannot believe that her heart full of compassion and mercy for you get lost in these little things. In acting in this Her Son and the disciple John; and way, believe me, my dear Rosa, you are doing · Mary with the Apostles in the Upper Room nothing but ruining that spirit of prayer that ought to (Acts 1: 13-14): a Woman who remains, be your support and comfort and it is precisely the with a Mother’s heart, beside her brothers devil who makes you waste time. If, on the other and sisters who are in difficulty and suffer- hand, you were to throw yourself into the hands of ing. Divine providence and let yourself be governed to- tally by it, Our Lord would give you all the help you And so it is by Mary that we wish to be guided in needed to do His most holy will fruitfully and for your this meeting of ours. own soul’s good. Put aside every other care, like a Magdalene writes about this to Mother Domenica good girl, and seek God alone….. in all your ac- Faccioli (on 12 December 1829): “Trust in most tions” Holy Mary whom I beg to be your mother and (M. of C. to Rosa Polli, Ep. III/5, pp. 3835-3836). teacher in all that you do and most particularly in We could go on forever highlighting as- your works of charity”. pects of human kindness that our Holy Mother lived (to be continued) in her relations with the Sisters and, doubtlessly,

CAMIC informs This is a monthly publication, aiming to pass on information about the missions and between the Canossian Missionary Centre and the Pro v- inces. We invite the Canossian Sisters to collaborate in sharing news and information about their missionary activities. We would like to receive contributions no later than the 20th of each month at the address below. Thank you!

Prepared and edited by CAMIC Via Aurelia Antica, 180 • 00165 Roma • e-mail [email protected] • tel. ++39 06 39366914 • fax ++39 06 6385885

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