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We Ask the Risen Jesus, Who Turns Death Into Life, to Change Hatred to Love, Vengeance Into Forgiveness, War Into Peace

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We Ask the Risen Jesus, Who Turns Death Into Life, to Change Hatred to Love, Vengeance Into Forgiveness, War Into Peace The Unitedaim States Secretariat of the Alliance usa for International Monasticism www.aim-usa.org Volume 23 No. 1 2014 [email protected] We ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life, to change hatred to love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace. Pope Francis, Urbi et Orbi Message March 31, 2013 AIM NEWS “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace...” New Director Named AIM USA Welcomes New Board Member We are happy to welcome Father Dominic Tran Thiet Hung, O Cist, to the AIM USA Board. Fr. Dominic graciously accepted membership as Abbot Paul Mark Schwan, OCSO (Vina, CA) completed his term. Fr. Dominic, prior of Our Lady of Son Sacramento community, was born in Vietnam. In 1997 his abbot sent him to Paris to study for a degree in theology Sister Theresa Zoky, OSB, left, newly named executive director and spirituality. While of the AIM USA Secretariat and Sister Stephanie Schmidt, OSB, there he attended the outgoing director. (Photo by Therese Glass, OSB) 900th anniversary of the founding of the Cistercians in Citeaux, France, and “Where there is despair, hope; met Abbot Thomas Davis Fr. Dominic of the Cistercian Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina, CA. After visiting New where there is darkness, light; Clairvaux, Fr. Dominic came to the realization that the Vietnamese people who had settled in the US “needed where there is sadness, joy...” a place to fill up with the presence of God, just as they did in our monastery in Vietnam.” Thus was born the LENTEN APPEAL 2014 adjunct community of Our Lady of Son Sacramento. Now nine monks live in a cloistered, contemplative community in Walnut Grove, CA where they help AFRICA provide the presence of God. Fr. Dominic’s education Benedictine Sisters in Uganda –funds for their candle shop project and experience will bring new insights to AIM USA. Benedictine and Cistercian Sisters and Monks in Madagascar –funds to participate in a collaborative inter-monastery formation program “…for it is in giving ASIA that we receive…” Benedictine Monks in India AIM USA is grateful for all those who support us in our –funds to drill a bore well for new water supply efforts to respond to the needs of monasteries through- out the world. Every gift is a blessing and important to Trappistine Sisters in China –funds for two Sisters to study in the Philippines us—no matter how large or small—and we in turn hold you in prayer. LATIN AMERICA Benedictine Sisters in Uruguay Please remember AIM USA in your will. –funds to provide a vehicle to transport their elderly sisters to medical appointments Thank you 2 Cover photo by Stephanie Schmidt, OSB; layout and design by Judy Allison Thank You Notes—Worth Noting....Worth Quoting “...where there is doubt, faith...” Loving Greetings from Benedict Greetings from the sisters Bhavan, Mandla. at Bangalore, India. Hope you are fine and everything I am happy to inform you that goes well with you. We Sisters are in- the book, the American Benedic- volved in teaching ministry and thanks a tine Review, you sent recently has lot for your prayerful wishes and bless- arrived. Thank you very much, ings for our ministries. The books that we already started to read. It is a you sent for us arrived in good condition great help to all of us for our spir- and we are extremely happy to receive itual reading. We are very grate- them. They are suitable for our com- ful to all of you at AIM.Wishing munity for our spiritual nourishment you all a prosperous New Year as well as to give reflections in prayer 2014. Once again our sincere meetings in the Parish and in families. thanks and gratitude. Language is not too tough. Thank you Yours in Christ, so much for your zealous and thought- Sister Emily ful action and we do remember and Our Lady of Light pray for you and all the friends who gen- Lunch break at Benedict Bhavan, Mandla Bangalore, S. India erously contributed to it. With loving regards and prayerful wishes, I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our Sr. Shiby OSB and Sisters Father Saint Benedict. Benedict Bhavan I am very grateful with AIM USA; I received a box of 22 Mandla, India books in English about the Bible and Christian Spirituality... These books are going to be very useful for us especially for our We just received a big box filled with new books. We are monks in formation. This is a great gift for our peace and happi- very sorry that only a few of us understand English. But the books ness in the monastic life. I am yours fraternally in Christ, are valuable for us as you say because we don’t have a good ac- Hno. Mario Sosa Amay, OSB cess to Benedictine spirituality in Japan. We appreciate your kind- Monasterio de La Encarnación ness. Many blessings on you and AIM USA. Lima, Peru Peace, Martha Ueda and the Japanese Benedictines The Way of the Cross on Good Friday at the Monastery in Lima Clearing a space for the building of a new poultry house at St. Scholastica This letter is to acknowledge receipt of the materials/books Benedictine Abbey sent to us by AIM USA through you. Many thanks for the donors We just received a carton full of books from your office. In- and we keep them in our prayers. The books arrived sometime deed, we are highly appreciative and very happy for this great as- last month [October]. Yes, books are very valuable and we are so sistance you are giving us. The books are very helpful to us and we grateful that our community was included among the beneficiar- pray that the good Lord reward you and all those who have made it ies. Books are useful to us especially for us in the cloistered life, possible for us to have the books. Once more, we say thank you as where we have time to read books from our library. Our incomes we wish you abundant blessings from God our Father. are so meager that we seldom buy books for our use. M. Margaret Mary Ngobidi, OSB God reward and bless you. Let us be one in prayer. St. Scholastica Benedictine Abbey Sister Mechtild, OSB Nigeria, Africa Holgado, Philippines Benedict saw the entire world in a single ray of light. (Dialogues) 3 Meet a Monastery in Africa — Peramiho, Tanzania, East Africa St. Scholastica Priory Missionary Benedictine Sisters BEGINNINGS Michl, Br. Benedict Kantwerg and Sr. Martha Wansing were shot dead Tension was mounting. The new missionaries redeemed along with two little children, Josef and Andreas, who were stabbed to about 50 slaves and welcomed them to make their home at the death. Other missionaries and employees were taken captive. Pugu mission. Certain Arabs looked on suspiciously; warnings Other attacks and murders followed in 1905 with the Maji- of imminent danger for the new missionaries rumbled like angry Maji Uprising. News of the deaths by violence or by malaria and drums. The people of the area took to the forests for safety. other tropical diseases sharpened the desire of new missionaries On the morning of January 13, 1889, all seemed calm. The to come to Africa and give their life for Christ. The life-giving power monks and the sisters put their trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of God prevailed and a strong Missionary Benedictine presence continued their Sunday schedule as usual. By midday, however, the eventually developed in Tanzania. Four abbeys were founded and peace was shattered with gunfire from insurgent rebels. Br. Petrus two priories of sisters. ST. SCHOLASTICA PRIORY Because of the limited space of this article, we turn our at- • We care for approximately tention now to one of these missions, St. Scholastica Priory in 100 orphans in three centers. Peramiho. Today the sisters in the priory number 53. However, • Our sisters educate 310 girls there is a shift from a predominance of European sisters to a ma- in our secondary boarding school jority of the sisters coming from Tanzania. • We teach in St. Joseph Hos- pital Nursing School and work in Monastic life is well established. the hospital How delighted we are to have • The sisters teach young Divine Office books in Kiswahili women in two Vocational Training with adapted Gregorian Chant. Centers Education of our own members • Our St. Anna’s Health Center to carry on our life and major re- meets the physical needs of the sponsibilities in our ministries remains people in rural village of Uwemba a big challenge in the community. We are so grateful that AIM and surrounding villages. Leper doing shoe repair USA has made a significant impact on the availability of quality • We operate a hostel for girls attending a local government spiritual resources for our library. school Widespread corruption has crippled the development of • We opened a Montessori kindergarten for 150 children Tanzania. Proper health care and education continue to be crying • The community continues resident care to 40 elderly lepers needs. The impact of HIV-AIDS and death by malaria continue and extended care to lepers in another leper village • The sisters are involved in pastoral outreach in the local parishes, participation in Small Christian Communities. Peramiho sisters during the 125th anniversary celebration of the destruction of the Pugu Mission Orphan children at mealtime There is much that can be said. But for now, perhaps it is to plague the people. The responsibility for orphaned children best to conclude with the passage from St.
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