CosmoCosmo nn LineLine Bulletin of quick information from the Secretary General for Communications Piazza San Marcello, 5 - 00187 Roma Tel.: +39-06-699301— [email protected] March 2012 Volume 5 - N. 3

IT HAPPENED IN THE MONTH OF MARCH From the MESSAGE OF HIS H. BENEDICT XVI On March 29, 1912, the first Servants of Mary FOR LENT 2012 arrived in Ottawa. They came from Vancouver and were members of the Tuscan Province: Fra "Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in Ildefonso M. Francesconi (1865-1952), Fra love and good works." (Heb 10:24) Angelico M. Barsi (1887-1949) and Fra Aurelio The Lenten season offers us once again an opportunity to M. Prosperi (1886-1971). They stayed in Mon- reflect upon the very heart of Christian life: charity. treal and on April 20, 1912 took charge of the parish of Notre-Dame de la Défense. "Let us be concerned for each other": responsibility towards our brothers and sisters. This first aspect is an invitation to be "concerned": the Greek verb used here is katanoein, which means to scrutinize, to be attentive, to observe carefully and take stock of some- thing. We come across this word in the Gospel when Jesus invites the disciples to "think of" the ravens that, without striv- ing, are at the centre of the solicitous and caring Divine Provi- dence (Cf. Lk 12:24), and to "observe" the plank in our own eye before looking at the splinter in that of our brother (Cf. Lk 6:41). So the verb which introduces our exhortation tells us to look at others, first of all at Jesus, to be concerned for one another, and not to remain isolated and indifferent to the fate of our brothers and sisters. All too often, however, our attitude is just the opposite: an indifference and disinterest born of selfishness and masked as a respect for "privacy". Concern for others entails desiring what is good for them from every point of view: physical, moral and spiritual. Contem- porary culture seems to have lost the sense of good and evil, yet there is a real need to reaffirm that good does exist and will MINOR SERVITE ART prevail, because God is "generous and acts generous- Church of San Marcello, Rome ly" (Ps 119:68). The good is whatever gives, protects and pro- The Annunciation by G. Battista Ricci (1545-1620) motes life, brotherhood and communion. Responsibility to- wards others thus means desiring and working for the good of others, in the hope that they too will become receptive to good- SERVITE FRIARS OF NOTE ness and its demands. Concern for others means being aware FRA SOSTEGNO M. VIANI (1690-1739) of their needs. Fra Sostegno was born inTurin in 1690. He com- "Being concerned for each other" also entails being con- pleted his studies in philosophy and civil law and cerned for their spiritual well-being. Here I would like to men- then entered the Servite Order. His passion for tion an aspect of the Christian life, which I believe has been quite forgotten: fraternal correction in view of eternal salvation. study was not limited to philosophy and theology Today, in general, we are very sensitive to the idea of charity he was a student of literature, geography, mathe- and caring about the physical and material well-being of others, matics, physics and modern languages as well and but almost completely silent about our spiritual responsibility taught in several Italian cities. Along with Fra G. towards our brothers and sisters. This was not the case in the Domenico M. Fabris he acted as secretary and early Church or in those communities that are truly mature in accompanied Msgr. G.A. Mezzabarba, the Papal faith, those which are concerned not only for the physical Legate, to China to handle the very complicated health of their brothers and sisters, but also for their spiritual business of the Chinese Rites. While on this jour- health and ultimate destiny. ney he kept a diary, Istoria delle cose operate nella The Church's tradition has included "admonishing sinners" China da Mons. G. Ambrogio Mezzabarba [A His- among the spiritual works of mercy. It is important to recover tory of What Msgr. G. Ambrogio Mezzabarba Ac- this dimension of Christian charity. We must not remain silent complished in China]. The diary was published before evil. I am thinking of all those Christians who, out of hu- posthumously. On his return from China he went man regard or purely personal convenience, adapt to the pre- to live in the Turin Priory; he became a Doctor at vailing mentality, rather than warning their brothers and sisters the University of Turin. He was elected Provincial against ways of thinking and acting that are contrary to the and later moved to Rome, to the Priory of S. Nicola truth and that do not follow the path of goodness. Christian ad- in Arcione. Shortly afterwads he was sent as a monishment, for its part, is never motivated by a spirit of accu- Visitor and Commissioner to the Kingdom of Na- sation or recrimination. It is always moved by love and mercy, ples where he died on June 3, 1739. and springs from genuine concern for the good of the other. students – and the quality of the courses being THE GENERAL COUNCIL taught at the Faculty. Among the problem the Facul- AND SECRETARIATS ty faces are faculty stability, the difficulty of finding young teachers and the need for the Faculty to be SPAIN: REQUEST TO CHANGE THE LEGAL self-supporting. STATUS OF THE SPANISH PROVINCE NEPI, ITALY In a letter dated September 8, 2012, Fra Francis- co Javier M. Badillo Martín, Prior Provincial of the Cecilia Eusepi will be the Order’s first Blessed Spanish Province, requested that the legal status of who was a tertiary and not a nun. She will be beati- his Province be changed. The General Council car- fied on June 17, 2012 in the little town of Nepi. On ried out the required legal and Constitutional formali- February 16, 2012, I went with Fra Gino M. ties; in its February 4, 2012, session the Council did Leonardi, acting Postulator Delegate, to our Priory in not reach a definitive decision but did set out the fol- Nepi. In view of her upcoming beatification Msgr. lowing giudelines: a) in light of revision criteria deter- Romano Rossi, the Bishop of Civita Castellana, mined by the 212th General Chapter (Cf. GC 2007, oversaw the canonical exhumation of the remains of no. 54b) the June 2012 Provincial Chapter is sus- the Servant of God, Cecilia Eusepi. As the National pended; all the friars will meet, however, in Denia to Assistant of the Servite Secular Order I was invited to establish transitional norms for the Province’s revised attend this ceremony with the Servite Community and legal status; b) a delegate of the Prior General will the periti of the Canonical Tribunal. Cecilia was be appointed to work with the local priors – creating a clothed in the Servite Third Order habit with the Ser- sort of “council” – to support the Spanish Friars and vite Scapular and the Seven Dolor Rosary. Her body promote discussion and the exchange of information; looked intact and mummified. Once the canonical c) a survey will be conducted in all the Provinces of formalities were taken care of Cecilia was dressed in the Order on the Spanish Province’s reversion to the the Mantellate Sisters’ habit – something she desired legal status of a Delegation; d) the Spanish Delega- at the time of her death. We carried her body into the tion will begin cooperating with a Servite jurisdiction church and then sang the First Vespers of our Seven that will incorporate it and with which it will draw up a Holy Founders. The Bishop presided and spoke with contract; e) the 213th General Chapter (Pietralba great feeling of his joy and gratefulness for the 2013) will review the progress made and evaluate chance to participate in this very important event. these guidelines. Fra Luciano M. Masetti GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR ON-GOING JURISDICTIONS AND PRIORIES FORMATION DEIR RAFAT, ISRAEL Following the mandate of the 2007 General Chap- ter in Ariccia, the Secretary General for On-Going Formation has prepared the final theme for perma- nent formation during 2012. The theme is With Mary: a discussion of problems with the status of women. In his preface Fra Rhett M. Sarabia, the Secretary, describes the abundance of material, the problems and the complexity of this subject: the status of wom- en differs enormously from continent to continent; our perspectives on this subject are overwhelmingly mas- culine. The document will be sent to all the Curia’s e- mail addresses and will also be found on the Order’s website: www.servidimaria.net in the Resources/ Formation / On-going Formation menus. MARIANUM PONTIFICAL THEOLOGICAL Fr. Ángel M. Camarillo, S.B. Mons. Fouad Twal, Fr. FACULTY Ángel M. Ruiz Garnica, Fr. Roch M. Boulanger Meeting with the President of the Marianum Pontifical Theological Faculty For the first time in the Order’s history Servites During its February 2, 2012 session, the new celebrated the Feast of the Seven Holy Founders in President of the Marianum Pontifical Theological the Holy Land. The Prior General, Fra Ángel M. Faculty (since June 1, 2011) Fra Salvatore M. Per- Ruiz Garnica presided at the celebration. At noon on rella, reported on the Marianum’s activities and chal- February 17, 2012 at the Shrine of Our Lady, Queen lenges. He began by describing his contentment of Palestine, some sixty people took part in a solemn with the new service in which he is engaged and the celebration in honor of our Seven Holy Founders. A smooth passage of institutional responsibility in- Melchite Catholic Bishop and the Patriarchal Vicar, volved. He then presented an overview of the Facul- Youssef Jules Zerey, were in attendance. Twelve ty and its positive and negative aspects. Fortunately priests from religious congregations in the Holy Land the positive elements outnumber the negative. He concelebrated. The Sisters of Bethlehem, the As- noted the increased enrollment – there are now 204 sumption of Our Lady, Saint Bruno, Saint Dorothy and many lay people joined us in our celebration. There was an atmosphere of genuine liturgical festivity with readings and songs in various languages: French, Arabic, Spanish and Italian. After Mass we gathered in the Sanctuary dining room to enjoy local food and have a chance to get to know each other. Our cele- bration was marked by a family atmosphere. Later a smaller group of priests joined us in our little house to taste Gemma d’Abeto. We were grateful that they had attended our Feast. JAMUNDI, COLOMBIA: COMMUNITY OF SANTA MARIA DE LOS SIERVOS

After a Triduum in honor of our Seven Holy Found- ers we celebrated the feast in our parish church. A large number of people attended. A group of boys – Servite Youth - formed a choir that accompanied the Mass. These boys are all eager to embrace our spirit- uality and hope to create a youth movement that fol- ro, the novice master, Fra René Pontel and Fra Fábio lows the example of our Seven Holy Fathers. During Luiz Ribeiro; eight novices: five Brazilians, Adecacio Mass twenty-three young men began a period of intial Barros do Nascimento, Dalcione Rosso Correa, formation in this youth group. João Paulo Souza Lima, José Pablo de Menezes Fra Julian Araque, OSM Lira and Luís André de Lima Correia; one Italian: Da- ANAHEIM, US CHAPTER OF ELECTIONS, 2012 vide Moscogiuri (ANN) and two novices from Mozam- bique: Edson Artur João and Nelson Pedro Madoda. I found that the confirmation of the Assistant Provin- We spent some initial time together as a fraternity – cial and the three Provincial Counselors to be the most prayer, work and formation meetings and then on Feb- impressive act of the chapter. The confirmation took ruary 17, the Solemnity of our Seven Holy Founders, place in the Theater of Servite High School during a the novitiate was officially inaugurated. Fra Paulo M. liturgy for the Solemn Feast of the Seven Holy Found- Angeloni, the Prior Provincial, presided at a Eucharis- ers. Assembled there were the 950 plus all boy student tic Celebration in which Bishop Emeritus Dom João M. body, organized into eight priories, each with the name Messi, the local parish priest, sisters from Servite con- of a Founder and Philip (Benizi). After a challenging gregations and the community’s friends took part. homily, inviting the students to imitate the Founders, by the Prior Provincial, John Fontana, the newly elect- ROME: SAN MARCELLO CHURCH ed were confirmed in office by the Vicar General, On Saturday, February 18, Franco Azzalli. At the conclusion of the Mass, the Pope Benedict XVI created the “cool” Bishop Jose Luis Ponce de Leon of the Vicari- Archbishop of Florence, Msgr. ate Apostolic of Ingwavuma spoke to the students Giuseppe Betori, a cardinal. At about his youth and soccer days in Argentina. Speak- St.Peter’s the Pope placed on his ing to the students in English and Spanish, he men- head the red hat, the symbol of his tioned how he would like to see a closer relationship rank as a cardinal. It’s red color between the high school Star of the See in Africa and symbolizes the martyrdom new Servite in Anaheim. His remarks drew thundering ap- cardinals must be ready to face. plause and affirming hoots. Next the Vicar General The Archbishop was also given a spoke of his youth in Turin, Italy. He shared how he cardinal’s ring with images of Sts. resisted the vocation call. His sincerity was enhanced Peter and Paul as well as an eight-pointed star repre- by his struggle to speak to the students in English. His senting the Mother of God. Like all cardinals he was efforts were affirmed by loud applause and warm given a Roman titular church. The Archbishop of Flor- hoots. The final speaker was the “Prior General” of the ence was assigned San Marcello al Corso. This was student body. His message—GO SERVITE— only fitting: for centuries the Servants of Mary have electrified the students into a growing thunderous pep cared for the church and their Order was born in the rally! I was impressed that we are doing something Archbishop’s diocese, Florence. right at the school and both the lay administration and the committed Servite Friars there have instilled a spirit YANGON, MYANMAR (FORMERLY BURMA) that is around “since 1233.” “Greetings from Fra Soosai Maria, OSM, in Myan- Michael Doyle, O.S.M. mar. I am well now (ed. Fra Soosai had been seriously ill) and I hope you are too. I thank you with all my heart for your prayers and the help of every sort you have TERESOPOLIS, BRAZIL provided for our mission in Myanmar. We are building Our novitiate community is complete. It comprises a house of formation which should be completed by the three solemn professed friars: Fra João Carlos Ribei- end of March 2012. We hope to establish our commu- nity by mid-January when two of our friars will arrive: Thomas and Alexander, both of whom are Myanmar ordained Fra Oldair José M. Gonçalves (BRA) a citizens. It would make me very happy to see our deacon. Myanmar mission on stable footing when the Indian - Our prayers are with the four friars of the Indian Vicariate becomes a province! I would ask you to Province who will be ordained deacons in March: remember us in your prayers and to continue helping Alexander Irudayaraj M. Mariasoosai (March 19, us in our pastoral and formation work. You are in our 2012); Thomas Selvaraj M. Moses (March 19, thoughts and we wish you well.” Fra Soosai Maria 2012); Viyagula Antony Raja M. Mariyadoss (March 29, 2012); Dominic John Paul M. Antony AYSEN, CHILE (March 29, 2012). Aysén (Agenzia Fides) February 23, 2012: “Our - Congratulations to Fra Raymond M. Délisle people cry out for justice. All the problems listed in (CAN) on the fiftieth anniversary of his Solemn Pro- our petitions reflect the State’s lack of concern or fession (March 4, 1962). interest. I say State and not Government. We are not against this government, nor any past or future THE SERVITE FAMILY government. We have been presenting these peti- tions for years now and in spite of all the signed doc- TWENTY-SEVENTH SERVITE NIGHT MARCH uments and promises nothing has been done. This is Please the cause of our dissastisfaction. Our patience has keep the been stretched to the limit and is now reaching its night be- end.” These are the words of Msgr. Luis Infanti del- tween Sat- la Mora OSM, the Apostolic Vicar of Aysén, spoken urday May in one of his many recent interviews with the media. 5 and Sun- He was talking about the petitions local people have day May 6 forwarded to the state for help and justice. open. That NEW PROVINCIAL COUNCILS night the Servite  The Tyrolese Provincial Chapter (February 6 -10, March or- 2012) elected Fra Fero M. Bachorik, Socius Pro- ganized by vincial and Fra Martin M. Lintner, Silvo M. Bach- UNIFASI orik and Alexander M. Reimann as provincial will be councilors. held. The  On February 15, 2012 the USA Province elected general Fra Gerald M. Horan, Socius Provincial and Fra theme of Donald M. Siple, Fra Michael M. Pontarelli and the March Fra Michael M. Guimon as provincial councilors. is: My passion is to sing of love. It was inspired by the We wish them all a successful and fraternal ser- spiritual thoughts of the Servant of God, Cecilia Eu- vice. sepi. The march is 16 km long. It will begin at the Church of St. Joseph the Worker in Civita Castellana. ORDINATIONS AND ANNIVERSARIES Participants will attend the musical “... canto l’amore” and then take part in a Mass celebrated in the Cathe- - Congratulations to dral by the Bishop of the City, Msgr. Romano Rossi. the new Bishop! At 3 PM The March involves three stages led by different on Friday, February 24, groups. At the end we will meet in the San Tolomeo 2012, Msgr. Gaétan M. Church in Nepi where Cecilia Eusepi’s remains rest. Proulx (CAN) made a We will be given a special souvenir of the March. For profession of faith and further information please write to Fra Massimo M. swore an oath of loyalty Chechile, [email protected] and/or Rosanna in the Archbishop’s pri- Marchionni, President of UNIFASI [email protected] vate chapel. At 10 AM on Saturday, February

25, 2012 Msgr. Proulx’s smile An innocent episcopal consecration began in the Basilica of St. Anne, Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Canada. The service lasted a little less than three hours. Present were 42 bishops, 250 priests (many Servites) and an overflow crowd of the faithful including relatives, friends and members of the Servite Family. - On February 12, 2012, in the parish of Nossa Senhora das Dores no Rio Comprido, Dom Orani João Tempesta, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro,