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 O N T H E 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 ) 1 02-05.10 Rome – Italy • 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 Beatification of the 498 martyrs 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 Virgin 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 martyr at which Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints 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, Pope 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 God. 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 the Venerable 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 Saint 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. 2 P A S T E V E N T S 02.10.1933 Holy See grants permission to transfer the General Curia from Verona 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 Leopoldina Naudet 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 Canossa 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 Joseph 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).