OCTOBER 2020 NO 14 ligious and lai News Re ty th AAof the Assumption e same mission EDITORIAL Fratelli tutti “Without fraternity, lived against all odds, but in joy and hope, we are condemned to be ‘resounding brass.’ Fraternal friendship is the driving force of life together.” >> Official Agenda The 100 Years of Our Lady of Lourdes at Santos Lugares Closing of the 175th Jubilee Year of the Congregation (Argentina) The centennial of this parish should have been • Friday, December 4 and Satur- celebrated on July 7, but it had to be postponed to a day, December 5, in Nîmes. later date, due to the current health crisis. While waiting, here is its history, based on the Documents concernant Plenary General Council l’histoire des Assomptionistes en Argentine (The • n° 7 : December 7-11, 2020, by Documents concerning the history of the Assumptionists videoconference. in Argentina) by Fr. Roberto Favre, a.a. • n° 8 : June 1-11, 2021. Ordinary General Councils • n° 24 : October 27-30, 2020. • n° 25 : December 16-18, 2020. • n° 26 : February 1-5, 2021. • n° 27 : March 22-26, 2021. • n° 28 : May 10-14, 2021. • n° 29 : June 4, 2021. The foundation of the Assumptionists in Buenos Aires has been a reality since September 30, 1910. A wooden chapel and a small wooden house were constructed to house the chaplain. The Bishop of La Plata, Mgr. Terrero, named Fr. Roman Heitmann as chaplain. The construction was blessed on June 4, 1911, under the patronage of Saint Anthony of Padua. May 14, 1916 : The Grotto was established, starting a Marian devo- tion that has never been interrupted and has been growing ever since. The chapel quickly became too small to receive the large crowds. When the weather permitted, many of the celebrations were conduct- ed in the Grotto. It was felt that a study had to be made concerning the building of a church and construction plans were developed without further delay. On the cover July 31, 1920 : an episcopal decree elevated the chapel of Santos The Assumption Mass on Au- Lugares to the status of a parish. gust 15 in the Basilica of Saint September 15, Fr. Antonio Silbermann went to La Plata to ask for Pius X in Lourdes marked the a change in the patronage of the church to the dedication of Our Lady 175th anniversary of our Con- of Lourdes. gregation. It was presided over October 11, 1922 : the first stone of the Our Lady of Lourdes by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Sec- Church was blessed and put down. retary of State of Pope Francis Once the work began and the parish was created, an influx of (center), surrounded by (front row, from left to right) Fr. Benoît parishioners was predicted such that it was thought that the church Bigard, Provincial of Europe, Fr. would be inadequate even before the work was finished. To quickly Benoît Grière, Superior General, deal with this expansion, the architect designed another church that and Fr. Fabien Lejeusne, Assis- would be built above the first one, the latter which would then be used tant Provincial (photo National as a crypt. Pilgrimage). 2 n OCTOBER 2020 n no 14 Editorial << Fratelli tutti Pope Francis has just given us a new frank and charitable dialogue? With this social encyclical. “All brothers!” Here encyclical, we need to reflect on our real is his solemn call for our humanity and capacity to move and change reality. our Church. The theme of fraternity is Our communities are often havens of important for us - I spoke about it in a peace and joy, but sometimes tension, letter to the congregation a few years Our communities are often havens of ago. The encyclical deepens the heart peace and joy, but sometimes tensions, of our faith: the divine filiation and the even conflicts, reach our capacity for fraternity of humanity. welcome and benevolence. We are not From this very rich text of Francis, I retain perfect, we repeat it enough not to forget the observation that we are in “a closed it, but we have to grow in holiness. world”: in spite of globalization, many Welcoming the other, considered as a people are sacrificed or marginalized. gift and not as a burden, is the key to Very vigorously, the Holy Father community success. Francis invites us denounces an instrumentalization of to rediscover benevolence (n. 222) and important words: freedom, justice, unity. this passes through elementary things: Fr. Benoît Grière His reflection on the Gospel of the Good “please”, “sorry”, “thank you”. Superior General Samaritan reminds us that “Jesus does The community exists for the Kingdom, of the Augustinians of not invite us to ask ourselves who is close and it is in the measure that we commit the Assumption to us, but to make us close.” When we ourselves with all the brothers that our meet a “stranger on the way,” we are witness is relevant. Without fraternity, brothers with him. lived against all odds, but in joy The Pope devotes the 6th chapter to and hope, we are condemned to be dialogue. For him, it is the way to open “resounding brass.” Fraternal friendship the world and build social friendship. It is the driving force of life together. is also the foundation for better politics. Dialogue is also the sincere and warm Dialogue gives birth to the culture exchange with our sisters and brothers of encounter: encounter becomes a of the Lay-Religious Alliance. Soon, lifestyle, a passion and a desire. The one on November 21, a letter will remind who dialogues is benevolent, recognizes us of the importance of the Alliance in and respects the other. In the culture of the life of the Assumption. It is good encounter, one can learn something from and necessary to relaunch the dialogue everyone, no one is useless, no one is with our lay friends to advance in the superfluous. co-responsibility and sharing of the Have we progressed in recent years Assumptionist mission and spirituality. to be authentic witnesses of universal At the Assumption, we are at the service brotherhood? At the Assumption, of the fraternity. Our spiritual resources, we often speak of internationality drawn from the Gospel and our charism, and interculturality, but do we go allow us to promote the culture of beyond the proclamation of slogans, encounter and to give the world a taste certainly beautiful and encouraging, for God. God is love and we are his but often without concrete effects? children. Have we opened our cultural spaces, Fr. Benoît Grière a.a., our conception of the world? Are our General Superior communities welcoming places for 3 >> Official Calls, nominations, agreements... Fr. Benoît Grière, Superior General, with the consent of his Council, has called: ■ TO PERPETUAL PROFESSION 1) ĐOÀN VĂN Sinh Jacques (Europe) (09/10/2020) 2) NGUYỄN ĐỨC Huyền Jean (Europe) (09 /10/2020) 1 2 3 3) NGUYEN PHÚ Cường André (Europe) (09/10/2020) 4) NGUYỄN VĂN Ngoc Joseph (Europe) (09/10/2020) 4 5 6 5) MUHINDO KAHAMBA Justin (Africa) (09/25/2020) 6) KATEMBO MASIMENGO Frédéric (Africa) (09/25/2020) ■ TO THE DIACONATE 7 8 9 7) NGUYỄN VĂN Tuân François-Xavier (Europe) (09/11/2020) 8) NDRIAMAMONJY Florent Régis (Madagascar) (09/11/2020) 10 11 12 ■ TO THE PRIESTHOOD 9) NÚÑEZ RUBIO Juan Manuel (Europe) (09/11/2020) 10) MANZANZA TSUKA Benjamin 13 (Europe) (09/11/2020) 11) SAWE MBIONGO Jean-Bosco (Africa) (09/18/2020) 12) SIVAMINYA VANGISIVAVI Bonaventure (Africa) (09/18/2020) 13) RASOLONJATOVO Jean Aimé (Madagascar) (09/18/2020) INCARDINATION INCARDINATION By the decision of Mgr. Luc Ravel, Archbishop of Par décision de Mgr Luc Ravel, archevêque de Strasbourg Strasbourg (France), dated July 6, Fr. Julian PRAJESCU JUST PUBLISHED (France), en date du 6 juillet, le P. Iulian PRAJESCU was finally granted incardination on August 15, 2020, in Fr. Benoît Grière, (Europe) a été définitivement incardiné le 15 août 2020 that diocese. He had been welcomed into the diocese ad Superior General, has just dans ce diocèse, où il était accueilli ad experimentum experimentum since October 15, 2018. published his letter no. depuis le 15 octobre 2018. 8 to the Congregation, entitled «It was I who DEATH chose you» (John 15, We have learned of the death, in the last few months, of two 16) and dealing with people who served at our Generalate: vocation. - Sr. Antonine TARDIF, of the Sisters of Saint Joan of Arc, at the The text, already service of the house from 1986 to 2006, who died on May 1, distributed in digital 2020 in Quebec City (Canada) at the age of 86 ; form by the Provinces, - Mr. Christian NONY, collaborator of our General Secretariat is also available on the assumptio.org website; a from 1994 to 2004, died on May 14, 2020 in La Madeleine printed copy will be sent to each religious as soon (France) at the age of 86 years. as possible according to the current health context in all continents. 4 n OCTOBER 2020 n no 14 175th Anniversary Jubilee << Cardinal Parolin at the Assumption : “A family of brothers, at the heart of the Church”. The Secretary of State of Pope Francis came to Lourdes on August 15 to celebrate, as part of the National Pilgrimage, the 175th 1 2 3 anniversary of the founding of the Assumptionists. On this occasion, he addressed a speech to our religious family, the full text of which follows: 4 5 6 Dear friends, Thank you very much for your invitation and your hospi- 7 8 9 tality. Having the opportunity to rejoice with you in the good that the Lord has done through your Institute since the day of 10 11 12 its foundation contributes to the growth of the spiritual man that all of us, as believers, are called to become.