Rome, January 10, 2016
Dear Brothers,
Since this is our first monthly communiqué of the year, on behalf of the General Administration, let me wish you a most Blessed 2016. In the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the year of the 170th anniversary of the Apparition of La Salette, we pray that the themes of mercy, reconciliation, conversion and hope may feature prominently in your ministry, your community life and your personal experience of God’s presence. And may Our Lady of La Salette, in her maternal tenderness, accompany our journey throughout this year.
Since Fr. Silvano’s Christmas letter, we celebrated Christmas in the General House. Fr. Neil and I celebrated Mass with the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, while the rest of the Administration joined the parish next door for Midnight Mass; Christmas morning we again joined the parish. Fr. Adilson departed for Brazil on December 29. He will take vacation, join the Province for their Assembly and preach their annual retreat this year.
Everyone in the General House celebrated the passing of the year watching the fireworks from our rooftop and enjoying a bit of hot mulled wine and spumante with panettone. Again, we joined the parish for Mass on New Year’s Day.
On January 2 there was a send-off lunch and official “good-bye” in my honor, as I prepared to depart the General House for France. In fact, I left the house on January 4. I am writing this from the Shrine of l’Hermitage in Noiretable, where I am spending two weeks. The next two weeks are planned to be spent at Quezac. I will then be attending language school in Angers for four weeks. One hopes that will get my French up to par, so that I can join in the community life and ministry at the Shrine at La Salette.
The afternoon of January 2, Frs. Silvano and Alex left for Angola. Fr. Silvano is presiding at the province’s second Provincial Chapter. Fr. Alex is taking advantage of this time to explain the Congregation’s accounting practices and expectations, so that the Province can standardize their own procedures. The Chapter is proceeding as I write this, and we will notify you of election results as soon as we have them.
The Chapter opened with a memorial Mass in honor of Fr. Robert Harder, for a number of years the “dean” of our Congregation at 101 years old. Fr. Harder (district of Switzerland, Province of Poland), died a few months shy of his 102nd birthday. He spent many years in Angola, and left his mark on the mission, region and province there. He is also the founder of the Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, with whom we Missionaries have maintained a relationship. In fact, Fr. Belarmino preached a retreat this month to the members of their Community in Rome.
While the Province of Angola was honoring Fr. Harder at the opening of its Chapter, Frs. Belarmino and Celestino traveled from Rome and were attending the funeral Mass in Switzerland, in the name of the General Administration, and as members of the Province of Angola.
The General House has begun helping with confessions at the parish on weekends, someone being assigned to help every Saturday or Sunday. Not only does this help as the care of the parish moves from the Province of Italy to the care of the General Council; but Fr. Silvano tells us that it captures something of the history of the parish being connected to the General House, when the parish was known as a place to come for confessions. In this Year of Mercy, this is most appropriate.
As we look ahead, we call your attention to the upcoming Provincial Chapter of the Province of India. Fr. Efren will preside at this chapter at the end of the month. Please keep them in prayer.
Finally, we remind you that the PPP this year will take place at La Salette from March 19 through April 16. It is not too early to apply for the necessary documents for those students needing visas. Please do not wait, since we would not want to lose a participant due to bureaucracy! Fr. Louis de Pontbriand would be happy to supply the letter of invitation to anyone needing such.
Blessings upon you all and upon each member of your Province,
Sincerely,
Fr. Joe Bachand, M.S.
