1. New Provincial Council - Immacolate Conception Province (IC)

The General Council has approved the results of the elections of the North American Province 'Immaculate Conception' (IC): Fr. Peter Sticco - Provincial Rector; Fr. Frank Donio - First Consultor; Fr. Frank Amato, Fr. Bernard Carman and Br. James Beamesderfer - Consultors. The new Council will begin their term on May 15th 2012.

Wednesday, 02 May 2012 | 315 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

2. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council of Culture, and renowned Bible scholar will transmit four installments of the television programme on religious culture and topical issues 'The Frontier of the Spirit' from the Church of San Salvatore in Onda where the remains of St Vincent Pallotti are to be found, This special event is inserted into the initiatives for the 50th anniversary of the Canonisation of St Vincent Pallotti, begun on January 20th past, that will take place in the Church of San Salvatore in Onda, Spiritual Centre of the Union of Catholic Apostolate and place of prayer and welcome for all those who wish to participate in thanking God for the gifts received and to praise Him for the canonisation of our Holy Founder. The series of the programme 'The Frontier of the Spirit' will be broadcast on Channel 5 at 8.45 on Sunday: 29th April- 6th May- 13th May- 20th May. This represents an extraordinary occasion to know the Church of San Salvatore in Onda, in which, during this Jubilee Year, a Plenary Indulgence is granted by the Holy Father and is gained subject to the normal conditions by those who go there in pilgrimage. The thanks and the gratitude of all the Pallottine family goes to Cardinal Ravasi and through him we wish to renew our full communion with the Pope and strengthen our apostolic work at the service of the universal Church 'to revive faith and reawaken charity', following the path of St Vincent. VIDEO

Wednesday, 02 May 2012 | 325 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

3. Meeting of the Permanent Working Group for Africa

The Permanent Working Group for Africa, appointed by the General Council on 19th October 2011, consisting of four experienced confreres – Fr. Stanisław Filipek (SF), Fr. John Kelly (IR), Fr. Steffen Brühl (CJ) and Fr. Romuald Uzabumwana (SF) – will hold its first meeting on 15th and 16 May 2012, at Kigali, Rwanda. The Bursars of all the Pallottine entities present in Africa are also invited to this important meeting. The objective of this gathering is to coordinate and plan together the various aspects of Pallottine life in Africa, especially the economic management. In a letter dated 14th April 2012, the Rector General has further requested this group to look into the possibility of creating a System of Supervision of the Financial Management of the Common Houses of Formation in Africa, which will be constantly monitored by the General Council. Formation is the field that requires much attention, personnel and finance at the moment. The Pallottine presence in Africa is built on collaboration and it should continue. Therefore, this meeting will deliberate on ways and means to coordinate the Common Houses of Formation, especially from the financial point of view. It is hoped that these issues are discussed in the forthcoming Consultative Congress of Majors Superiors from 14-22 October at Thurles, Ireland and certain concrete and lasting decisions are made for the good of our communities in the African Continent.

Thursday, 26 April 2012 | 448 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

4. Official Visitation in Portugal (RJ)

The General Consultor, Fr Gilberto Orsolin completed the Official Visitation, with a good time-tabling, to the local communities of the Rio de Janeiro Region (RJ) at Odivelas/ Lisbon and at Febres/Coimbra in Portugal from March 24th- 31st, 2012. There, whilst the Pallottines do not have property, apart from two cars, their lifestyle is adequate to their needs and their pastoral activities. There are constructive relations between the two communities that meet together every so often especially for birthdays. At Odivelas, a city of more than 80,000 inhabitants, four confreres are involved in parish apostolate that involves five places. Nearby there is a large cemetery with five chapels where about twenty funerals are celebrated weekly. At Febres/ Coimbra, the pastoral care of five parishes is entrusted to two confreres who also visit the hospices and the hospitals. They collaborate well with the bishops and the local clergy who greatly appreciate their apostolic obligation. The formation of laity, in the monthly meetings, is encouraging with many good prospectives for the Union of Catholic Apostolate, but the youth ministry is also very alive. At Odivelas, for example, more than 600 children and youth participate in the catechesis and follow many pastoral movements.

Thursday, 26 April 2012 | 545 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

5. Official Visitation in Mozambique (SM) e Zambia (NA)

From 23rd- 31st March 2012, the First Consultor Fr Adam Golec made the Official Visitation to the local communities of the Santa Maria Province (SM) in Mozambique and those of the Epiphany of the Lord Province (NA) in Zambia. In the visit to the missions in Mozambique - from March 23rd-25th 2012, Fr Adam Golec went to the stations at Inharrime and at Quissico, where the confreres are involved in pastoral activities in two parishes. It is the youngest mission of the Province 'Mary the conqueress' (SM) started only in 1999. The first years, as the confreres recounted, were difficult but now the local population accepts them. Two priests a Brother and a seminarian work at Inharrime and at Quissico there are three priests and a seminarian. Their parishes are large with many distant pastoral communities. The communitarian style of life is very simple adapted to the poverty that is everywhere. In collaboration with the faithful, they have built churches with bamboo cane like the new houses of formation at Inharrime. There are currently eight students attending Pallottine formation, another three participate in the international programme for Pallottine students in South Africa. The pastoral vocations are a true potential for the future. The official visitation to the local communities of the 'Epiphany of the Lord' Province (NA) in Zambia took place from March 26th-31st, 2012. Three Pallottine confreres are working in a parish of the Archdiocese of Lusaka and in a formation house, outside the city. The people appreciate the pastoral routine and the Bishop has great regard for religious, as is exemplified in the request to take over another parish. Our future however is in the formation of new candidates. The confreres have bought a nice piece of ground not adequate for agriculture but useful for other activities. There they are building a new formation house which could house up to twelve students. The offerings from the people for the apostolate are sufficient for the necessities of daily life, but to have other income they produce bricks that they sell and they rent two houses that they have bought. The three confreres of the Nagpur Province are developing their missionary activity with a spirit of sacrifice and creativity.

Thursday, 26 April 2012 | 466 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

6. Fr. Jacob Nampudakam interviewed by Vatican Radio

The Rector General, Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, was interviewed by Vatican Radio on 8th March 2012 on the theme of New Evangelisation and on the vision of our Founder and the contributions of the Pallottines to the Church and the world today in this regard. The interview was done by a young Journalist called Chiara Spoletini who has certainly done a profound research on the spirituality, charism and apostolic commitments of St. Vincent Pallotti in Rome. The very relevant and pertinent questions asked during this interview were capable of contributing to a creative interpretation of Pallotti and his Ecclesial vision for the world today. images/mp3/Jacob_13marzo2012B.mp3

Wednesday, 18 April 2012 | 516 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

7. Official Visitation to the "Mother of Divine Love" Province

The Official Visitation to the "Mother of Divine Love" Province (IR) was done, from 22 to 31 March 2012, by Rector General, Fr. Jacob Nampudakam and General Consultor, Fr. Martin Manus. Since the Province has a long missionary tradition, there are very few fields of apostolic activities in Ireland itself. In the actual situation of the society and the Church in Ireland, we feel challenged to commit ourselves even more in this country itself and , in this way, to contribute more to the life of the Local Church through the realisation of our charism, without neglecting, at the same time, the missionary dynamism of the Province. Both in the two Pallottine parishes of Shankill and Corduff and in our Retreat House at Thurles, we can discover a strong Pallottine spirit, which continues to inspire many faithful and serves as a living testimony of our charism. The good number of seven seminarians that we have in Ireland at the moment enables us to have a greater hope for the future of the Province and encourages the confreres to make even greater efforts to promote vocations. The Visitation was concluded with a meeting with the Provincial Rector, Fr. Jeremiah Murphy and his Council, followed by a meal together in a typical Irish way. PHOTO

Saturday, 14 April 2012 | 511 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

8. Official Visitation to the Pallottine Entities in the United

The Official Visitation to the Pallottine Entities in the United Kingdom took place from the 19th to the 28th of March 2012. In the south of England, around the capital, the two visitators, Fr. François Harelimana and Fr. Markus Reck met ten confreres of the Irish Delegature in Becontree, Barking, Hastings and Greenford. The pastoral service of the Pallottines in parish work is very much appreciated and has a long tradition who already in the year 1880 built Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Hastings. Even though Catholics are a minority on the British mainland, Masses are well-attended not only on Sundays and Catholic schools enjoy a good reputation. The cradle of the first Pallottine mission is found in the centre of London, in the Italian Church of St. Peter's where two confreres, one Italian and the other Polish, carry out their pastoral service primarily for Italian speaking people. It was 1845 when Pallotti, together with Fr. Raphael Melia, planned this Church. The second part of the official visitation took place in Scotland where six Polish confreres currently live: four from the Poznań Province, and two from the French Region. The highpoint was undoubtedly the institution of the first Local Community, in Edinburgh, composed of four confreres. For the solemn celebration of March 26th Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, came in person and presided at the Mass. In his address he expressed gratitude for the highly regarded presence of the Polish Pallottines and for the good collaboration in the years up to now. PHOTO

Tuesday, 10 April 2012 | 569 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

9. Continental meeting of Pallottine Formators in Africa

The annual meeting of the General Secretariat for Formation took place in Kibeho in Rwanda from the 20th to the 28th of February 2012, on the occasion of the meeting of Pallottines responsible for Formation in Africa. The work therefore took place in two stages: A. The meeting of the General Secretariat for Formation. All of the members of the Secretariat were present (Fr. François Harelimana, Fr. Derry Murphy (IR), Fr. Mariusz Malkiewicz (WA), Fr. Romuald Uzabumwana (SF), Fr. Valdeci De Almeida (SP), Br. Stephen Buckley (IR) e Fr. Antony Dhas (NA)). The following points were laid out in the agenda: 1) Reflect on the decisions of the XX General Assembly with respect to formation; 2) Draw up the evaluation forms which will be used by formators; 3) The Newsletter "Bethlemme": plan all of the numbers for 2012; 4) The summer Courses which take place in the International Centre of Pallottine formation; 5) The conference on the vocation of Brothers in the SAC, planned to take place in Poland from the 9th to the 14th of March 2013. B. Formation of Formators and the continental meeting of Pallottine Formators in Africa. After the three days of work of the Secretariat, there was a meeting of twenty one male and female Pallottine formators who work in Africa, from the following countries:: Cameroon (1), the Ivory Coast (1), South Africa (2), Mozambique (1), Nigeria (1), Tanzania (2 sisters and 2 priests), DR Congo (2 sisters and 3 priests), Rwanda (3 priests and 3 sisters). Sr. Anna Josephine D'Souza of the General Council of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters and Sr. Bellancilla Mukandahiro, Superior of the Our Lady of Kibeho Region (Rwanda e DR Congo). The themes proposed were varied and very interesting: "Aspects of pedagogy according to St. Vincent Pallotti" (Fr. Jean Nepomusceno), "The challenges of vocation promotion in Africa today" (Fr. Gerard Kamegeri and Fr. James Amasi), "The vocation and formation of the Pallottine Brother" (Br. Stephen Buckley), "Towards a culture of ongoing formation" (Fr. Mariusz Malkiewicz), "Criteria of discernment during initial formation" (Fr. Antontio Valdeci), "Accompaniment during initial formation" (Fr. Romuald Uzabumwana), "The Union of Catholic Apostolate" (Fr. Jeremiah Murphy). During the final two days of the meeting, some proposals were drawn up, directed towards the Superiors, who will evaluate them during the Continental Meeting of the Major Superiors in Africa. There were lovely days for spiritual, intellectual and community growth in the shadow of the Marian Shrine, discreetly accompanied by the "Mother of the Word". We take this opportunity to thank the Pallottine confreres and sisters of Kibeho in a special way for their hospitality and service which allowed these meetings to be effective. PHOTO

Tuesday, 10 April 2012 | 588 hits | Print | PDF |  Email

10. Encounter of the Pallotti Institute - March 2012

On March 8th 2012 the first of four encounters programmed by the Pallotti Institute Rome took place on the guiding theme of 'Nourish the hope'. 'A world without God is a world without hope. Reflections on the Encyclical Spe Salvi of Benedict XVI were the theme of the first talk given by Fr Gianfranco Grieco OFMConv, journalist and writer. He is head of the Office of the Pontifical Council for the Family. At the beginning he underlined that the Encyclical Spe Salvi (November 30th, 2007) is preceded by Deus Caritas Est (December 25th 2005) and followed by Caritas in veritate (June 29th 2009). To gather the historical and existential importance of the encyclical Spe Salvi one must hold this trilogy in consideration together. 'We hope that we shall be saved' (Romans 8.24) - writes St Paul and we too remember this. 'Salvation' according to Christian faith- Fr Grieco exhorted- is not a simple fact; hope is offered given and entrusted to us. In view of this, we can face our present: the present 'difficult', dramatic, uncertain and terrible. This our present can be accepted and lived if one leads oneself towards a destination and if this destination is so great as to justify the fatigue of the journey. Hope in the Bible is linked to faith. Fr Grieco lingered on the transformation of Christian faith-hope in modern times against secular hopes and socio-political falls in the course of 20th century history and on places of learning and exercises of hope, prayer, actions, suffering and trials. In the concluding part, he presented the Church as a place of hope and the Virgin Mary as an example of lived hope.

Sunday, 01 April 2012 | 714 hits | Print | PDF |  Email