Volume II Issue No.1 January-February 2014 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Casa Santo Spirito,00163 Via dei Bevilacqua 60, Rome Italy

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1 Volume II Issue No.1 January-February 2014 Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, Casa Santo Spirito,00163 Via dei Bevilacqua 60, Rome Italy o ur founder was born 170 years ago in Gunzwil, Switzerland on February 4, 1844 and baptized Josef Georg the next day. Johann Georg Amrhein, his father, died suddenly when the little boy was not yet two years old. His mother Anna Maria née Bucher was an artist s daughter. Vivid early childhood scenes recalled by Father Amrhein: His mother s laughter when before supper he recited the Our Father she had just taught him with delightful innovations. On a dreary day, not long after her husband s death, when she felt sad and was crying, little Josef also started weeping. To comfort him, Mrs. Amrhein took a sheet of paper and drew a chair, then told him to do as she did. He drew a chair, was praised, then gleefully drew chair after chair on many more papers his art career had an early start! ( Translation by Sr. Matilda Handl: May 9, 1867 letter from Paris to Auguste Dietz, a friend who had moved him to resume the reception of the sacraments) By: Sr. Raphaela S Händler, OSB Photos by Sr. Rosann Ocken, OSB everal days before January 10 the Catholic radio station repeated frequently the call that all priests, religious and lay people are to join Cardinal Polycarp Pengo in the pilgrimage to Pugu for a worthy celebration of 125 years since the destruction of the first house of the Benedictine monks and sisters. Cardinal Pengo sees Pugu as the cradle of the Catholic faith and participates in the annual pilgrimage of the Archdiocese whenever he is in the country. Actually every year there is a pilgrimage to Pugu, usually on January 11 as this is a public holiday. The real date is January 13, 1889 when Pugu was attacked by Bushiri. Brother Benedict and Brother Peter and Sr. Martha Wansing lost their lives together with some orphans. This year it was special and a crowd of about 2000 faithful assembled led by His Eminence (continued on page 2)

2 P a g e 2 Praying before the cross Cardinal Pengo officiating the mass. In attendance from the Peramiho Priory are from left to right: Sr. Julia Haule, Sr. Emmanuela Mponda, Sr. Marie Bernadette Kithuka, Sr. Rosann and Sr. Martha Mvula. Continued from page 1 Opening Mass L-R: Msgr. Villanueva,Bp. Varquez, Fr. Miro Cardinal Pengo together with his two Auxiliary Bishops, all four Benedictine Abbots including male and female Benedictines from all over. On our way by car from the Procure of the Benedictines in Kurasini we saw many Catholic women with their blue and white khangas heading to the place. The Cardinal blessed the whole crowd with holy water starting from the small chapel. Many stood in front of the Cross opposite the Chapel where the names of our deceased are written. They prayed in silence with great reverence. Between the natural stones below the cross several small papers could be seen. They are prayer petitions by people who believe in the intercessory power of our proto-martyrs. From there there was a long procession to the open air altar. Painted canvas pictures of the Brothers and Sr Martha were displayed before the altar. The Abbot of Mvimwa gave the homily. At the end the Cardinal expressed his joy to see more Benedictines than ever before. This is your place, he said. I hope I shall see you here in higher numbers every year. He had another message which came out from a very sad heart. It was his concern on the political situation in Tanzania. How can the Tanzanians entertain three governments when the basic needs for the poor are not taken care of now? This means one government for Tansania mainland, one for Zanzibar and one for all. He cited an example of the patients in Ocean Road Hospital where he visits frequently. They get not even Aspirin or Panadol, he said. All what they hear is: there are no drugs. His second concern were the different parties now already campaigning to become leaders in the elections which are up for next year. He observes that they are not looking for the common good of the people but for their own profit. All were so quiet when our Cardinal spoke from his very concerned heart. At the end papers were given to parishes in order to fund raise money for the improvement and maintenance of the place. This is your place; there are no other donors except yourselves.we do hope that our pioneer missionaries pray for all of us, that our hearts are again on fire for Jesus as our Pope Francis does not get tired to tell us. St. Peter s College (SPC), Ormoc of the Manila Priory with a total enrolment of 2075 students, celebrated its centennial from February The festivity commenced with the Holy Mass officiated by Bishop Crispin Varquez and two concelebrant SPC alumni, Msgr. Jimmy Villanueva and Fr. Erwin Miro. The school was established in In 1930 the Benedictine Sisters were called to the Visayas for the upgrading of St. Peter s Institute, a diocesan school in Ormoc, Leyte. In 1946 the Missionary Benedictine Sisters took over the administration and the school was renamed St. Peter s Academy. When it started accepting college students, it became St. Peter s College. The school and the convent was badly hit by the typhoon in October 2013.

3 V o l u m e 1, I s s u e 4 Five sisters from Daegu made their final profession at their Priory House Chapel on February 10. They are Sr. Pauline Park, Sr. Haeseong Kim, Sr. Josephina Jeon, Sr. Fransoa Lee and Sr. Stephanie Park. Likewise Sr. Dione Belo de Oliviera, Sr. Mychele Anne da Silva Menezes and Sr. Rosangela De Freitas Silva from Olinda had their final profession at the Igreja da Misericordia on February 15. DAEGU P a g e 3 L-R: Sr. Josephina, Sr. Pauline, Sr. Haeseong, Sr. Stephanie and Sr. Fransoa OLINDA Sr. Bernadette Sr. Edilania Sr. Gloria Sr. Raimunda Sr. Adelheidis Sr. Celestine Sr. Bernadette Nzuve arrived from Nairobi on January 13 and Sr. Edilania Leite de Figueiredo from Sorocaba on January 25. Both are in Peramiho on a two-year assignment. Sr. Ma. da Gloria Silva Querino from the Olinda Priory is in Los Toldos, Argentina for a fouryear transfer effective January 2. She has already served Los Toldos for the past two years. Sr. Raimunda Guedes da Silva from Olinda arrived in Rome on February 19 for a four-year transfer. Sr. Adelheidis Florin from Windhoek (February 15), Sr. Celestine Mariño(February 19) and Oblate Trinidad Malabed (February 11)both from Rome are all transferred now to Haus St. Benedict. Obl. Trinidad served the Casa for the last 40 years. God bless all our Oblate Trinidad transferes. L-R:Sr. Ma. Rosangela, Sr. Mychele and Sr. Ma. Dione Sr. Terese Zemale welcomed the Junior Intensifiers in Ndanda, 3 from Nairobi and 3 from Windhoek. The 6-month program which is based in Kenya started in October 2013 and ends in March S. Terese writes, They have already had a number of pilgrimages. They were in Bagamoyo, Pugu, St Joseph Cathedral Msimbasi and Kurasini. For this part, the historian telling the story was Fr Abbot Siegfried who has written a lot about all these and about Ndanda Abbey History. Fr. L-R: Sr Clementina Ngewa, Sr Raphaela Maseki, Sr Therese Ameya,Sr Maria Paula Mwendjilile; Sr Terese Zemale; Sr Susana Nangolo, Sr. Tecla Mkevi

4 P a g e 4 MEETINGS M. Angela Strobel attended the Union of International Superiors General (UISG) of Rome at Via di Monte Cucco on January The theme of the gathering was Living Fruitfully our Servant Leadership. Topics that were discussed were the following: Leadership Style. Shared Leadership, and Canonical Visitation. CIB By: S. Mary Jane Vergotz, OSB The Communio Internationa l i s B e n e d i c t i n a r u m ( C I B ) Administrative Council and the 2014 CIB Symposium Planning Team met at Sant Antonio Abate Monastery in Rome from January 13 to the 16 to work on preparations for the symposium in September Sr. Judith Ann Heble, Moderator, M. Thérèse-Marie Dupagne, Assistant Moderator, Sr. Mary John Mananzan and Sr. Metilda George represented the Administrative Council. Members of the Symposium Planning Team include: Sr. Juliann Babcock and Sr. Susan Barber, Liturgists; Sr. Lumen Gloria Dungca and M. Aracelli Escurzon, Facilitators; Sr. Mary Luke Jones, Coordinator and Sr. Mary Jane Vergotz, CIB Secretary. The Planning Team met at Sant Anselmo with Fr. Elias Lorenzo and Fr. Methodius Voelkel to work out the arrangements for the meeting. The Sisters joined the Sant Anselmo Community for prayer and dinner. CIB Administrative Council and Planning Team L-R: Sr. Metilda, Sr. Lumen, Sr. Juliann, Sr. Mary Luke, Sr. Judith, Sr. Mary Jane, Sr. Mary John, M.Thérèse-Marie, Sr. Susan and M. Araceli MONTEVERGINE The Generalate met with M. Ildegarde Capone and the council of the Benedictine Sisters of Montevergine at the Casa Santo Spirito on February 16. They evaluated the first year of the three-year probationary period of the Montevergine s request to integrate into the congregation and the assistance given them for the novitiate in Sri Lanka. L-R: Sr. Salete, Sr. Emilia, Sr. Lumen Gloria, M. Ildegarde, M. Angela, Sr. Cecilia, Sr. Antonietta, Sr. Caridad and Sr. Bernarda. Conference of Benedictine Prioresses (CBP) By: Sr. Pia Portmann, OSB The Benedictine Prioresses from all over USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas and Mexico meet every year for their Conferences in different locations. Two years ago Immaculata Monastery hosted the conference. This year we are with the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, in Atchison, Kansas. The 48 Prioresses started their Conference on January 31 with a Focus Conversation on the future of Benedictine monasticism. It was facilitated by Sr. Kerry O Reilly from St. Benedict Monastery in Minnesota. We had intense and fruitful discussion, listened to 4 Benedictine women under age of 55 on how they see their future and what the next step will look like. On February 1 we had our business meeting and then each federation met. February 2, the feast of the Presentation of our Lord, was reserved for outings. Twenty of us visited Conception Abbey, Minnesota. (continued on page 5)

5 V o l u m e 1, I s s u e 4 P a g e 5...continued from page 4. After some explanation and tour of the renovated Basilica we visited the Benedictine Sisters of the Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Minnesota. Here I visited a dear old friend of mine, S. Pia and S. Paula Sr. Paula Thompson, OSB I met 20 years ago at the Novice and Directress Institute in Ferdinand, Indiana. We kept connected all the years and now she is in the assisted living of the monastery. The next two days were days of recollection with some input from Sr. Irene Nowell, OSB, on Women of Hope: Old Testament Women Speaking to Us Today. This CBP meeting is the best of all the meetings where we shared with other prioresses the concerns and struggle each has to experience in her community. It is a real blessing to meet all these wonderful Benedictines. SEOUL BIRTH OF TWO COMMUNITIES By: Sr. Terra An, OSB The Sand-Play Therapy Center was opened in Jeju Island and was blessed on January 15. Last year Fr. Uil Kang Peter, the Bishop of Jeju diocese asked the sisters for pastoral help for children and youth who particularly need special care. In response to this request on April 30 last year three sisters were sent and opened the new community in Jeju. They are Sr. Theresa Kim and Sr. Petro Shin for the counseling center and Sr. Angela Park for the Jeju diocese. After a few months they were joined by Sr. Dionysia Cho. Bishop Kang Peter did the blessing with about 20 priests and sisters in Jeju diocese and approximately 100 people present. We deeply thank Bishop Kang Peter and the others who have given much help. The Jeju diocese provided the house of the sisters and the place for the center without any payment. L-R: Bishop Kang Peter, Sr.Theresa Kim, Sr.Angela Park, Sr. Dominica Kim, M. Rose Marie Hwang and the Jeju Convent ANGOLA The Generalate gave permission to the region of Angola on January 19 to open Waku Kungo as an outreach community of Kikolo. Sr. Domingas Fanzona Candimba is now in charge of the community. DAEGU to Sr. Electa Kim of the Daegu Priory who was given an award of excellency for her thesis, A Human Perspective in 2Samuel 24 at the P h i l o s o p h i s c h - Sr. Electa receiving her T h e o l o g i s c h e award. H o c h s c h u l e S a n k t G e o r g e n MADRID in Frankfurt, Germany on January 22. Benedictine Oblates to the Filipina Oblates of Barcelona, Spain who were prepared by Sr. Ma. Gratia Balagot and Sr. Jania Keogh for the renewal of their oblation on January 19. L-R: Sr. Mary Benedict, Sr. Agnes, Sr. John Paul, M. Angela, Sr. Anselma and Sr. Laura. The participants of the International Juniorate Program in Rome were in their different costumes during the celebration of St. Maur and Placid on January 15.

6 P a g e 6 REVIEW OF STATUTES AND REGULATIONS Sisters from the Region of Angola with their superior Sr. Alice Ferreira (kneeling third from left) ANGOLA. Sr. Timotea Kronschnabl and the sisters of the region of Angola gathered from January to review their statutes and plan for the year. During their assembly a Dominican priest gave a talk on the challenges of the new evangelization in the context of Angola. ROME. The sisters of the Casa Community had their community days from February 3-5 where they made revisions in their regulations. MEDICAL MISSION TEAM TO TACLOBAN The medical mission team of Changwon Fatima Hospital of Daegu Priory was in Tacloban from February The team consisted of four medical doctors, four nurses including two sisters, one pharmacist and her assistant and two managers. Sister Caritas Lee served as the contact person. The typhoon victims of Tacloban were grateful to the medical mission team. Sr. Daniela Rieger, OSB died in Tutzing on December 25, 2013 Sr. Clemens Park, OSB died in Daegu on December 29, 2013 Sr. Mediatrix Lutz died in Tutzing on January 18. Sr. Felicia Ziegler died in Tutzing on January 27. Sr. Stanislava Bratanova died in Zarevbrod on February 6. Sr. Soledad Hilado died in Manila on February 10. ERRATUM: The family name of Sr. Columba is Kim and not Lee as it appeared in the November- December 2013 Lifestream issue, page 3. That in all things God may be glorified. M. Angela (center) and the Casa Community Pantocrator RENOVATION OF THE St. Benedict BARBALHA CHAPEL by: Sr. Eva Maria Regis, OSB We want to share our renovated Chapel in Barbalha of the Olinda Priory that has undergone transformation. In a project of Father Silvano Onofre Amorim, architect and disciple of Claudio Pastro, the work brought together elements of the most modern design. In front of the chapel is a bell tuned in B flat with a c o m p u t e r i z e d d r i v e. At the background behind the altar, is a beautiful mosaic - the Pantocrator done by Claudio Pastro. This is a reinterpretation of the Byzantine Pantocrator. At the right side is the image of St. Benedict carved in wood. Our Chapel, the Saint Benedict Chapel, is open daily to the faithful who come to celebrate the Eucharist with us or silently adore before the Blessed Sacrament. With our warm wishes, The Generalate