Live Jesus in our hearts!

Transcription

1 1 SIGNUM FIDEI Live Jesus in our hearts! Dear Brothers and Members of the Signum Fidei Fraternity: Cordial greetings from the Mother House. I am very happy to be in contact with you again. Rome, October 1 st 2009 I hope that you find yourselves both spiritually animated and in good health. I too am in good health, thank God, and I would like to thank all those who were concerned about my health and prayed for me in April and May when I spent some time in hospital. I regret not having been able to keep my promises to visit some American countries which were on my agenda for those months. All these visits will be programmed again. Those of us who live in the western half of the planet have just begun a new school year. Others among you will shortly be ending it. To all, my best wishes for health, spirit and devotion to the mission which each of you carries out, whether in the school, in catechesis, in social activities or in daily family or professional life. As I reminded you all about this time last year, I believe it important that we seriously take on the drawing up or final revision of the community project. Each of us ought to continue accepting and approving this dynamism which is proposed to us by our Style of Life in order to develop our life of faith, the internal relations of the community and those areas of the mission to which we are committed on a personal or community level. Forgive me if I emphasize this aspect, but I am convinced of the great value of this document. Let us not forget that one of the fundamental features of our groups and communities is the fact of being intentional, that is to say, dedicated with intention and commitment to a mission taken on by all, even though carried out in many different forms. The project expresses this intention of growing in the faith in the eyes of God, strengthening the links which unite us and dedicating ourselves to the mission entrusted to us as a community and from the community. The project expresses how the Signum Dei Fraternity is converted by all into a space of listening and of life, open to love and understanding, to fraternal correction and reconciliation. When we meet with our brothers and sisters in the faith we make an effort to promote strong bonds of friendship and Christian brotherhood. We should not forget the importance of programming times for ongoing institutional formation. In the community, the attentive listening to the word of God and the message of De La Salle come alive and turn into action and concrete commitment. The keys Faith, Community and Service (Mission)(FSC) help us all in identifying ourselves within Lasallian charism and spirituality. In the document Style of Life we find these points very well developed so as to orientate the Community Project correctly. Nevertheless, to facilitate and improve this practice each year, I am attaching on this occasion, a very wide outline, which I have already offered to some communities. I know it is impossible to consider all the points of this outline in the Project but I would invite each community, according to its history and its level of commitment, to use those points which could help them most.

2 Afterwards, it is always a good idea to share this project with the nearest community of Brothers, with the Brother Advisor, the Brother Visitor or with other nearby Signum Fidei communities. This could be a great richness above all in Districts or cities where there are various Signum Fidei. I would also invite the Brothers to share and plan along with you and with other new associates, those times of prayer, formation and action so that we will help the Lasallian Family to grow. Keep up the good work! Here in Rome we have just finished the September meeting of the General Council. Among other subjects, we have been continuing to work on the theme of Association and the Lasallian Family. A Circular is being prepared which will put together what we have been living and learning in recent years and which helps us along our path towards the future. Visits: At the end of October, during the month of November and in the first weeks of December this year, several visits are programmed. I will begin in Central America, where we will be holding a very-well prepared Assembly in the city of Managua. After that the meeting of the Superior and the General Council with all the Visitors of RELAL will take place in Costa Rica. Following that there will be a meeting with the Visitors of the United States and Canada in Cincinnati. I wish to avail of that opportunity to visit the Homestead Centre in Florida run by Signum Fidei member José Manuel Dorado, to whom we dedicate No. 3 of Witnesses ; then I will go to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico. I am grateful to Br. Adalberto Aranda for his help in the preparation of this second part of my trip. I am at your disposal for whatever is required of me in these countries and we pray for each other so that these visits will bear the fruit which the Lord expects from them. New WEB PAGE: For the past few months the new Institute Web Page has been in operation: As you will see it is organized in accordance with the new structure of government and running of the Institute. Under the Lasallian Family section you can find Signum Fidei. Collected there can be found diverse material which could be useful to everyone. The latest document has been SF Witness No.4 referring to The Life of Don Sergio Sergi: Signum Fidei and Priest. We would like to put there the links for all groups which have their own web-page, as well as the names of the Brothers Advisors and the Lay Coordinators of each group as well as their addresses. In this way we can improve communication, knowledge and mutual help between all the Signum Fidei communities in the world. I await your information. History of the Signum Fidei communities: In so far as it is possible I would be grateful to all those who could write the history of their community in two or three pages and send it to me so that we could have in the Archives an official document on the existence of your community, especially from the moment when it included consecrated members. Therefore do not fail to send a communication to Rome every time there are new consecrations. We need to arrive at the Second International Assembly of Signum Fidei with a greater knowledge of the reality of our communities: their own history, their challenges, their projects, activities, formation plans. Truly, I have to tell you that the more I get to know the diverse Signum Fidei groups and communities in the countries where they are to be found, the more I am convinced that our Fraternities are a true gift from God for the Church and for the Lasallian Mission. I encourage you to remain faithful to your commitment beyond the difficulties which you meet every day. Fraternally untied in Christ and La Salle! 2 Hno. Alberto Gómez, fsc. Consejero General

3 3 Signum Fidei NEWS Br.Raphael Louis Rafiringa, First Lasallian Blessed from Madagascar Liva Rahelimd, a teacher from Madagascar, tells us of the joy brought to the Church and the Lasallian communities of this country by the Beatification of Br.Raphael Louis Rafiringa: The celebration took place on the outskirts of the city of Tananarivo and lasted 4 hours. Some 250,000 Christians from all parts of this large island came to this place for the feast. After the reading of the Decree of Beatification all those present showed great excitement and joy. At the moment when a large picture of Br.Raphael was unveiled, a flock of pigeons flew up. After the eucharist we shared a fraternal meal. All of us put our hearts and souls into everything so that it would be a memorable day. On Monday the celebration continued with a thanksgiving eucharist at the tomb of the newly beatified. This was our great Lasallian day. Hundreds of pupils and former pupils came to the place where the body of Br.Raphael lies to pay him homage. One past pupil told me that morning that he had been unable to be present the previous day and asked for an unpaid day s leave in order to meet again with his Lasallian Family. At the end of the ceremony the Cardinal blessed the first stone of the future sanctuary of Br.Raphael. After the fraternal banquet at midday the pupils spent the evening singing and dancing to the greater glory of God. 24th Anniversary of the Fraternity in Peru On Monday August 10 th a eucharist was celebrated in Lima commemorating one more anniversary of the Signum Fidei Fraternity in Peru. The Juvenile and Teachers communities of Lima, Manos de Dios and El Buen Pastor participated in the mass. Six new members made their consecration in the presence of Br.Miguel Mendoza FSC, national Advisor and Br. Maximo Sagredo, representing the Brother Visitor, Miguel Luna. The couple Gilberto Cieza and Laura Tuesta, founders of the Fraternity in Peru, were entrusted with putting out Candle No. 24. Jorge Carranza, National Coordinator said to us: All of us Signum Fidei of Peru have put ourselves into a state of mission and preparation for celebrating our Silver Jubilee and our 6 th National Congress in We count on all your prayers. Silver Jubilee in Panama Br. José Morales informs us that on August 26 th, José Luis- Matute, engineer, married to Itzel and Professor Nelson Da Fonte, university professor, married to Rosita, celebrated the Silver Jubilee of their

4 4 Consecration as Signum Fidei in Panama. They were presented with a commemorative picture in recognition of the occasion. Along with Mr. Luis Wong, who has been consecrated for 32 years, the two people being honoured are an example of maturity and fidelity for the other 13 Signum Fidei who have between 5 and 16 years of consecration. During the prayers both gave their testimony as to how their Consecration had helped them in their personal lives, in their education mission, in their parish apostolate and in their own families. All the members of the Fraternity rejoice heartily congratulate José Luis and Nelson on their perseverance and fidelity in the Lasallian vocation of Signum Fidei. Signum Fidei: Catalunya In some places it is becoming normal that Brothers and Lay Lasallians renew their consecration on the occasion of some District feast including the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Vicente Fortunato informs us of this fact in the District of Catalunya: With great joy I inform you that on the District Day in Catalunya, the last Sunday in August, along with the Brothers who were celebrating 25 or 50 years of perpetual consecration, the Signum Fidei of the community of Tarragona, the couple Josep Mª Prats and his wife Francesca Fort, Ferran Guinart and Josep Ma. Adalid renewed their consecration for three years; from the community of Barcelona: Cayo Pérez renewed theirs for three years and the couple Alfred Corcho and Rosa Orrit for life. On the same occasion there was the renewal of commitment of the new Lasallian Associates. At the end of the Eucharist we shared a meal with all the Brothers of the District. Let us thank God for the gifts of the Lord and let us raise our petitions to Saint John Baptist De La Salle that we continue working in the field of educating small children, young people and adults and especially the most needy. The Pope s Visit to Amman, Jordan Clara Medzagopian of the Signum Fidei community in Amman has sent us a brief message on what the visit of the Pope to Jordan meant for her: Sunday May 10 th was a special day in Amman. At the sports stadium some 50,000 persons assembled to participate in the Eucharist celebrated by the Pope. It was an unforgettable day. Furthermore, some of the children that I had prepared in catechesis received their First Communion from the hands of the Pope. At my side there were people from all over the world, speaking different languages but all united in Jesus and joined with the Pope in a single heart. I will never forget it. His presence in our country signifies much for the Christians since we are a minority. What I felt cannot be expressed in words or in colours. 4th Signum Fidei Assembly Italy On September 12 th and 13 th the 4 th National Assembly of Signum Fidei in Italy took place in the Mother House in Rome. Bros. Alberto Gomez Donato Petti, Visitor of the District, were present. Each of them gave a talk to those present. During prayers on the first day, a group renewed its consecration before the relics of St. John Baptist De La Salle. On the second day there took place the election for the new National Council of Coordination, presided over by Br. Gian Piero Salvai, National Advisor. Before this election, each of the members of the Council presented his/her evaluation of the past few years. The atmosphere of the meeting was very fraternal and bold initiatives were taken to give new life to the communities of Signum Fidei in Italy, which are situated in Massa, Genoa, Vercelli, Turin, Paderno del Grappa, Rome and Milan. We congratulate the new members of the Council.

5 Twinning between Signum Fidei of Malta and of Sri Lanka 5 From Malta we were informed of a fraternal gathering of Brothers and Signum Fidei on the occasion of the Feast of the Founder. They made a pilgrimage to the little sanctuary of Our Lady of Liesse, where there is a replica of the original statue from France. The said image which dates from the 16 th Century was brought to Malta during the French occupation and for the last 60 years the Brothers have made this pilgrimage. There they pray for all Lasallian vocations Br. Louis Camillieri has also told us of the wish this year to begin a twinning between the groups of Signum Fidei in Malta and those in Sri Lanka. This will help them to open themselves up to the reality of being an international family, knowing each other better, praying for each other and collaborating in the financing of small projects. They are also looking at the possibility of some Volunteer presence next year. We would like to see this idea being carried out with other groups. Anyone interested could get in touch with me. Signum Fidei Andalucia (Spain) The District community of Signum Fidei of the District of Andalucia began the year on the last Sunday of September with its traditional gathering together with Br. Alberto Gómez, who is from that District. The meeting took place in the Hogar La Salle, a Centre dedicated to young people and animated by young Lasallians who are presently accompanying seven young Moroccans. Unlike other places, Signum Fidei is a District community. Its members live in different cities throughout the District and gather several times a year for reflection, formation and prayer. Among them there are teachers, and parents. Each one supports the Lasallian mission in some way through catechesis, social action in favour of the needy and other extra-curricular activities. They renew their consecration every year on District day together with the Brothers who celebrate their jubilees. Their presence and witness of life is an example for many other Lasallians.