MISSIONARIES OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES USA REGION

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1 MISSIONARIES OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES USA REGION rsmsfsusar-at-19 June 19, 2011 Dear Confreres: Today is the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. We celebrate God as Father, Son and Spirit in one single, indivisible communion of persons. We cannot adequately explain the meaning and the power this doctrine of our faith has over our lives. We understand and accept this as The Mystery which we can only contemplate, before which we stand in awe and wonder and amazement and adoration. God is Mystery and the Mystery of God is known only through God s self-revelation. Mystery does not mean mysterious, something that cannot be known or understood. Mystery is profound truth, eternal truth. Mystery has to be encountered, experienced, celebrated and contemplated. God is Mystery, known and hidden at the same time. the more you know God, the more there is to know. We come to know our God as Father, Son and Spirit in one single, indivisible communion of persons. Baptized in the name of the Triune God, we are called to be models, witnesses, living examples of intimacy with God, Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus is our door to intimacy with God, others, the universe and self. In Jesus, we discover three simple and profound avenues to intimacy: Simplicity, Fidelity, Purity. Let us embrace these avenues as pathways of holiness. In Jesus, we also discover three outstanding virtues which underlie all other virtues: Humility, Unconditional love, Self-Surrender. Let us nurture these virtues as essential elements of our Fransalian missionary spirituality. We have just begun the Ordinary Time of the Year in the Liturgical tradition of the Church after all the joyful and exiting celebrations of the seasons of Easter and Pentecost. Those who are enlightened with the Liturgical traditions know that Ordinary does not mean routine, dull, boring or non-exiting time in the Church s life of prayer and worship. They are called Ordinary days because they are ordered, numbered. Ordinary Time challenges us to live the mysteries we celebrated during the great seasons in extraordinary ways. We are called to concentrate on growing in our own intimacy with Christ in order to live out the message of the Gospels in down to earth, practical ways wherever we may be. Let us strive to grow in our experience of God in all things, events and people and walk faithfully and joyfully. Reminder: Prayer in preparation for the 19 th General chapter begins in July Prayer card has been given to all of you. Please let me know if you don t have it and I will sent it to you. New Provincials: Superior General has made the following appointments: Fr Abraham Vettuvelil - Provincial of South-West Province, June 12, 2011 Fr Johnson Kallidukil - Provincial of East Africa Province, from July 15,

2 Fr Vincent Lourduswamy - Provincial of Pune Province from August 10, 2011 Fr Jacob Karamakuzhiyil - Provincial of Nagpur Province from August 15, 2011 Fr Marco Sanhueza - Superior of Chile Mission from May 1, Hearty congratulations and prayerful wishes from all of us in MSFS USA Region to all the newly appointed Provincials and mission superior! We assure them our prayerful support. May God bless them and empower them to fulfill their responsibilities. Congratulations: Fr. Santhiyagu Arokiam has completed his doctoral program and received his doctoral degree from Barry University, Miami, Florida. His thesis was on the following theme: "I have come to call 'Sinners'" (Luke 5: 32): A Subaltern Hermeneutic of Proclaiming Jesus Christ in the Context of Caste discrimination in the Catholic Church in Tamil Nadu - A Liberation Perspective. Fr. Kurian Kollappallil has completed his doctoral studies and received his Doctoral degree in Biblical Studies (DBS) from Master's International School of Divinity and Theological Research Centre, Evansville, Indiana. His thesis was on pastoral counseling, on " Emotional trauma of parental divorce and the coping challenges of grade school children" Hearty congratulations, Fr. Santhiyagu and Fr. Kurian from all your confreres in USA. You have worked hard along with your pastoral responsibilities and have successfully completed your studies. Your hard work and your persevering efforts are appreciated. May God continue to bless you and all you do for God s people. Thank you, Fr. George Puraidam: Fr. George Puraidam has been graciously continuing to do the work of the Regional Bursar since Fr. Joseph Pottemmel, the newly elected Regional Bursar needed some time to be relieved from his responsibilities in the parish in the diocese of Tucson. I am deeply grateful to Fr. George Puraidam for his generosity in fulfilling the responsibilities of the Regional Bursar during this time of transition in addition to his assigned duties. Thank you Fr. George. The USA Region appreciates your generosity in service. Superiors of Local Communities in MSFS USA Region The following are appointed superiors of Local communities in USA Region with the approval of the Superior General: 1. Fransalian Community, Atlanta: Fr. Joseph Pottemmel - Superior 2. Fransalian Community, Chicago: Fr. Tom Thomas pannalakunnel - Superior 3. Fransalian Community, Florida: 2

3 Fr. Anand Maddineni - Superior 4. Fransalian Community, Louisiana: Fr. Paul Kunnumpuram - Superior 5. Fransalian Community, Michigan: Fr. John Peter Ambrose - Superior 6. Fransalian Community, Tennessee: Fr. Joseph Kuzhupil Superior 7. Fransalian Community, Texas: Fr. Santy Kurian Kochupurackal Superior 8. Fransalian Community, Tucson: Fr. Matthew Thayil Superior I am deeply grateful to all the superiors who have animated the local communities during the past four years. I know that it has been difficult to animate the communities under difficult circumstances and with many limitations. You have done well and I am grateful to you for your dedication and leadership. I thank the newly appointed superiors for their generosity in accepting this responsibility. Many challenges are ahead. Let us meet them with confidence. May the Lord bless you with His Holy Spirit to guide you and empower you to fulfill your responsibilities as superiors. I am requesting all the newly appointed superiors to hold a meeting of the community in July or August of We have much work to do for the growth of the Region and we have to plan for our own preparation for the General Chapter I request you to fix a date, after taking charge on July 1, 2011 and let your community know. If you let me know early enough, I will plan to join you for your first meeting. Reorganization of Local Communities: Local communities in USA have been reorganized as follows with the approval of the Superior General: 1. Fransalian Community, Atlanta: 1. Fr. Joseph Pottemmel - Superior 2. Fr. Joseph Mullakkara 3. Fr. John DeVore 4. Fr. Joe Mendes 5. Fr. George Puraidam 3

4 6. Fr. Sunny Joseph Punakuzhiyil 7. Fr. Johny Puthiaparampil 2. Fransalian Community, Chicago: 1. Fr. Tom Thomas pannalakunnel - Superior 2. Fr. Mathew Elayidathamadam 3. Fr. Binu Kuriachan Edathumparambil 4. Fr. Benjamin Dande 5. Fr. Jojaiah Mandagiri 6. Fr. Vinod Kanattu 7. Fr. Philip Thomas Kizhakumpurathu 8. Fr. Roy Plathottathil 9. Fr. George Thayilkuzhithottu 3. Fransalian Community, Florida: 1. Fr. Anand Maddineni - Superior 2. Fr. Anthony Bonela 3. Fr. Jose Mudavankunnel 4. Fransalian Community, Louisiana: 1. Fr. Paul Kunnumpuram - Superior 2. Fr. Joseph Henry Sebastian 3. Fr. Stephen Soares (designated for ministry in Alexandria) 5. Fransalian Community, Michigan: 1. Fr. Ambrose John Peter - Superior 2. Fr. Arokiam Santhiyagu 3. Fr. Nithiyaselvam Arokiaselvam 4. Fr. Kollapallil Kurian 5. Fr. Xavier Joseph 6. Fr. Alphonse savarimuthu 7. Fr. Chinnappa John Britto 8. Fr. Arulanandam John Peter 9. Fr. Pednekar joseph Charles 6. Fransalian Community, Tennessee: 1. Fr. Joseph Kuzhupil - Superior 2. Fr. Davis Chackaleckel 3. Fr. Lukas Arulappa 4. Fr. Tomy Puliyanampattayil 5. Fr. Jacob D. Dio 6. Fr. Augustine Mannaparambil 7. Fransalian Community, Texas: 4

5 1. Fr. Santy Kurian Kochupurackal - Superior 2. Fr. Mathew Thottiyil 3. Fr. Sebastian Conrad 4. Fr. George Vattappara 5. Fr. Luke Kalarickal 6. Fr. Augustine Tharappel 8. Fransalian Community, Tucson: 1. Fr. Matthew Thayil - Superior 2. Fr. Alex Tigga (Designated for ministry in Tucson) 3. Fr. Bhaskar reddy (Designated for ministry in Tucson) Superior General: I am grateful to the Superior General for his sensitivity to our needs and his concern for the growth of our Region. I am especially grateful to him for his guidance in the formation of our local communities and the appointment of local superiors. Thank you, Fr. Agnelo, for your constant support and for giving us the needed approvals. Regional Superior: I have been parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas for a little over fifteen years and the founder-director of Wellspring, Fransalian Center for Spirituality for thirteen years and six months. It has been difficult to manage the affairs of the Region along with these two major responsibilities. Our Regional Assembly in February 2011 recommended that the Regional Superior be free from other responsibilities so that he may concentrate on the work of the Region. For quite some time, I have been requesting the Diocese and the Cathedral to relieve me from my responsibilities. Finally, I am glad to inform you that the Bishop of Tyler has relieved from my ministry at the cathedral in Tyler, effective June 15, I am now free to concentrate on the work of the Region and the ministry at Wellspring, Fransalian Center for Spirituality. Conclusion: Dear confreres, thank you for your ongoing support. Be courageous and learn to walk faithfully and joyfully! We are Fransalian Missionaries. We must learn to live a lifestyle that is uniquely Fransalian, different from that of the world around us. The only measure of our faith is how we live, not what we profess! Let us walk faithfully, for faithfulness is the mark of a man of God. Be faithful to your calling! All you do may not be successful in your eyes or in the eyes of others. The real success lies in your fidelity to who you are and what you have come to know as your calling. Just be faithful and be joyful! You are in my daily prayer. God bless you and all you do for God s people and keep you safe in the center of His Love. Augustine Tharappel, msfs Regional Superior, MSFS USA Region 5