STELLA MARIS, CHINNA WALTAIR-530017 VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA Provincial : 0891/ 2710259 Cell : 09985860195, Fax : 0891/ 2702589 Email: msfsvizag@gmail.com, frchinnapareddymsfs@gmail.com provincialvizagmsfs@gmail.com PC Lr. No. 2 SEPTEMBER 2015 Contents Introduction Provincial Congress 2015 Golden Jubilee of Visakhapatnam Province Mission Heritage Week Local and Apostolic Communities News from Trinidad Foundation stone at Surampalli Blessing and Inauguration at Pamidi Bible Diary 2016 Visitation to Kerala Appointments Welcome Back For Studies Congratulations Prayer for the Sick Let us pray for the Departed Tentative Programme Salesian Thought Key note address by Rev. Fr. Emile Mayoraz msfs My dear confreres, Greetings of love and peace of Christ from Stella Maris, Visakhapatnam. As I write this second circular I pray for the well being of every confrere and wish that you pray for the well being of one another. In the month of September, as the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, we are reminded of the two important dates which are quite special to the Congregation. They are: Feast of the Mother of Sorrows (15 th September) and the Founder s Day (30 th September). 1
As we approach the day of our Patroness Mother Sorrows, we need to become aware of the fact that when a child suffers, the mother too suffers. Thus whenever Jesus suffered, His mother Mary too suffered. She teaches through her life of total surrender to the will of God, how we must follow Christ Crucified through our life of commitment to the gospel values. According to our Constitutions no. 11, the Mother of Sorrows reminds us to be constantly compassionate so that our commitment to Christ, to His Church and to the values of His Kingm finds expression in our daring apostolic commitment even at the cost of our own lives. Hence, as we celebrate the feast of Mother of Sorrows, let us reflect on the role of our Blessed Mother in the salvation of humankind and resolve to become partakers in the salvific plan of God by preaching the Gospel by word and example to the people to whomever we are sent. Secondly, on 30 th September, we remember our beloved founder Fr. Peter Mary Mermier. The day must be observed with fervour since we are members of the religious Congregation founded by him. It is an occasion to study and reflect on the life, struggles and the enthusiasm of our dear Founder. This year being the Year of Mission for the Congregation, his slogan I want Missions must echo in our hearts and minds. The Constitutions no. 4 underlines that his total submission to God s plan and to His mission was expressed in the following words: I have totally dedicated myself to the work of the missions, to the sublime ministry of Jesus Christ who is the first missionary and the leader in every mission. His missionary fervour and commitment must always be of great inspiration. Thirdly, this year, for us as the members of the Visakhapatnam Province, we have another most important event coming in this month, that is, the Provincial Congress 2015. The days September 23 26 are very special in the life of the Province of Visakhapatnam, since all of us as one Province would come together to discuss and plan together the past, the present and the future of the life of the Province. As the theme of the Congress, MSFS of VIZAG Province: To be Witnesses as Praying and Fraternal Communities in the Mission of Faith Renewal, suggests, the Provincial Congress 2015 provides us an opportunity to reflect and introspect as a Province on our priorities and the mission of the Congregation as a whole and the Province of Visakhapatnam in particular. The Constitutions no. 242 clearly states the objectives of the Provincial Congress as to evaluate the religious life and missionary commitment of the Province, initiate measures for inner renewal and reinvigoration, and work out ways and means to be constantly alert to the promptings of the Spirit and to be ever responsive to the needs of the Church and the society apart from electing the Councilors and approving and reviewing the Statutes. So I exhort all of you to make necessary travel arrangements to attend the Provincial Congress and to make some valuable contribution for the future of the Province and the Congregation. May God be with us to inspire and guide us all through this all-important event! Provincial Congress 2015 As I mentioned in the previous page in my introduction, I exhort everyone to make efforts to be present for the Provincial Congress. However, confreres those who are not able to make up for this important event please inform to me. To make things easy, the Superiors of the communities are exhorted to inform to the secretary the names of the participants before the 6 th of September 2015 either by phone or email: msfsvizag@gmail.com. 2
Golden Jubilee of Visakhapatnam Province I am extremely glad to announce that this year the province of Visakhapatnam completes fifty years as the Province. It is a very joyful occasion to all of us to thank God, our founder, our early missionaries, and all those who led the Congregation and the Province in particular over these years. So, on the last day of the Provincial Congress we will have the Golden Jubilee Thanksgiving Mass. Mission Heritage Week As for the decision of the General Administration, it is decided to conduct Mission Heritage Week at MSFS Dhyanashram, Visakhapatnam from 19 th to 24 th October 2015. Rev. Fr. Noel Rebello, General Councilor, will be coordinating and animating this upcoming programme. According to Very Rev. Fr. Superior General, the objectives of the MISSION HERITAGE WEEK are: To step back for a week and check whether or not our decisions and policies expressed through Action Plan during the last months of Consecrated Life for Mission 2015 are realized. To have a MIDTERM EVALUATION in order to go ahead with deeper commitment to Consecrated Life and Missionary Life in the Congregation. Very Rev. Fr. Superior General, in his letter SG-AB 15-106, wished to see the following five things as the outcome of the Mission Heritage Week. They are: 1. To plan out programs for our scholastics in all our Formation Houses all over the world involving them in writing essays, articles, and presentations on Consecrated Life and Mission and encourage them to make commitments to work in the frontier missions. 2. Evaluation of the Consecrated Life and Missionary Life in the Congregation 2015 at the Local Community Level and Province level and ensure that our objectives and action plan of the Provinces are realized. 3. The Animators from the six Provinces with the Coordinators continue to give leadership to each Province for the Animation Programs in consultation with the Provincial. 4. To plan out the Year for Formation 2016 with clear and focused program for the Scholastics and Formators, and organizing Ongoing Formation Program at the Inter Province level during the Year 2016. 5. Finally, all gathered at the Mission Heritage Week are to take some time to come up with a rough plan during this meeting for the Year for Formation 2016? We shall finalize the program during the PIF and General Curia Meeting in November 2015. Fr. P. Inna Reddy, Fr. A. Dhanraj, Fr. B. Prasad and Fr. Y. Jacob Reddy are requested to attend this meeting without fail, in order to guide the Province to implement the decisions made at the meeting. 3
LOCAL AND APOSTOLIC COMMUNITIES IN THE PROVINCE Local Community Those attached Apostolic Convener Community Stella Maris SFS Parish, Chinna Waltair Vizag I Salesianum SFS Press Jubilee Home Seethammadhara SJC, Waltair Fr. Inna Reddy St. Aloysius School S. H. Church & Paderu Vizag II St. Aloysius NFI Ross Hill SFS Gjuwaka St. Aloysius ITI Fr. Philip Souriamkuzhy Palasa Srikakulam Fr. Paul Theneth Pithapuram Jaggampeta E. & W. Godavari Nidadavole Tanuku Fr. L Ravi Kumar Janampeta Eluru Fr. Mani Malana Agiripally Vijayawada & Khammam Nunna Singh Nagar & Ibrahimpatnam Khammam Garla Fr. Jojaiah Melavagu Kothapalli & Guntur & Nellore Mandadi Rajupalem Parachur K. Devaraj Fr. Mathew Mannu Korutla Elakathuruthy Hyderabad & Warangal Shantinagar Malkajgiri Medipally Ghatkesar, Shabad&Bibinagar Nizamabad Janakampet Fr. Dhaman Kumar Anantapur C. N. Kota Ananthapur Pamidi Fr. Joy. Kuzhinjalil Mermier Bhavan Frs. P. Philip & Vadakkencherry M. Mathew Minor Seminary Fr. Mathew Manayathumari Suvidya Confreres of Vizag Suvidya Fr. Joy Mampally Wurzburg Trier, Passau & Salzburg Wurzburg Aachen Munster Fr. Silvester Trinidad Trinidad Fr. Bhaskar Jayaseelan 4
Papua New Guinea P. N. G. Fr. Jose Mullenmadackal Thompson Canada Fr. Guna Sekhar United States of America USA Fr. Bonela Antony News from Trinidad Decennial Anniversary celebrations at St. Anthony s R.C. Church, Point Fortin The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) celebrated its tenth year of missionary service to the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies in June 2015. In honour of this important mile-stone, Holy Mass was celebrated on 8 th June 2015 at St. Anthony s R.C. Church in Point Fortin. Since Archbishop Joseph Harris was unable to come due to illness, Bishop Robert Llanos officiated the solemn Holy Mass along with Bishop Emeritus Malcolm Galt, MSFS priests Rev. Fathers Shijo Panthalanickal; Polamarasetty Karun Kumar; Jose Marie Thekkekutte, Santhosh Puliyammakkal, Fr. Baskar Jayaseelan and twenty-one other priests from parishes across the Archdiocese. The parishioners of the Point Fortin/ Cedros communities were joined by representatives from the other communities being served by MSFS priests (Princess Town; Rio Claro; Moruga; La Brea; South Oropouche and Siparia/Erin) in this joyful celebration. This Mass represented a fusion of the Local and Indian worship traditions, as it featured the seamless integration of Indian dances performed by the Youth, as well as Indian worship songs sung by members of the Music Ministry. Fr. Baskar Jayaseelan preached on the occasion focusing on the life of St. Francis de Sales, Fr. Peter Marie Mermier and the history of the MSFS and its international spread; the beginnings of the MSFS in the Caribbean and growth in Trinidad and Tobago. In his concluding remarks, Bishop Llanos complimented the MSFS missionaries for their hard work within the Archdiocese, encouraged parishioners to follow their example and insisted that fear should not keep people from being missionaries. He challenged the MSFS missionaries to dream even greater things as they go forward in the years to come, not just to the Church of Trinidad and Tobago but for the Church of India and abroad. Rev. Fr. Shijo Panthalanickal proposed the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the MSFS and used this opportunity to express his gratitude for the support he has received during his tenure in Trinidad. - Fr. Antony Baskar Jayaseelan 5
Foundation stone for the Church at Surampalli Village, Nunna Parish The 10 th of July 2015 was a joyous day for the faithful of Nunna parish, especially for the Catholics of Surampalli village as the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the new church. The ceremony began at 11:30 am with a short prayer service led by Fr. Dola Velangani Rao, the parish priest. Very Rev. Fr. Chinnappa Reddy, the provincial superior, blessed and laid the foundation stone. Among those present at the ceremony were - Rev. Frs. Dhaman Kumar, the councilor in-charge of missions, Mendem Bhaskar the provincial Bursar, Ganji Bala Joji Reddy, Bonthu Prasad, Sisters of St.Ann s of Luzern, Brothers of the Missionaries of Charity and the faithful. The village elders felicitated the dignitaries and expressed their happiness. The ceremony ended with vote of thanks followed by refreshments. - Report by Fr. Lourduraj msfs Blessing and Inauguration at SFS School, Pamidi On 16 th July 2015, Very Rev. Fr. P. Chinnappa Reddy, our new Provincial of Visakhapatnam, blessed and inaugurated the first floor of the of the new block at SFS School, Pamidi. It consists of two class rooms, a science lab and a computer lab. A warm welcome was accorded to the Provincial with a welcome dance, performed beautifully by the school children. Fr. Abraham Vettukattil, Correspondent and Fr. Kishore Babu, Superior & Principal felicitated him in the presence of the staff and the students. Speaking on that occasion, Rev. Fr. Provincial appreciated the Confreres for their hard work and commitment and thanked the 6
staff for their cooperation. He also encouraged the students to well in studies and make their parents and the school management proud with their success. - Fr. N. Kishore Babu msfs Bible Diary 2016 Liturgical Diary titled as JOY OF THE GOSPEL 2016 is published and marketed by SFS Publications, Bangalore. It is released and copies are available for sale at Stella Maris, Ross Hill Shrine, Shanthinagar etc. So, please try to grab a copy and make use of the reflections contributed by the eminent persons of the Congregation. In this context, I congratulate Rev. Fr. Benny Koottanal msfs and his team at IIS, Bangalore and all those who have worked hard to make this a reality. Visitation to Kerala I had the pleasure of meeting our confreres working in Kerala from 12 th to 17 th August. This visitation enabled me to complete successfully the Vision-Mission Report of the Province and also fulfilled my desire to meet each confrere and visit every mission personally. It was a very enriching and informative visit. I had the joy of celebrating the Independence Day with the staff and students at MSFS Seminary, Vadakkencherry. I am grateful to our confreres at MSFS Seminary, Mermier Bhavan in Vadakkencherry, Nemmara, Vandazhi Estate and Nelliyampathy for the welcome they accorded to me, for their sharing and their valuable time they had spared to make my stay in Kerala very comfortable. I wish all of them God s blessings. Appointments Fr. Simon Paicatt Parish Priest at R.C. Church, Karamchedu Fr. G. Shantha Kumar Keewatin The Pas, Canada Mission Welcome Back Fr. Gade Kishore Reddy, returned to the Province after successfully rendering his services at Reischach, Germany (in the diocese of Passau). We thank and appreciate him for all his services. He is now appointed on the staff at SFS School, Pamidi. I wish him all the best and invoke God s blessings upon him. For Studies Fr. Nelapudi Bala Raju is sent to Diploma in Printing Technology at SIGA Polytechnic College at Chennai. Fr. Jacob Reddy is ing LLB studies in Hyderabad. Let us wish them good success. Congratulations Fr. K. V. S. Prasad passed M.B.A with distinction. He has secured the first rank in the College. Let us congratulate him. 7
Fr. Kondala Joseph is elected as the Vizag Local CRI President. Congratulations and Best wishes to him. Prayer for the Sick Mariamma, 102 years old, grandmother of Fr. Y. Jacob Reddy. Let us pray for the Departed Fr. John Bosco Khakha, 53 years old, of North-East India Province died of cardiac arrest on 9 th July 2015 at Udalguri, Assam. Mrs. Lekha, 43, niece of Bro. Thomas Malappuram, died of heart attack on 27 th July 2015. Fr. Baptist D souza, 53 years old, expired on 19 th August at KEM Hospital Pune. Rev. Fr. Ladir João Brondani, 48 years old, of Brazil Province, expired on 01 st August, 2015. May their souls rest in peace! I request you to fulfill the suffrages at the earliest. (Const. No.118; General Directory No.98) Tentative Programme September 6 September 10 September 10 September 13 September 14 September 15 September 20 September 23-26 SFS Church, Chinna Waltair Council Meeting (morning) Preparation Committee and Core Committee Meeting (afternoon) Khammam (Morning), Ajithsingh Nagar (Evening) Ibrahimpatnam Kondadaba Feast Palasa Provincial Congress Yours fraternally in Christ, Fr. P. Chinnappa Reddy msfs Provincial Superior Salesian Thought As often as you can during the day, recall your mind to the presence of God. Consider what God is ing, what you are ing. You will always find God s eyes fixed on you in unchangeable love. Our hearts should each day seek a resting-place on Calvary or near our Lord, in order to retire there to rest from worldly cares and to find strength against temptation. Remember frequently to retire into the solitude of your heart, even while you are externally occupied in business or society. Introduction to the Devout Life 8
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KEY NOTE ADDRESS BY REV FR. EMILE MAYORAZ MSF (At the Meeting of the WUG, May 13 th 14 th 2015: Major Superiors of Western Provinces, USA, GAH and General Curia) Father General asked me to address to you, on the occasion of your meeting, in opening your session, with a key note address. I simply replied to him: why not? Yes, why not have the joy of meeting you again, after many years, and with you take a look at the situation of our congregation, always sent into a rapidly changing world, most particularly during the last 25 years. And that is in view to respond better to what the Lord expects of our congregation, within the Church, for today s world. If it is necessary to look back, it is only to better understand the present and to realize what the Lord expects of us today, and to move forward in confidence, more exactly in hope. Our congregation of MSFS is still a young congregation. Its present strength and its permanence are the ones we are able to offer it today. In these past 25 years, our Congregation has met precisely problems of growing, that the last General Chapters of 2001, 2007 and 2013 very well understood and took up, especially remaining that our Congregation is very deeply rooted in Annecy, by our Founder, Fr. Peter-Mary Mermier himself tells us: It s from Annecy, as from its centre, that the Congregation will be expanded, if it pleases God to bless it and to protect it. A young Congregation, as Father General has pointed out, in his circular letter of July 9, 2014. The year 2015 is an important year for the MSFS: 5 Provinces, Franco-Swiss, England, Brazil, Visakhapatnam and Nagpur, will celebrate their Golden Jubilee, 50 years of existence, as a Congregation fully constituted in Provinces. Since the foundation of the Congregation in 1838, until 1966, there was only one central Administration in Annecy, with only Missions, especially in India. The creation of the Provinces in 1966 has been a new beginning. For its part, the Franco-Swiss Province also had to build up itself, with the inevitable frictions to achieve its autonomy, legal and financial. I can speak of it knowingly, since I was the first Provincial of Franco-Swiss. In a very precise way, the two Provinces of Visakhapatnam and Nagpur, in India were the starting point of an extraordinary development of the Congregation in India. A Congregation still to build up: yes, it is obvious, if we are thinking Church, where there is the Ignatian Tradition, the Dominican Tradition the Franciscan Tradition, and many others. The Tradition MSFS, MSFS-ness, is still to be built. It is our responsibility today to continue to build up our MSFS Tradition, firmly rooted in Annecy through St. Francis de Sales and through Fr. Peter-Mary Mermier. Since 25 years, we must deplore the lack of vocations in Europe. However, there is something to thank God, for the extraordinary development and missionary expansion of our Congregation in India and from India. In the years 2000, a survey was ne to indicate the increase or decrease in the number of different religious congregations, between the years 1966 and 1999. Regarding our Congregation, we have the satisfaction of seeing an increase of 13 %: in 1966, the number of MSFS was 397, in 1981 of 491; in 1999 of 916 and at present of 1300. 10
At the present time, our Congregation is well established in India. But a first evangelization is still needed in many places in India. However, where our communities are staying now, in India, inside the established local Churches, what it is asked to our MSFS Congregating is a mission of consolidation of the faith of the people. Then, at the present time, our Congregation must remain very much present in Europe, in North America, in South America, always to consolidate the faith in the spirit of Fr. Peter-Mary Mermier, our Congregation is very much committed to Africa, where the proclamation of the Gospel is particularly linked to the service of the poor and of the abanned children and to the training of young people. The I want the Missions of Fr. Peter-Mary Mermier is entrusted to our MSFS Congregation today. So, the question, put before us is very simple what would Father Mermier, today? The first MSFS, who joined father Mermier, with the consent of their bishop, have simply left the parish and diocesan structures, as MSFS, along with Father Mermier. These first MSFS were personalities of great human value, like fathers Martin and Neyret, whom Father Mermier did not hesitate to send to India. Along with Father Mermier, the first MSFS were renovators, since Father Mermier himself was the Renovator of the Pastoral Mission in Savoy. To be renovators, it is even part of the very nature of our MSFS Congregation. At the time of Father Mermier, at our Foundation, we have been called Missionaries, because of the urgency of the missionaries activities, to which Father Mermier responded. For Father Mermier, in a religious situation, in France, of indifference and unbelief, the return to God could only be obtained through the preaching of the word of God, and very concretely by the Parish Missions. In the very intuition of Father Mermier, a profound missionary intuition to give a pastoral response to the urgent missionary needs is a component of our mission, as MSFS: to be renovators. It means, as engaged we are in the pastoral activities of the different local Churches, that the role, the Mission of the MSFS is particular. We have to act the part of leaders, of formators, of guides, of counsellors in a total fidelity to the Church. This particular role, which is ours as MSFS, includes special and exigent requirements, to which the local Superiors, the Provincials, Father General, should try to respond. Community life is an essential part of the life of a MSFS. The Mission, as desired by Father Mermier, is realized from a community. After his first vows, in September 24 th 1838, with five of his confreres, Fr. Mermier says: I desired only one thing, and I asked it to the Lord, that is to live with brothers. In the mind of Father Mermier, religious consecration is a constitutive element of our life and of our charism as MSFS. Community life is expressed daily by concrete steps. Hence, the importance, in each Province and Mission of the local communities. The role of the local Superiors is important. By our life of MSFS, for the Mission of the Church, we are called to be renovators, formators, leaders, experts? It also requires a Formation beyond the average: human formation, ctrinal Formation, spiritual Formation, according to the Charism of each person and at the level of each person. Each one has its place in the Congregation, because the first quality required of each MSFS, first and foremost, is the personal holiness. The training of the heart is the most demanding. I am delighted that, in India, where we find the largest number of the MSFS, are constituted more and more communities of Confreres, to whom precisely is entrusted the Mission to be 11
renovators, at the service of the different local Churches, and according to the particular charism of each Confrere. Since the very beginning of our Mission in India, in 1845, the territory of Mission, originally entrusted to our congregation, gave birth to more than 14 dioceses. In these same local Churches, it is our duty now to be renovators of the faith of the people, according to the charism that is ours, as MSFS as disciples of Father Mermier. I am very happy that one of the General Councillors is the secretary for Mission planning and taking up of new Missions. In the present situation of the Church and of the world, it is up to us now to decide and to what Father Mermier would decide and would. But it is also up to us to hold, for an against all odds, certain values, which Father Mermier always holds, and which qualify us, even today, as MSFS. Values transmitted to us by Father Mermier, and they still qualify us today, as MSFS. Let me mention to you three of the most important values: 1. To proclaim love and to live from it. To proclaim the incarnated love in Jesus, and to live from it. God is love, and he became incarnated in Jesus. In living in Jesus, we become, each one of us son of God; then we become ourselves the Incarnated Love of God. All this, though and this is what we have to announce, as MSFS, as disciples of Saint Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Love of God. To proclaim, in Jesus, the humanity of our God, and at the same time to proclaim the divinity of man. Yes, to proclaim the incarnated Love in Jesus, and to live form it. Our characteristic as MSFS is to live from the Love of which Saint Francis de sales is the Doctor of the Love of God. To proclaim in Jesus the humanity f our God and at the same time to proclaim the divinity of man. Yes to proclaim the incarnated Love in Jesus and to live from it. Our characteristic as MSFS is to live from the love of which Saint Francis de Sales is the Doctor of the Church. All that is not of God and of Hi love is nothing to me (SFS). The will of God, the will to create and to save, merges itself in God with love. The History of our Salvation is the same history of the Love of God for us. Tirelessly, Saint Francis de Sales admires the All Mightiness, the All Knowingness, the All Lovingness of our God. 2. A second value to which Father Mermier holds and that characterizes us as MSFS is the apostolic zeal. The apostolic zeal is the same life of our Congregation. It is precisely by the word zeal that at the time of our Foundation, the Bishop of Annecy, Bishop Rey, characterized Saint Francis De Sales, at the intention of Father Mermier and of his missionaries. At its meeting in Morogoro (Tanzania) in May 2014, the General Council decided that the year 2015 would be, for the Congregation, a Missionary Year. This is a reminder to the Congregation that the apostolic zeal is a value that constitutes the very nature of our life, as 12
MSFS. As proposed by the General Council, it is for the Congregation to mobilize human resources, for missionary presence among the poor, especially in rural areas, as well to the peripheries, where a New Evangelization is vital. The love of God and the apostolic zeal. The zeal is nothing else than the arur of love. First and foremost, zeal for our own sanctification, then for the sanctification of others, as Father Mermier wrote to a missionary in India, in May 2 nd 1853: it is absolutely necessary that the truly apostolic man be convinced that the zeal more ardent is not zeal, when it es not start for himself. How to be good for others, when we are not taking care of ourselves? 3. The third value: an ongoing Formation according to the same requirements of our vocation as MSFS, missionaries for the world of today. On February 24 th 1849, Father Mermier, from Les Allinges, wrote to Father Philippe Gain, indicating to him the requirements of our mission it seems to me that it s time to be holy, blameless, separated from the sinners, exalted above the heavens. Our ministry demands from us that we present ourselves to the world as other St. Francis de sales, perfectly disinterested, burning with zeal for the salvation of others, full of compassion at the sight of evils which afflict the people avoiding all unnecessary declarations, with a legitimate Mission, an impeccable ctrine and above all a holy life. These are the requirements, explicatively desired by Father Mermier, and which ask from our part an ongoing Formation, that is to say, a personal transformation of ourselves, all throughout our life. Inside of each Province and Region, the Formation of the candidates is vital for the future of the Congregation. Each Province, or Region, is greatly aware of the candidates, our future missionaries. Here, on my part, for the reflection, that I dare to propose to you, I want to mention only one point, which concerns all the MSFS, throughout their life: that is to say to form in them true men, and to train them to be saints. It is a personal responsibility left to each MSFS. This concerns every MSFS, and it takes a lifetime. To form saints in forming true men. The spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales, who was as nothing more than man, commits us to that and it helps us to that. It is a process of daily conversion and of a continual personal transformation, to become ever better what we are called to be, under the marvellous action of the Holy Spirit. The glory of God is man fully alive (Saint Irenaeus). The Word of God itself, especially in Chapter 5 of Saint Matthew, makes us understand that Jesus did not come to abolish but to fulfill. He has not come to destroy but to build. Let your speech be yes, if it is yes. Let it be no, if it is no; anything more than this comes from the evil one (Mt5, 37). The human values constitute the essential foundation for our vocation as MSFS. They are the condition of our apostolic effectiveness. I would like that the Formators, in the different Provinces, take this into account, as our elderly MSFS Confreres have always taken this into account, giving a significant place to the Human Formation. 13
If we had to make a list of these human values, I would venture out in mentioning the following: - Loyalty and love for truth - Personal discipline and acceptance of daily work - Acceptance of self and desire for progress - Selflessness and ability to welcome the other - Freem of self and psychological stability - Persistent optimism and equanimity - Discretion about self and the others Only a missionary, united in its deepest being, free of self and open to others, sincere and true, can become an MSFS, in the spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, totally given and capable of bringing peace and serenity. This is what Father Mermier desires for us today, as he wrote to Father Philippe Gaidn, to be fully of compassion, to avoid unnecessary talks, to have a perfect ctrine, to lead a holy life. Conclusion In his time, Father Mermier was the Renovator of pastoral mission in Savoy. May he inspire us what the Lord expects of us today, so that, in Congregation, in our turn, we become the renovators of the pastoral Mission, in the Church of today. Some possible calls may be addressed to us: - To give the witness of a religious life lived in truth. The consecrated life is at the heart of the Church, as a key element of its Mission (John-Paul II, Vita Consecrate 3). - To consolidate the families, as an urgent missionary task. The future of the humanity passes through the family (John Paul II) - To be present where young people meet - To resolve to carry our charism to the frontiers of the world and to the peripheries of the society (SG-AB-05) - To take advantage of the particular charism of each confrere, for preaching, for teaching, to lead and guide the youth The situation of the western Provinces, with the lack of vocations makes the work of the Provincials very difficult. This can be lived only in faith, and in remaining united with the Provinces, who still have vocations, and to the Missions, which are beginning to have vocations. Since our Foundation, the spirit and the identity of our congregation have never changed. Our new constitutions wonderfully express the spirit of the congregation, and they define well its identity and its Mission. Our new constitutions are for us a blessing: blessing of our fidelity to the spirit of Saint Francis de Sales, and to the missionary intuition of Father Peter- Mary Mermier, our Founder. The chance of our Congregation is to be defined by two words that will never get old: Missionaries and Saint Francis de Sales. 14
Seek only God. In our deeds, less there is of us, more there is of God (Father Peter-Mary Mermier). Father Emile Mayoraz, MSFS May 13, 2015 Former Superior General La Roche, France LIVE JESUS! My dear Fathers and Brothers, Fr. Emile Mayoraz, our Superior general for 24 years, has been a great influence in the growth of our Congregation and his leadership has immensely contributed to the spread of MSFS in the world. Father Mayoraz delivered a powerful message during the last WUG Meeting with the General Curia in La Roche, France in the month of May 2015. I am sharing his message with the entire Congregation for our information and inspiration. We gratefully remember and pray for Father Mayoraz. Thank you FatherMayoraz for all what you are to all of us. United with you in prayer, Live Jesus! Father Abraham, MSFS Superior General 15