I s s u e 1 43

Ma rch 2015

The Xaverian Missionaries USA

CATALYSTS OF ENCOUNTER

rs. Rocco and

Alex represented our region at
an international conference of Xaverian Missionary animators from
the United Kingdom,
Italy, Spain, and the
USA. Here is their report.
At our final Eucharist
before we left Madrid for our respective communities in Spain, Italy, Scotland and the USA, our vice general,
Fr. Mario Mula presided and shared a
parting word of encouragement for our
work on Mission and Vocation Education. Reflecting on the days Gospel
which spoke of seeds planted and
growing on their own while the farmer
waits for the harvest, he sees our ministry as catalysts of the encounter:
whether it is the encounter in prayer
with the Lord or the encounter with
the Lord in the lives of our communities or those we serve in vocation ministry. It was a fitting conclusion to all
our sharings these past 8 days.
We began our time together looking at
todays world of young people with
the help of Claretian Father Oscar Roman, a member of the vocation ministers of Madrid and a good friend of
our Fr. Carlos Collantes, our host at
the delegation House in Madrid. We

BLESSED
EASTER
TRIDUUM
saw that young people wish to be
happy, live the present intensely
(not caring much for the past which
is done nor with the future which
looks bleak), projecting images of
success and elegance, growing up
in families that are often broken
and disjointed, having their own
language, and caught in a consumeristic and throwaway culture.
Behind the apparent desire to be
happy is a profound sadness and
suffering, a loss of self, a thirst for
transcendence and a desire to be
committed to something. The lack
of work, the constant change of
work if found and underemployment of many add to a precarious
situation.
Then there is the fact that so few
young people find the Church a
place of community, refuge and
hope few continue to be actively
engaged after receiving confirma1

B IRTHDAYS &
A NNIVERSARIES
2015
March

12Fr. Aniello Salicones Birthday

314th Death Anniversary of Fr. Orru

April

58th Death Anniversary of Fr. Ivaldo Casula

21stFr. Bob Maloneys
final profession anniversary
2338th Fr. Rocco
Puopolos Priesthood
Anniversary
24Birthday of Fr. Carl
Chudy

I ss ue 143

P age 2

tion in the Christian community.

To this situation we are the catalysts of encounter. We know in
faith that God is there in the
lives and experience of these
young people, just as life is present in the seeds which look dry
and dead. What are we called to
do? Where do we start?
One new frontier where young
people now reside is the place
called cyberspace. It is actually
a space a place a crossroads
where encounters can be had.
WE were encouraged to become
familiar with this new frontier
with all its lights and shadows.
To be a good catalyst one needs
to know the turf.
We then spent a few days sharing our respective regions work
in this field of mission education
and vocation outreach and then
took some time reviewing recent
community statements on this
service.
Allowing the world of the
young today to meet what
we do and what the community asks us to do resulted in
the following next steps: We
ask that each region
Designate one community as
a place of welcome for
young people who wish to
have an experience of our
lived Xaverian reality at its
best (Encounter in Community)
Offer short mission immersion experiences where possible (encounter in Mission)
Invite young people to areas
of service where they can
come in contact with issues
of poverty and mission in
view of a life decision for
service such as retreats, service weeks, etc. ( Encounters in Faith and Service)
Insist as much as we can that
all our Xaverian communities are places of welcome
and availability where young

people can meet our spirituality and brotherhood. This

is our identity. This is our
place of encounter
Plan and host an event
that can become a mission
tradition: holding moments
that are outs, not connected
to parishes or other entities.
(a clear identifying place to
encounter us as we are)
Propose another meeting of
this group in January 2018
to verify the initiatives mentioned above and more
Time and place to be determined. A coordinating
committee made up of one
representative per region
was formed. Fr. Simone
Piccolo is the point person.
The other representatives
will be designated by their
respective regions.
So, did you get the idea that
IDENTITY and ENCOUNTER were important threads
in our discussions?

Rocco Puopolo s.x.

Alex Rodriquez, s.x.

Provincial Spring Retreat

together with our
Xaverian Sisters

Consecrated for
Mission
May 2429, 2015
Miramar Retreat Center
Duxbury, MA
Retreat Master:
Fr. Luigi Menegazzo

XV Provincial Chapter
of the US Region
April 38, 2016
Venue to be announced

Confreres Coming and Going

We are please to share with you that the General Direction has assigned Fr. Tony Senno to our region. The Provincial Council assigned him to the community of Holliston where he will assist the
Shrine Team as well as other areas for the community. Welcome Fr.
Tony!
Fr. Rene Casillas from the Northern Brazilian Region joined the
Holliston Community to work on the English language as he prepares
himself for studies in Rome this fall. Welcome Fr. Rene!
Fr. Martin Ali Keke Ndemsou, who has been studying English since
last Mary in Holliston will soon complete his program and depart for
his first mission of Sierra Leone in May.
Fr. Salvador Cruz Rojo, who also has been studying English in
Wayne will leave for preparation of his mission assignment in Indonesia in April or May of this year.
2

C ro ssr oads

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Bulletin of the Provincial Council

The Council looked over a

draft of a outline for a new
Provincial Directory to eventually be
presented to our
next Provincial
Chapter. It includes
areas such as our
history, nature and
aim of the province,
issues for members,
visa status, and the
major commitments
we undertake.
Fr. Marangone and
Chudy will be
working together to
draft a new prenovitiate program
for the region that
takes into account
the changes in our
congregational resource documents as well as insights in
the contemporary experience
of formation today.
The Council discussed the
initial work of interfaith dialogue in the region and its
purpose in our region as a
tool of mission animation.
The next Provincial Chapter
was discussed in more detail. We are planning it to
take place April 4-8, 2016 in
some location outside of our
communities. We also plan
to present a paper (now in
draft form) on development
into the future, evaluation of
the GYM and interfaith programming. A report of the
Media Office will also be
presented. The Provincial
will write a letter to all of
the communities in the near
future outlining a process for
chapter preparation beginning in our communities.
The Council granted a re-

quest from Catholic Theological Union to help with

the financing of a
new Chair for the
study of Consecrated Life, the
first of its kind in
any theological
school in the US.
There was
some discussion
about the upcoming regional retreat. We hope it
to focus on our
consecrated life
for mission , issues from the
General Direction and ongoing
reflection on Vita
Consecrata.
This year COSUMA will
meet in Tavernerio at the
end of July. The Council
discussed the contents of a
report of the region to this
gathering. Fr. Chudy will
put together a draft that can
be shared with all confreres
to comment on for further
redaction.

Fr. Natalio
Paganelli visits
with us on his
way back to
Sierra Leone.
God bless
Natalio!

Fr. Carl Chudy, SX

Office of the Provincial
12 Helene Court
Wayne, New Jersey 08046
973-942-2975
provincial@xaviermissonaries.org
Xaviermissionaries.org

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND

IMPORTANT GATHERINGS

Provincial visit to Franklin,

March 30April 3.
April 11-19 Fr. Chudy will accompany the Executive Board
of CMSM to Rome to meet with
various dycastries regarding
men religious in the USA.
Communications Board MeetingApril 21 in Wayne.
Provincial Council Meeting
April 21-22 in Wayne.
April 24 Mission Committee of
CMSMFr. Chudy.