sharings - fmm usa · ology at bars, volunteering at homeless shelters and food kitchens, getting...
TRANSCRIPT
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I was in El Paso and visited the Children’s Detention and Adult Detention Centers a few weeks ago.
These detention Centers are holding many children and young adults who cross the U.S. and Mexican bor-
der. My heart was broken when I met the twelve year old skinny boy who has been there for two days. He
had gone through the difficult, long, and dangerous trip without food and water. On his innocent face I could
see his worry and the threat about his fate. How would we feel if he were one of our children, or our
nephews, or nieces? Would we be at peace in ignoring their desperate situation? Do we think they have a
share at least in getting their basic needs: food, water, shelter and a peaceful and loving family?
In this month, we will soon celebrate Thanksgiving which reminds us of the first Thanksgiving and our pio-
neers who came to this land. We are very grateful for the hospitality, generosity and welcome from those
who have lived in this land. Do we think this land belongs to us? Are we not all immigrants? Nevertheless,
"Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants. . ."(Franklin D. Roosevelt) and should we not “Do to others what you want them to do for you?” (Mt 7: 12)
Nga Le, fmm
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Conchy Zunzarren, Mary Bayer, Ann Richards, Maria Silva, Elizabeth Ann Conyers, and
Doris Guilmette are ill.
Fr. Raymond Hubert, Yvette Hubert’s brother.
Mrs. Mariapragasam, Flavia Mariapragasam’s mother.
Christine Cinotti, Marie Cinotti’s mother.
Charles E. Paradis, Madeleine Paradis’s brother.
Paul Petrosky, Mary Petrosky’s brother.
Tao Nguyen, Yen Nguyen’s father.
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Millie’s sister- in- law, the wife of her eldest brother.
Felida Simard, Claudette Simard’s mother.
Emma Basso, Joyce Gardella’s aunt.
John Rocks, Maureen Rocks’s brother, friends of many FMMs.
Fssbub;!Iapologize for printing the wrong last name of Sr. Mary Condry, OSF.
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Flavia Mariapragasam is sent to the Province of Chennai. We will have Sending Ritual at Fruit Hill - date to be
announced. Carol Flaherty will leave for Toronto at the end of October for a sabbatical time. Jeanne Mera is
going to Japan for about three weeks to continue her workshops in non-violence. Joan Bird from the Province
of Australia is in the US, and will be in Fruit Hill at the end of October. Joan has been in Canada to visit her
Brother.
Bttjtubodf!up!ivssjdbof!wjdujnt; Virginia Falk left on Sunday to work as a Chaplain in New Orleans - the3
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ninth ward, where there has been so much devastation. The residents who had to flee at the time of the storm,
are now being permitted to return. Virginia, who is a member of the National Chaplains' Association, has been
asked to be part of the team for the recovery of bodies, and to assist the people when they return to their
homes in coping with their losses.
Dpmmbcpsbujpo!bnpoh!qspwjodft: Christina Sri Murni, Provincial of Indonesia, wrote, saying how much Jackie La
Vie is appreciated in the province! Jackie's visa will finish at the end of November, and she will return to our
province at that time.
Mjuvshz!ufbn.Gsvju!Ijmm; Yvette Hubert, Cristina Sanchez, and Alma Dufault will form the team for the liturgies in
Holy Family Chapel at Fruit Hill. They will use the room formerly used by Hedwig Pawluc for preparation and
materials needed.
Joufsdpoujofoubm!nffujoh; On October 20th,Mary Motte and Barbara Dopierala left for Leon, Mexico for the
Intercontinental Meeting of the provinces of the Americas. The theme will focus on the restructuring of initial
formation. The meeting ended on November 6th and they returned on the 7th.
Nffujoh!xjui!Cjtipq!Upcjo.Qspwjefodf; Bishop Tobin met for the annual meeting between the Bishop and
the Major Superiors of Religious Orders in the Providence Diocese. The meeting was well attended by both
the women and men Religious. Bishop Tobin talked about some of his hopes as he begins his ministry in the
Diocese.
Citing John Paul II, Bishop Tobin spoke about the importance of pastoral revitalization by: living fully the life of
the Trinity; transforming the World with Christ in view of the Kingdom of God. He noted the following priorities:
call to holiness, importance of prayer, Sunday Eucharist and the revitalization of the Sunday liturgy; impact of
the Sacrament of Reconciliation; primacy of grace; importance of renewed attention to the Word of God and
witness to tove. The conversation which followed focused on the question of vocation ministry with the reli-
gious requesting greater collaboration from the priests in the promotion of religious vocations. There was also
concern expressed by the religious for the accessibility of catholic schools to many of the poor, faith formation,
outreach to the poor, availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the role of women in the Church.
This exchange, held annually by the Office for Religious, was a fruitful time of listening and speaking of concerns.
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who by nature are idealistic and on a spiritual search,” he said. He also noted that Catholic young adults
have shown their zeal for the church by gathering in large numbers to pay their respects after the death of
Pope John Paul II and in their participation at World Youth Day events.
Sixty percent — 117 of the nation’s 195 dioceses — responded to the bishops’ survey that examined servic-
es dioceses offer to young adults, generally defined as the 22-35 age group.
Of the dioceses that responded, 91.5 percent reported that they have a person designated for young adult min-
istry. Of these ministers, 65.8 percent were employed full time for this work and the rest were either part-time
employees or volunteers.
According to the survey results, top young adult programs include: retreats (79 dioceses); Theology on Tap
(73 dioceses); leadership training (65 dioceses); and social activities (65 dioceses). Retreats and Theology
on Tap programs, which topped the list of young adult programs, are not exactly like the programs young
adult Catholics from previous generations attended.
Retreats may be nothing new, but in some dioceses they take on a new twist for their younger participants. In
Chicago, for example, Charis Ministries, a Jesuit outreach to Catholic young adults, sponsors peace and justice
weekends as a means to integrate social justice and faith issues with professional and work lives.
Jesuit Father Michael Sparough, who started Charis five years ago and serves as its director, said young
adult Catholics were failed by religious education in the post-Vatican II years.
“This generation was not acculturated into the Catholic Church,” he told the bishops’ youth and young adult
subcommittee. He noted that today’s young adults are “disillusioned about every institution, including the
church.”
“You get a generation that finds it very difficult to make a commitment, and puts a high premium on their own
experience,” he added.
That’s one reason Charis events stress the importance of young adults sharing their faith experiences with
their peers. The retreats catch people at an important moment in their lives, according to Eric and Amy
Totten, who provided music for a recent Charis retreat.
Theology on Tap, a speaker series founded 25 years ago by the young adult ministry of the Chicago Archdiocese,
also aims to reach young adults where they are. Father John Cusick, director of young adult ministry in the
Chicago Archdiocese, has a simple explanation for the success of Theology on Tap. “What else is there?” he asks.
Decades ago, he said, young adults were the backbone of Catholic parish life. But as Americans began to
live longer, they stayed involved in ministries even as seniors - so the young adults who once took over for
them were not pulled into parish activities. Instead, as Catholics entered their 20s and 30s, they began to
drift away from the church, he told the bishops’ subcommittee.
Theology on Tap is attempting to bring these young adults back to the church. The program is a speaker
series dealing with issues of faith and targeting 20- to 30-year-olds. It takes place in a variety of settings
from restaurants and bars to parish halls.
The program has grown in popularity over the years and has inspired others to initiate similar speaker
series. Dioceses in approximately 44 U.S. states and a half-dozen other countries now offer Theology
on Tap.5
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Over the past 25 years, Father Cusick estimated that tens of thousands of young adults have
attended Theology on Tap. Many of them tend to be “Catholic but not parochial,” he said, and
have a poor understanding of church traditions.
“We hear a lot about spiritual hunger,” he said. “People are having a restless experience in
everyday life. You put on a Theology on Tap program, and they’re there.”
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SOME (UCAN) -- Several bishops of Asia have emphasized "the social dimension of the Eucharist"
in recent addresses to the ongoing Synod on the Eucharist.
Prelates from Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka underlined this social component
during the second week of the 11th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, taking place Oct. 2-23 at
the Vatican.
On Oct. 11, Auxiliary Bishop Theotonius Gomes of Dhaka told the synod fathers from 118 countries, "The death
of so many persons from lack of food is immensely most 'un-Eucharistic;' it is a very humiliating sinful situation of
our advanced times, making us less worthy to celebrate the Eucharist."
The Church at local parish and diocesan levels, as well as at national and international levels, "needs to
address this situation substantially, as a Eucharistic obligation and task," 66-year-old Holy Cross bishop
insisted.
Since the Eucharist is "the body of Jesus" and "points to our body as holy," he said, "we need to take 'spiritu-
al' care of our body." In particular, the Church and those who receive the Eucharist, he stressed, must care
for those who are "suffering in body" due to "difficult sicknesses," or because they are "elderly, dying or
greatly handicapped," or "greatly oppressed and violated in the body." All of these people, he observed, "par-
ticipate in the mystery of the Eucharist," and "by their wounds, united with the Lord, we are healed."
Bishop Gomes further noted that the Eucharist "creates community" and
"sacramental and mystical communion with Jesus," so it "should lead" those
who share it "to a more concrete communion within the local community."
He suggested that "offerings" brought to the Eucharistic celebration should
"be arranged" so as to "be directly offered to the poor of the local communi-
ty." In this way, he explained, "our works of charity" can be perceived as
"flowing directly from the Eucharist" and thus become "more spiritual and
mystical, more attractive and effective for creating communion in community."
Today's "growing ecumenical and inter-religious situation," the bishop concluded, calls for a "more meaning-
ful presence of non-Catholics and non-Christians at our Eucharist" in order "to manifest fuller closeness to
us."
To this end, he said, they and "all those unable to receive the Eucharist" should be given "maximum partici-
pation or active presence" in the celebration while showing due respect for doctrinal and larger pastoral con-
siderations.
Archbishop Nicholas Chia of Singapore, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia-Singapore-
Brunei, raised the same point the day before. Archbishop Chia proposed that "non-Catholics, catechu-
mens and children" be given "a blessing ... when they come forward at Communion time as a sign of
spiritual communion on their part." He pointed out that "this action is also a sign of the care and con-6
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cern we have for them."
Archbishop Carmelo Dominador Flores Morelos of Zamboanga, Philippines, said in his Oct. 11 address that "for
most of our people" in the Far East, "the face of Christ can only be contemplated in the life witness of the com-
munity." Today, Archbishop Morelos observed, this happens more and more through Basic Ecclesial
Communities, which he referred to as "Eucharistic Communities."
"When we celebrate the Eucharist," he said, "we affirm our willingness to give witness to Christ." But the arch-
bishop, who will turn 75 on Dec. 11, also noted: "An authentic Christian thanks and praises God not just when a
crisis is past. He thanks God during a crisis, while actually carrying the cross."
Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, asserted in his own address also on Oct. 11 that this
is exactly what his people did when they celebrated the Eucharist at a time of conflict and suffering. "The
Eucharist reveals the meaning of life at every occasion, especially when we are faced with difficulties, even
danger to life," said the 67-year-old prelate.
In the early Church, he recalled, "the martyrs and saints received their courage to defend their faith because they
had the Eucharist to give them strength." All through the Church's history, he added, "whenever Catholics had to
suffer oppression and harassments, they turned to the Eucharist which provided the power and the courage to
withstand these difficulties."
Bishop Savundaranayagam noted that his native Sri Lanka, "an island in the Indian Ocean," is "a Buddhist
country" in which 72 percent of the people belong to the Buddhist religion, and a mere 7 percent are
Catholics.
Last Dec. 26, he reminded the synod, Sri Lanka was "lashed by the 'tsunami' tidal wave that killed 40,000
people" in his country. In the past two decades, he added, ongoing civil war "between the government and
the Tamil-speaking minorities, who claim the right for autonomy and self-determination," has brought much
suffering." In that war, he said, "it is estimated that 75,000 people have been killed; 30,000 soldiers and mili-
tants have lost their lives, and nearly 250,000 have been displaced and endured much hardship."
"Bishops, priests and people were displaced and endured much hardship," he continued, but "the power they
received from the celebration of the Eucharist ... gave them the courage to bear these sufferings." Though
Catholics were displaced from their towns and villages," he said, "they continued to celebrate holy Eucharist,
not only to struggle for their liberation, but also to work tirelessly for peace and the cessation of hostilities."
Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Agra, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (Latin rite), on
Oct. 11 called for proper "faith formation" of people so that they can understand the intimate link between
participation in the Eucharist and what this means for how to live one's life.
"Participation in the Eucharist," he explained, "is immersion into the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the
Lord," and it should lead the faithful to "a transformation that enables them to permeate the temporal world
with the power of the Gospels." In this way, said Archbishop Gracias, 60, "they would be harbingers of unity,
and bearers of peace and reconciliation in a world torn by the strife of caste and class, communal and reli-
gious intolerance, and would give human dignity to those devastated by injustice and exploitation."
On Oct. 11, the synod fathers underlined the Eucharist's social dimension even more concretely upon hear-
ing "tragic news of the earthquake in Pakistan." With Pope Benedict XVI, they sent "heartfelt greetings to
Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan
(CBCP), and assured the archbishop of their prayers "for those who have lost their lives and for the comfort
of the living," and pledged "the solidarity of the Catholic Church" to the suffering. The synod fathers also
"encouraged Christians and all people of good will to join in the humanitarian effort."
Many of the more than 250 synod fathers also expressed personal solidarity to Archbishop Evarist
Pinto of Karachi, the CBCP representative at the synod.7
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WATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI urged children to cultivate a lifelong friendship with
Jesus because he would guide them, help them make the right decisions in life and help them
become better people.
"We need this friendship with God, who helps us make the right decisions, to mature as human adults," he
said on Oct. 15 to a crowd of nearly 150,000 people, mostly young children who had just celebrated their
first Communion earlier this year.
During a colorful, festive ceremony in St. Peter's Square featuring clowns, people on stilts, singers and
dancers, the pope led eucharistic adoration as well as a warm and informal catechesis based on the ques-
tions posed to him by several children.
One by one, seven children came up to the pope and asked him questions on the microphone about why it
is important to go to Mass and to confession and what their teachers mean by the real presence of Jesus in
the Eucharist.
"But how can that be?" asked one boy. "I can't even see him."
With a polite laugh, the pope smiled and explained that there were lots of important things that exist even
though they cannot be seen. Intelligence and reason, for example, as well as electricity are all things that are
invisible, but one knows they are there because one can see their effects, the pope said. "We don't see elec-
trical current, but we see the light" it produces, he said.
Just as people cannot see Jesus with their eyes, they can see him through what he effects.
"We see that where Jesus is, people change, they become better, they become a bit more open to
peace and reconciliation," he said.
In the Eucharist, he said, "we meet up with this invisible but strong Lord who helps us live
well."
The pope was visibly delighted at the children's questions, which in some cases drew a
hearty laugh from the pontiff and his audience for their poignancy and sincerity.
"Do I have to go to confession every time I go to Communion," one girl asked the pope, "even when I com-
mit the same sins because I've started to realize they're always the same ones?"
Pope Benedict assured her that while it was good to make a habit of going to confession as a sort of "soul
cleaning" it was not necessary to go to confession every time, given that her sins were probably not grave.
Going to confession before Communion "is necessary only when one commits a truly grave sin that has
deeply offended Jesus in such a way that the friendship has been destroyed and one must start all over
again," he said.
However, just as people clean house or children pick up their room "at least once a week, even if the mess
is always the same," the faithful should make a habit of going regularly to confession, he added.
"If I never go to confession, my soul becomes neglected to the point at which I am always pleased with
myself and I no longer understand that I also have to work at" becoming a better person, the pope said.
"This soul cleaning ... helps us have a conscience that's more alert, more open" and it helps one "mature
spiritually and as a person," he said.
In the hour-and-a-half meeting with children, the pope told them about his first Communion in which 8
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he understood that "God himself was in me."
The pope said from that first moment on "a beautiful Sunday in March 1936" when he received this "gift of
love" it marked "the beginning of a common journey" together with God who "always took me by the hand
and guided me even through difficult situations."
One girl told the pope that she was happy to go to Mass every Sunday, but she asked how she could con-
vince her parents to go, since they used Sunday as a day to "sleep in" or visit grandparents out of town.
Pope Benedict cautioned the child to be very loving and understanding of her parents, "who certainly have a
lot to do."
"Nonetheless, with respect and love," a child could tell her parents that "meeting Jesus is enriching and
offers an important element to everyone's life," he said. He suggested the family work together to find how to
go to Mass and make it "a sweet Sunday for the whole family."
In response to other questions, the pope explained what Jesus meant when he said he was the bread of life,
saying, "Jesus is food for the soul." Both the body and spirit need nourishment in order to both "grow and
reach fullness."
He also explained eucharistic adoration as "recognizing Jesus as my Lord who shows me the life to follow."
Adoration is a time to tell Jesus, "I am yours and I pray that you, too, will always be with me," he said.
Some of the prayers offered by the children included an appeal to the faithful and to government leaders to
remember and respond in some way to "all the children of the world who suffer from war, disease and a lack
of food, education, medicine and affection."
Another child asked God "to grant us holy priests who can celebrate the Eucharist in your name and give to
everyone the Word and Bread of Life."
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Bfew months ago, two young ladies, Harriet and Chato, former residents of St. Anthony’s Home for
girls, Manila, Philippines came to St. Francis Hospital Convent, Roslyn, N.Y. to visit. They brought
back a flood of memories and left an impact on all the sisters at St. Francis Hospital Convent.
When Harriet and Chato were little, they were so fond of the F.M.M. sisters. I was one of the nuns that
Harriet would always wait for at the door. I have not seen them for over 40 years.
Now all grown up, Chato and Harriet decided to search for as many of their orphanage companions as they
could find. Their efforts found 60 out of the 160 young girls, each with her own story in life.
A reunion was planned for 2004 in Manila, Philippines at one of the F.M.M. convents. St. Anthony’s is no
longer an orphanage. They had a very joyful meeting with their F.M.M. sisters in Manila, who had been
mothers and formators for their future. Wonderful stories unfolded.
Harriet was searching for me and finally found my address here at St. Francis Hospital Convent at Roslyn,
N.Y. Last week, Harriet and Chato made their way to visit me and Sr. Minda Castrillo, F.M.M. They brought
their photo albums which held pictures of their years in the orphanage and their reunion in Manila last year
2004. They also regaled us with many gifts and out pouring of their love and gratitude for their former “moth-
ers” and teachers, Sr. Elisa and Sr. Minda.
The entire F.M.M. Community of Roslyn welcomed them with joy as parents welcome their children
coming home for a visit. It was emotional for all of us and our hearts felt empty as they left to return
to their families. 9
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Harriet and Chato were like a “Princess” Charming story. They are now profes-
sional women. They are both married and financially stable. They are good
Christians and an honor to our sisters who gave them a good education and
trained them for life.
Harriet married an American Military Pastor/Chaplain, who is very kind hearted
and loving to her. They live in Colorado Springs. They have one grown son, still single. Chato married an
American too and lives in Seattle, Washington. She has no children but her mother-in-law and her own
mother live with her. She loves them both and lives in harmony with them. I felt so proud of my two girls;
when I was a young nun, they always came to me just to feel the love of a mother.
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Pne day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found
he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next
house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal
he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it
slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?" You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has
taught us never to accept pay for a kindness. He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard
Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He
had been ready to give up and quit.
Many years later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally
sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was
called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his
eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown
he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave
special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business
office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill
was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.
Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words.....
"Paid in full with one glass of milk" (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy
heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."
There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good
deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the
deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is
all about? The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn...
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Flaine Nazareth, fmm is a member of the coordinating team assisting victims of the earth-
quake in Kashmir. She writes: We have a lot of help with personnel and supplies. Caritas India,
CRS (Catholic Relief Services) CSS(Catholic Social Services - this is the dioceses' office) and the
director of CBCI Health Desk all came up here in the first 2 days and it was really high level organization!
They each knew their jobs and soon organized teams first with our sisters, students and now there are
sisters from different congregations and also lay people coming up each week to continue relief
work. 10
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Holy Family sent 2 of their doctors with medicines and equipment. Two other sister doctors from other con-
gregations came up in the first week and spent 5 days; now we have 2 Doctors from St. John's and others
are planning to come. We have had about 3 or 4 teams of 8 visiting villages which are not accessible by
vehicle. They get to a point and then have to walk up the steep mountains some 2, 3 and 4 hours even.
Not all of them are young but all enthusiastic and wanting to reach out to these people. Most homes are just
flattened. The walls are of mud and stone with a wood roof frame and zinc sheets; all you can see is the
wood and zinc sheets. And the houses are scattered on the mountains, not clustered like the usual villages
so it is really not easy. Now the cold has already begun so winter is not far off.
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Uhe Mission Congress 2005 that took place in Tucson, Arizona on October 13-16 gathered over 240
participants who brought their missionary experiences from numerous parts of the world. Three
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary participated: Lilliane Alam, Nga Le and Halina Malec.
The theme of the Congress was: Horizons and Possibilities. The US Church inMission with the Global Community.
The gathering opened with prayer and welcome by Sr. Rosanne Rustemeyer, the
president of the US Catholic Mission Association on Thursday, early afternoon. The
very busy program and a very tight schedule on that first day included three keynote
addresses by:
1. Sr. Eva Marie Lumas, Sister of Social Service from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, Ca.
who spoke about Faith and Culture.
2. Bishop Gerald Kicanas who welcomed the Congress participants in his diocese and shared his thoughts
on some attitudes that are crucial in missionary work. Bishop Kicanas called us to
*relish diversity
*be united
*be focused
*stay at the task
3. Rev. Patrick Byrne, SVD who shared his experiences from working in the Congregation for
Evangelization of Peoples as a President of the Holy Childhood Association.
The second day of the Congress focused on issues of the Region in which we gathered, that is the US-
Mexico border. In the morning we listened to the address of Rev. John Fife, pastor of the Southside
Presbyterian Church. Rev. Fife is a co-founder of Humane Borders and No More Deaths, two groups that
work with and for the immigrants crossing US-Mexico border. This talk was an introduction to the Immersion
experience in which we all participated. Several busses brought members of the Congress
to different places where we could experience first hand life of the poor people living at the
border, share meal and stories with groups of native Americans, learn about history of the
US-Mexico Region, immigration issues or needs and challenges of those who are helping
the "desert travelers" by providing them with water, food and sometimes basic hygiene
products. The day ended at the San Xavier Del Bac Mission. The mission had been estab-
lished in 1692 by Jesuit missionaries but then has been staffed by Franciscan Friars. The
church in the mission is the oldest church in America still serving parishioners for whom it
was founded, that is the Papago Indians. The Franciscan Friars and a group of parishioners
welcomed our big group with traditional dances and a meal of chili, beans and fried cakes.
The day wouldn't be complete without God's blessing. Mother
Nature emphasized the beauty of Arizona desert with magnificent
colors of sunset followed by wind and rain storm.
The theme of the last day of our gathering was Mission as
Reconciliation. Our main speaker was Dr. Michel Andraos, profes-
sor at the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies at the Catholic
Theological Union in Chicago. Following his address, the members
of the Congress gathered in small groups for Dialogue Sessions that discussed various
mission oriented topics.
It is impossible to share in a few words all the experiences and insights that were available to us
during those three or four days. However, one more thing cannot be omitted. And that is rituals and12
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prayerful celebrations that were skillfully interwoven in the busy program of the Congress. There had been at
least two or three periods each day for prayer and participation in very creative and meaningful liturgies. The
Congress opened with prayer and ritual by a member of First Nation Peoples from
Tahono O'odham tribe. The liturgies of the second day, with the Eucharist presided
by Bishop of Peru, expressed South American cultures and focused on needs and
challenges of life of the people on the Border. The third day liturgies called all to cel-
ebrate a real African style. And the closing Eucharist which took place in the
Cathedral of St. Augustine in Tucson included participation of all nations, tribes and
languages; many were represented in liturgical hymns and rituals. The closing of the
Congress had been enriched by the Asian ceremony of Basi that "restores balance
and harmony to the individual and community and conveys goodwill and hospitality".
Participation in the Mission Congress has been a great blessing and an exceptional
experience for all of us. We are very grateful for being able to share in this enriching,
informative and spiritual event.
Gsbodjtdbo!Zpvui!Hspvq .!Dbspm!Gmbifsuz-gnn
Xe often associate Wisdom with persons who are older but on Saturday
afternoon, October 22nd, 2005, several of us F.M.M.s witnessed the
wisdom of children and teens from 3rd grade to college age. It was the day before “Mission
Sunday” so Alma Dufault had prepared a program for the Franciscan Youth Group focusing on St. Francis
and “Mission”.
There were three key features planned for the day: a presentation of a fioretti of St. Francis; a showing of a
video: the Sr. Thea story; and the preparation of 2 gift baskets of food for distribution to the poor at the
Poverello Center. Prior to dramatizing the fioretti, Alma defined “Mission”. Alma told the group that because
they have been baptized, they are all called to be missionaries. People who are missionaries tell people
about God and about how much he loves each and every person personally. It doesn’t matter to God any
kind of bad thing that a person may have done, God still loves that person fully.
One of the 6th grade students responded that she thinks her 6th grade friend, is already a missionary. She
gathers kids at school to study the Bible. A lot of the other kids think it’s not cool to do this but she still does
it even in the face of opposition from her peers.
Carol Flaherty elicited from the youth some of the issues they face in life so that they might better identify in
their own lives the needs for reconciliation and conversion before seeing the fioretti of St. Francis, Brother
Angelo and the robbers in Monte Casale. The girls were very responsive and insightful. They cited gossip
among kids at school, rumors, smart kids being left out of groups because kids who aren’t so smart think
they’re showing off, teasing and being put down by others re: weight and size. Adults in the group (three
Moms and 5 F.M.M.s) shared their issues: being a parent, drugs, divorce, war, terrorism. The groups’
responses led us to relate some of the adults’ issues to the teens’ issues. What happens to peoples’ feel-
ings when rumors get out of hand? Could negative issues of youth, if left unchecked lead to war as people
get older? Might there be alternatives to war and guns and battles? An 8th grader responded with “forgive-
ness”; another cited dialogue…using words rather than guns to make connections and peace with one
another”. A final issue cited by one of the youth was “money”. That led us nicely into the enactment of the
story of how St. Francis converted three murderous robbers in Monte Casale. Emma Balaguer, Chan
Nguyen, Yen Nguyen, Nga Le, Alma and Carol acted out the story.
After watching the story, the girls reflected on the themes of change, forgiveness, and the role of
adults in their lives, such as Francis was for his followers. One 6th grader shared with the group 13
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that recently her mother told her that adults in kids’ lives are like “braces”, the braces that kids wear on their
teeth. Braces are needed to straighten their teeth. But kids hate the braces and want to remove them.
Parents, teachers and others in their lives are like the braces. Often kids hate what adults tell them to do but
in actual fact kids need direction to stay on the right path and to develop good values. Adults are there to
give that direction.
After watching the story of Sr. Thea Bowman, the girls were asked what one thing they liked about Sr. Thea.
She made others happy. She didn’t give up in the face of death. She kept on living even though she was
dying. She actually influenced the U.S. Bishops to see how we are all brothers and sisters of each other.
The way in which Sr. Thea did this was through song and she encouraged the Bishops to link hands across
the aisles as they sang. This impressed our youth who were from many different ethnic and racial groups.
After picking grapes on our grounds, the girls broke into two groups to sort the non-perishable
items they had brought in order to make two baskets for the poor for Thanksgiving. They deco-
rated the baskets beautifully with paper and ribbons and origami peace symbols.
One of the adults who had come for the day asked one of the girls what she liked best about coming to the
Franciscan Youth Group. Without hesitation, she said, “the people.” It wasn’t hard to see why. As soon as each
girl came in the door, Alma hugged each one and each girl headed straight to each of the adults and in turn
hugged them and introduced herself. Truly, the Franciscan values that we cherish were evident on Saturday.
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