superior general's advent letter 2015: presentation

8/20/2019 Superior General's Advent Letter 2015: Presentation

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ADVENT 2015SUPERIOR GENERAL G. GREGORY GAY, C.M.


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During this

season of Advent,we recall that God

has been faithful to the promises

made to ourancestors…photo: news.niagara.edu


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…promisesextended to us as

the people of Godliving in the midst

of the world of2015:photo: news.niagara.edu


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I will be your God and you will

be my people!

Leviticus 26:12


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My love shall never leave you!

Isaiah 54:10


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I rescued the poor who cried

out for help, the orphans, and the unassisted!

Job 29:12


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Behold, I am doing something

new … do you not perceiveit?

Isaiah 43:19


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Everyone who lives and

believes in me will never die!

John 11:26


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Those who eat my flesh and

drink my blood remain in meand I in them!

John 6:56


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I will not leave you orphans; I

will come to you.

John 14:18


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Behold, I am with you always

until the end of the age.

Matthew 28:20


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God establisheda covenant

relationshipwithhumankind

image: freebibleimages.org


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God was present,listening to the

cries of Hispeople enslavedin Egypt



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God was present,as they crossed

the Red Sea tobegin their

journey through the wastelandimage: freebibleimages.org


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God was present,

providing themwith manna in

the desert; waterflowed from therocks in their time of need



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God was present,physically in the

person of Jesus,as teacher and

healer andcomforterimage: freebibleimages.org


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Now we mustbe present

photo: SVDP Phoenix (www.stvincentdepaul.net)


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We, as

Vincentians,

are called tocontinue the

mission of Jesus Christ

photo: aic.ladiesofcharity.us


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by proclaiming

the Good News to those people who

are marginalizedand living on the

peripheries ofsociety.photo: vpmc.org


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A MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE:

FR. GREGORY GAY


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2015MADAGASCAR


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“I had to travel

for two days oversome of theworst roads I

have seen duringmy eleven years

as superiorgeneral…”


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“I was unable to

travel this distanceby myself since I

had no familiaritywith the roads;

others had toaccompany me.”photo: YouTube: drustvoskam


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“I had the privilege to

celebrate the Eucharistwith the people of thatcommunity… I

preached my homily inEnglish, which was

then translated intoMalagasy.” [with thehelp of others]photo: YouTube: drustvoskam


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“Father Anton and

those who ministeredwith him weremediators in bringing

to fulfillment thepromises that God and

our Founders hadmade to the people ofMadagascar.”photo:photo: YouTube: drustvoskam


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What can we

learn from thismissionary

experience?

photo: Stane Kerin, MSS

I d t f lfill


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In order to fulfill ourpromise to be the

servants of those whoare forgotten andabandoned and cast

aside, living in the midstof poverty and misery, wemust travel along some

difficult roads, take risks,and allow ourselves tofeel uncomfortable.

1

photo: YouTube: drustvoskam

W t ll b t

2


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We must collaboratewith others in order to

be effective.

This could mean

surrendering controland power, beingwilling to compromise,

and inviting the poor tobe equal partners indecision-making.

2

photo: YouTube: drustvoskam


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“You are for us thesacred image of theGod we cannot see.”

Frederic Ozanam



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“Can we remainpassive in the midstof a world which issuffering andgroaning?”

Frederic Ozanam



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May God bless us all as

we celebrate this seasonof Advent, a time in

which God fulfills thepromises that weremade to our ancestors

and that are renewed in this resent era…


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Your brother in Saint Vincent,

G. Gregory Gay, C.M.

Superior General

…a time in whichGod fulfills thosepromises by usingus as humble

instruments andzealous ministers.



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