Eletto il Nuovo Consiglio Generale delle Figlie di S. Maria della Provvidenza:
Sr Neuza Giordani (Vicaria Generale), Sr Carla Folini, Sr Esther Leroux e Sr Maria Antonietta Ripamonti
‘For the Last, Lost and the Least’ - Guanellian Good Samaritans (GGS) in The Solomon’s Islands
On Nov 29th 2016, seven senior citizens, one adult and one little girl Lynda of four years, were escorted to Munda, Helena Goldie hospital for an assessment of different impairments of the faculties. They were Erio (Male , 73 years), Tebotuake (Female, 67), Kateia (F, 61), Mangarita (F, 69), Karotu (M, 62), Takaia (M, 63), Kona (M, 61) and Atanati (M, 52 ). Fr Mathias sdc escorted them, accompanied by Bro Dominic. This was an initiative by Mr. Atanati, the president of the recently formed Guanelilian Good Samaritans (GGS) of the Canaan chapter. (Atanati has the potential to become a lay leader of the GGS).
Since the Noro mission had been entrusted to the Guanellians (Servants of Charity) and from the time they started their work here, they had been looking for avenues to concretize their special charism, having earlier collected the details of the DaPs (differently abled persons), the care of the differently abled and the elderly. And this with members of the laity in the forefront of these social concerns.
In the month of October, when the priests went around to each Small Christian Community (SCC), to honour Our Lady of Rosary, by reciting the rosary, sharing the joys, radiance, sorrows and glories in their lives in tandem with those of the Lord, and celebrating mass with them, they broached the idea of GGS and suggested that each SCC propose two names to be members of the GGS in Noro Parish. And in Canaan, it was the elders of the sub parish, who proposed five names from each of the three areas, Rome, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. And one third of them take part regularly in all the meetings.
And Oct 24th, the feast day of St Luigi Guanella was another opportune moment to initiate them to the vision and mission of the saint, by celebrating mass, preaching, screening video clips on life of the saint and inaugurating the GGS. The people of the Noro parish also helped in putting up a cozy niche for the statue of St Guanella, that Fr Luigi SdC had managed to find and send the same by the ship. He is still travelling. (He will be installed when the Bishop visits the parish).
And the members of the GGS in both the places went around the parish areas, met the families and drew up a list of the urgent needs of the last, lost and the least. In the following weeks, they discussed on what could be done and the first response was the one of escorting of those with impaired faculties (hearing, speech and sight) to the hospital.
The hospital does not have specialized doctors/facilities, but technicians who would be able to identify the impairment and for any effective treatment/aids and appliances (hearing aid, spectacles, surgery etc.,), we were told to wait for the month of august next year (2017), when a team of specialists from Honiara/Australia would be visiting the islands.
To our inquiry if a medical camp, general or special, could be organized in the islands, the reply was the same. Wait for August 2017. The hospital has to plan and submit the proposal with a budget to the government for their approval in July that year for the proposed camp. The health care services is taking baby steps in the Solomon Islands. So too with all other services.
With some small snacks, all returned back to Noro and from there back to Canaan in the parish boat. The little girl child was sent to her residence in Noro. The PPC (parish pastoral council), a private operator of a bus in the parish, the CBR coordinator at Munda and members of the GGS and with the seminarian, contributed their mite in this care of the differently abled, aided on by the SdC missionary Fr Mathias and his colleague.
Effective rehabilitation through surgical correction, medical treatment and supply of prosthesis, inclusive education, employment of therapies, etc., is long way to come through here. Barefoot CBR (community based rehabilitation) workers, chosen from among the members of the GGS and trained in the nitty-gritty of CBR techniques ( based on Pavlov’s pyramid of needs or concentric cycle of wants and mechanisms to meet them etc.,) and with an incentive to encourage them, might go a long way in the meantime to fill up the gap.
There is a plan for a tour of carols troupe in December this year. Visit each home, sing a carol, pray with a blessing by the priest and making a collection might involve the Catholic community in their social concerns and encourage the GGS.
Guanella Mission Team would continue to journey with them in Solidarity
By Fr. Tony
Con la simbolica consegna della croce benedetta dal Superiore Generale e consegnata a P. Giancarlo Frigerio al termine della celebrazione Eucaristica nella cappella della Curia generalizia, oggi 5 Dicembre comincia il viaggio di avvicinamento alla nuova missione guanelliana che la Providenza ci manda ad avviare in Africa Orientale e precisamente nella diocesi di Mbeya, Tanzania. Ci raggiungerà a Dar Es Salam, sulla rotta verso l’altipiano di Mbeya, il secondo confratello designato per questa nuova avventura di carità, P. Maximus Agulanna proveniente dalla Nigeria. Ad accoglierci lassù tra i monti di quella vasta nazione all’est del Continente Africano troveremo il giovane sacerdote diocesano p. Furaha che non solo è stato strumento della Provvidenza nel tessere i primi rapporti della sua Diocesi con la nostra Congregazione ma si unirà ai nostri pionieri condividendo con loro vita comunitaria e missione caritativa.
Una missione pensata e preparata da lontano e che intende fin dai primi passi accentuare la bellezza di una stretta collaborazione con la Chiesa locale nella sua vocazione e scelta prioritaria di servizio alla vita dei fratelli più poveri, più fragili e vulnerabili. Un desiderio di condividere, in semplicità e nel “segno del piccolo”, il dono del carisma guanelliano perché il Vangelo della carità venga annunciato e diffuso, reso credibile e accessibile a tutti attraverso la testimonianza di una gioiosa comunità fraterna e di una sincera diponibilità a collaborare e camminare insieme a chiunque si senta di condividere il sogno di Dio per tutti i suoi figli. A partire dai più poveri e bisognosi.
A P. Giancarlo, P. Maximus e P. Furaha il nostro caloroso augurio e il dono della nostra preghiera. La missione si inaugurerà ufficialmente nel giorno della Solennità dell’Immacolata Concezione alla presenza del Vescovo Evaristo Chengula che ci ha chiamato e pazientemente aspettato. Anche in Tanzania, come già nelle Isole Solomon’s, cominciamo la nuova avventura missionaria sotto lo sguardo materno di Maria. Con lei ci sentiamo al sicuro e incoraggiati a ‘fare tutto quello che Lui ci dirà’.
Don Luigi De Giambattista
The annual meeting for the formators and vocation promoters in divine providence province was convened on 29th November 2016 in Guanella Preethi Nivas, Bangalore. The central theme of the meeting was “a new pedagogy for integral formation to priesthood and consecrated life in India”. The meeting was headed by Rev. Fr. Soosai Rathinam SdC, the Provincial superior along with the resource person Rev. Fr. Joe Mathiayas SJ. It was well animated by Rev. Frs. Samson SdC, Gnanaraj SdC, Francis SdC, and Prakash SdC. The central message drawn from the sessions is
Formation is not just a mere human action but also of divine and Trinitarian. God the Father is the formator and "the activity of the Father through the Spirit molds the hearts of persons in formation according to the mind of the Son".
God the Father, in the continuous gift of Christ and the Spirit, is the formator par excellence of the one consecrated to Him. But in this work God is also served by the mediating role of human persons, matured in faith and discipleship.
The one who serves in such a ministry is placed as a mediator between God's action and the human response and must therefore be one who knows well both the human and the divine heart.
Formation "ought to be formation of the whole person" in every aspect of his or her individuality, behavior, and intentions". The heart, reason, will, memory, imagination, senses, desires, tastes, the conscious and unconscious everything ideally ought to be the object of attention in formation; so that the new person in Christ can really come to birth.
Moreover, "formation, in order to be total, must encompass all the aspects of Christian and consecrated life. Thus there must be spiritual, human, intellectual, cultural and pastoral preparation which focuses aids the harmonious integration of the various aspects".
For the vocation promotion, all the members of the congregation must toil and sweat. All must attract the candidates through their witnessing life style, spiritual ground & maturity and innovative programs. After recruiting the candidates, the formators must accompany and assist to know and discern the choice and service.
Thank you
DPP, India
Koppaka: Religious life is a journey towards holiness. Every dimension of religious life is an important tool to reach the threshold of holiness. Having this significance and to make all the dimensions wholistically sound, the Divine Providence Province commenced ‘Tutelage Program – an ongoing formation for the eternal sanctification’ for the first five years of priests. This tutelage program was under the eminent guidance of Fr. Soosai Rathinam, the Provincial Superior. The core theme was “Rekindling the Divine gift for an eternal sanctification”. The venue was Guanella Bhavan, Andhra Pradesh. 16 priests participated in the event. Fivefold mercy of Jesus was stressed and challenges and crisis in priestly life was well focused by Most Rev. Dr. Jaya Rao, the bishop of Eluru, rev. Fr. Matthew OCD and rev. Fr. Inje paul. Finally, the programme came to its end with the pilgrimage to our Lady of Gunadhala Shrine.
Sabato 3 Dicembre è stata riconfermata Sr. Elisabetta Serena Ciserani, Superiora Generale della Congregazione delle Figlie di S. Maria della Provvidenza.
Tutta la Famiglia Guanelliana porge a Lei i più affettuosi saluti, e le augura buona animazione nella guida della Congregazione delle Filglie di S. Maria della Provvidenza.
Incrustada na Mata Atlântica, a casa de Retiros dos Legionários de Cristo, no município de Arujá, em São Paulo, recebeu os participantes do V Encontro Nacional da Família Guanelliana. Esse Encontro fraterno e formativo aconteceu nos dias 12, 13 e 14 de novembro de 2016. Servos da Caridade, Filhas de Santa Maria da Providência e Guanellianos Cooperadores vieram de todo o Brasil: Pernambuco, Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná e Rio Grande do Sul, num total de 168 pessoas.
Desde a chegada dos primeiros participantes, no dia 12, até a despedida no dia 14, a alegria da família reunida foi a nota dominante e a melodia entoada, a do amor e da fraternidade.
O tema “MISSÃO GUANELLIANA NA IGREJA DE HOJE”, com o lema “SAÍ AO ENCONTRO DO NECESSITADO” foi desenvolvido pelo padre Andrés Gustavo Marengo Macagnoni, sacerdote da Diocese de São Paulo. Convidado para a pregação há ano e meio, dedicou-se a conhecer o carisma guanelliano, a vocação e a missão de padre Guanella. Partindo da Parábola do Bom Samaritano, conduziu os participantes a reflexões, orações e partilhas enriquecedoras para todos.
Como acontece a cada quatro anos, nesse Encontro Nacional é eleito o Conselho Inter Provincial. Os Conselheiros da Província Nossa Senhora da Providência e da Província Nossa Senhora do Trabalho realizaram a eleição. Estiveram presentes padre Ciro Attanásio; padre Mauro Vogt, provincial dos Servos da Caridade no Brasil; padre Antônio Francisco de Melo Viana e Irmã Ireny Brombilla, delegados da Província Nossa Senhora da Providência; padre Odair Danieli e Irmã Sônia Maria Southier, delegados da Província Nossa Senhora do Trabalho; Paulo Sivieri, Irene Neves Sivieri e Hilário da Silva, membros do Conselho Nacional vigente. Os eleitos são Irene Neves Sivieri, presidente; Reginaldo Joaquim Velloso Júnior e Sivanir Maria, conselheiros. Esse Conselho Inter Provincial foi empossado na Missa de encerramento do Encontro, no dia 14.
A saudade que se anunciava na despedida foi substituída pela esperança de que, em 2020, a Família Guanelliana do Brasil possa se reunir para louvar a Deus, partilhar a vivência do carisma e aprofundar a fé e meios para seguir nosso fundador, São Luís Guanella. Tudo isso em meio à alegria do reencontro da Família Guanelliana.
Alla fine delle Celebrazione eucaristica del 21 novembre 2016 presieduta da Don Alfonso Crippa, Superiore generale dei Servi della Carità,
Madre Serena Ciserani (nella foto sopra) ha dichiarato aperto il XVIII Capitolo Generale delle Figlie di Santa Maria della Provvidenza.
In questa celebrazione erano presenti oltre alle 35 consorelle capitolari, numerosi confratelli, consorelle, cooperatori, amici e residenti delle case guanelliane di Roma.
Assicuriamo le nostre particolari preghiere per questo evento di grazia per le nostre consorelle!
Per chi volesse seguire le fasi del Capitolo Generale può collegarsi al Link sottostante