Vincentiana Archive
VINCENTIANA ARCHIVES
1995
Issue 1
Lent 1995
by Robert P. Maloney, C.M.
To the members of the Congregation of the Mission
My very dear confreres,
May the peace of the Lord be with you in this lent en season.
There must be some daring in the following of Christ. Without risks, Christianity becomes bland. "If anyone wants to come after me," Jesus proclaims, "let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Mk 8:34). Martyrs, celibates, monks, missionaries all remind us that love of the Lord engenders daring dreams.
Lent is a time of daring resolution. It speaks of a fundamental risk. In lent we pledge our free, loving participation in the passion of Christ. We say yes to the journey to Jerusalem. We renew the commitment made at baptism to die with Christ in the hope of the resurrection. Historically, lent has always been a moment of radical decisions: when catechumens stepped forward to follow Christ; when Christians chose to do penance for their sins; when penitents undertook the long fast.
May I ask you to dare this lent? This challenge does not come merely from me; it echoes the New Testament. The letter to the Hebrews sings the praises of a long series of risk-takers, from Abel to the martyrs and other heroes in the early days of the Church "the world was not worthy of them" (Heb 11:38), and it urges us, surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, to fix our eyes on Jesus who risked the cross in the hope of the resurrection.
I suggest that we be daring, among other things, in regard to the traditional lenten works. These works are intimately bound together in that they all aim to set us free. The proper practice of each demands attention to the others. By them, "we empty ourselves in order to put on Jesus Christ," as St. Vincent loved to say to the Company (SV XI, 343; cf. Rom 13:14).
1. Fasting. Christian fasting evokes longing for the Lord's return. Through it we experience hunger, emptiness, yearning for the great heavenly feast. As we fast, we bow down before the Lord, recognizing that he alone is our fullness. Isaiah reminds us that true fasting also involves "setting the captive free, breaking every yoke, sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own" (58:6-7). These are intrinsically linked with fasting because a longing for the Lord and his kingdom drives us to do the works of justice. Do many of us fast today? We know, of course, that cutting back on the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and some kinds of food can have obvious health advantages. Do we dare to reach out for these benefits? Even beyond that, could we risk real fasting this lent, being satisfied with simple fare and giving the proceeds to the poor, as St. Augustine (cf. Sermon 208) and so many others since him have suggested.
2. Almsgiving. There is a strange paradox in Christianity. We believe, with the author of Genesis, that the material things God has created are good; yet Jesus warns us not to let them weigh us down. Missionaries especially must be free, unencumbered, ready to go wherever the Lord sends them. Our goods are instruments in reaching out to others, especially the poor, rather than buffers that insulate us from them. Are there material things that hold me back? Can I use my goods more socially, as ways of embodying my love and service? The lenten call is quite stark: "Go, sell what you have, give it to the poor, and come follow me" (Mt 19:21). May I ask that we all be daring in this regard too? Is there a generous gift I can give that will be an effective sign to the poor that the kingdom of God is at hand? Is there a special project that you as an individual, or your house, your mission team, your parish, or your province might undertake as lenten "alms" to the oppressed?
3. Prayer. Both fasting and almsgiving flow from and lead to prayer. Dare to pray more intensely this lent. You may, if your experience is anything like mine, find inner resistance to this suggestion: are not there "more important" things to do? am I not often "wasting time" distractedly when I pray? But the initial lenten gospel (Mt 4:1-11) tells us that before Jesus begins to preach, he prays; before he mingles with the crowds, he enters into solitude; before he seeks out the sick and sinful, he contemplates the face of his Father. Since your schedule is probably already full, I suspect that your saying yes to more intense prayer in lent will necessarily mean that you risk saying no to something else. What is it that I must set aside in order to pray more this lent?
Sometimes, timidly, we merely sip of life. Lent encourages us to drink a deep draught. "Can you drink the cup that I will drink?" (Mk 10:38), Jesus asks. His cup is deep, filled with risks, but transforming. From it flow strange signs, like martyrdom, simplicity of life, solidarity with the poor, celibacy, community, missionary zeal. When we drink it, we begin to die, but we also begin to live a new kind of life.
With you, I ask the Lord to bless the Company, that we might all dare to live lent fully.
Father Gui Tianjue, CM
by Omnis Terra ¹
Fr Gui Tianjue (Joseph Kuei) was the first martyr of the diocese of Yujiang in the province of Jiangxi. The inscription on his tombstone says he died in 1953.
He was a Vincentian. After ordination he studied for a while in the United States. Before 1950 he worked in a Catholic church in Fuzhou, also in the province of Jiangxi. He founded the "True Light" secondary school, which he ran for over ten years. An American, Fr Steven Dunker, C.M., was one of his companions at that time. The present regime began in 1951. All priests and Christians were invited to join the Patriotic Association, which set up the Movement of Threefold Independence of the Church, at which time the police listed the false accusations against the American missionary, S. Dunker. Fr Gui spoke up in defence of his companion and refused to join the Movement. He was therefore arrested and imprisoned, bringing his breviary with him.
The Christians brought him whatever he needed. All he would accept were raw vegetables. With the passage of time it became more and more difficult to visit him. Once a month the prison authorities accepted parcels brought by the Christians, but they never gave them to the prisoner. He died in 1953 but no one received permission to see his body. It was only sometime later that two Christians succeeded in finding it in a ditch and were able to bury it in the church cemetery.
Evidence of his pupils
Fr Gui followed the example of Jesus. He lived poorly and willingly helped the poor. When he was a professor in the seminary he lived with the seminarists and like the seminarists. When he had to bring the sacraments to the Christians he prayed along the way. He always found time to do good to others. He knew a little Chinese medicine, which enabled him to help the sick poor. He had great humility. And, with all his learning, he carried out his ministry like a simple priest.
The first miracles after his death
During the ten years after his death many people came to pray at his grave and collect the herbs that grew there. The first person to receive a grace was the Christian Gong De. He had been present at the religious burial ceremony of Fr Gui. He had a stomach ailment for years. He drank a brew made from herbs which grew on the priest's grave and was healed.
But the most astonishing case of a cure was that of a child in a pagan family. He was feverish and howled all day and all night. The mother, in desperation, came to pray at Fr Gui's grave, and almost at once the child stopped crying and the fever abated.
Fr Zeng, a curate in the diocese of Yujiang, was also cured of cancer after drinking a brew made from herbs collected on Fr Gui's grave. That was in the spring of 1992. But the most significant thing is that, for more than 40 years, Fr Gui's grave was a meeting place for liturgical celebrations by the Christians of the diocese of Yujiang. In order to put a stop to this popular devotion the government wrecked the tomb in the winter of 1992.
Many Christians who witnessed the profanation of the grave smelt a beautiful scent. In the open grave all that was found were some ornamental buttons, of a type commonly used in the 1950s.
Very little is known of Fr Gui's life. The bishop called him: "The Martyr of Charity".
Translation: Thomas Davitt, C.M.
(1) In Omnis Terra, Pontifical Missionary Union Magazine, N_ 41, October-December 1994
Father José-Oriol Baylach, CM
by Andre Sylvestre C.M.
Last September, I had the great pleasure of a second meeting with Fr. Jose-Oriol Baylach, in the old Provincial house of Calla Rocafuerte. Though ill from cancer, he kept all his usual sprightliness. With very little reference to his illness he spoke mainly of his work in historical study. He was engaged in assembling all his sources needed for the life of our confrere, Mgr. Schumacher, one of the great Bishops of Ecuador. He was very interested in the promotion of the cause of Bl. Perboyre. On parting from him I felt, seeing his state of health and age, that I would see him no more until we met in Heaven.
Born April 27, 1914, in Mas de Cabrile in Catalonia, between Barcelona and Gerona, his family had given to the Church two confreres and a Daughter of Charity. He was one of that group of Spanish confreres, mostly from Catalonia, like the much regretted Frs. Majuan and Pares, who did their secondary studies at the Berceau, which resulted in them being fully bi-lingual. When I was in the Seminaire in St. Lazare (1938-39) he was a student there but we had little or no contact with the students. Due to the war he did his priestly studies in Spain. After ordination (1941) he went, in due course, to Ecuador, together with Frs. Majuan and Gonzalez de Rivera as well as a few French confreres.
Working in Ecuador in Seminaries - since that was the only work for confreres at the time - he specialized in Religious Sociology, rendering great service to the Ecuador Bishops in this field. Recalled to Rome in 1980 to take the place of Fr Cid, who had died, he was Director of Vincentian Publications at the Curia. His facility with languages was very helpful in this. I often met him during that time, in Rome and again at the funeral of a mutual friend, Fr. Majuan.
He had been pining to get back to Ecuador, to which he returned for good in 1989. He took up his sociological and historical pursuits. But during that year, the Visitor, Fr. Sorja died, while his successor, Fr. Montalvo, almost immediately after installation, died also at the end of that year. The confreres of the Province chose Fr. Baylach to succeed these two confreres in that sad series of trials. His age and experience enabled him to pick up the reins and so, it was under his wise guidance that the Province was enabled to face the future with confidence - with God's help, they will have 4 new confrere-priest in a few months' time.
Fr. Baylach was present as Visitor of the Province at the 1992 Assembly in Rome. He astonished us by the interest he showed in every subject of discussion, and by his wise interventions.
When his period as Visitor had finished, he once again resumed his studies in the field of history, but unfortunately, was unable to finish his work. So, it must be left to someone else to write the Life of Mgr. Schumacher.
"Good, wise missioners are" so St. Vincent used to say, "the treasures of the Little Company." It is one of these treasures that the Province of Ecuador and all Fr. Baylach's friends are now mourning.
Post-sriptum of Father Robert P. Maloney, CM
Let me add a brief postscript to André Sylvestre's tribute to José-Oriol Baylach. I knew Oriol well, having lived with him for three years here in the General Curia. He had a wonderful vivacity about him.
He also had a deep love for the Congregation. It was surely at the cost of great sacrifice that he accepted the office of Visitor at a rather advanced age. He was one of the oldest members of the General Assembly of 1992, but all those who were present, I am certain, remember his lively interventions.
Oriol was quite "original." Like David, he was capable of dancing before the Ark. I have fond recollections of him pacing up and down in the rec hall, with a smoldering cigarette hanging from his mouth (as all of us waited for the ashes to drop), recounting some tale, and occasionally breaking into song or dancing three or four steps! He often intrigued us with little pieces of information or piles of data that he had compiled about the Congregation.
He lived next to me. Once I thought he had burned to death, when I noticed that smoke was pouring out from under the door of his room. I barged in to find that he was not there, but that his desk was on fire (one of the hanging ashes had evidently found its way into the waste paper basket!). When Oriol returned to his room, obviously quite troubled by what had happened, the first thing he did was light up another cigarette!
I was in Paris when I heard the news of Oriol's death. I had many happy memories of him that day. I was also impressed by how many confreres came to me to express their sorrow at this loss to the Company. May he rest in peace.
Our causes for Beatification and Canonization
by Giuseppe Guerra CM
In this report we intend bringing up to date that given to the General Assembly in 1992 (Cf Vincentiana XXXVI (1992), pp 532-537). This report, also, is divided into three parts: our beatified confreres and sisters who are awaiting canonization; the servants of God whose beatification process is under way; those whose beatification process has just begun, or will begin.
I. THOSE ALREADY BEATIFIED
1. Blessed John Gabriel Perboyre for Canonization: A miraculous cure of a Daughter of Charity in 1889.
The miracle which was recently accepted by the medical commission of the Congregation for the Saints, and which will bring about the canonization of John Gabriel Perboyre (1802-1840), was obtained more than a hundred years ago by a Daughter of Charity in Héverlé, Malines, in Belgium. Sister Gabrielle Isoré DC (1851-1906) was cured, at the age of 38, of a type of paralysis, diagnosed as acute progressive spinal lepto-meningitis.
The Sister, in a desperate situation, invoked Blessed John Gabriel. A Sister suggested a novena, which was organised by the superior, Sister Josephine Hauff, who asked all the community houses in Belgium to unite in prayer. The novena was to finish on the day of the beatification in Rome, Sunday 10 November 1889 (Cf Annales de la CM, 55/1890 pp 239-242).
The sister had been reduced to total immobility, with a poor prognosis; her death was by now expected. On 9 November the doctor said: "...I had given up all hope of seeing Sister's condition improve. I thought she was close to death". Instead, on Sunday morning Sister Isoré got up, cured. "...I then went as far as the chapel, opened the door, and shouted: I'm mad, or I'm cured!". As she herself and the sisters had promised, there were prayers of thanksgiving, and devotion to Blessed John Gabriel spread. The sister, who from now on would be called Jean-Gabriel, always enjoyed good health afterwards and continued to work right up till her death in 1906. The doctor had to admit: "For an illness which had reached the state to which Sister Gabrielle Isoré was reduced, months of active treatment would be needed to obtain a cure, which perhaps would not be total". The Process was opened in Malines, Brussels, in 1892, with her doctor, Dr Boine, the superior, Sister Isoré herself, and others, as witnesses.
In 1901 there was the ante-preparatory commission in Rome, and the preparatory commission in 1903 with a new "positio super miraculis".
Everything suggested a favourable outcome. The Postulator, Fr Veneziani, wrote to the Superior General: "As you will see from the catalogue of causes for beatification and canonization dealt with by the Congregation of Rites, which I sent you some weeks ago, the cause of Bl. Perboyre is the one most favoured by the Congregation to partner that of Bl. Chanel. So, if nothing to the contrary happens, our blessed martyr will, along with Bl. Chanel, be solemnly inscribed in the catalogue of the saints by the time of the forthcoming papal jubilee, or at the latest by the time of the 50th anniversary of the definition of the Immaculate Conception. For the present, things are going rather well; already a doctor appointed ex officio is studying the position for the voting on the miracles. The Rev. Promoter has promised to let me have the comments soon" (From a letter of Fr A Veneziani to the Superior General, Rome, 11/6/1901).
"As I wrote to you previously, Dr Lapponi, the chief Pontifical Physician, is convinced that the proposed miracles are excellent. Morani, the advocate, who is most experienced in these matters, says the cause will succeed" (From a leter of Fr A Veneziani to the Superior General, Rome, 23/12/1902).
But then came some objections, or rather doubts, put forward by two doctors who questioned whether the diagnosed "leptomeningitis" might not rather be due to hysteria, and therefore functional. At the level of the Preparatory Commission, which met in 1903, it was decided to make further examinations. The Pope agreed to a new more detailed examination by two very experienced doctors.
The difficulties being met with (Fr D'Isengard, meanwhile, had succeeded Fr Veneziani in 1908) also invloved a second similar miracle, which took place in Reims, concerning Sister Josephine Destailleur DC, and probably discouraged further attempts.
In a letter to the Congregation of Rites, dated 3 June 1957, the Postulator, Fr Bisoglio, reported: "From enquiries made, from that decision onwards nothing was actually done". He therefore asked that the more detailed examination requested be carried out.
We have, in fact, a Report by Professor Vincenzo Lo Bianco, 10/5/1959, on the miracle relating to Sr Gabrielle Isoré, in which the Professor says, in substance, that he cannot add anything further to what the doctors had already said for and against.
So we concentrated our attention on the case of Sr Gabrielle Isoré DC to see whether, in the light of modern scientific progress, the doubt which blocked discussion at the time could be dealt with in a better way: is it a question of an organic or functional illness? And can the cure, as it is documented, be explained in a natural way?
In a detailed report (23/12/1993 & 28/5/1994) the two present medical experts first of all interpreted the documents in the light of more advanced scientific knowledge, thanks to which they were able definitely to exclude functional illness (hysteria), saying that the more appropriate diagnosis of the case would be to call it progressive poliradicolonevritis. The opinion of the medical commission appointed to advise (17/11/1994) was that the cure must be regarded as instantaneous, total and permanent, and inexplicable according to our scientific knowledge.
Also, from the files in the archives of the Daughters of Charity (Rue du Bac, Paris) from 1887 to 1906 it can be seen that the sister's health, which was originally very bad, was good from the year of the miracle, 1889, up to her death in 1906.
When the Theological Commission summoned by the Congregation for the Saints, and the meeting of the cardinals concerned, have received the results from the aforementioned Medical Commission, it will be up to the Holy Father, with the infallible authority of the Vicar of Christ, to pronounce his difinitive and decisive judgement on the canonization of our blessed martyr, which the Vincentian family above all, all over the world, await with impatience.
2. Bl. Francis Regis Clet, beatified 27 May 1900.
3. Bl. Marie Madeleine Fontaine & her companions, beatified 13 June 1920.
4. Bl. Ghebre-Micahel, beatified 3 October 1926.
5. Bl. Louis-Joseph François & Jean-Henri Gruyer, beatified 17 October 1926.
6. Bl. René Rogue, beatified 10 May 1934.
7. Bl. Marie Anne Vaillot & Odile Baumgarten, beatified 19 February 1984.
As has been said many times, nothing can be done in Rome about these causes if there is no miracle, which is necessary for canonization, even of martyrs; no miracle is needed for beatification of martyrs. It is necessary to spread knowledge of them, to pray with confidence, and to let the Postulator know, so that the required documentation may be assembled.
(Continue to in Issue n.2)
Traduction J-F. Gaziello, CM
Reflections of the Synod of the African Bishops
Reflections on the special session of the Synod of the African Bishops
by Germano Grachane, C.M. Bishop of Nacala
The theme of this 8th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of the Bishops was "The Church in Africa and its evangelizing mission as we move toward the year 2000: You shall be my witnesses, (Acts 1,8)."
It was an indescribable happiness and an invaluable grace for me to have the privilege to participate in this Synod, and not only for being my baptismal experience of a Synod, but, most of all, because it was a Synod that brought to light the evangelizing mission of the Church in Africa, whose mission is "the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity ¹."
But, in a particular way, the evangelizing mission is also the mission of the Congregation of the Mission. For this reason, the grace of having participated in this Synod, was also a particular grace to rediscover the specific contribution that the Vincentian vocation gives to the evangelization of Africa as the year 2000 approaches, taking into consideration the situation of the continent; its history; its present and its future; its social, cultural, political and economical situation. Truly, the general theme of the Synod (evangelization) or its five subtitles (proclamation, inculturation, justice and peace, dialogue and the means of social communication) were a direct provocation, a challenge and an interpellation today to all the Congregation of the Mission in the African continent. This current interpellation of the Synod to the Congregation of the Mission in Africa, was particularly strong regarding the Synod's unanimous statement on the need to create an African clergy, zealous in the evangelization of this continent whose nations and people, regardless of the different situations, have the common denominator of being formed by a multitude of authentic poor people: a clergy invested with the spirit of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who made Himself poor, humble, gentle and obedient for our love, is what the Synod says almost literally.
For me, a Vincentian African priest participating in the Synod, this was a singular opportunity to understand again my Vincentian vocation and the Vincentian style to practice priestly-episcopal ministry, a style characterized by the five fundamental Davidic stones that are revealed as more necessary today than ever in the combat of the faith and of the mission.
In 1990, I participated, behind the scenes, in the Synod on clergy formation, as President of the Episcopal Commission of Mozambique for Seminaries and vocations.
The Conference of the Bishops of Mozambique proposed my name as delegate of the Synod some months after my episcopal ordination in June and some months before that Synod. Due to the lateness of the proposal, it was not possible for the General Secretary of the Synod to replace the name of the former President of the Seminaries' Commission with mine -- the new President and already functioning as such at the time of the Synod. But, in November, 1993, exactly six months before the African Synod, all the Episcopal Commissions were renewed and I ceased being the President of the Seminaries' Commission to become the President of the Commission for Evangelization, Catechesis and Faith. With this title of President of the Commission for Evangelization I was elected by the Conference of Bishops among the six delegates to the African Synod, whose main and unifying theme was the evangelization of the African continent.
From my experience of this providential moment of grace that was the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, gathered together cum Petro et Sub Petro, I got to retain some of the best aspects of the mirabilia Dei in the evangelization of the African continent celebrated in the Synod: the collegiality, the universal communion, where the evangelizing mission of the Church in Africa is of interest to the Universal Church, because no particular or local Church is separated from the one unique group that is the universal Church.
From its first moment of convocation to its preparation and execution, this African Synod was a true Pentecost, as the work of the Holy Spirit².
1. General Theme of Evangelization
Against the danger of a partial and limited vision of the evangelization, the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, following the Council and the post conciliar pontifical magisterium, says that evangelization is a pastoral and global mission of the Church in the four fundamental dimensions: evangelization to spread and profess the faith, evangelization to celebrate faith with the sacraments, evangelization to witness to the faith in life and evangelization for a life of prayer/adoration in spirit and in truth³.
In summary, to evangelize the African continent is to make it live from Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer of mankind?.
The evangelization leads to the birth of the Church and is the work and vocation of the Church. This is the family of God brought together and summoned to meet in the communion of love, in unity and truth, in the Word of the Living God: Christ the Lord?.
An aspect that was constantly repeated by the Fathers of the Synod was that the evangelization of Africa should be based on Jesus Christ the Lord, the Gospel of God, Father of infinite love. In His condition of Son of the Living God, Jesus is the first Evangelizer: The One who came to reunite dispersed humanity, and He did it with His own life and person, His presence, His word, His works and, especially, the work of the Paschal? mystery in Pentecost, where he gave us the fullness of his Spirit of infinite, holy love?.
In affirmation of this fundamental truth of Christ the Lord, the Good News of God and the first Evangelizer, the special session of the Synod of the Bishops for Africa, according to the living tradition of the Church, says that the evangelization of the African continent does not change the essential content (Christ the Lord), but needs to renew the method and zeal.
In this line of ideas, the Fathers of the African Synod emphasized the pastoral need of an inculturated evangelization, that will create an inculturated Church in the African continent.
Evangelization is an action of the Church, that takes place in the Church, dominated by the fundamental law of the word of the living Gospel in the community: is the continuation of the mission of the Son of God by means of His Spirit?.
The infinite love of God that manifested itself in Christ, continues to become manifest in the Church, the Mystery? of the manifestation of God's love that creates and saves mankind.
This infinite love of God, present and operating in the Church, has its own power to transform and to renew a person, all of one's personal and social life, all of one's history.
Whereas the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of mankind, the Church in Africa has to renew the culture of the African people with the power of the Gospel itself ¹?.
The model of Church, formed in Africa according to the Gospel, is the model of Church as family of God, mystery of the communion of love and, therefore, in intimate dialogue and on all levels inside and out.
In terms of proclamation, the evangelization of the African continent should be centered in the person of Jesus Christ, should announce Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today, permanent newness of the love of God for us¹¹.
In this model of Church-Family, God and Father, Jesus Christ is the firstborn of all people rescued by him, and the Holy Spirit is the love that unites all people as brothers and sisters and as children of God.
There is no space for inactive members in the Church-Family, but all participate actively in the same evangelizing mission of the family, in its work, in its past, in its present and in its total and definitive future: therefore, in the plurality of ministries and services for the edification of the Church-Family of God in Africa¹², bishops, priests, deacons, religious men and women, but especially the faithful laity, are all called to proclaim today the mystery of the Kingdom of God in Africa¹³.
More than being the work of evangelization, essentially a work of the Church and for the Church, it is first the communal subject and object of evangelization in Africa and, within the Church and after the Church, it is the family, the domestic Church, the first subject and object of evangelization. In the family, domestic Church, all of its members are evangelized and evangelizers in relation to one another: the spouses between each other, the parents in relation to their children and vice-versa, the siblings between them, and a family in relation to other families. And as well as the family, the domestic Church, is the first model of the Church, it is also the first model of the inculturated Church in Africa.
2. The evangelization as inculturation and sanctity
For the Fathers of the special session of the Synod for Africa, the evangelizing mission of the Church in the continent needs to be inculturated, that is, seen and carried out in the frame of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God, culminated in Easter and in Pentecost. All this means that the final goal of inculturation is sanctity and, in this sanctity, the best inculturators are the saints. Truly, only by living in sanctity can one inculturate the Gospel. In Christmas, the Son of God assumed the human nature. In the Paschal Mystery, the Son of God communicates His divine life to the human nature, sanctifying it until it is exalted: "You did not want sacrifices nor prayer; but You gave me a body... then I said: Here I come ... to do, Oh, God, Your will¹?".
In the mystery of Pentecost, in the gift of His Spirit, Christ the Lord universalizes His work of unique Mediator of salvation, that is, of communion and union between humanity and divinity and also between mankind: He attracted mankind to Himself, all cultures, all the things and all the cosmos. Today, the mystery of Pentecost of Christ the Lord is effectively operating in the Church in Africa, attracting the whole continent to itself.
It is within this global frame of the Mystery of Christ, sole Mediator, on whom the Fathers of the special session of the Synod for Africa reflected on the problem of evangelization and inculturation of the inculturated Church in Africa today. Within this frame, I want to mention that I felt proud to be a Vincentian and African Bishop when the Congregation of the Mission in Egypt and Ethiopia was mentioned expressly and publicly at the Synod's opening as singular example of a Church and an evangelization inculturated in the African continent for many centuries. In fact, the only Patriarch that participated in the African session of the Synod was Patriarch Stephanus II Ghattas of Alexandria. I will also like to mention the other three subtitles of the Synod for Africa:
1. Evangelization is a problem of Justice and peace in the African continent, plagued by an extreme poverty provoked by many circumstances, from wars to the difference in structure, from famine and illnesses to the humiliating external debt, unemployment, low rate of education, and other social problems.
2. Evangelization as dialogue within the Church with separated brothers and sisters, with believers of non-Christian religions, with traditional African religions, with people of good will, and the problem of the sects.
3. Evangelization as communication and the problem of social means of communication and African oral tradition.
There is not enough time nor space to talk about these subthemes of the African Synod. But let me remember the exciting moments of the solemn opening and closing Masses of the African Synod, they were truly African inculturated liturgies, which resumed the meaning and essential message of the Synod itself, Synod of Resurrection, Synod of Hope:
"Christ, our Hope, is alive, we will live¹?!"
[nota1] Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14
[nota2] Cf. Instrumentum Laboris, 1.
[nota3] Ibid., 12.
[nota4] Cf. Ad P.D.N., 9.
[nota5] Cf. Instrumentum Laboris, 7,11.
[nota6] Cf. Ibid., 8.
[nota7] Cf. Ad P.D.N., 9.
[nota8] Cf. Mt 28: 18-20.
[nota9] Cf. Mt 13:11; Col 1: 9-14
[nota10] Cf. Relatio Post disceptationem, 4.
[nota11] Ad P.D.N. 19, 9.
[nota12] Cf. Relatio Post disceptationem, 5.
[nota13] Cf. Instrumentum Laboris, 13.
[nota14] Heb 10: 5-7.
[nota15] Synodus Episcoporum, Coetus Specialis pro Africa, Vat. 1994, Ad P.D.N., 2.
The CIF a Vincentian Pilgrimage
by The Spanish speaking participants
Vincentiana asks the Spanish-speaking participants of the CIF for a brief description of the experience. With great pleasure and eagerness we undertake this task. We think that we have been very privileged to have been the "founders" or "pioneers" in this great happening in the life of the Congregation of the Mission. We share with the readers what we have lived and experienced during this three month pilgrimage. For us it has truly been a pilgrimage with all that this word implies; a road, a reflection, formation, prayer, camaraderie, accompaniment, strength and expansion.
The idea that brought the CIF to life comes from the Superior General and his council in accord with our Constitutions: "Our formation should be continued and renewed during our whole lives." (CC. c.VI, n. 81). And the Last General Assembly inviting us to a "Renovation of all our ministries and our communities as we seek an integral formation guided by the principle of following Christ the Evangelizer of the poor".
l. Goals of our Pilgrimage
Our program had clear objectives and concrete goals. This is of utmost importance. Our journey was well-planned.
a. Know each other and share experiences. We were all of the same family but we did not know each other. Our first task was to get to know each other, establish a human community. In this way our group came to reflect the unity and universality that is the Congregation of the Mission.
b. Deepen our knowledge of St. Vincent. By visiting the places where he walked we were able to come to know him and to walk in his path.
c. Reflect upon our own lives and community experience in order to better our capacity as evangelizers.
2. There is no pilgrimage without pilgrims:
Thirty Vincentians from all over the world arrived at the motherhouse on Rue de Sèvres on Sept. 4, 1995. We were a truly international community: six from Spain, five from the United States, three from India, two from Mexico, two from Central America, two from Puerto Rico, two from Brazil, two from Indonesia, one from the Philippines, one from Portugal, one from Peru, one from Colombia, one from Ireland, and one from Eritrea.
3. There is no pilgrimage without a plan and a method:
It is not possible to walk just any way one pleases. We did our pilgrimage with a special plan in mind. Of course it was difficult to get tuned in, but in time we caught on. Our journey together was based on four basic cornerstones:
a. presentation of a theme -This was usually done by an expert and the presentation was followed by questions.
b. personal reflection - One of our criticisms was that there was not sufficient time for this reflection.
c. group work - In this task we dialogued about the presentation and about the questions presented.
d. plenary session - On Thursday and Friday our meeting place turned itself in a Parliament as the group began to report on their findings. Very often the creativity of the presentations was outstanding and the session were much anticipated.
(The next paragraph is not clear in the text. It contains some contradictions and I have opted for a concise summary. (The translator)
The pedagogy had its efficacy and its values, but also its deficiencies. In general the methods used were very good, but more than anything the fraternal climate of the group must be underlined as a highlight. As we said above there was not enough time for personal reflection. Also the different language groups caused a difficulty, but we survived by forming special language groups. Another obstacle was the lack of reference sources. For a group of thirty students the reference materials were not sufficient.
4. There is no pilgrimage without guides.
Every pilgrimage must have its guides and our guides were good ones: Fr. Rybolt, Fr. Renouard, and Fr. Sterling
Many others supported us with their orientation, company, and materials. Father Jose Maria Roman: He put us up to date about Vincentian studies and gave us hermeneutical keys to the understanding of St. Vincent.
Father Braga: He introduced us to the Constitutions. This had to be the way we would walk. His profound knowledge of the Constitutions made us enjoy the learning. We worked with the texts and we came to know the Constitutions and to love them.
Father Poole: He taught us about "apostolic activity". Beginning with Saint he showed us the development of this theme over the years and right to the present.
Father Maloney: He shared with us a day on our pilgrimage. He taught us with clarity and simplicity just what our mission is and who the missioner should be, how we should evangelize and he motivated us to accept the radical challenge that our vocation presents us today.
Mr. Cotinaud: This layman psychologist taught us about community life. He made astute observations about human relations and the difficulties and traps in good communication.
Father Rybolt: During the fifth week he taught us about community life from the time of Vincent until today. His presentation made us reflect whether our own community houses really are evangelizing communities.
Father Renouard: He taught us about the five characteristic virtues pointing out not only that these virtues have not lost their importance but that they are at the heart and should of the spirituality of the Vincentian.
Father Catalan, S.J.: He taught us about the vows from the point of view of a psychologist/ psychiatrist. He delved into the are of childhood showing us how our childhood influences our adult lives.
Father Ubillus: He is the provincial of Peru. He taught us about the vows and how they are to be lived in different cultures. Despite the differences from country to country he showed us the challenge and efficacy of the vows in the task of evangelization.
Father Lautissier: He is the director of the Daughters in France. He taught about the identity of the Daughter of Charity and her relationship with the person of the Superior General.
Sister Elizabeth Charpy: She is a D.C. She taught about the spiritual journey of Louis and her participation in the the founding of the C.M.
Father Sterling: His presentation was about the Sacrament of Penance. Also he taught us about the richness and importance of the Divine Office. Also he tried to make us aware of the wonderful treasures contained in popular religiosity.
Father Renoard: In his second presentation he spoke about Marian devotion in the spirituality of Vincent and Louise. He showed the importance of the Miraculous Medal and how Marian devotion must be an important part of our spiritual lives.
Sister Juana Elizondo: She is the Superior General of the Daughters of Charity. She informed us about the recent Synod in Rome where she had been invited. She spoke to us about the fraternal, spontaneous and respectful climate that encouraged freedom of expression.
Father Koch: His theme was prayer and he taught for the last two weeks of the course. His teaching was enriched by a Vincentian flavor and he awakened in us a desire to discover new forms of prayer and to share our prayer communally.
5. Pilgrimage to Vincentian Sites:
Our time of study would not have been complete without a visit to the places where Vincent walked. As we visited we were able to walk in the footsteps of Vincent. We walked in his steps and saw the places that gave birth to the Congregation: FOLLEVILLE, CHATILLON, CHATEAU L'EVEQUE, DAX, TOLOUSE, BUZET, ETC. These visits helped us to come to know even more our founder.
6. Pilgrimage to our interior:
Our journey brought us to the heart of our souls where we had the meeting between us and our God. Our time at the Berceau was highlighted by four days of retreat directed by Fr. McCullen. He based the retreat on the vows and it culminated in the renewal of vows by all the participants.
7. Pilgrimage that should continue:
During our last week we had an evaluation of the experience. In this reflection the great question was: "Are our apostolates and our community life really Vincentian?" The answers were rich and varied, and we finished with a great desire to continue developing the way that the course had indicated.
Our course is open-ended. It will be difficult to forget what this experience has meant. The poet Antonio Machado has said: "Traveler, there is no road; one makes the road while walking." We agree, but we also know that the CIF experience has made us who we will be in the future.
We close with this prayer:
THAT YOUR ROAD MAY WIDEN AS YOU ADVANCE; THAT THE SUN MAY ALWAYS SHINE ON YOU; THAT THE SUN MAY BE ALWAYS AT YOUR BACK AND THAT THE RAIN MAY FALL GENTLY ON YOUR FIELDS, AND THAT UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING MAY GOD GUARD YOU AND KEEP YOU IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. AMEN.
Translated by Kevin Lawlor
