Professional Documents
Culture Documents
XMNMay 2023
XMNMay 2023
O R G
News
VOL. 71 NO. 2 MAY 2023
4
WORLDCATHOLIC.US News Magazine
Official publication of the United States
Delegation of the Xaverian Missionaries
Delegation House
12 Helene Court
Wayne NJ, 07470
973-942-2975
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
101 Summer Street
Holliston, MA 01746
508-429-2144
Xavier Knoll
4500 West Xavier Drive
Franklin WI
414-421-0831
[email protected]
worldcatholic.us
Publisher
Fr. Mark Marangone, sx
Communications Board
Fr. Carl Chudy sx
6
Br. Korneilus Glossanto, sx
Fr. Rocco Puopolo sx
Fr. Alex Rodriguez sx
Rev. Mr. Pietro Rossini sx
Editor, Layout, Design
Mary Aktay
Printer
AlphaGraphics, Totowa NJ
8 WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 2
Upholding the Highest Standards of
Abuse Prevention
Fr. Mark’s Message
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 3
M I S S I O N A RY S P OT L I G H T
WORLDCATHOLIC.US
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 4
NEWS 4
Sierra Leone had 15,000 child soldiers
during the 10-year war. “Many of the wars
till today are fought by children,” he said.
“It’s really obnoxious.”
Childhood in Boston Fr. Rocco at the National
As a young boy, Rocco was surrounded by a Religious Vocation Council
family that made regular visits to church. He Conference (NRVC) convention
in 2020, where he was the
dreamed of becoming an architect, doctor,
celebrant for the Anniversary
or priest. When growing up in Boston, he
Mass. He used his African
found the city’s Bishop inspirational with Chasibule and began the
a “global sense” while he was serving as Anniversary Mass with an
the director of the mission office. Cardinal African Libation Ceremony.
Cushing inspired many young men and
women to become missionaries. Rocco
decided to become a priest at 10 years
old with early support from his mother and
grandmother. He wished to serve in Asia.
“But the joke of it is I never went to Asia,”
Fr. Rocco said.
When he was in graduate school there
was an opportunity to serve in Sumatra
in Indonesia as an English teacher, but
the local governing board of the Xaverian
Missionaries sent him to Sierra Leone
instead for the internship. Later as a young
priest, he returned to Sierra Leone for 10
more years.
A friend and former member of the
community, Charlie Vernon, said, “Fr. Rocco
is a good man and I think he is the perfect
fit as the superior in charge of the Holliston
community. The way he helps everyone Fr. Rocco with friends in Sierra Leone in 2009
around is inspiring.”
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 55
Painting the Way of the Cross
in a Muslim village By Fr. Antonius Wahyudiyanto, sx
T
he sky was cloudy when I and Mr. families. There are four mosques in the ecclesial and communal process.
Marinus Satoleuru, the parish Matotonan district and only one Catholic During the painting of the Way of the Cross
catechist, arrived at the bank church. However, the two communities on the veranda of Rosanna’s house, our
of the muddy river nearby the live in peace. Matotonan is among 27 sub- Mentawaian Muslim brothers and sisters
sub-station of Matotonan, after more than stations in the Parish of Siberut (Mentawai), who were passing by curiously stared at
three hours sitting in a meditation pose that we take care of more intensively the wooden panels I had just sketched
on the small canoe called a “pompong.” because the Catholic communities are and painted. Some enthusiastic Muslim
Unfortunately, the propeller of our pompong surrounded by the Mentawaian Muslim children stood closer to me watching
fell deep into the river before reaching our majority. me paint. They were impressed with the
destination. So, we needed to continue our At around 6 p.m., we arrived at the house paintings of the Face of the Suffering Christ
journey by walking on the slippery road of Rosanna, who belongs to one of our during His journey to Calvary bearing His
towards the center of the Matotonan sub- Catholic families and lives very close to the cross. One of the Catholics explained to
station for about 30 minutes on a drizzly Catholic church of St. Luke. My aim was the Muslim children that the one who was
afternoon. For me, this pastoral trip, which to stay four days in this place to paint 14 bearing the heavy cross was Jesus Christ,
lasted 4 hours, made on foot and in a small pictures of the Way of the Cross, and to or the Prophet Isa Almasih, the Lord of the
canoe was like practicing the liturgy of the put them on the wall inside the church. I Christians. Marinus, the catechist, added
Via Crucis every Friday of Lent, in all its 14 wanted to finish in three days. Mr. Marinus that Jesus Christ was crucified on the
stations. and some members of the sub-station Cross offering his life obediently to save all
Matotonan is the farthest sub-station in council helped me to cut the wooden panels humankind. In this Muslim village, painting
the Sarereiket river, 35 km from the parish into 14 pieces of the same size of 50 x 50 the Way of the Cross became an instrument
center. In this village, most of the local cm square. The creation of the pictures of to rebuild the creative dialogue with them
population are Muslims with 400 Muslim the Way of the Cross in Matotonan was not through our Christian art.
families. Catholics make up about 72 a private or personal undertaking, but an A Catholic boy (aged 4) attentively looked
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 6
at every detail I was painting. He is the
grandson of Mr. Antonius Sakarigi, the
leader of the liturgical section in this sub-
station. While I was painting the eighth
station, “Jesus meets the women of
Jerusalem who weep for him,” I explained
to the boy in a simple way that together with
those weeping women, there also were some
children and that one of the children in the
painting was him. He smiled at me tenderly.
At this point, my mind was pondering the
Crucifix of Our Founder, when he still was a
child. As a Xaverian Missionary, I wanted to
tell this child that our Founder, St. Guido M.
Conforti, when he was a boy had received
his holy vocation from the Crucifix saying;
“I looked at Him, He looked at me, and it
seemed to me that He said many things.”
To me, painting the Way of the Cross in
Matotonan is a visual catechism to our
Mentawaian Catholics. Moreover, for more
than 60 years, the church of Matotonan had
no pictures of the Stations of the Cross!
Personally, painting the way of the cross in
this small Catholic community was a kind
of penitential journey as well. In addition, I
am not sure if the people in Matotonan sub-
station would do the liturgy of the Way of
the Cross during the Lenten Season without
those 14 illustrations. Patiently they have
been longing for those paintings to hang on
the wall inside their church for more than 60
years. And praise the Lord, finally, I could
finish and provide free of cost all 14 works
of art in three days for our small but beloved
sub-station, a village whose population is
mostly Muslim.
During my free time on a drizzly evening,
one of our Catholic family invited me to his
house to have a special dinner also along
with other Muslim sisters and brothers.
Among them, there was an ustadz (Muslim
religious man) and some of the village
leaders. Informally and fraternally, we
were chatting about how to rebuild the
dialogue of life among the Muslim majority
and the Catholic minority. Living together
joyfully with the majority Muslim brothers
and sisters is a golden opportunity for
our Catholics to be genuine witnesses of Photos courtesy of the Xaverian Missionaries
Christ’s love in Matotonan. General Direction
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 7
REFLECTIONS ON THE GENERAL CHAPTER
I
after 8 months works one of the most fanatical Islamist
n a few months, delegates from with us as parish priest) groups. One of our efforts then consists
each region where we serve in the let me know that being still young, I can in “protecting” the stronghold from
Lord’s vineyard following the legacy start my mission in a rather ‘difficult’ Islamization, which is increasingly
we received from our founder Saint area. Having spent 4 days in this parish prevalent because of financial
Guido Maria Conforti, will meet in when I was still studying the Indonesian resources and administrative influence
Bukavu (DRC) for the great assembly language, I had many questions that can sometimes force Christians to
that is the general chapter. This is about my ability to withstand such an adhere to Islam. Sometimes Christians
the time given to us to reflect on the environment. With joy, I said, “I accept.” compare us to those imams who can
presence of our family in order to Sometimes during exchanges with build mosques in a short period of time,
give us new directions. “Loving our friends, they ask me how much longer while it takes years to build a chapel. We
Xaverian vocation” is the theme that I will have to stay here. And my answer are then seen as incapable of keeping
has been chosen for this year 2023. is another question. “Leave here to go up with them.
This sharing will have two main where?” Regarding the perceptions that others
points. The first part will be an answer The highlights that help me love my have of my missionary vocation,
to the main question that will guide Xaverian vocation are two. I would say that there is a certain
the General Chapter, that of saying misunderstanding at the starting point
how personally I love my Xaverian The first draws its origin from Pope and the finishing point. By starting
vocation. In the second part, I will give Francis’ encyclical document Evangelii point here, I mean my origin, my native
some points that I believe can guide Gaudium. When I started theological village (Bandjoun) in Cameroon, and
the discussions of our Chapter Fathers studies in an institution belonging to by finishing point I designate this place
so that their resolutions in this chapter the Jesuits, this encyclical was like where I live my missionary experience.
urge us to love our vocation and to the guideline of the institution, and we It is difficult for others to understand our
love it more. were modeled according to the advice
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 8
style of being missionary and consecrated, the chapter because more and more we young confreres in formation to living with
living in poverty. Oftentimes, some cousins observe the rise of nationalism in our those who are different in terms of race,
have called on me to help them carry out family. The joy and love that I have for culture or origin is a good initiative that
their projects with expectations that I am my vocation as a member of the Xaverian we have carried out so far. Sometimes
unable to meet. Here where we live, it is family leads me to make some proposals to there are ideas about grouping confreres
also useless to explain to someone that our capitular fathers. in formation by continent (continental
“priests have no money” because he One of my expectations has to do with theology). I do not share this opinion. The
will never believe the reasons for this. the basic formation. Sometimes we spend configuration of our theological houses
These misunderstandings and incorrect a lot of energy on vocational animation, (Mexico City, Parma, Manila, Yaoundé) as
perceptions have never been a hindrance which is a good thing. Sometimes we do it currently is, favors good integration into
to the enthusiasm of our father, Guido not observe the same enthusiasm when our family. If we are thinking of changing
Maria Conforti, or of Jesus, our missionary these young people have already entered this configuration, the best option would be
model par excellence. our family. What happens in the houses of to have a single theological house for all.
Alongside these misunderstandings, there formation has a great effect on those who During the chapter, there is also the election
is a certain joy that animates me, the joy of desire to serve the Lord in our family. In of the council that will lead the congregation
being a link in the chain for the realization my journey, I have encountered situations for a period of 6 years. I expect to see an
of the ideal of making the world one family. where a confrere finds himself forced to increasingly representative council of the
My experience allows me to understand abandon the family. It is preferable that general direction, counselors of Asian,
that the mission ad gentes, ad extra, and ad the regions of origin of the young confreres European, African, and American origin.
vitam is a great gift for the Church. Working in our theological houses at least once a May the Holy Spirit who has always guided
in a place where everything is new to me, year contact them to encourage them and us be the ‘Guide’ to enlighten our chapter
the language, the culture, the landscape, inquire about their background. Technology fathers.
and many other things strengthens my has already made so many means available
idea that the world still needs our presence to us to do this.
for the proclamation of the reign of God. Our Family is increasingly diverse in terms
This founding principle of our mission of the origin of its members. Familiarizing
must be defended and maintained during
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 9
World Mission News “Making of the World One Family...”
O
n Saturday, April 15, 2023, at
9:00 a.m., at the Cathedral
of Belém (Pará),Brazil, the
Xaverian Father Paolo Andreolli
was ordained auxiliary bishop of
the Archdiocese of Belém. The
ordaining bishop was Dom Alberto
Taveira Corrêa, Archbishop of
Belém (PA), and the two co-
consecrating bishops were Dom
Bernardo Johannes Bahlmann
O.F.M., Bishop of the Diocese of
Óbidos (PA), and Dom Adolfo Zon
Pereira SX, Bishop of the Diocese
of Alto Solimões (AM).
The episcopal motto chosen
by Bishop Paolo is “Corações
ardentes pés a caminho”, a clear
reference to the text from Luke
(24:32-33): “Nonne cor nostrum
ardens erat in nobis, dum
loqueretur nobis in via...” (Did not
our hearts burn within us, while he
talked to us on the road?)
The elements present in the
episcopal coat of arms are:
1. a burning heart,
2. “feet in motion” depicted by the
world map, also reminding us
of the Xaverian vocation,
3. a star representing Mary as
the “star of evangelization”;
4. the green and blue colors that
refer to the forest and rivers of
the Amazon region.
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 10
USA NEWS DELEGATION HOUSE, WAYNE NJ
Fr. Michael Davitti’s Scripture Study Group continues to meet on Fridays at 1:30
PM during the summer in the library of the Delegation House. Please email
[email protected] for more information.
OUR LADY OF FATIMA SHRINE, HOLLISTON MA
Pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal
We have space left in a special pilgrimage we are offering to Fatima, Portugal,
commemorating the 75th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine this year. The
pilgrimage will take place September 3-10, 2023. The deadline is May 31, join us
now while there is still space. Contact us at [email protected] or
call 508.429.2144. Reserve your place today!
Helping Refugees
The Metrowest Interfaith Dialogue Project, which we began in 2018, continues to
bring ways to inspire and bring new levels of understanding among the different
faiths of our community, as well as those that are spiritual but not religious. Recently,
we began to gather volunteers from our different faith communities to work together
to welcome Ukrainian war refugees. Interested in volunteering or donating? Visit
https://www.hollistoninterfaith.org/interfaith-refugee-committee.html
XAVIER KNOLL, FRANKLIN WI
“As followers of Christ, we are sent to proclaim, to free, and to give back sight.
These activities require us to help others, not only in their spiritual needs but also
help them to achieve a decent life, so that they, in turn, may become heralds of
God’s graciousness. Nevertheless, for us to grow more sensitive to the needs of
others, we must grow in our union with God, recognizing that we are all members
of God’s one family. Join us as we celebrate as a family at Xavier Knoll’s Mission
Festival on June 24-25!”
~ Fr. Alex Rodriguez, sx
Help the Xaverian Missionaries continue to “multiply mission stations” around the world.. Either clip this paper and send it to the address
below or help the environment by donating online at: https://www.xaverianmissionaries.org/support/
WORLDCATHOLIC.US NEWS 11
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