Christmas 2016 – Letter from the Coordinator, No 25 (20.12.2016)
Christmas 2016
“Communion comes when we don’t see an “other” but see someone who is part of me, the way that God sees everyone as the child of the womb.”
Cardinal Tagle – to the XXV General Chapter
May we recognize the presence of the new born Jesus as the essential part of our life, our dreams, our struggles, our everyday consecration.
May the message of Christmas fill our lives with joy and peace. Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a blessed New Year, 2017.
Fr. Jacek
Letter from the Coordinator, No 25 (20.12.2016)
Dear Confreres, Dear Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer, Dear Partners in Mission.
As we approach New Year 2017, we can have hearts full of thanksgiving for the many blessings and graces which we received in 2016. This was another year in our Conference when we had the opportunity to experience the richness of our Redemptorist family and charism through so many interprovincial meetings and everyday work.
One of the most important events was of course the XXV General Chapter and its two phases in Toruń (Poland) and in Pattaya (Thailand). The first reflections and the letters which we received after the Canonical Phase of the Chapter, gave us some hope that with Christ the Redeemer, who touches and heals our personal and community wounds, we are available for our exciting Redemptorist mission now and in the future. We are in the middle of a lengthy process of discernment, and the Third Phase of the General Chapter will be our opportunity to discern in each Conference the concrete applications of the decisions taken.
This past year was a time when we as the Conference were able to continue some missionary works which are for us now becoming permanent features. I am thinking about the mission in Albania, the common preparation for Perpetual Vows, ongoing formation for those who are in the Transition to Ministry Programme, the pastoral project for the pilgrims on the Way of St. James in Astorga, works of secretariats and commissions etc.
Some of the events were new in our Conference for example: the beginning of the Interprovincial Novitiate in Lubaszowa/Podoliniec; the first Inter-Conference community in Portugal composed of Redemptorists from Brazil; a meeting of Redemptorist Youth from the whole world in Wroclaw, the beginning of the pilgrimage of the Icon of Love in our Units. For more details you can refer to our web-page www.cssr-europe.com
We also experienced the beauty of three extraordinary years in various moments of 2016: the Year of the Consecrated Life, the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Jubilee Year of OMPH. We enjoyed the Beatification of Mother Maria Celeste Crostarosa etc. It was really a blessed time and I thank all the confreres and lay people who dedicated their time and skills to allow us to share in so many Redemptorist missionary experiences.
The NEW YEAR 2017
2017 looks also very busy for us. So I offer just the names of some future activities. However more detailed information can be found on our web-page www.cssr-europe.com
13-17.02.2017 – Beginning of the new Province of Bratislava-Praga (Many congratulations!)
2-7.05.2017 – European celebration in honour of 150 years of Redemptorist devotion to OLPH – symposium/pilgrimage in Madrid (Spain) (all are invited; we expect that from every Unit there will be a Redemptorist and lay representatives)
26.06-16.07.2017 – Spirituality Course (in Italy) (the English speakers are invited)
1.07-31.08.2017 – Pastoral project for the pilgrims on the Way of St. James (Astorga/Spain)
4.07-4.08.2017 – Interprovincial Month of Spiritual Renewal (for every confrere who is preparing for the perpetual vows) and some part of this course will be the ongoing formation for those who are in the Transition to Ministry Programme (for every Redemptorist who are ten or less years professed or ordained) – Kraków/Tuchów (Poland)
10-16.07.2017 – Preparatory Meeting for the XI European Youth Meeting in Granada (Spain) (the responsible persons from every Unit are invited – The XI Meeting will be held: 1-5.08.2018)
11-17.07.2017 – REDCAMP (Redemptorist Camp of Evangelization) in Porto and in Vila Nova de Gaia (Portugal) (all Lay and Redemptorists with new ideas for evangelization in Europe are invited)
3-8.09.2017 – III Phase of the General Chapter and in Perth (Scotland) (the same members as during the First Phase of XXV General Chapter)
9.09.2017 – The Tenth Assembly of the CRE in Perth (Scotland) (only for the members of the Assembly)
24-30.09.2017 – Spirituality Course in Lviv (Ukraine) (Slav languages speakers are invited)
During the whole of 2017 – Pilgrimages of two Icons of OMPH (in various Units in the CRE – the plan prepared by the Commission of OMPH of the CRE)
May the new-born Jesus bless all our plans and works that by our proclamation of plentiful redemption, He will be known and loved by all. Have a very blessed Christmas and New Year.
Jacek Zdrzałek C.Ss.R.
