International Chronicles

This week, we received news from many different missions around the world which you can read in this article.

From Ireland: Frs. Ignacio Mikalonis and Luis de la Calle were able to take a trip with 15 youth to Scotland for skiing. Although they were very busy, Fr. Mikalonis wrote that nor did “Christ have any rest during His three years of ministry,” and the children were able to “enjoy themselves in the presence of God.”

From Holland: Fr. Pedro Torres writes that it was a great joy to join the Auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Robert Mutsaers, for the Mass for the imposition of habits for 6 novices in Italy. Fr. Pedro and the Bishop from Holland attended the ceremony because one of the novices, Martin, is the first vocation to come from Holland to the Institute.

From Syria: The members of the religious family in Syria announced that the Latin Rite apostolic vicarate dedicated a new Cathedral; this is particularly important, as Catholics are the minority there. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, presided the Mass, and Fr. Marcelo Gallardo, the provincial superior, concelebrated along with 30 other priests. Pope Benedict XVI sent a personal message thanking “the Catholic Church of Syria for its fidelity to the Lord and to the Church, its fidelity to the Bishop of Rome and his ministry as successor of Peter.”

You can read the full article on ive.org.

From Tanzania: The sisters work at a small clinic in Ushetu, and have been visiting the neighboring residents and teaching catechism. One of the many stories they recounted is how one of their little children from catechism is already in heaven. Her mother brought her to the clinic because she was sick with a tumor on her leg, which was later amputated.  The girl’s family was Muslim and pagan, but, after meeting the sisters and in the midst of great suffering, she decided on her own to start catechism, and was baptized with the name Elizabeth at Christmas. When the sisters were told that Elizabeth had died, they were also told “Mweupe alienda mbingu“ which means, in the native language, that she went straight to heaven without stain.

From Brazil: The sisters were able to start another foundation on Februrary 2nd in the little town Itatiba in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The sisters took over a house for the elderly that has been running for over one hundred years; the town was so small that the daily newspaper ran as a headline, “Servants of the Lord will arrive in this city on Friday.” On the 12^th of that month, one of the elderly women who was close to death was baptized, and then promptly went to heaven.

From Papua, New Guinea: From January 9^th until the 15^th, the members of the Institute were able to participate in the first annual Diocesan Youth Day, with over 520 youth from the jungle (de la selva). There were many skits and talks, in which the priests and sisters played a very active role.