|
|
December, 2007
I) Monasteries
II) RGM 2008
III) Informations
IV Modifications Elenchus
V) Called by the Lord
The members of the
Viale Africa Community
wish you a most blessed
New year of 2008 !
I) Monasteries
Oita [87] :
Dom Jean-Baptiste SAKAMOTO, Superior ad nutum
of
Tobetsu Monastery (N.-D. du Phare, Japan)
and Father Immediate
of Oita , has appointed Father
Raphael Shioya Hisashi
superior ad nutum of
the monastery of Oita (Japan). The nomination came into effect on
September 14, 2007. Dom Raphaël
Shioya Hisashi was
born in 1965 at Kamakura
(Japan), he entered at Oita
in 1986, made solemn profession in 1991 and was ordained a priest in
2006.
Brialmont [50*]
: On
October 26, 2007, the Community of
Brialmont,
in the diocese of Liège (Belgium), elected as Abbess for an undetermined
mandate Mother
Marie-Pascale DRAN,
who has been the superior ad nutum since July, 2006. Mother
Marie-Pascale was born in 1947, entered Chambarand in 1973 and made
solemn profession in 1979. She has been the Central Secretary for
Formation and the Secretary of the Generalate in Rome.
Shuili
[91]
: Dom Anastasius LI, Abbot of Our Lady
of Joy Abbey (Lantao, Hong Kong) and Father Immediate of Holy Mother of
God Monastery, (Shuili, Taiwan) has appointed Father Paul Kao, Superior
of Holy Mother of God monastery effective November 1, 2007. Father Paul
entered the Community of Shuili in 1990. He did his formation at Our
Lady of New Clairvaux, Vina, California, and made his profession there
in 1997. Father Paul returned to Shuili in 2004.
Bethlehem [61]
: Dom Celsus Kelly
completed his fifth term of six years as Abbot of
Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey (Portglenone,
Northern Ireland) on November 8,
2007. On the same day, Dom Celsus was re-elected Abbot of the Community
for a six year term.
Ava
[65] : Dom Mark Scott
completed his six years term as Abbot of Assumption Abbey on December 8,
2007. On the same day Dom Brendan Freeman, Abbot of New Melleray and
Father Immediate of Assumption Abbey appointed Dom Mark Superior ad
nutum.
Viaceli [46]
: Dom Alejandro Castro
Rodriguez completed his second
term of six years as Abbot of Viaceli
(Spain)
on December 14, 2007. On the same day,
Dom Alejandro was re-elected Abbot of the Community for a six year term.
II)
RGM 2008
House Reports
The
instructions for the drawing up of the house reports is found in the
document “The House Reports and Their Treatment at the MGM” and
in the “Practical Guide” (see the minutes of the Central Commissions,
Cardeña,
2007, Appendix 1a and 1b). These documents also describe the process for
the study of the reports at the 2008 MGM.
In order to have the time needed to
properly translate the texts of the House Reports into the different
languages, print and bind the reports before August 1, the House reports
must be sent to the Generalate to arrive no later than May 1, 2008.
The reports may be sent in any of the languages and if possible by a
disc or by e-mail. Special expressions of gratitude to those Communities
who can send their reports already translated into the different
languages (or into one other language) and accept the accuracy of the
translations!
Concerning the study of the reports
at the MGM, the Central Commissions have made some modifications to
the process that was used at the MGM of 2005. The most important change
is the fact that, at the Regional Meetings, the capitulants will study
the community reports of their Region (1.a.–2.1.1). You asked to
carefully read all the instructions for this study (1.a.B; 1.b.2–8).
And we remind you that,
in order for this new procedure to go into effect, it must first be
accepted by the General Chapter at the beginning of the MGM.
·
Working papers
The Central
Commissions have assigned to the Law Commission and several persons or
groups of persons to write up a certain number of documents.
These documents are to be included in
the general preparation booklet for the MGM which will be sent to all
the Capitulants during the month of April or May, 2008. All these
documents must be at the Generalate by the end of January, 2008, at the
latest. Please!
III) Informations
·
La Merci-Dieu
The sisters of Our Lady of
La Merci-Dieu (France), a monastery that is spiritually associated with
our Order (see the Elenchus, p. 77), have sent us the following news:
“On November 21, 2007, Bishop Jacques Faivre of the diocese of Mans,
with the agreement of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated
Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, has raised the monastery of Our
Lady of La Merci-Dieu (Beata Maria Misericordiae Dei) to the rank of
sui juris Priory, according to canons 579 and 609 § 2 of the Code of
Canon Law. On that same day, the community of Cistercian religious
sisters of La Merci-Dieu elected Sr. Michèle
Labou as prioress of the monastery for a 6-year term. We entrust to your
prayers this new stage of the community’s life. We also assure you of
our prayers and of our fraternal friendship.”
·
Sujong
We
Inform You of the Urgent And Serious Situation of
Sujong Monastery
And Ask for Your Prayers
(In this lonely fight we are looking for true life and true Love in the
Lord...)
-
The City of Masan
and a shipbuilding
company (the STX Taedong) have plans to build a huge shipbuilding
yard in Sujong where our Trappist Monastery is located. In the town
there are also 380 families, a primary and middle school, a
kindergarten, a public health center, the country offices, and a
church. At first they said that there would only be a small
block-building facility which is only one part of the shipbuilding
complex.
-
From November 5th until now for one month together with the people
of the town and environmental protection groups we have tried in all
different ways to get them to stop the legal process for this
enterprise (with the General Abbot’s permission, we have
demonstrated two times
in front of both the
Masan City Hall and the Central Legislative Office). But all we can
get is a “deferment” order to hold the plan in abeyance.
-
Now through the
means
of a public hearing
with the city
of Masan and the
company we hope to have an exchange of opinions. During this time we
have learned how they confronted us with lies and have even tried
unilateral passage of a bill on the construction in lightning
action. According to the opinion of experts the data which they have
presented to us is in many respects a fabrication.
The company is
stating very openly that they will buy the monastery.
-
The expected environmental pollution
1.
The extent of
the environmental pollution of a ship-building complex: The
ship-building facilities are the first places that professors teaching
environmental studies in the universities take there students to, to
study various polluting factors such as the noise, the dust, and the
paint-oriented air pollution. The environmental experts say that the
shipbuilding is the worst environmental pollution manufacture.
2.
Keojaedo,
Ulsan: These two places arc open wide bays. The shipbuilding facilities
are quite far from the village. So that at first sight
it
seems that there is not too
much pollution. But according to the national environmental research
institute, Keojaedo has the highest degree of pollution in Korea. It is
twice as great as that of the pollution that comes from the exhaust
gases of the automobiles of the whole nation. In spite of this, the
geography of the land is very wide so that there is adequate housing and
people tan come to
make a living.
Economically these regions are prospering.
3.
The same STX
Ship Yard is near Jukkokni Village where the geographical conditions are
similar to Sujong. There is only a small sound-absorbing fence between
the Jukkukni village and the shipyard. The steel shavings, the noise,
the paint hit the villagers directly. The village is almost in ruins.
The restaurants have closed and there are hardly any shops left. The
villagers are sick and should have moved about 7 years ago. But there is
litigation between how much they should be compensated so they cannot
move. The Village of Sujong is even in a worse geographical
t
position than the one in
Jukkokni and it seems that it will be environmentally worse. The
monastery has been hit by many typhoons in the last 20 years and the
tiles of the roof have had to be replaced five times. The weather bureau
has stated that Sujong is the recipient of a “bottle effect” where there
is no place fur the winds to go and they turn around in the valley.
4.
The
professionals studying the problem say that not only Sujong but also the
whole county will be affected by the pollution. This
is because the tides are
late and the water doesn’t run out as fast and cannot clean itself
properly.
- A
lonely fight: Right now the City of
Masan
is economically
depressed and is trying every means to lure ventures like this into
the area notwithstanding the pollution. And the 100,000 Citizens of
Masan agree with the city. So that in these circumstances, although
the plight of 1,000 people divided into 380 families makes one feel
bad, one feels that there really is nothing that can be done about
it. The people of Sujong are anxious about their future and are
under pressure from the public opinion. So that when they are
accosted by the civil servants or the factory representatives and
listen to their clever words they react with anger and are ready to
fight. What is more, there are certain elements in the Church that
feel that the outcome of the fight is already fixed so why should
cloistered religious bother to go and fight. They should leave
things up to God. The cloistered religious have come from afar to
look for a true life of love. And they have found that love in Jesus
and try to live it. But if we leave behind 380 families in this
perilous crisis and proclaim ourselves “cloistered” and go our own
way that is not the way of true love but the way to abandon the true
love we profess and to betray Jesus.
-
There are a lot of lawyers, environmentalists and other local people
who have come forward to help us in this fight. We think
that this help is help
from God and we are determined to
guard this land and to
persevere in solidarity with the villagers of Sujong. Actually, this
is really asking us to sacrifice a lot. This is not out of our
selfish motive. We think that if it is the will of God in these
circumstances we will tirelessly try to live out our life preserving
our inner peace and our balance between work and prayer. We predict
lots of loss but through this ordeal we feel that we have also
become spiritually stronger. We think it is because there are a lot
of people that help us and pray for us. We earnestly request the
prayers and support of our Cistercian brothers and sisters.
The
Community of Sujong
Sr. Josepha Chang
IV)
Modifications to the Elenchus Monasteriorum
E-mail Addresses and internet site addresses are regularly updated on
the site
http://www.ocso.org
so they are not mentionned here.
Chambarand [12*]
Fax :
[33] (4) 76.36.59.48
(Abbess)
V) Called
by the Lord
12/2007
Mepkin
December 21, 2007 : Brother Laurence Hoevel was born in 1929 in Fort
Wayne, Indiana (USA). He entered Gethsemani in 1947 and was one of the
founding brothers who came to Mepkin in 1949. He made his solemn
profession in 1953. Brother was 78 years old and had been in monastic
vows for 57 years when the Lord called him.
Désert
December 22, 2007 : Father Benoît Duhalde was born in 1921 in Tarbes
(France). He entered Désert in 1941 and made his solemn profession in
1947. He was ordained a priest in 1947. Father was 86 years old, had
been in monastic vows for 64 years and 60 years a priest when the Lord
called him.
Aiguebelle
December 21, 2007 : Dom Aelred Girardon was born in 1920 in Avignon
(France). He entered Cîteaux in 1936 and made his solemn profession in
1942. He was ordained a priest in 1944. He went to Aiguebelle in 1948,
was elected Abbot in 1989 and remained in Office until 1995. Father was
87 years old, had been in monastic vows for 68 years and 63 years a
priest when the Lord called him.
Lantao
December 11, 2007 : Father Nicolas Kao was born in Fu-Chau (Fukien -
China). Ordained priest in 1933, he entered Lantao in 1972 at the age of
75 and made his solemn profession in 1997 at the age of 100. Father was
110 years and 11 months old : he was the oldest monk of the Order and
also the oldest priest in the world. He had been a priest for 74 years
when the Lord called him.
Gedono
December 11, 2007 : Sister
Simonia Triyanti Poedjadarmo was
born in 1936 in Indonesia.
She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St Charles
Borromeo in 1955 and Vitorchiano in
1981. She made her solemn profession in 1986.
Foundress of Gedono in 1987, Sister was the oldest
member of the community. She was 71 years old
and had been in monastic vows for 21 years
when the Lord called her.
Bonneval
December 9 ,
2007 : Sister Clémence Bru was
born in 1917 in Jack-Fish-Lake
(Canada). She entered Bonneval
in 1936 and made her solemn
profession in 1941. Sister was 90
years old and had been in monastic vows for
69 years when the Lord called her.
Timadeuc
December 8 ,
2007 : Father Fabien Caudal was
born in 1920 in Trignac
(France). He entered Timadeuc
in 1938 and made his solemn
profession in 1944. He was ordained a priest
in 1945. Father was 87
years old, had been in monastic vows for 67
years and 62 years a priest
when the Lord called him.
Vico
December 2 ,
2007 : Sister Natividad Nicolás Hernando
was born in 1922 in
Serradilla de Arroyo (Spain).
She entered Vico in 1938
and made her solemn profession in 1942.
Sister was 86 years old and had been in
monastic vows for 65 years when the Lord
called her.
Arévalo
December 2 ,
2007 : Sister Ana María de Jesús Jiménez Calvo
was born in 1920 in
Cervera del Río Alhama (Spain).
She entered Arévalo in 1946
and made her solemn profession in 1951.
Sister was 87 years old and had been in
monastic vows for 60 years when the Lord
called her.
11/2007
Latroun
November 13 ,
2007 : Brother Benoît Rachid was
born in 1917 in Kfarnoun
(Lebanon). He entered Latroun
in 1934 and made his solemn
profession in 1940. Brother was 90
years old and had been in monastic vows for 70
years when the Lord called him.
Tenshien
November 1 ,
2007 : Sister M. Martha Nonomura was born on November 25,
1906 in Osaka (Japan).
She entered Tenshien in 1937
and made her solemn profession in 1944.
She died on November 1, 2007. Sister was 100
years and 11 months old and had been in monastic vows for 66
years when the Lord called her. She was the oldest
nun of our Order.
10/2007
Bonneval
October 23 ,
2007 : Sister M. Pierre Favier
was born in 1939 in St Maurice
(France). She entered Bonneval
in 1960 and made her solemn
profession in 1966. Sister was 67
years old and had been in monastic vows for 45
years when the Lord called her.
Achel
October 20 ,
2007 : Father Godfried Bussels
was born in 1920 in Neeroeteren
(Belgium). He entered Achel
in 1941 and made his solemn
profession in 1946. He was ordained a priest
in 1949. Father was 87
years old, had been in monastic vows for 64
years and 58 years a priest
when the Lord called him.
Holy Trinity
October 7 ,
2007 : Father Bartholomew Gottemoller
was born in 1914 in
Indianapolis (USA). He
entered Gethsemani in 1934 and
made his solemn profession in 1939.
He was ordained a priest in 1942.
He was a founder of Holy Trinity Abbey in 1947. Father was 92
years old, had been in monastic vows for 71
years and 65 years a priest
when the Lord called him.
We recommend each one of
them
to the prayers of all the brothers and sisters of the Order.
|