Today is Palm Sunday and in another six days, it will be Easter. We begin now our preparation for Easter. We celebrate Easter - new life - new beginnings - new presence. We celebrate our call to be an Easter People, a People of the Resurrection, a people transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, a people who must continue to journey in faith, in hope and in love.

Easter changed everything! Men and women experienced transformation of their lives. Frightened men became fearless proclaimers of the good news of Jesus and ministers of God’s forgiving and healing presence among his people. Denials were turned to affirmations of love and dedicated service as in the case of Peter and doubts were changed to confession of faith as in the case of Thomas. Men who were hiding in fear were empowered to move freely and proclaim their joy in the risen Lord.

Easter did change everything! Transformation of people did happen! Be open to the transforming power of the resurrection of Jesus! May the Holy Spirit bless and transform your disbelief and all your doubts and fears and empower you to respond to God’s call in faithfulness and love!

I wish you a very happy and joy-filled Easter. May the risen Lord bring you the richest and the finest of His blessings during this wonderful season. May the Lord bless you and help you become men of Hope, Optimistic and Positive about life and the world around! You are in my prayer especially during this season.

The joint meeting of MSFS USA Regional Council and the Local Superiors of MSFS USA Region will be held on the following dates:

April 14-15, 2009: Joint meeting of the Regional Council and Local Superiors.

April 16, 2009: Regional Council Meeting

Arrival on the day before and leaving on the day after.

All council members, Regional Bursar and the Local Superiors are expected to attend this meeting. The meeting will be held at our house in Loganville, GA

The following important and urgent concerns will be discussed and prayerfully discerned at this meeting: Membership in USA Region in light of the Directives of the General Chapter; New Proposal regarding membership in USA Region; Role and Responsibilities of Local Superiors; financial commitments and obligations; Implementation of Directives from the Superior General and Provincials; Norms for Ethics and Integrity for MSFS; Changes in Immigration laws; Plans for the growth of the Region; plans for vocation promotion and the development of the two Spirituality Centers; etc.

Our “Regional Retreat-Assembly 2009” will be held at Marywood Retreat Center in Jacksonville, Florida, from the evening of Monday, September 21, 2009 to noon on Thursday, September 24, 2009. Please mark your calendar and plan to participate in the retreat-assembly. I will send you more information about the retreat as soon as the details are worked out. I am sending you this information now so that you can mark your calendar and make plans to be there. Your presence is important.

Fr. Thomas Perumalil, Provincial of Visakhapatnam Province, recently visited confreres of his province in ministry in USA.  He also took time to visit Wellspring and a few of our confreres in ministry in other dioceses. I am grateful to Fr. Perumalil for his visit and his constant support for the growth of MSFS USA Region.

I am trying to give you brief information about the most recent changes in Immigration Laws that affect all of us. The document itself is long and confusing. I will send you more information as I read, study and digest the new document a little more. Even what I have given here can be confusing. However, this should, at least, make you aware that things are not as simple as they used to be and that we need to be more attentive to the requirements of USCIS.

On November 26, 2008 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  published the new religious worker regulations.  These long-awaited regulations significantly change the way that dioceses and religious communities sponsor foreign born priests, sisters, brothers and other religious workers to work for the Church in the U.S.  The regulations, effective on the day of issuance November 26, 2008, affect all (R-1) religious workers.     

Religious visas, (R-1s), issued prior to November 26, 2008, will remain valid even though the visas were not supported by an approved petitions.   However, it is not clear at this time, whether or not those individuals with valid visas issued prior to November 26, 2008, will be able to have their status extended at entry with a valid visa without filing for an extension of their status.  I am trying to get this clarified.

A summary of the provisions follows:    

• A religious worker will no longer be able to obtain an R-1 visa at a U. S. Consulate without prior approval by USCIS of an I-129 petition.  (Previously no prior I-129 approval was required when obtaining an R-1 visa).

• The initial period of stay for a nonimmigrant religious worker is shortened from three years to 30 months.  R-1 status can be extended for an additional 30 months.  (Previously, the initial period of stay was three years, with an extension of two years allowed).  

• Extensions of status will no longer automatically be granted at U.S. ports of entry; employers must file an I-129 petition for all extensions of status.  (Previously, an individual could extend his/her status by re-entering the United States with a valid R-1 visa, at which time he/she would be given a new I-94 extending the R-1 status).

• R-1 nonimmigrants are allowed to work part time (at least 20 hours per week) or for more than one employer. Each employer must file a separate application.  (Previously the regulations did not specify that part-time work was permitted).

• After completing five years in R-1 status, an individual must remain outside of the U.S. for a period of one year and may not visit the U.S. during that year.  (Previously, short visits to the United States did not break the continuity of the one year absence).  

The employer must attest to the following:

• Employer is bona fide, tax-exempt religious organization.

• List the number of members of the employer’s organization.

• List the number of employees who work at the same location where the beneficiary will be employed and a job summary of those employees.

• List the number of individuals who hold special immigrant or R-1 status currently employed or employed in the last five years.

• Describe position including title, compensation, and daily duties, etc.

• Employer has the ability to financially support the religious worker.

• The individuals seeking special immigrant status will be employed at least 35 hours per week and the individuals seeking nonimmigrant   religious status will be employed at least 20 hours per week. (The prior regulations did not require such extensive documentation).

Definitions of the terms "religious vocation" and "religious occupation" have been modified.  "Religious vocation" is now defined as a "formal lifetime commitment" to a religious way of life.  "Religious occupation" must be related to a traditional religious function and be recognized as a religious occupation within the denomination. Administrative duties that are only incidental to religious functions are permissible.

The immigration service may conduct on-site inspections of employer locations to verify evidence submitted with petitions.  Such inspections may include a tour of the facility and a review of employer records.  (The prior regulations did not discuss site visits).

Ministers must submit documents showing their ordination and proof of religious training. (The prior regulations only required an ordination certificate).

Evidence of salaried and non-salaried compensation and prior employments must be shown through the submission of W-2 forms or federal tax returns or other financial records showing support.  (The requirements in the prior regulations were not as specific).

Employers must notify Department of Homeland Security within 14 days if individual has left employment or community.  (The prior regulations did not contain a notification requirement).

Please remember Fr. Johnson Jeyabal Pappusamy in your Mass and prayers as he faces a very difficult situation in his life and ministry. Your prayerful presence to our confrere is important and urgent.

Remember Fr. Anil Topno, msfs who died in a motor vehicle accident in South Africa on March 30, 2009. Remember also his family, the South African Region and the North East Province. We express our deepest sympathies to the South African Region and the North East Province and share their grief during these difficult days. His mortal remains are still in South Africa pending legal formalities.

Dear confreres, thank you for your ongoing support. Be courageous and learn to walk faithfully! We are Fransalian Missionaries. We must learn to live a lifestyle that is uniquely Fransalian, different from that of the world around us. The only measure of our faith is how we live, not what we profess! Let us walk faithfully, for faithfulness is the mark of a man of God.

You are in my daily prayer. God bless you and all you do for God’s people and keep you safe in the center of Love.

Fr. Augustine Tharappel msfs

Regional Superior

MSFS USA Region