Dear Confreres:

This letter is long overdue. Most of you know about the kind of work and the amount of work that I had to do during the past year. I know that you will understand the amount of time invested into the many conflicting situations that I had to take care of. I am sorry that I couldn’t be in contact with you more frequently.  I hope you are well and all things go well with you and your ministry. You are in my thoughts and prayers in a very special way during this season of Lent.

We began our Lenten Journey with a cross traced in ashes on the foreheads of all who came to Church on Ash Wednesday as declaration of the necessity of repentance, of change of heart and of faithfulness to the Gospel values. This journey will end in Baptism and the renunciation of the forces of evil for some and for others in a renewal of their baptismal commitments.

 Ashes direct our attention to the transitory character of created realities - that nothing in this world is permanent; nothing in the world of matter is forever. The journey that we begin in ashes will take us to the cross. In the cross we will see our sin, our suffering, our death - we see our desire for revenge, our anger, our hatred and our resentments. We also see those who suffer, those with heavy burdens to carry. And much more, we meet the one who took away the sins, overcame death in dying for us.

We see much more in this cross. We see the infinite value of human life - we Jesus dying out of love for humanity, we see redemption, we see glory - we see the one who left the glory of  heavenly  home and entered into our life and into our death. In the cross we see hope, we encounter love. The cross tells us that in the love of God nothing is lost.

From the ashes of destruction, we make our way to the cross of Christ and beyond it to the fire. Unlike the fire of terror, we encounter a purifying, life-creating fire that gives light to a dark and despairing world. It is the fire that lights the Paschal candle which proclaims: “the light of Christ”. It is the fire that brings us into the light of Christ and lights up our own path.

The season of Lent is the spring time of the Church’s life. It is a time for “springing” forward, beginning again, starting over…a time of conversion, growth and transformation. On Ash Wednesday, the Scripture readings call us to conversion, to repentance, to a change of mind and  heart. The priest or the minister says, “Repent and believe in the Gospel” as he traces the cross in ashes on our foreheads and we begin our journey to conversion, to Easter, to death and to resurrection. Lent begins with this call to repentance, to conversion and to a transformation of our life in Christ. 

May your Lenten days of prayer, penance and almsgiving help you to be reborn in spirit, empower you to love without limits, teach you to pray constantly, help you seek the wisdom of God, enable you to live in compassion and help you celebrate the joy of Easter.  May God bless you and those you are sent to serve and keep you safe in His Love

Visit of the Superior General:

Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, msfs our Superior General will visit our Region from August 15-30, 2010. The details of his visit will be announced as soon as they are finalized. We will look forward to his visit. Let s keep him in our prayer as he continues his journey to many places visiting our confreres and our missions all over the world.

New Regional Superior:

My term of office as Regional Superior will come to a close on July 3, 2010. It is time for us  to begin  the process of consultation for the nomination of the next Regional Superior for USA Region. The General Council will take up this matter in its meeting in May 2010. We should have the consultation votes ready before that time.

I request you to prayerfully discern your choice of the next  Regional Superior from among the permanent members of the region. I will send you more details in the first week of march.

 

Regional Council Meet:

Our Regional council will meet at Wellspring on April 6 & 7, 2010. All Regional councilors and the Regional Bursar are requested to be at Wellspring on April 5th and may leave on April 8th or later. Please plan to be here for two full days. We have important matters to discuss and resolve.

Constitution Growth Retreats:

This year we will have our Constitution Retreat which is mandatory for all confreres. The following retreat opportunities are scheduled to make it possible for all to participate. Please choose the dates  most convenient to you and let me know your preference as soon as possible . Only 10-15 people will be accepted in each of the retreats on a first come first serve basis since our accommodation is limited.

July  6, 7 & 8, 2010

July 13, 14 & 15, 2010

August 24, 25 & 26, 2010

The first two retreats will be directed by Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil, msfs, General Councilor  and Augustine Tharappel, Regional Superior and the third by Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, Superior General and Augustine Tharappel, Regional Superior.

Please plan to participate in one of these retreats as it is mandatory for all. If you are unable to attend any of these, you may make this retreat privately at Wellspring at your convenience before November 30, 2010. You may write to the Superior General if you feel the need to be exempted  from the retreat.

Appointments by the Superior General:

Our Superior General has made the following appointments:

Fr. Mario D’souza is appointed Chairman of the Provincials of India Forum, which was constituted by the  Superior General on December 1, 2009.

The purpose of Provincials of India Forum is to attend to all matters concerning inter-province collaboration, as well as other important matters of common concern.

Fr. Simon Paicatt is appointed Vice-Chairman of the Provincials of India Forum.

Fr. Mario D’souza is appointed Chairman of the Governing Body of Suvidya College, Bangalore.

We congratulate them and pray with them as they begin their responsibilities.

Transfers:

Fr. John Peter Ambrose is transferred from Sacred heart Church in Bangor, Michigan and  is appointed pastor of St. Joseph, Watervliet, Michigan. He has taken charge on February 1st and will be officially installed as pastor on March 18, 2010 by Bishop Paul Bradley of the diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

On this occasion, the Michigan Community will gather to pray with Fr. John Peter as he assumes new responsibilities and to celebrate the feast of St. Joseph. The community will also have its regular meeting. I plan to join the community and participate in the celebration and the community meeting.

Congratulations, Fr. John Peter! We pray with as you begin your new responsibilities. God bless you and all you do God’s people.

Fr. Alphonse Savari, msfs

Fr. Alphonse Savari, msfs from South East Province is scheduled to arrive in USA on February 27, 2010  for ministry in the diocese of Kalamazoo. He will stay at Wellspring in Whitehouse, Texas for ten days of orientation to ministry in USA. He will begin his ministry in the diocese of Kalamazoo on March 10, 2010. We welcome him and  pray for him as he begins his ministry.

Our New House:

Our house and property in Loganville, GA is sold and we have purchased a new house and property in Snellville, GA. Our confreres Fr. John DeVore, msfs and Fr. Martin Kopchik, msfs have moved and settled into the new house. The new house continues to be called ”Villa Luyet”  and Fr. Martin Kopchik continues to be the director of “Fransalian Spirituality Center”. New address follows:

Prayer Requests:

Mr. Scaria Puthiaparampil, father of Fr. Johnny Puthiaparampil, msfs and the brother of Fr. Jose Puthiaparampil msfs passed  away on February 19, 2010. Fr. Johnny is blessed to be  with his family at this time as he is home for his vacation. My brother will attend the funeral services and place a wreath in behalf of  USA Region, at my request. Please pray for  the Puthiaparampil family during this time of grief.

Fr. Johnson Jeyabal Pappusamy, msfs has returned to his province in India on January 23, 2010 after a long and painful struggle with the law for almost one year. I thank you for your prayerful presence to him during this difficult time in his ministry. Please continue to pray for him as he and his province discerns his future ministry.

Conclusion:

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