QUEZON CITY, THE PHILIPPINES (December 15, 2016) – A little more than a year after construction first began, the Spiritan Formation Residence in Manila is getting nearer to completion.

Fr. Dan Sormani, C.S.Sp., rector of the Spiritan Formation Community in Manila, is overseeing the project after years of planning and fundraising,  and a blessing service and celebration was held in early December for the Spiritans, students, benefactors and friends of the local congregation.

Superiors from the Asia Province of the Spiritans gather at the entrance to the new facility.

Conveniently, due to two back-to-back meetings that brought together the superiors of the Spiritan missions in Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, as well as the superior general from Rome and the general counselor, Fr. Dan and the local Spiritans took the opportunity to gather with friends and thank the Lord for so many blessings in the building of the new home for the local Spiritans.

“What a joyful day!” said Fr. Dan. “It will still be a couple of months before the building is fully completed, and then, of course, we will have to furnish it as well. But one day at a time, each blessing something to celebrate!”

Fr. Dan pointed out that early in the morning of the blessing service and celebration festivities, Fr. John Fogarty, C.S.Sp., the superior general of the Spiritans, visited the house for a quiet look. Fr. John later presided at the blessing service along with his brother Spiritans.

Fr. John Fogarty, C.S.Sp., superior general, blesses the new facility.

Work on the project began in October, 2015, with the demolition of an old wooden structure at the site, after all salvageable items were removed and retained.

The finished project will cost more than $1 million, and fundraising for the new formation house is continuing, as furnishing and other expenses are still needing to be met. The Spiritan Formation Community House will be home to present and future Spiritan seminarians and members of the congregation.

“Please continue to keep us in your prayers,” asked Fr. Dan.

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ROME, ITALY (December 15, 2016) — Fr Jose’ Manuel Sabença, C.S.Sp., second assistant general of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, passed away Wednesday, December 14, 2016.

Son of José da Conceição Sabença and of Rosa Matias Sabença, Fr. José was born in Penajóia, Lamego, on October 10, 1960.

At the age of ten, he entered the Congregation of the Holy Spirit Seminary in Godim, from where he continued to other seminaries along the course of his formation.

He entered the novitiate in Silva, Barcelos, and was professed on September 8, 1979. He took his perpetual vows on September 8, 1985 in Fraião, Braga, where he was also ordained as a priest on July 26, 1987.

In 1989 he was appointed to the Spiritan Community of Benfica, Lisbon, for Missionary Animation, assistance to Youth Without Borders and collaborated in the publication of the Jornal Ação Missionária. While living in Benfica, he attended the Military Academy to become Military Chaplain in Amadora and then in Alto da Ajuda.

After an English course in London, he left as a missionary to South Africa where he worked at the Hostel Project in Durban. He was chosen as an international observer in the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994. He received an honor from the local Bishop for his commitment and service in hostels, an award from the Rotary Club and a also a Certificate of the Portuguese Club resident in Durban.

He was delegate and moderator of the Enlarged Provincial Council in 1997, who appointed him second assistant of the Provincial Council, responsible for formation.

In 2001, he was appointed president of the Jubilee Commission for the 300th Anniversary of the Congregation. He was elected provincial superior of Portugal in 2003, a position he held for three terms (nine years).

Those who have been closely acquainted with Fr José Manuel will certainly have experienced his strong and dynamic apostolic zeal, his sincere spirituality strengthened by long moments of prayer Fr. Jose had a great devotion to the founders of the Congregation, and frequently recited their prayers and followed their spiritual direction. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

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USA RIVER, TANZANIA (December 27, 2016) —  Fr. Joseph Lesuliyo Babu C.S.Sp., passed away on Thursday, December, 22, 2016, at St Elizabeth Hospital (Ngarenaro), in the Archdiocese of Arusha, East Africa. He had recently been in poor health, and was admitted to St. Elizabeth Hospital last month.

Fr. Babu will be laid to rest at Usa River Spiritan Cemetery December 28, 2016, starting with the Mass of the Resurrection at 10:00 a.m.

Fr. Babu was born in 1917 in Uru Village, Moshi, Tanzania, the son of Mr. Lesuliyo Kiwale and Mama Ndawishoage, and was baptized on August, 19, 1928, receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation on September, 1, 1929.

He joined St. James Junior Seminary in Moshi in 1936, started his Senior Seminary at Kibosho in 1939 and was ordained a priest for the then Vicariate of Kilimanjaro (now Moshi Diocese) at Kibosho on March 1, 1947.   He later became a missionary and joined the Missionary Congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers, making his final vows at Ferndale, Connecticut, on September 29, 1950.

As a Spiritan, he served the Usa River Parish with Fr. George Croscenzi C.S.Sp., and Fr. Joseph Seiter C.S.Sp. While at Usa he was involved in the establishment of the East African Foundation of the Spiritans in constructing the buildings of the seminary at Usa River for the East African Foundation. Fr. Babu later served at various parishes and Spiritan missions throughout Tanzania. He retired to Usa River Minor Seminary, where he still enjoyed guiding the young seminarians in their spiritual life and vocation discernment. While retaining his pastoral duties, he also worked as Bursar of the East African Foundation in the 1980s which in 1989 became the East African Province.

Fr Babu will be well remembered for many good works throughout Tanzania as a parish priest and educator.

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HOUSTON, TX  (January 1, 2017)

U. S. Province Provincial, Fr. Jeff Duaime, CSSp. has announced the appointment of Fr. Dave Cottingham, CSSp. as Director of the Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement (SOMA) based in Houston. Fr. Dave replaces Fr. Michael Begley, CSSp. who has returned to Ireland.

Fr. Dave had previously been assigned to Sarasota where he was responsible for maintaining properties owned by the Congregation.

Additionally, Fr. Mike Grey, CSSp. , who has spent decades ministering in Houston, has been appointed Assistant Director.

SOMA supports the Congregation’s public and charitable works of health, education, social services, and religious mission in the United States and throughout the world. It operates under the auspices of Sharelink-Spiritan Worldwide Aid Foundation, Inc. (The Spiritan Foundation).

Learn about mission projects in need of funding...

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PITTSBURGH, PA (January 10, 2017) — Duquesne University will host Engaging Africa: Spiritan Traditions, Contemporary Perspectives on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, through Wednesday, February 1, 2017. The conference is being provided through Duquesne’s Center for African Studies, which was established in 2012 to continue and to strengthen the university’s engagement with the African continent.

“As part of its strategic planning for the future, Duquesne understands this renewed engagement as an important part of its past, present and future,” said Dr. Gerald M. Boodoo, center director. “Faculty, staff, administrators and students have all become more aware of Spiritan involvement in the African continent, and have undertaken academic programs, study abroad, community engagement opportunities and institutional affiliations to implement and to understand what this engagement means for the university community.”

According to Dr. Boodoo, the goal of this inaugural transdisciplinary conference is to situate these understandings within the historical context of the Spiritans in the African continent. More direct historical information about these missions will be shared, and contemporary perspectives on these activities and on the continent as a whole will be explored.

Dr. Gerald M. Boodoo (right), director of Duquesne’s Center for African Studies, presents a commemorative glass plate to Rev.  Anthony Anomah, C.S.Sp., rector of the Spiritan University College in Ejisu, Ghana, at the celebration of its Silver Jubilee last October.

While helping the university community to fulfill its own mission, vision and understanding of how to engage the African continent, further discussion of Spiritan activity and mission in Africa will be highlighted.

Among the Spiritan presenters are the Rev. Paul Coulon, C.S.Sp., who will give the keynote address on Tuesday; Rev. Elochukwu Uzukwu, C.S.Sp.; Most Rev. John Kwofie, C.S.Sp., S.S.L., bishop of the Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi in Ghana, Africa; and Rev. Jeffrey Duaime, C.S.Sp., provincial, U.S. Province; along with Duquesne University staff and faculty: Dr. Timothy Austin, Dr. Anne Marie Hansen, Dr. Bridget Calhoun and Danielle Genemore.

The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is requested by calling (412) 396-2651, or visiting duq.edu/cas.

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PITTSBURGH, PA (January 31, 2017) February 2, 2017, marked the 165^th anniversary of the death of Venerable Francis Libermann, one of the founders of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.

Originally raised in the Jewish faith – his father was a rabbi – Francis was baptized a Catholic in 1826 at Christmas. He later began studies for the priesthood, and was ordained a priest in 1841, specifically with the mission of ministering to blacks, slaves and former slaves in the French colonies of the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and Africa.

Several years later, Francis extended his spiritual journey by organizing the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1841, which would later minister to the people of African descent on the continent of Africa and spread throughout Europe and the colonies.

Extract of the official Letter of Fusion of the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary,
founded by Fr. Libermann, and the Congregation of the Holy Spirit,
founded by Fr. des Places. Fusion by Fr. Libermann: August, 24, 1848.

Rome later encouraged Libermann to merge his apostolate with the Congregation of the Holy Spirit – the Spiritans – in 1848; both having the charism of working among the peoples of Africa and across the world.

Throughout his priesthood and ministries, Francis Libermann maintained an allegiance to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and mentioned her throughout his writings and letters. Affectionately referred to as the “Second Founder” of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, a recurring theme of developing a “peace of mind” was noteworthy throughout his writings, with Mary as his perfect model of that theme.

The Spiritans later founded Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1878, and the university celebrated Founder’s Week with a special Mass on February 2 to honor the memory and accomplishments of Francis Libermann.

Francis was declared “Venerable” by Pope Pius IX in 1876. His letters, hundreds of which survive, are frequently used as a guide for the devotional life. His legacy and leadership of the Spiritans are considered by some to serve as a blueprint for modern-day missionary activity. He urged the Spiritans to “become one with the people” so that each group received and understood the Gospel in the context of their own traditions.

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Fr. Norbert Rosso, C.S.Sp., a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit for nearly 70 years, died peacefully on February 9, 2017, at Marion Manor, Greentree, Pa.  He was 89-years-old.

Fr. Rosso was born on October 27, 1927, in Lambertville, N.J.  He professed his vows as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on August 22, 1949, at Holy Ghost Novitiate in Ridgefield, Conn., and was ordained to the priesthood on June 3, 1954, at St. Mary Seminary, Ferndale, in Norwalk, Conn.

Fr. Rosso as a young priest.

Fr. Rosso was first appointed to St. Benedict the Moor Parish, Detroit, Mich., in 1955, serving there for three years; and then to Sacred Heart Parish in Detroit until 1961.  In succeeding years, he ministered at St. Edward, New Iberia, La., and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bakersfield, Calif.  He was administrator of St. Augustine, Isle Breville, La., from 1969 to 1970.  From 1971 to 1991, he was pastor of Holy Ghost parishes in Marksville, Opelousas and New Orleans, La.  In August of 1991, he was assigned as pastor to Holy Redeemer in San Antonio, Tex., until 1997, when he was named pastor of St. Anthony, Natchitoches, La.  He obtained retirement status in 2001, and was in residence at Spiritan retirement homes in Hemet, Calif., and in Bethel Park, Pa., since 2009.

Fr. Rosso was preceded in death by his parents, Norbert T. and Reba Oblinger Rosso; his brother, James; and sister, Catherine Rosso Curtin.  He is survived by eight nieces and nephews and many grand-nieces and nephews.

A memorial Mass was celebrated in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel at the Spiritan Center, Bethel Park, Pa., on Wednesday, February 15, 2017.  On February 25, there will be a viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Lambertville, N.J., immediately followed by a Mass at 11:00 a.m.  Burial will take place at the Spiritan Cemetery, Bensalem, Pa.

Condolences may be sent to his niece, Kathleen Semko, 169 N. Union St., Lambertville, N.J. 08530.

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PITTSBURGH, PA (February 28, 2017)

Today marks the feast day of Blessed Daniel Brottier, C.S.Sp., who expressed his zeal for being a missionary throughout his priestly life.

Father Brottier in 1903 with his parents.

Daniel Brottier was born on September 7, 1876, in Ferte-Saint-Cyr, in the diocese of Blois, northern France, a son of Jean-Baptise and Herminie Brottier. Early in his childhood, Daniel Brottier expressed his love for the faith and his desire to enter the priesthood.

He fulfilled that desire and was ordained a priest on October 22, 1899, later teaching secondary school in France. But Fr. Daniel felt a calling to the missionary life, and he joined the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in 1902. The congregation then sent him on his first missionary assignment to Senegal.

However, his stay in Senegal was short-lived due to health reasons, and he returned to France in 1906 to recover, remaining there permanently starting in 1911, because of ill health. Even though he would remain in France for the rest of his life, Fr. Daniel still yearned to be associated with the life of a missionary and raised funds for the construction of a cathedral in Dakar, Senegal, at the request of the bishop there. He secured the necessary funds over a seven-year period — including during World War I — and the African Memorial Cathedral was consecrated on February 2, 1936, just 26 days prior to Fr. Daniel’s death on February 28, 1936.

As a military chaplain during WWI.

With the start of World War I, Fr. Daniel volunteered to serve as a chaplain for France’s 121st Infantry Regiment. Fr. Daniel believed that the intercession of St. Therese of Leseiux  helped him minister to the soldiers during the war. He later founded the National Union of Servicemen to aid French veterans of all wars.

In 1923, the cardinal archbishop of Paris asked the Congregation of the Holy Spirit to take over the Orphans Apprentices of Auteuil, a shelter for the many half-starved children living on the streets of Paris. Providing refuge and education for children was an early and ongoing option for the Congregation, which often had orphanages attached to seminaries and schools.

Fr. Daniel took charge of the assignment and, for the next 13 years, expanded the orphanage and ministered to the many homeless and neglected children living on the streets. He later observed, “There has to be a minimum of well-being and comfort if these young people are to grow up without bitterness. Otherwise they will later on sow the seeds of revolt and anarchy in society.”

Fr. Daniel died on February 28, 1936, in the hospital of St. Joseph in Paris.  Approximately 15,000 people attended his funeral Mass.  He was buried in his beloved Chapel of St. Therese — which he built in her honor — in Auteuil on April 5, 1936.  On January 13, 1983, Pope John Paul II declared Fr. Daniel Brottier “venerable,” and he was beatified on November 25, 1984. As part of the process for sainthood, Fr. Brottier’s body was discovered to be incorrupt when exhumed in 1962.

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ROME (March 22, 2017) – A conference entitled “African Christian Theology: Memories and Mission for the 21st Century” is being held in Rome March 22 – 25, and is considered one of the most important gatherings of African Catholic leaders since the Synod of Bishops for Africa in 2009.

The conference was convened by Fr. Paulinus Odozor, C.S.Sp., and the Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN. It is being held at Notre Dame’s Global Gateway Center near the Colosseum in Rome.

Frs. Eugene Uzukwu, C.S.Sp. and James Okoye, C.S.Sp. from Duquesne University and Fr. Bede Ukwuije, C.S.Sp., first assistant to the superior general, also delivered papers during the conference. Other Spiritans invited to speak included Fr. Mark Enemali, C.S.Sp.; and Fr. Bonaventure Ugwu, C.S.Sp., both of the Spiritan International School of Theology (SIST), Attakwu, Enugu, Nigeria.

Fr. Paulinus Odozor, C.S.Sp.

Fr. Eugene Uzukwu, C.S.Sp.

Fr. James Okoye, C.S.Sp.

According to the conference Website, “African Christian theology emerged as a formal branch of study in the Catholic Church in the mid-20th century when several African priests, trained in Rome and various European universities, began to approach the Faith as ‘African Christians,’ not merely the ‘consumers’ of a Eurocentric understanding of the Christian Faith.

“African theology has largely coalesced around the theme of inculturation and has gone on to probe, interrogate, and dialogue with realities both in and outside the African churches with regard to morality, worship, dogma, scripture, pastoral activities, evangelization, interreligious dialogue, etc. It has also continued to engage African societies at various levels: political, social, and economic.”

According to the World Christian Database, by 2050, Africa should have more than 450 million Catholics, making it the largest Catholic continent. Currently there are 24 African members in the College of Cardinals, 14 of whom are under the age of 80, meaning possible candidates for the papacy in a future conclave. They represent 12 percent of the electors, not far from the estimated 12.63 percentage African Catholics represent of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

Other topics at the three-day conference included: Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, as well as his apostolic exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia; the challenges of Catholic Social Teaching; “Islam and Christianity in dialogue in Africa,” and “Women, gender and theology of the African Church.”

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PITTSBURGH, PA (April 12, 2017) Growing up in California, Bro. Michael Suazo, C.S.Sp., knew from the fourth grade that he wanted to enter a religious community as a brother.

“I remember being inspired to enter consecrated life by the Divine Word priests and brothers working in my home parish of St. Patrick in West Oakland, Calif., when I was a child, and later by a Spiritan vocation poster I had seen when I was a teenager,” said Bro. Michael. “My parents were supportive, though confused that such an aspiration would be coming from a fourth grader!”

But it was the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) that would win out, and his religious formation involved entering the Spiritan seminary in Houston, Tex., in 1971, when he was 17, followed by further formation in Glenwood Springs, Colo., and San Antonio, Tex.

His first profession in the consecrated life as a Spiritan brother was in 1975. Bro. Michael had fulfilled that childhood dream, and has not regretted making that decision as a youngster. He has compiled a travelogue of various assignments for the Spiritans within the U.S. Province, serving in Louisiana, California, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Attendees at the Brothers Symposium.

Recently, Bro. Michael joined with more than 225 of his peers from 15 different religious communities for talks and fellowship at the Brothers Symposium at the University of Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind. The symposium was an outgrowth of the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life’s “Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church” document in 2015.

Bro. Michael enjoyed spending time with his peers, and believes it’s important to have that support among others in consecrated life, both religious men and women. He is the only Spiritan brother in the U.S. Province of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, though other Spiritan provinces around the world have active and retired brothers.

Bro. Michael at one of the conferences at Notre Dame.

“Though we may have different charisms within each distinct religious community, there still remains collegiality and some common issues among brothers that enables us to bond and to provide support for each other,” he said.

In fact, when he was stationed in San Antonio, Tex., back in 1995, Bro. Michael chaired, organized and hosted the Religious Brothers Conference (RBC), entitled, “The Brother: A Gift to the Collaborative Church.” This year, the RBC assembly, entitled “Brothers: Ministers at the Margins,” is set for July 17 – 20, 2017, in Los Angeles, in Bro. Michael’s home state of California. And this May 1, marks the Inaugural Religious Brothers Day, celebrated on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

Throughout his time with the Spiritans, Bro. Michael has been involved in administration as Provincial Secretary, served as pastoral associate at different Spiritan parishes and in various outreach ministries to the poor and marginalized. He currently serves as director of vocations for the U.S. Province and assistant manager of the Spiritan Retreat Center in Bethel Park, Pa. He also is a member of the Robert Morris University (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Campus Ministry Advisory Board.

Bro. Michael at the Spiritan Retreat Center at Christmas.

“Getting young people interested in the religious life these days can be challenging,” said Bro. Michael. “But you just have to meet people where they are; try to relate to them and help them to discern a calling. It can be a long process, over several stages, and I try not to lead them into either being a brother or ordained as a priest. I just allow the Holy Spirit to lead them to that conclusion for themselves; their own choice.”

Bro. Michael explained that members of religious communities make solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, with some orders being apostolic or missionary, which means they are active within the world, such as with the Spiritans; or monastic, which means they live and work within a monastery or religious community; or within a cloistered setting, living out their charism of prayer and solitude. Brothers can also contribute through their training and education as doctors, lawyers or teachers within their religious communities and for the people they serve.

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BETHEL PARK, PA – May 3, 2017

Fr. John Costello, C.S.Sp., a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, died peacefully May 2, 2017 at St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh PA after a brief illness.  He was 88 years old.

Father Costello was born March 22, 1929 in Wilkinsburg PA.  He professed his vows as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on August 22, 1949 at Holy Ghost Novitiate in Ridgefield, CT and was ordained to the Priesthood June 3, 1954 at St. Mary’s Seminary, Ferndale in Norwalk CT.

Father was first appointed to Puerto Rico where he served for 34 years in the missions of Rio Grande, Toa Alta, Vilquez and Orocovis. Upon his return to the States in 1989 he was chaplain for the Sisters of Mercy in Watchung NJ, Assistant at St. Mary Parish, Stoney Hill, NJ and Assistant Pastor at St. Mary, Detroit MI.  He also did ministry at St. John of the Cross and St. Helen in Vero Beach FL. Father retired to the Spiritans’ retirement home in Sarasota FL in 2005 and has been in residence at Libermann Hall in Bethel Park since 2010.

Fr. Costello was preceded in death by his parents John J. and Alice Shields Costello and his sister, Mrs. Dennis Mulvihill.  He is survived by nieces and nephews.

There will be viewing in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel at the Spiritan Center, 6230 Brush Run Road, Bethel Park on Monday, May 8 from 9-10:45 am with the Funeral Mass being celebrated at 11:00 am. Burial will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery, O’Hara Twp. in Pittsburgh PA.

Condolences can be sent to his niece Maura Mulvihill, 1918 Glenn Ross Road, Silver Spring MD 20910.

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BETHEL PARK, PA – May 25, 2017

Pentecost is the birthday of the Church and the founding feast of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.  On the Feast of Pentecost, May 27, 1703, Claude Poullart des Places gathered in St. Stephen the Great Church in France with twelve companions to consecrate their community to the Holy Spirit under the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the statue of Our Lady of Bonne Deliverance.

In accord with the ancient tradition of the church, the Novena of the Holy Spirit is celebrated between the celebration of the Ascension of Our Lord and the Feast of Pentecost to invoke the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit.  It is scripturally based rooted in the experience of the early Church as elaborated for us in the Acts of the Apostles.

The Novena for Pentecost can be viewed in PDF format here.

Holy Spirit Novena:English

Holy Spirit Novena :Condensed Version English

Novena Del Espíritu Santo

Holy Spirit Novena: Vietnamese

Note: If you would like to print this document, please select the “Booklet” option, download the PDF, and set your printer to 8.5″ X 11″, landscape orientation, double-side print.

Para imprimir la novena como folleto, descargue el PDF y configure la impresora en papel de 8.5″ X 11″, orientación horizontal, impresión a doble cara.

The Novena to the Holy Spirit is also available  in booklet form in English,  Spanish and Vietnamese for $2.00, per copy, including postage. Please inquire about rates for large quantities.

Spiritan Office for Mission Advancement
1700 W. Alabama St.
Houston, TX 77098
713-522-2882
missiongiving@spiritans.org

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST

Lord Jesus Christ, Who before ascending into heaven, promised to send the Holy Ghost to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and Your love.

Grant me:

· the Spirit of WISDOM,
that I may despise the perishable things of this world, and aspire only after the things that are eternal;

· the Spirit of UNDERSTANDING,
to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth;

· the Spirit of COUNSEL,
that I may ever choose the surest ways of pleasing God and gaining heaven;

· the Spirit of FORTITUDE,
that I may bear my cross with You, and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation;

· the Spirit of KNOWLEDGE,
that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints;

· the Spirit of PIETY,
that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and

· the Spirit of FEAR,
that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him.

Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your spirit. – Amen –

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Fr. William Headley, C.S.Sp.’s article, “An Oasis of Peace,” was recently published in Kroc Peace Magazine, an annual publication for the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, where he is a professor.

Fr. Headley, who also directs “Bridging Communities,” an interreligious peacebuilding certificate program at the university this fall, has a broad background in justice, peace, and international aid. His article examines various perspectives of the meaning of peace, as well as how the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies can continue being an effective instrument of peace.

Following is an excerpt from Fr. Headley’s article, “An Oasis of Peace.”

“On 17 October 2007, I gave the inaugural talk as the founding dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. Ten years later, it is illuminating to look back and recall our aspirations for the new school and our vision for peace in that inaugural address — albeit in an abridged format. Remembering the saying, ‘Violence is known; peace is a mystery,’ I started my talk by asking: WHAT IS PEACE?”

Read the full article here.

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Interest in supporting a Spiritan missionary in the formation process?

Now you can in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines, Tanzania or Vietnam. The costs vary by country and you can find that information by clicking on the link below.

SOMA Adopt a Seminarian Flyer

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Photo courtesy of spiritanroma.org

On October 22, 2017, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Spiritan presence in Paraguay took place. Fr. Jim McCloskey attended the event on behalf of the U.S. Province.

Beginning with a Mass celebrated in the town of Lima, where Spiritans began their ministry in the country, hundreds gathered for the festive celebration of the Eucharist, followed by a meal for the entire town and visiting friends.

Located in the Diocese of San Pedro, Lima has a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants. A chiefly agricultural region, the area is a center for the cultivation of cotton, tobacco, mate, sugar cane, and cassava. Traditional music and dance, and a feast of traditional foods, were highlights of the event.

Fr. Vitor Martins, pastor of Lima, and Fr. Jim McCloskey in front of the parish house

There are 11 Spiritans who live and work in Paraguay. They hail from Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Nigeria, and Cape Verde. Two houses of formation — a novitiate for Spanish speakers in the Congregation and a Paraguayan postulancy program — underscore the strength and vitality of the community there.

A Latin American Encuentro, or “Encounter,” will be held in Paraguay for the first time in January 2018. This annual event, usually held in Brazil, is a gathering of confreres from Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay, for retreat, reflection, and rest. More than 100 Spiritan confreres are expected for the Encuentro.

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Photo: Duquesne University

The Rev. Fr. Gabriel Mendy, C.S.Sp., has been appointed bishop of the diocese of Banjul, Gambia by Pope Francis. His appointment on November 30, 2017, follows the retirement of Bishop Robert Patrick Ellison, C.S.Sp.

Bishop Mendy was born on April 9, 1967, in Lamin, Gambia. He made his perpetual vows in the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on August 31, 1996, and was ordained on November 15, 1997. He studied at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, obtaining a degree in Theology in 1998 and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology in 2009.

Prior to his appointment as Bishop, Fr. Mendy served as a professor at the Spiritan International School of Theology in Enugu, Nigeria, since 2010, also serving as its vice rector since 2011.

According to the Holy See Press Office, Bishop Mendy has also held the following roles: pastoral service at Saint Peter’s parish and Saint Theresa’s parish (1997-1998); collaborator in the Saint Martin of Porres parish in Freetown, Sierra Leone (1997-1998); teacher at the major pre-seminary of Saint Kizito in Kenema, Sierra Leone and pastor in the Holy Trinity parish in Kenema (1999-2002); pastor in the parish of Santa Maria in Pendembu, Sierra Leone (2002-2004); student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, U.S.A. (2004-2009); parish vicar in Our Lady of the Sea parish in New York, USA (2009-2010), where from 2006 to 2016 he also served as a summer co-worker.

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Fr. Edward Caron, C.S.Sp., of Puerto Rico, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, died peacefully on December 1, 2017 in Dorado, Puerto Rico. He was 87 years old.

Fr. Caron was born on May 9, 1930 in Woodside, New York. He professed his vows as a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit on August 22, 1952 at Holy Ghost Novitiate in Ridgefield, Connecticut and was ordained to the Priesthood on June 4, 1957 at St. Mary’s Seminary, Ferndale in Norwalk, Connecticut. His uncle was Fr. Francis McGlynn, C.S.Sp., former Provincial of the U.S. Province.

After completing his fifth year of theology studies at Duquesne University, Fr. Caron’s first appointment was to the District of Puerto Rico San Juan Bautista, Orocovis, in 1959 as assistant pastor. In 1970, he became assistant at the Cathedral Parish of San Felipe. He then returned to the Parish of San Juan Baptista as pastor until 1974 when he went to be assistant at a parish in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

From 1975-1977, he was involved in Hispanic ministry at St. Peter’s in Yonkers, New York. For the next twenty years, he was back in Puerto Rico working at San Antonio de Padua in Dorado. In 1997, he became bursar for the District House until his retirement in 2000. He stayed at the District House until his death.

Fr. Caron was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Lucy McDermott Caron, and his sister, Kathleen Henry, of Yonkers, New York. He is survived by his brother, Frank Caron, of Holliston, Massachusetts; his sister, Mary Stack, of Pineville, North Carolina; and nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

The viewing will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 from 1:00 to 11:00 pm at the Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, Dorado. The Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 10:00 am at the Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, Dorado, with burial following at the Porta Coeli cemetery in Bayamón.

Condolences may be sent to his brother, Francis J. Caron, 11 Balancing Rock Dr., Holliston, MA 01746, and his sister, Mary Stack, 12920 Dorman Road, Apt. 324, Pineville, NC 28134.

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Matt Broeren poses with two day campers while on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic.

Currently enrolled at Duquesne University and majoring in philosophy and healthcare supply chain management with a minor in theology, Matt Broeren is one of two students in Spiritan formation at Laval House in the U.S. Province.

Matt was born in Chicago, but his family moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., when he was only one year old, so he considers himself a native of the Steel City. His decision to enter the priesthood was a long process influenced by a number of people.

It wasn’t until his sophomore year at Duquesne that he began thinking about entering a religious order. Matt had initially spoken with vocation directors at two different Franciscan provinces, but his desire to work with the poor in a missionary capacity was more directly aligned with the Spiritans’ work.

“I really took time to reflect and tried not to rush in, but I picture myself doing that kind of work and enjoying it.”

He went on the Campus Ministry trip to the Dominican Republic in August of this year and knew he’d made the right decision.

“I loved seeing the work that is actually being done by Spiritans. I learned from Padre Don about how poverty operates in the Dominican Republic and how the Spiritans work to alleviate it. It really confirmed for me my purpose in choosing this path.”

Matt Broeren and other Duquesne University Campus Ministry students participated in a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in August 2017. Photo courtesy of Duquesne University Campus Ministry.

One major lesson Matt learned is also the title of a blog post he authored, “Joy Has No Language.” He’d been nervous about not speaking Spanish fluently, but a well-timed water balloon prank by a gleeful group of young children taught him that joy matters more than any language barrier.

Although nearing the end of his undergraduate studies, Matt still has a long road ahead of him in his Spiritan formation. He will finish a few courses this year and then enter his novitiate year of prayer and reflection. The next steps will be his Profession (taking his first vows), followed by earning his Master’s degree in Divinity and participating in two years of overseas training.

At the conclusion of his theological studies, he will be perpetually professed and ordained to the priesthood in preparation for his Mission Appointment. The entire process will likely take around 10 years.

“I’m ready to go wherever the Congregation needs me. I hope to use my healthcare delivery background to help others. I can’t say I will end poverty or end AIDS; that may very well be impossible. But you have to start somewhere. I hope I can make whatever difference I am able to make.”

First published in the Fall 2017 One Heart, One Spirit Newsletter.

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St. Joseph’s presented OLQP with a painting that depicts both churches, bonded by a handshake, and captioned “Two parishes become one for life.” It was painted by a student from Medor who is now studying art in Port au Prince. Photo courtesy of Dr. Sue Carlson.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church (OLQP) in Arlington, Virginia, one of more than 20 Spiritan parishes scattered throughout the United States, takes the Spiritan commitment to global ministry to a whole new level.

On October 22, 2017, OLQP celebrated its 20th anniversary of “twinning” with St. Joseph’s in Medor, Haiti. The two congregations were paired in 1997, when Fr. Jeff Duaime, C.S.Sp., then pastor at OLQP, requested a parish with challenges that other parishes might find too difficult to partner with.

According to their quarterly newsletter, The Advocate, “They had faith that OLQP would be able to climb the mountain to St. Joseph’s (both literally and figuratively!), one of the most inaccessible parishes in the twinning program, a place without roads, running water, sewage system, or an electrical grid.”

Since 1997, the parishes have worked together to improve health, education, energy, and local development in Medor. Some highlights of the many accomplishments are expanding a primary school of only 320 students to include a secondary school, now educating 3,000 students in grades K-13.

OLQP gave St. Joseph’s a painting that depicts St. Joseph, patron saint of Medor’s parish; Mary, patron of OLQP; Jesus, who unites the two churches in love; as well as the Holy Family riding on a mule — a mode of transportation easily relatable in Medor.

Where once no student was educated beyond the sixth grade, now dozens of graduates in Medor are even able to attend university. Lifesaving health programs have been implemented, including a school lunch program, a water purification program, and installation of household latrines called arbor-loos.

Countless initiatives have increased selfsufficiency, including an agro-forestry program and a solar energy program. Spiritan priest, Fr. Joseph Philippe, C.S.Sp. (pictured above), who has ministered among the poorest communities in Haiti for 30 years, has launched the 3Legs initiative, through his organization, the Association of Peasants of Fondwa.

The goal of this program is to empower rural Haitian communities to create sustainable wealth and improve livelihoods. Dr. Sue Carlson, MD, chair of the Haiti committee at OLQP and volunteer Executive Director of the Raising Haiti Foundation, along with five parishioners from OLQP, made the trip to Medor for the anniversary celebration in October.

Festivities included a dedication ceremony at a tree nursery, visits with children in each classroom, and a celebratory Mass led by Père Daniel, the first resident priest in Medor, and Père Luckson, the current pastor at St. Joseph’s.

The two parishes gifted each other with meaningful paintings to commemorate their inspiring and mutually-fulfilling journey together.

More information on programs happening in Medor can be found in The Advocate newsletter, available for download at OLQPVA.org.

This article first appeared in the Winter 2017 One Heart, One Spirit newsletter.

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Fr. Richard F. Wersing, C.S.Sp. [Photo Source: James K. Hanna]

Following is an excerpt from the publication:

“In the years following his 1937 ordination as a Holy Ghost Father, Wilkinsburg (Pennsylvania) native Richard F. Wersing, C.S.Sp., would be known not only as a Roman Catholic priest but also a missionary, street preacher, parish founder, combat chaplain, graduate student, university professor, and archivist.

A man of varied interests, he was a collector of stamps and coins, a voracious reader, poet, theater aficionado, humorist, public speaker, photographer, gardener, and a world traveler who maintained an active social life until his death at age 96 in 2006.

In his nearly seven decades of priesthood, Fr. Wersing served the Church in many of the United States, as well as France, Germany, Korea, Tanzania and elsewhere. For recreation he visited many countries including Ireland, Japan, Algeria, Israel, Morocco, Netherlands, Italy, and Mexico.”

Continue reading about Fr. Wersing’s extraordinary life in “The Many Missions of Father Richard F. Wersing, C.S.Sp.“

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