|
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that this holiday will be a time of rest, reflection, and prayer. I give thanks to God for you. May Our Lord continue to strengthen us with His Zeal for the poor.
Last week, St. Vincent’s Seminary was filled with guests as it hosted the Executive Board of the Vincentian Family. Their meetings were held in the Assembly Room of St. Catherine’s Infirmary, and the board joined with the confreres of the house for Morning Prayer, Mass, breakfast, common rec, and dinner. It was especially meaningful for the confreres to welcome our Superior General Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, CM; and our Vicar General Fr. Gregg Bañaga, CM; as well as Mother General of the Daughters of Charity Sr. Françoise Petit, DC; and all the other participants. A complete list of the groups in attendance and a report on the first day of the meeting can be found on the FamVin website. To view it, click here.
This was the last meeting for two members of the Vincentian Family Office. Fr. Joe Agostino, CM, is ending his term as the Office’s executive director and Fr. Émile Ghali, CM, who had been based in France, will begin his new ministry in Turkey. Sr. Ellen Marie Hagar, DC, was named the new executive director and will continue to work with Fr. Guillermo Campuzano, CM, the other member of the Vincentian Family Office.
The Executive Board finished its meetings on Saturday morning, and the rest of the day was spent in prayer and celebration [among a larger group gathering for the 10th anniversary of the Vincentian Family Office]. You can read the article and view videos of the prayer service and the celebration of the Eucharist on the FamVin website. I would like to draw your attention to the testimonies shared by the young adults from Charlotte, which begin at about the 59th minute of the prayer service video. Here is a sampling of the testimonials.
- Randy spoke about the reality that the people of Charlotte are facing. He attends Saturday evening Mass, and he spoke of the hurt he felt when he saw the number of people attending that Mass drop from about 500 to just 30. He said that families were too afraid to leave their homes, not even to buy food or pay their bills. The young adult group stepped up to live out their Catholic and Vincentian mission by offering themselves to go and pick up groceries, to help pay the bills, to help the families that could not do those things at this moment in time. Randy credited the inspiration that their Vincentian priests give them for helping them to come up with those ideas.
- Vicente shared that his younger brother approached their father and mentioned his interest in a protest against the immigration crackdown being planned in his school. His brother asked his father for his thoughts. Vicente's dad supported his brother in that decision saying, “You have a voice, and I want you to use it.” Vicente encouraged us as Vincentians to recognize that we have a voice and that we need to be able to use it and help those who feel hopeless.
During the break, I spoke with a college student whom I knew from Charlotte. I asked her how her family was doing. She said that her mother was afraid to go out of the house, so she (the daughter) goes out in the evening to do the shopping. Though she is a citizen, she is also afraid that she will be racially profiled and stopped. It is so sad that such a good, faith-filled family, active in their church, should be so afraid.
The celebration of the Eucharist, which followed, was a testament to the effectiveness of the Vincentian Family Office’s work over its first 10 years. Representatives from many branches filled The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Even as we recognized the accomplishments over past years, we were encouraged to move forward with hope and zeal in living the Vincentian charism. Fr. Agostino was recognized and honored during the Liturgy, and rightly so. When I attend international meetings, confreres and Vincentian Family members frequently speak of the assistance Fr. Agostino has given them. He is very much appreciated. Click here for photos from the Mass.
New executive director of the Vincentian Family Office
Click here to read Fr. Mavriĉ’s letter announcing the appointment of Sr. Ellen Marie Hagar, DC, (Province of St. Louise, USA) as the new executive director of the Vincentian Family Office.
From America magazine
Click here to read an article on the impact of ICE activities on churches in Charlotte.
Charlotte and ICE’s presence, by Fr. Bruce Krause, CM
There was some semblance of relief on the faces of our parishioners this past weekend, compared to the week before. Attendance at each of our Masses was significantly better, although we did not reach our weekly average of 6,300. A degree of normalcy has returned to the Charlotte area, but everyone remains cautious. The large, militaristic presence has moved on, and there are no stories of indiscriminate raids and arrests as before. However, we do see drones monitoring movements of persons who are known to live in different parts of the city. We can only presume that they are looking for certain individuals. At times it has been difficult to know how to proceed with parish activities because of conflicting reports of ICE’s presence. We have opted on the side of caution and have let parishioners in their respective ministries decide for themselves whether they should gather this past week. The same had been the case for the sacraments, including daily Mass. We have been gratified by the faith of our parishioners who have persevered in the face of abject discrimination.
Although the large presence of ICE is no longer here, the injustice of indiscriminate arrests and mistreatment of legal citizens has left its mark on Charlotte. More than 33,000 children were absent from classes and many of these did not receive food at school. Persons who chose to remain at home lost a week’s salary or more. When some live from paycheck to paycheck, missing a week’s salary has put them in a financial bind. There's a lack of trust in the government when persons comply with immigration protocols and are subsequently arrested. The unease of turning to the police for help even though the sheriff and the police of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have not collaborated with ICE is most unfortunate. In short, the harm has been done and will not easily be erased.
Again, our people remain strong in their faith and hopeful for a future they did not enjoy in their respective countries of origin. We at Our Lady of Guadalupe want to bolster our support for the immigrant community in the parish. Together, we implore Our Lady to come to the assistance of those who are marginalized, now, as in the days she appeared to St. Juan Diego’s centuries ago.
Eucharistic procession to the ICE office in Philadelphia
A friend of mine shared with me that he participated in a procession led by Fr. Dennis Gill, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, who carried the Blessed Sacrament during a prayerful vigil November 13, near the Philadelphia office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The symbolism of the real presence of Christ coming to a place, which instills fear in our immigrant brothers and sisters, was very powerful. To read the article click here.
Solemnity of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Yesterday, we celebrated the Solemnity of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal at the Basilica Shrine in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Most Reverend Efren V. Esmilla, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was the presider. You can watch the livestream here.
Advent letter from the Superior General
Fr. Mavrič’s Advent letter this year offers us a lot of material for reflection. He invites us to reawaken the mysticism of charity. To access his letter, click here.
Please note that in the postscript at the end of his letter, Fr. Tomaž shares a link to resources helpful for presenting the movie Monsieur Vincent and the multimedia work Fino alla fine. Vincenzo de’ Paoli, messaggero e servo (Until the End: Vincent de Paul, Messenger and Servant).
Vincentian Leadership Workshop – a report from Fr. Walner Diaz, CM
A Vincentian Leadership Workshop sponsored by the Western Province was held in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 19 and 20. It was a deeply enriching and formative experience. The workshop focused on providing practical tools, spiritual insight, and pastoral knowledge to help us better minister to the People of God in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul. Through presentations, discussions, and shared reflections, we explored how effective leadership is grounded in humility, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to serving those most in need. The sessions offered both clarity and inspiration, helping us strengthen our missionary identity and renew our dedication to Vincentian ministry.
A unique and meaningful aspect of the workshop was the diversity of participants. Eleven people attended, representing the Western USA Province, the Eastern Province [Fr. Erik Sanchez, CM; Fr. Walner Diaz, CM; and Fr. Alex Palacios, CM], and even international provinces such as India and Kenya. This global presence created a rich atmosphere of cultural exchange and mutual learning, reminding us that the Vincentian mission is truly universal. The collaboration among participants fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose, leaving me encouraged and better equipped to live out and lead within our Vincentian family.
More on the World Day of the Poor
Last Tuesday, I shared a report on the Vincentian lunch for the poor in Rome on November 16. Click here to read another report about the dinner, which was posted on the FamVin website.
| 
