Merry Christmas from the General Committee –
Feliz Navidad de parte del Comité General
| A Christmas story | Un cuento navideño | Une histoire de Noël | Uma história de Natal | Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte |
Merry Christmas from the General Committee –
Feliz Navidad de parte del Comité General
| A Christmas story | Un cuento navideño | Une histoire de Noël | Uma história de Natal | Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte |
This video shares three perspectives from members of the Salvatorian Family on “The Pactum” of Blessed Francis Jordan. The Pactum is the covenant that Blessed Jordan made with God. It grounded him in his commitment to do God’s will in founding the apostolic mission of the Salvatorians. This video is to help viewers explore and reflect on their own personal pact with God.
| ENGLISH | ESPANÕL | FRANÇAIS | PORTUGUÊS | ITALIANO | POLSKI | DEUTSCH |
With this message, the General Committee of the ICDS wishes you all a blessed and enriching Foundation Day!
The Vatican news portal “Vatican News“1 has published some important information on the subject in recent days. Among other things, the Pope highlights the need for alliances that promote care for Creation and peace.
1 → The news are available in different languages – Las noticias están disponibles en varios idiomas
Although we on the General Committee had been aware of Rita’s failing health for some time, the news of her passing hit us hard. The moment when our thread of life is woven to its end is unknown. And so it says in the Book of Isaiah 38:12 :
My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent, is struck down and borne away from me; You have folded up my life, like a weaver who severs the last thread.
Some Salvatorian lay people have written words of remembrance which can be read here on behalf of many others:
Our dear Rita beat us to the date of heaven…Her departure leaves a void in the ICDS and in the Salvatorian Family, not only in his native Belgium, but also internationally, due to her active role both in the General Committee of the ICDS, and for her participation in some of the joint commissions of the 3 branches such as “the Justice, Peace and Defense of Life Commission” and the “Salvatorian Identity and Mission Commission”.
With a jovial, cheerful and open spirit, reflecting both her vocation as a school teacher and her vocation to follow Christ as a Lay Salvatorian, Rita worked tirelessly for the development of Lay Salvatorians in the world and for the fraternal union of the Salvatorian Family, putting their gifts at your service.
As you can read in our post from yesterday already, the ICDS is very happy to welcome our new sisters and brothers in Tanzania. Some Lay Salvatorians from the US have guided the development process over a long time and supported them with materials, were also present at the ceremony. Here is their story and report (→ click on the picture below to open the document)
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Mon voyage de pèlerinage pour réconforter les nouveaux adhérents à la Communauté Internationale du Divin sauveur en Tanzanie a été une expérience spirituelle très éprouvante pour ma foi : les réalités du voyage, les découvertes des nouvelles cultures et des nouvelles personnes, la rencontre avec des personnes lointaines, le partage et l’unité dans la diversité (langues, régimes alimentaires, différences d’âge et de sexe…) Une découverte de l’inconnu. Tout ceci a fait de moi une nouvelle personne à travers le Bienheureux JORDAN qui lui–même est baptisé d’un apôtre au–delà des frontières, c’est–à–dire au–delà de nos forces et de nos faiblesses, au– delà de nos attentes et besoins personnels, au–delà de ce que nous imaginons. J’ai rencontré des pe< /span>rsonnes que ne pouvais jamais imaginer que je rencontrerai une seule fois dans ma vie. Il s’agit de:
Tout ceci a été une expérience de l’universalité salvatorienne : l’accueil qui était très bon, le séjour, la communication…
Il est donc possible que nous menions une vie universelle dans la diversité autour du Christ avec l’assistance du Saint Esprit et grâce à l’intercession de la Sainte Vierge Marie et du Bienheureux JORDAN
Pour réaliser cette expérience il m’a fallu des sacrifices que Le Seigneur en qui je crois et je sers récompense d’une manière ou d’une autre. Je ne me lasserai jamais de continuer à le servir, n’en déplaise aux auteurs des actes frisant les découragements. Avec courage je porterai toujours ma Croix pour répondre à mon appel et je fixerai mes yeux vers JESUS en qui j’ai confia
par MARIE DE LA CROIX LEYA SANGWA
Salvatorienne RDC
My pilgrimage to Tanzania to comfort the new members of the International Community of the Divine Saviour was a very testing spiritual experience for my faith: the realities of the journey, the discovery of new cultures and new people, meeting people from far away, sharing and unity in diversity (languages, diets, age, and gender differences…) A discovery of the unknown. All of this has made me a new person through Blessed JORDAN, who himself is baptized by an apostle beyond borders, that is, beyond our strengths and weaknesses, beyond our personal expectations and needs, and beyond what we imagine. I have met people who I could never have imagined I would meet once in my life. They were:
All of this was an experience of Salvatorian universality: the welcome, which was very good, the stay, the communication…
It is therefore possible for us to lead a universal life in diversity around Christ, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and thanks to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Blessed Jordan.
To achieve this experience I have had to make sacrifices that the Lord, in whom I believe and serve, rewards in one way or another. I will never tire of continuing to serve him, whatever the perpetrators of acts bordering on discouragement. With courage, I will always carry my Cross to answer my call and I will fix my eyes on JESUS whom I trust.
by MARIE DE LA CROIX LEYA SANGWA
Salvatorian DRC
Pope Francis has published an Apostolic Exhortation building on his 2015 encyclical: “Laudate Deum”. We’re not reacting enough, he says, we’re close to breaking point. He criticizes climate change deniers, saying that the human origin of global warming is now beyond doubt. And he describes how care for our common home flows from the Christian faith.
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A cry, a call also addressed to the Salvatorian laity. Our challenges of the time also urge us to question and, if necessary, reorient our activities and apostolates with regard to environmental impact and the climate crisis. The world needs us and we are called to respond to the challenges (signs) of our time. It is not only the big changes or improvements that count, which we as individuals or small groups can hardly achieve. But the many small things in our everyday lives can make a big difference if we question them and change them accordingly.
Get more information here → Vatican News
Laudate Deum text in several languages
El Papa Francisco ha publicado una exhortación apostólica basada en su encíclica de 2015 “Laudate Deum”. No estamos reaccionando lo suficiente, dice, estamos cerca del punto de ruptura. Critica a los negacionistas del cambio climático, diciendo que el origen humano del calentamiento global está ahora fuera de toda duda. Y describe cómo el cuidado de nuestra casa común emana de la fe cristiana.
Un grito, una llamada dirigida también a los laicos Salvatorianos. Los desafíos de nuestro tiempo también nos urgen a cuestionar y, si es necesario, a reorientar nuestras actividades y apostolados en relación con el impacto medioambiental y la crisis climática. El mundo nos necesita y estamos llamados a responder a los desafíos (signos) de nuestro tiempo. No sólo cuentan los grandes cambios o mejoras, que nosotros, como individuos o pequeños grupos, difícilmente podemos conseguir. Pero las muchas pequeñas cosas de nuestra vida cotidiana pueden marcar una gran diferencia si nos las cuestionamos y las cambiamos en consecuencia.
Más información → Vatican News
During the festive mass on Sunday, the group with Rosemarie Böcherer and Albrecht Klein gave a short review of the past time:
Already at the first meeting of about 20 people, they showed a great need to exchange questions of faith and life, for mutual support in the everyday challenges in the family, at work, in their own environment, also in their own church community. After a period of ups and downs, membership has now settled at around 30. The group grew out of the endeavor to see themselves as sisters and brothers and to live in a “fraternal Church” – in the community of Salvatorian lay people and in the “Salvatorian Family”, which consists of lay people, Salvatorian Sisters, and Fathers/Brothers.
