cosmo online february 2016

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Piazza San Marcello, 5; 00187 Roma; Tel.: +39-06-699301; [email protected]; www.servidimaria.net

February 2016, Year 9 - N. 2

Electronic bulletin of quick information fromthe Center of Communications

1233 - 2016

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R PThe Rio Plata Delegation is one of the two jurisdictions that joinedtogether to form the present Andes Province. The other jurisdictionwas the Andes Vicariate.The Servite presence in the Rio Plata area began in 1914. In 1913,Fra Giovannangelo M. De Marchi (1867-1925), the Prior Provincial ofthe Piedmontese Province, went to Argentina to visit relatives whohad emigrated to that country in search of a better life. FraGiovannangelo spoke to the local Apostolic Delegate and offered tosend a Servite friar to establish a community in that country. Thecommunity would be primarily devoted to providing spiritualassistance to the immigrant community. Fra Alessio M. Rattalino(1866-1940) was given this task. Fra Alessio was a native of Bra, asmall town in the Cuneo region. He was a man of considerableexperience, over fifty years old and a religious for fifteen years.

Fra Alessio left Italy from the port of Genoa on July 6, 1914. Twothousand passengers sailed with him. Many were permanent emigrants in search of work –emigrants who would never return to Italy. Mario Bergoglio, the father of the present Pope, madethe same journey fifteen years later. The steamship “Tomaso di Savoia” had been in service onthe Atlantic since 1907; it had a two propeller engine and could reach a speed of 16 knots. Theship reached Buenos Aires on July 29 after a voyage of only twenty-three days. Rattalinodisembarked at Buenos Aires and went to the little village of Diaz where he found lodging not farfrom the Provincial’s relatives. It was there that he had his first experience of pastoral workamong the natives and the Spanish and Italian immigrants. The outbreak of World War I madecommunication with the mother province difficult. Fra Alessio’s trip was meant to be exploratorybut it became permanent. He was alone and without canonical status. The Archbishop of SantaFe whose jurisdiction included Diaz did not initially recognize Fra Alessio’s presence but with the

help of the Apostolic Delegate his position was regularized and in 1916 he was appointed thechaplain of the Rufino hospital. In 1918 he was given the parish of San Antonio de Obligado andhe moved there.But it was not until the war’s end that the first Servite community could be established. In

September 1920 Fra Michelangelo M. Enrici (1885-1961) joinedFra Alessio and in August 1921 two other friars came from Italy.In 1924 through the intervention of woodsmen who worked forthe Anglo-Argentine company, Florestal, a chapel wasestablished in Villa Guillermina for people who were far fromparochial centers. Other such chapels soon followed. In 1929the Servites took charge of the Avellaneda community. Thisnew parish covered a vast territory in which there were fourother chapels and in spite of the worldwide economic crisis the

friars established a school to train candidates for the Order. In1930 the Bishop moved San Antonio parish from the primitivevillage of Obligado to the more lively town of Las Toscas. TheServite presence in Argentina was referred to as the ChacoMission. In the early 1930s the friars served people in an areathat covered 140 square kilometers. In 1938 the first Servitecommunity was established in the capital, Buenos Aires wherethe Bishop, Santiago Luis Copello, was a Servite tertiary. Aparish-sanctuary was established and dedicated to La Soledadde Maria. Along with those ordinary difficulties any new foundationencounters there were two additional problems: local vocations

were scarce and the Piedmontese Province was no longer ableto assist the friars in Argentina. The Prior General asked theVenetian Province to assume responsibility for the mission and

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Fra Alessio M. Rattalino(1866-1940)

The parish church of SanAntonio de Obligado where

the first Servite Communitywas established in 1920



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They were two intense, beautiful and enjoyable days (especially our visit to the prison). I enjoyed all theplaces we visited. We had fun and I like meeting and making new friends. I certainly realize what abeautiful thing it is to be part of a group that has had this experience. It also made me realize howimportant it is to recognize the dignity of all people in spite of what mistakes they may have committed.

Giovanni – Florence (19 years old)

I felt somewhat uncomfortable when we got off the bus in Rome. Apart from the three others from Follina Ididn’t know anyone. It was unfortunate but inevitable that we broke up into little groups of people whoknew each other. The first morning I woke up with fear and uncertainty about the idea of going into a

prison. The fear dissipated once we entered the chapel and I saw the faces of the prisoners. DuringMass what really struck me was how people expressed their thoughts spontaneously during the Prayers ofthe Faithful. They trusted the Lord and prayed not just for themselves but for their loved ones as well. Iwas especially moved when I played music with Ferdinando. Looking at him I wondered how he had everended up in such an unfriendly place. I had really strong feelings while he was playing and I was temptedto cry out encore, encore! I had trouble holding back my tears. Along with the feelings I had about theprison it was nice to get to know the other kids and to become part of the group. I lost my earlierprejudices.

Marco – Follina (16 years old)

Special thanks go to the Servite Sisters of Nocera who generously provided hospitality in their Via Corradihouse and to the Formation Community of St. Alexis Falconieri. We used their refectory for our meals andfraternal sharing.

The 63 members of the chapter confirmed Fra Lino M. Pacchin as Prior Provincial and elected Fra GiuseppeM. Zaupa as Socius Provinc ial. Fra Giuseppe M. Baggio, Fra Maurice M. Kosomose and Fra Andrea M.Butta were elected provincial councilo rs. We wish them all success in their work!

2. P : Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial Council

The Chapter of Elections for the Lombardy-Veneto Province of the Servants of Mary was celebrated atCavallino near Venice January 25-30. The Prior General, Fra Gottfried M. Wolff was present.



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3. P : Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial CouncilThe friars of the Tyrolese gathered in Bressanone/Brixen at St. Georg Sams for their four-year chapter ofelections (February 1-5, 2016). They elected Fra Silvester (Silvo) M. Bachorik as Prior Provincial, FraMartin M. Lintner Socius Provincial, and Fra František (Fero) M. Bachorik, Fra JosephChukwuneme M. Okoli and Fra Leonhard M. Lanser as Provincial Councilors. We wish them allsuccess in their work!

4. P : Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial Council

The US friars gathered in Sierra Madre, California at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center for their four-yearchapter of elections (February 15-19, 2016). They elected Fra John M. Fontana Prior Provincial, FraGerald M. Horan Socius Provincial and Fra Donald M. Siple, Fra Eugene M. Smith and FraLawrence M. Choate as Provincial Councilors. We wish them all success in their work!

5. P :Election of Prior Provincial

On February 8, 2016 on the firstballot Fra Susaimani M.Arockiasamy was elected PriorProvincial of the Aikiya AnnaiProvince (India). We wish himsuccess in his work!

6. V :Election of Vicar Provincial

On February 16, 2016 on thesecond ballot Fra Deogracias M.Alejandria was elected VicarProvincial of the St. PeregrinePhilippine Vicariate (Philippines).We wish him success in his work!

7. P :Election of Prior Provincial

On February 19, 2016 on thethird ballot Fra Michel M.Tremblay was elected PriorProvincial of the CanadianProvince. We wish him successin his work!



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P, O, A

Congratulations on the fiftieth anniversary of ordination to the priesthood to the following friars: FraGiuseppe M. Galassi () and Fra Aurelio M. Marrone () on March 19, 1966 and Fra Sergio M.Sassatelli () on March 23, 1966.Congratulations to Fra Yvon-Michel M. Pageau () on the twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination tothe priesthood: March 23, 1991.

F S F: Recognition as a “House of Life”The Convent of the Servite Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows has been designated a “House of Life” by theInternational Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. It hid twelve Jewish girls who were being persecuted duringthe Second World War. On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 10:30 a memorial plaque was unveiled inthe General House of the Congregation in Via Faentina 195. Present at the ceremony were religious andcivic authorities of the diocese, the Jewish community, the Commune of Florence and the Region. All theteachers, co-workers, parents and students of the Via Faentina School took enthusiastic part in theoccasion – from little ones of the Mille Colori day nursery to the teenagers of the Liceo Linguistico.

The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization named inhonor of the Swedish diplomat who saved the lives of thousands of persecuted Jews during the SecondWorld War. His name is included among the “Righteous Among the Nations.” The purpose of theorganization is to develop educational programs and consciousness raising projects based on the valuesof solidarity and civic courage that motivated those who solved so many people during the Holocaust.

The Superior General, Mother Maddalena Cei, performed her act of solidarity and courage in the autumnof 1943. She too has been listed in the “Righteous Among the Nations.” Still today for her sisters and allof us her act of courage is a reason for joy and gratitude. She is an example of that openness andhospitality that has always characterized our religious Family.

cosmo online february 2016

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