Letter from the Coordinator, No 14 (2014)
Dear Confreres,
Dear Lay Missionaries of the Most Holy Redeemer,
Dear Partners in Mission,
We have just started Lent. During the General Audience on Ash Wednesday Pope Francis said: “Lent comes to us as a providential time to change course, to regain the capacity to react in face of the reality of evil that always challenges us.”
Because Lent is a time of personal conversion and a time of special pastoral activities, may our Redeemer give you faith, strength and missionary courage for all your apostolic works during this season.
The whole world knows that these past days have been very difficult for the entire Ukrainian nation. We look with anxiety at all that has happened during these past few months. We are also concerned about our Redemptorists who live and work in Ukraine. I invite you to prayer especially for our brethren, and for all the people of Ukraine. (more about the situation of the Redemptorists in Ukraine on our web-page: http://www.cssr-europe.com).
In this letter I move to summer time because I want to invite you to reflect on two mission projects of our Conference. Because of the good feedback which we received last year, we will continue this year our evangelization through the international community in Astorga on St. James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela. Furthermore we will organize “REDCAMP” (Redemptorist Camp of Evangelization).
ASTORGA 2014
The Pilgrim House “Casa San Alfonso” in Astorga (Spain) will reopen its doors to Redemptorists and young people for 9 weeks (in July and August 2014). (If somebody would like to extend this experience you can do this also in September). This project of New Evangelization throughout Europe began last summer with a group of 22 people from different countries (Redemptorists and Laity).
The mission of this community is to offer a space for dialogue and prayer with pilgrims who are going to Santiago. The daily work consists of two tasks. First, the members of this community welcome pilgrims on the street, inform them about the celebrations organized for them and the spiritual guidance offered in our church. Secondly, the preparation and participation in the prayers and especially in the blessings for pilgrims which take place every night at 9 pm. 1306 pilgrims took part in these blessings last year. The members of this international community may also experience the joy of sharing the Redemptorist charism, times of prayer, work and rest (because it’s summer!).
We would like to invite young people from all over Europe and also Redemptorists (lay and religious) who are leading the Redemptorist Youth and Vocation Ministry in all our Units. The Province of Madrid covers the costs of this international community; so those who wish to participate have to pay only for their trip. The minimum time of participation is one week, and the maximum is all summer. If you need more information, and for your applications please send an email to: manucabello@hotmail.com or laureanodel@gmail.com
Because the pilgrims are from different countries, this community is asking for Bibles in different languages. If someone could help them – please send a copy of the Bible in your language to: Casa San Alfonso; Acogida Redentorista a Peregrinos; C/ PP. Redentoristas, 3; 24.700 ASTORGA (LEÓN); ESPAÑA – SPAIN.
REDEMPTORIST CAMP OF EVANGELIZATION
REDCAMP is the International Summer School of Evangelization organized by the Commission for the New Missionary Initiatives of CRE. The primary objective of REDCAMP is to prepare missionaries-preachers for the work of the New Evangelization. Participants gain knowledge and practical experience in how to share their faith with others and how to become builders of faith in their own countries and communities.
The school gives experience of a personal relationship with God. The celebration of the Eucharist is at the heart of each day. There is also a time for community and personal prayer (e.g. prayer of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, the possibility to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, conversation with spiritual leaders, etc.). After the training, participants will be sent to take part in a ministry of evangelization.
REDCAMP also provides the possibility for us to know others in our Conference and to experience the richness of our different cultures, mentalities and ways of evangelization in different countries in Europe.
We invite Redemptorists and our partners in Mission – especially the people who are in charge of the coordination of various evangelization projects in different Units in CRE to participate in this event. Time: July 26 – August 2, 2014; Place: Cracow (Poland), Redemptorist Retreat House, ul. Zamojskiego 56; Cost: 150 € (per person). More information and application: www.redcamp.eu
May our Redeemer give us the power and the strength to persevere faithfully, without stumbling during this Lenten Season and in this way may God lead us to the joy of Resurrection.
Fr. Jacek
