ebook img

Scarboro Missions magazine, 2003-2004 PDF

352 Pages·2003·38.9 MB·English
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview Scarboro Missions magazine, 2003-2004

Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/scarboromission8485sfms : FEATURES Rejoicing in God's presence 4 A letterfrom the General CouncilaboutAssembly/Chapter2002 Mission Statement 5 A statement ofScarboroMissions' valuesand vision Serving the reign of God 6 A ByGerald Curry, S.F.M. s our partners in mission, ScarboroMissions'prioritiesfor mission you walk with us as we A graced gathering 10 witness to the Gospel By BeverleyVantomme overseas and in Canada. Different faiths... Common calls for peace 12 Please remember us with A messageofpeace your prayers and financial Reflections on the Assembly and Chapter 14 support so that we may Missioners share theirexperiences continue the vital work An experience of community 17 By Anne Quesnelle of mission. Thank you! Too much of a good thing is wonderful! 18 By RonMacDonell, S.F.M. In the footsteps of Mary 20 By Roger Brennan, S.F.M. Homilyat themass on the FeastoftheAssumption COLUMNS Editorial 3 Volume 84, Number 1 ByGerald Curry, S.F.M. January-february 2003 In memory 22 Publisher: ScarboroForeignMissionSociety Fr. Douglas MacKinnon, S.F.M. Editor: GeraldCurry,S.F.M. Fr. Basil Kirby, S.F.M. AsstEditor/Design: KathyVanLoon Fr. RobertMoore, S.F.M. TheScarboroForeignMissionSocietyisaRoman www.scarboromissions.ca Catholicmissionarycommunityinvolvedin missionoverseasandinCanada.Foundedin COVER: Fr. Paul OuelletteblesseslaymissionerCarolyn Beukeboom. Canadain1918byFr.JohnFraser,Scarboro's Atthe final massoftheAssemblyand Chaptermeetings, missioners pinriiteisatlsptuorCphoisnea.waFsortcoetdrationlaenavdesCehnidnamiasfstieorntahrey wentforward in twos to blessand 'send' each otherfortheserviceof Second World War,Scarborobeganworkingin mission. theCaribbean,AsiaandLatinAmerica. ScarboroMissionspublishessevenissueseach year Thearticlespublishedrepresenttheopin- ionsoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflect theofficialpositionoftheSociety. Pleaseaddress all inquiriesto:ScarboroMissions,2685Kingston Rd.,Scarborough,ON,M1M 1M4. Tel: (416)261-7135; Toll-free:1-800-260-4815 Fax;(416)261-0820; Email:General:info@scarboromissions.ca Magazine: sfmmag@scarboromissions.ca Subscriplions mid@scarboromissions.ca SubscKimions; 1 yr/$8; 2yrs/$15;3yrs/$22 Printed in( anadaandmailed(Publication ' Mail RegistrationNumber9984)fromToronto last I,PI'.,Scarborough,On. Returnpostageguaranteed. ISSN0700-6802 2 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2003 — GUEST EDITORIAL Good news! By Fr. Gerald Curry, S.F.M. "We need to tell others what happened here these past two weeks." These words ofFr. Jack Lynch expressed thefeelings ofmany ofus, as ourAssembly and Chapter meetings came to an end. A fter well over a year of preparation and At mass on the last day, Fr. Ken MacAulay, two full weeks of prayer and discussion, representing the committee that was chosen to our Assembly/Chapter meetings 2002 prepare our meetings, gave the homily. He shared came to an end. We were joyful and felt we had what were for him highlights of the meetings: made progress in ourjourney as Scarboro mission- ers. This was indeed for us, "Good news." "I feel that there is a strong desire for a We had re-committed ourselves to the task of deeper family and community relationship witnessing to the reign ofGod in our world. We priests and lay members, not only working had established some concrete priorities. We had together, but more importantly, living out the committed ourselves to continue our journey as a Gospel message to love and support each other. community of priests and laity. We had discussed "I am very proud... the use ofour central house here in Toronto. And • ofScarboro's efforts to build up the local we had chosen a leadership team to guide us in the Church, local priests, religious and laity; next five years. • ofScarboro's commitment to speak out This issue presents a snapshot ofour General for the downtrodden, the poor, and the Assembly and Xlth Chapter meetings held here disadvantaged; lastJuly and August. It is an attempt to share with • ofScarboro's efforts to bring about not you, our partners in mission, some ofwhat was peace, but peace with justice; said and some of the events of • ofScarboro's respect for the the two weeks. We had start- indigenous peoples and religions ed with a short five-day and their concerns for nature and retreat given by Fr. Ron the environment; Rolheiser, an Oblate mission- • ofScarboro's willingness to ary who urged us and helped be prophetic and not merely to us to slow down and ponder say what is 'politically correct.' and pray about our lives as "Finally, I am proud of the missionaries. fantastic spirit ofour Assembly/ The highlight ofeach day Chapter meetings; priests and lay was the celebration of the people struggling together with Eucharist in the music, lan- respect for each other, with guage and garb of the cul- honesty and sincerity, trying to tures where we serve. What be open, to listen, and to under- celebrations they were. What stand each other. expressions ofmissionary life. "My prayer is that this spirit A special highlight was will continue to grow and deepen alumni day when many of in the months and years ahead. ourcolleagues and their Fr. Ken MacAulaygiving the families joined with us in homilyat mass on the lastdayof Scarboro's Xlth General Chapter. celebration. JANUARY-FEBRUARY2003/SCARBORO MISSIONS 3 Rejoicing in God's presence A LETTER FROM THE GENERAL COUNCIL foiend, Our General Assembly and the Xlth General Chapter, August4-17, 2002, was a time of incredibleblessings for all Scarboro missioners. Bringing together priests and lay missioners, we celebrated a vision of Church that until now had seemed more like a distant dream. Together as priests, lay men and women, married and single, young and old, we were able to look at our community and share our dreams for the future. While in some aspects that reality and its challenges may have seemed discouraging, through the grace of the Spirit, we wereblessed to Fr.JackLynch see that something new is indeed coming alive. Each day wejoyfully SuperiorGeneral celebrated together the faith that we profess, sharing with one another the gifts of the cultures and peoples among whom we areblessed tobe working. The General Assembly generated a fresh enthusiasm for mission and a deepened spirit of unity among our priests and lay missioners. During that time we reaffirmed our mission priorities: (ci) to recommit ourselves to work forjustice, peace, integral human development and the integrity of creation; (b, to put even more emphasis on the work ofinterreligious dialogue both in Canada and overseas; and (c) to examine and ratify a fresh statement on our Society's mission, vision, and values. VicarGeneral All of it was accomplished through a process of consensus-building among the participants. But most of all, we opted to work towards developing a new model thatwill even more closely link us as priests and lay missioners, walking together in service to the reign of God. Almost all of the motions developed through consensus during the Assembly were unanimously ratified by the delegates to the Xlth General Chapter that immediately followed. We were indeed graced during these days to truly listen to one another and draw up these decisions for our future mission together. By the end of our Chapter, we felt graced by the Spirit ofGod and Fr.John Carten Councillor energized to face the future with renewed hope and trust that enabled us to recommit ourselves as Scarboro missioners. We endeavour to realize these hopes and dreams, going forth confi- dently in mission with Christ, celebrating and rejoicing in God's presence among ourselves and those with whom we are privileged to walk.°° 4 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2003 mu A STATEMENT ISSION Scarboro Missions is a Canadian Society ofCatholics, priests and single and married lay people. Motivated by the Spirit, we dedicate ourselves to the person, teaching and mission ofJesus Christ who said, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." (John 10:10) Sent by the Church, we seek: • to serve in creative and new endeavours where the Gospel has not been heard; • to collaborate with a local Church that invites our presence; • to live simply and in solidarity with the poor and marginalized people of the world and to work on behalfofjustice; • to encounter and celebrate God's presence in the life, history, culture and faiths of the people among whom we live; • to collaborate with churches in Canada in generating enthusiasm for global mission and in promoting Gospel values. Our values As witnesses to the hope and joy of the resurrection, these are the values we endeavour to live by and that will sustain us in the future: • a profound reliance and trust in God; • a call to participate humbly in Christ's mission; • a belief in the transforming power ofGod's Spirit; • a commitment to support and challenge each other to simplicity of life, hospitality, communal dialogue, mutual respect and concern. We recognize, affirm and celebrate: • the dignity ofall people as members ofGod's family; • the invitation to all people to participate in the realization of God's reign; • the sacred gift ofGod's creation, entrusted to all people. Guided by these ideals, we go forth in the spirit of Paul who prays, "Glory be to God whose power in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3:20) Our vision Serving the Reign ofGod through contemporary paths of mission. JANUARY-FEBRUARY2003/SCARBORO MISSIONS 5 God Serving the reign of Scarboro Missions' priorities for mission today AS AGREED UPON IN THE XlTH GENERAL CHAPTER 2002 , By Fr. Gerald Curry, S.F.M. St. Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians, The reign of God wrote abouthis way ofbeing present as a mis- In the Gospel ofMatthew we read thatJesus sionary among the people ofThessalonica, a "went around the whole ofGalilee teaching in their city in Greece: synagogues, proclaiming the Good News ofthe "Wewere gentle among you as a nursing reign" (Matthew4:23). Luke's Gospel tells us that mother cares for her children...determined to Jesus urged his disciples "to set theirhearts on the share with you not only the Gospel ofGod but our reign" (Luke 12:38). vyeoruyrseeclevievs.ed..FtohretwhoisrdreoafsoGnodw,ewghiivcehthiasnnkos.w..atthat God('PsoppelJaonhntoPfauullfiIlI)l:me"nJte.suAsftoefrNraezcaerievitnhgbtrhiengHsoly work in you whobelieve." (1 Thessalonians 2:7-13) Spirit athisbaptism,Jesus makes clearhis mes- sianic calling: he goes about Galilee preachingthe Scarboro missioners have alwaysbeen con- Gospel ofGod and saying 'the time is fulfilled and cerned with the way we live out our missionary the reign ofGod is athand; repent andbelieve in presence among others. Our General Assembly and theGospel' (Mark 1:14-15;Matthew 4:17; Luke4:43). Chapter meetings in August2002 were an expres- The proclamation and establishment ofGod's sion of this concern. We started our preparations reign are the purpose ofhis mission: 'Iwas sent for these meetings two years prior by reading and for this purpose' (Luke4:43)." studying what we were called to be as missioners in a world ofchange. More than 60 ofus prayed Scarboro missioners understand mission as ser- and shared about what we see as central tobeing a vice and witness to the reign ofGod. This is the missioner today. We recognized that we pursue task to which we commit ourselves. This is what our Society vision in a time when the theory and practice of mission are undergoing a profound shift. Signs of the times Vatican II used the phrase, "signs of the times," to describe the modern world. We need to be aware of the realities ofour time. We see around us signs of God's presence: love and car- ing, compassion and forgive- ness, the pursuit of freedom, justice, and peace. We see, as well, poverty and oppression, violence and war, the abuse of power and other realities that deny the presence ofa loving Ciod in our world. TSicbaertb.oMroemmbiessrisohnieprtionCShcianrab,orSor.MJiesasnioPnersryr,eqmueiertessaanfriinetnednsdeurcrionsgs-acuvlitsuitratlo, overseas experience. Walking with people ofotherlandsand cultures, we discoverthat the Holy Spirit isalready presentamongthem. 6 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2003

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.