Canonical Visit to 21st Daugther of Guanellian Family

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Pforzheim – It all began on December 19, 1842 in Fraciscio, cradle of the Guanellian family and root of the charitable charism.The tiny town at the Swiss-Italian border crowned with the majestic Alps, has become the homeland of the many sons of St. Louis Guanella, light to generations of Servants of Charity and Daugthers of St.Mary of Providence. Now, after 100 years since his visit to Treviri/German Palatinate, the charism has also arrived with God’s grace to Pforzheim. Just days before celebrating St. Louis Guanella’s birthday, the German entities MCI confreres Frs. Wieslaw and Rocky, Inge and Gero, the Procura founders, were pleased and honored to receive the first canonical visit by Fr. Alfonso Crippa, Superior General, and his councilor Fr. Luigi De Giambattista. In a casual atmosphere they met some of the Italians at Pforzheim, Bretten. A fraternal agape was offered in honor of our friend Dean Bernard Ihle on December 13. The previous day Vice-Dean, Dr. Johannes Mette, parish priest of St. Antony Church, met our Superiors. During holy Mass on December 14, Fr. Alfonso explained to the Italian faithful the essence of the Guanellian charism and thanked the lively alumnus of the Sicilian boarding school in Naro, who has held the torch of the Guanellian flame high in this hospitable country since 1962.
They praised the enormous and involved pastoral work of the confreres who will begin to help German parish priests in vacant pastoral sites around our vicariate. In January, Fr. Rocky will celebrate Holy Mass at our parish church, St. Alexander, Tifenbronn. Fr. Alfonso and Fr. Luigi have re-confirmed their decision to officially incorporate our Procura to the General House of Rome. Therefore we invite all confreres in Latin America, Africa,and Asia to contact us and send their projects, because with the Procura’s new status, we will approach all solidarity agencies at Munich, Aachen and Cologne, who, for 5 years, have been supporting Guanellian projects from Mexico to Kinshasa, Manila, Cuddalore and Saigon.
With enthusiastic praise of our Procura for having mediated the arrival of two Guanellians to the Diocese of Frieburg and for the intensive activities of our confreres during their first year of mission among Italian, Polish immigrants, the local vicariate priests sent a personal letter of thanksgiving to our new archbishop, Stefan Burger. Both Fr. Wieslaw and Arokiadoss have done a good job and have won the sympathy of their parishioners.
We have now the chance to submit the request for the minibus needed at Sivagangai to our friends Mrs. Heidrun and Stephanie of Missio-Munich. Patriarch Gregory III sent a sorrowful appeal for the 3 million Melchite Catholics in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palistine asking our Procura to mediate funds for the destroyed hospital of Damas and for Catholic refugees in Jordan and Turkey. With friend organizations in our state, Baden-Württemberg, and the Archdiocese of Freiburg we’ll do our utmost to collect donations from Christian hospitals. Through this German relief association many 40 “Containers have been sent to Lattakia/Syria. Medical equipment and furniture has been donated by the Daugthers of St. Josef from  St.Trudpert Hospital, which is related to the German Pious Union.
2015 is the Year of Consecrated Life. May the Lord through the intercession of our Patroness, Our Lady of Divine Providence, and our Founder send many more “arms, minds and hearts burning with charity” to His vineyard because as Jesus pointed out to His apostles, “Pray because the harvest is quite big, but the laborers are few!
Oramus fratres, ut operatores pacis et amoris ad acerem suum veniant! Brothers let us pray the Lord to call more workers to His vineyard of peace and love. May the new year be a year of peace, love and charity!
Gero Lombardo,  German Guanellian Procura

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Canonical Visit

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Manila – Fr. Alfonso Crippa, Superior General of the Servants of Charity made a canonical visit to the Philippines May 30th-June 15th, including a visit to Vietnam June 8th-11th. The visit was an opportune time for Guanellians in the Philippines to review their life and mission. Considered as the “contemporary Father Guanella” in the Congregation, so it was a visit of a “father” who cares for his children and as a “brother” who is always open to listen and offer words of wisdom. He reminded us of the importance of fidelity to our promises as religious and to our charism as Guanellians. He has given also simple but profound words in trying our best to love our confreres and our mission with the poor. He attended the Annual Assembly of the confreres from the Philippines and Vietnam, the launching of the Pious Union of St. Joseph-Manila, Louis: One Life, One Song (a musical concert prepared by GYM) and the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Guanellians in the Philippines. He met the beneficiaries of our programs, Guanellian Lay Cooperators, Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence, Bishop Antonio Tobias of Novaliches and Bishop Joel Baylon of Legazpi, visited Guanella Center and the mission in Legazpi. Fr. Luigi De Giambattista, General Councilor and pioneer missionary in the Philippines, accompanied him on the visit.

First Profession

Manila – On May 31st, Feast of the Visitation of Mary, two novices made their First Religious Profession to the Congregation. In the presence of the Superior General, Fr. Alfonso Crippa, Fr. Luigi De Giambattista, General Councilor, and all the confreres present for the Annual Assembly of Philippines and Vietnam, the two new confreres, Adornaldo Jacob of Albay and Alfie Matulac of Negros Occidental pronounced their commitment to the Lord and the Church the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for a year.
As these young men offer their lives to the Lord and to the poor as Servants of Charity, we accompany them with our prayers; that they may continue to see the beauty of the vocation that they have chosen and persevere in God’s goodness and grace.

Physical Therapy Room Dedicated

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Manila – On May 31st, the Feast of the Visitation of Mary, the new Physical Therapy Room at Guanella Center was dedicated and blessed. Present for the inauguration was the Superior General of the Congregation, Fr. Alfonso Crippa, General Councilor, Fr. Luigi de Giambattista and the confreres of the Philippines. With heartfelt gratitude, the Servants of Charity-Divine Providence Province would like to acknowledge the following instruments of Divine Providence for their generous support in building the new Physical Therapy Room: Archdiocese of Munich & Freising-Germany, Msgr. Wolfgang Huber, Fr. Eric Englert OSA, President of Missio Munich, Mrs. Stephanie Schüller, Mrs Heidrun Göttler and  Mr. Gero Lombardo and family. We are deeply grateful also to Mr. Stark and Missio Munich-Germany for their major contribution in building the Guanella Home for Special Children, a residential facility for abandoned persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. As of now, there are 21 residents benefiting from this beautiful house for those neglected by society and even their own families. The physical therapy room is equipped with instruments needed for the rehabilitation of patients that need treatment who could not afford those being offered at private clinics and hospitals. Thank you once again to our German Benefactors. May God bless your generosity.

March in Mysore

Mysore – Preethiya Sevakaru was busy and happily preparing to welcome Fr. Alfonso Crippa, Superior General. Fr. Crippa, Fr. Provincial Soosai and Fr. Gnanaraj, the Superior of GPN community arrived on March 3rd with a very solemn welcome. They had a good time meeting the Confreres and brothers. They were taken to see the newly purchased land and were pleased. A solemn Mass was celebrated by Fr. Crippa and the visit ended with a solemn dinner.

Nearly 40 children of the Don Guanella Evening School went on a picnic with the brothers and visited Chamundi Hills, Tipu Sultan Palace and Sangam Boat House. They all expressed their joy in sharing their meals, dances, songs and games.

“The harvest is plenty but the laborers are very few,” the words of our Lord Jesus took Fr. Leo Joseph and Bro. Johnson fishing for vocations in the diocese of Bellary 500 kms from Mysore. It was the first time the Priest and the people heard about the Servants of Charity. Some young students showed an interest in our seminary. The vocation drive was useful in gaining insight about the people.

Perpetual and Diaconal Ordination

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Chennai – After six months of very intensive preparation, ten brothers were finally presented to the altar by the Community of Chennai. On Feb 11th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a tremendous gift was given to the DIVINE PROVIDENCE PROVINCE. That evening in the presence of their parents, relatives and friends, Brothers Achariyam, Anil Francis Kumar, Arul, Charles, Edal Vinoth Joe, Francis Sunil Kumar, John Kennedy, Loyola Diraviam, Prakesh Philemen Raj and Vincent professed perpetual vows at St. John the Baptist church, Poonamallee. Frs. Alfonso Crippa and Gustavo Debonis were present, Fr. General Superior celebrated the holy Mass during which the young men courageously said ‘yes’ to the Lord. Fr. Alfonso delivered a short homily with the message of religious consecration. He encouraged the brothers to grow in charity and the charism of our founder. The following day was their Diaconal Ordination followed by a fellowship meal to celebrate.

Superior General visits Soosai Thottam

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Madurai  – On February 1st in the name of St. Louis Guanella, the superior general, Fr. Alfonso Crippa, and Fr. Gustavo De Bonis visited Soosai Thottam. The confreres and Guanella Karunai Illam mission beneficiaries welcomed them wholeheartedly. Their presence at Soosai Thottam brought marvelous joy and spiritual nourishment especially for fifteen guests that came to see the mission. Fr. Crippa praised the work being done at Madurai for the good of the needy brethren. His visit boosted the movement of grace and brought conversion, that is a renewal of quality of life to the confreres; their personal life, fraternal life and Guanellian mission. It also helped improve their ability to serve the beneficiaries. Fr. Crippa witnessed the presence of the Lord in each confrere and their mission. Mr. Manogar, a benefactor, and his family provided a meal for the community in honor of the superiors.