Stigmatine Life & History

Important events of our recent Stigmatine Life, in chronological order

 

More Recent events

Previous events

 

Death Notice: Fr. Samuel Fayad: Fr. Samuel Fayad, a member of the Province of the Holy Spouses, passed away on August 20, 2007, at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA, in the USA. He was born on August 8, 1919 in Gloucester, MA, and was 88 years old. Fr. Samuel was ordained to the Holy Priesthood at St. Paul Church, in Wellesley, MA, on June 12, 1948. The Stigmatine Community remembers Father Sam’s wonderful sense of humor and dedication to all his ministerial assignments. He always offered his very best and was ready to serve wherever he was called.  During his long and difficult illness, Father Sam was never known to complain and he was truly an example to everyone of a priest who did God’s will.  It may be said that he exercised “holy resignation” to the will of God. May God grant Father Sam eternal reward in His Kingdom. May He Rest in Peace

Stigmatine Popular Missions in Santo Antônio do Sudoeste: There took place in Santo Antônio Parish, in Santo Antônio do Sudoeste, state of Paraná, the annual Stigmatine Popular Missions, from 20th to 29th of July, 2007. The preparation for the Popular Missions took place at the Retreat House and Conference Center in Santana Farm, in Corumbataí, state of São Paulo, on 18th and 19th of July, with the attendance of more than sixty missionaries, among them priests, temporary professed, nuns and laity. With moments of formation, prayer and informal meeting the missionaries reached power and enthusiasm to carry out  the goal of the announcement of Jesus Christ, taking the good to the people of God. The Missions were begun on July 20, in Santo Antônio do Sudoeste, state of Paraná, Brazil, with the destination of the missionaries, according to schedule previously done in Santana Farm, during the preparation. An atmosphere of contagious joy marked the closing of the missons on July 29, as a result of the great enthusiasm by the missionaries and local people, who renewed themselves reciprocally on faith and interchange of enriched experiences. Countless number of families were visited either in the city or in the field. Eucharistc celebrations in all the places of the parish renewed the reflection upon the gospel teachings. Confessions, preaching, meetings with children, formation to young and adult people were moments of fruitful nourishment of the Word of God and strengthening of Christian faith. We are grateful to the priests, brothers, deacons, nuns, temporary professed and laity, who did not limit their efforts and sacrifice face to bad weather and unexpected problems, in order to make possible to the brothers and sisters in faith a deeper approaching to the life of Christ. Source: Newsletter of the Province of the Holy Cross, edition of August, 2007. See here report and photos of the Missions (Portuguese language)

End of the Canonic Visit in the Province of the Holy Cross: On July 11, 2007 the General Superior, Fr. Andrea Meschi, in the company of Fr. José de Souza Primo, General Counselor, gathered the Provincial Council for the conclusion of the 3-month long Canonic Visit. Fr. Meschi presented his impressions and notes about the life of the Delegation of Chile, the communities in Paraguay and in Brazil. Throught a written document, he gave us his considerations about the religious life, the apostolic life and its necessity of diversification, and the initial formation (Theology, Novitiate, Philosophy, Initiation Seminary), the situations and particular problems of confreres, the permanent formation, the communities composed by less than 3 members, the importance of studies and translations of texts about St. Gaspar Bertoni, the religious brothers, the vocational pastoral, the internationalization of the Province and the economy in the religious communities. Source: Newsletter of the Province of the Holy Cross, edition of August, 2007.

IV International Meeting of Formators and Vocational Directors: There was graded very positive the IV International Meeting of Formators in Sezano (VR), Italy, 1st to 15th of July, 2007. The event was very well organized, was nice to all and not tiring. There was free time for rest, personal chatting and meetings among the attendants. There deserve particular emphasis the Liturgy, the structure of the house, the meals, the contents of the lectures made by the confreres.  Worthy of notice were the mornings of spirituality leaded by Fr. Silvano Nicoletto, the visit to the community of the Stimmate and the lecture by Fr. Amedeo Cencini, Canossian. There deseved also emphasis the general coordinator of this meeting, Fr. Bruno Facciotti and his collaborators: Fr. Winai Plienbumrung and Fr. Daniele Giacomelli, for the availability and involvement in the general coordination, assiduous presence and simultaneous translation, either for the lectures of personal interventions. The variety of languages remains as a big challenge. However, the broad opening to the internationality, the interaction and friendship risen among the attendants counterbalanced the deficiency of oral communicaiton. The attendants of the Province of the Holy Cross are grateful for this opportunity, as they felt the benefit of having received very updated information to lead with wisdom and discernment the ones who are in process of formation, in particular what related to the life of our Founder and the history of the Congregation. See here some pictures of this event:     Source: Newsletter of the Province of the Holy Cross, edition of August, 2007.

Priestly Golden Jubilee on June, 2007: Our confreres Frs. Antônio Pedro Neto and Vergílio Zoppi, from the Province of St. Joseph, and Fr. Devanir da Silva, from the Province of the Holy Cross, celebrated their Priestly Golden Jubilee on June 29,  2007, with Mass at the Our Lady of the Graces Chapel (Capela Nossa Senhora das Graças) in Goiânia, capital of the state of Goiás, in Brazil, at 8:00 p.m.. They were ordained priests on June 29, 1957, in Verona, Italy, in the same Cathedral where our founder St. Gaspar Bertoni was ordained priest. Their were ordained priest by the imposition of the hands of Most Rev. Giovanni Urbani, who later became the Patriarc of Venice. Fr. Devanir da Silva was born on August 4, 1930 in Ituverava, SP. He served as a priest in Ituverava, SP (1959) and in Barretos, SP (1960). During six years (1961-66) he tutored the candidates to entering our seminaries as Vocational Director. On the years 1967-68 he dedicated to the formation in our seminary in Ribeirão Preto, SP. In 1969 he was Novice  Master in Campinas, SP. He resumed to the parish activities in 1970, as pastor in the Sacred Family Parish in São Caetano do Sul, SP. In  1978 he was transfered to the Holy Cross Parish in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, where he stayed for two years.. At the time of the foundation in Chile, in 1980, he was chosen to develop his apostolate at the Divine Redemptor Parish in Santiago. After eleven years, he returned to Brazil, and was named pastor in Livramento, BA (1991), where he served until 1994. In 1995 he was entrusted of the Holy Cross Parish in Rio Claro, SP. He worked tirelessly there until to be transfered, this year, to the St. Anthony Parish in Santo Antonio do Sudoeste, PR. Fr. Antônio Pedro was born on August 18, 1930 in Itamogi, MG and Fr. Vergilio Zoppi was born on August 1, 1929 in Santa Gertrudes, SP. They were originally priests of the Province of the Holy Cross, later on transferred to the Province of St. Joseph. We give thanks to our Lord for the missionary vocation, the availability and the constant dedication of these dear confreres Frs. Devanir da Silva, Antônio Pedro Neto and Vergilio Zoppi to the assistance to the flock of God.