History

Source: History of the Stigmatines in Brazil, by Fr. Benedito A. Bettini, CSS

 

Preparatory event to the institution of the Year of the Centenary

There took place at the Brazilian Stigmatine Retreat House and Conference Center ('Fazenda Santana') in Corumbataí, state of São Paulo, Brazil, from October 21 to 24, 2008 the Interprovincial Pastoral Meeting, directed by the General Superior, Fr. Andrea Meschi. The meeting was the first step of preparation for the commemoration of the 100 years of Stigmatine presence in Brazil, in 2010. There attended the meeting about 70 confreres, among priests, brothers and students. See here some pictures of this event.

 

Institution of the Year of the Centenary

During the meeting of the Provincial Councils of the Provinces of the Holy Cross and St. Joseph, on November 21, 2008, in Goiânia, the Superiors of both provinces issued the following document:

“In view of the date of December 2, 2010, when we will remember the arriving of the first Stigmatines in Brazilian lands, we summon our confreres, the Stigmatine laity and all who are close to the Stigmatines to fully celebrate this anniversary.

Therefore, there is instituted the period of December 2, 2009 to December 2, 2010, as the Year of the Centenary, highlighting the “100 years of the Stigmatine presence in Brazil”, for what there is instituted also a Interprovincial Committee, that will be in charge of the program and implementation of activities to be proposed from now, with the motto: 'From the heart of St. Gaspar Bertoni there was inflamed a light to Brazil'.

We recognize that in these 100 years God's grace has been abundant among us. An evidence of this is that, from Brazilian lands, there were originated the miracles that led St. Gaspar Bertoni to the honors of the Altar. May God continue to bless us, as we can be faithful to the mission and ideals of holiness intended by our Founder".

Previous events to the Year of the Centenary

•  Interprovincial Meeting of Students, Stigmatine Laity Meeting and Music Festival: there took place in Luziânia, GO, from 4th to 7th of September, 2009.

Interprovincial Meeting of Formation: there took place at Santana Farm, from September 29 to October 2, 2009, under the direction of Fr. Bruno Facciotti, Vicar General of the Congregation. See here some pictures of this event.

Solemn Opening of the Year of the Centenary

From November 28th to December 2nd, 2009 both Brazilian Provinces of Holy Cross and St. Joseph carried out parish popular missions in Tibagi, PR in order to point out the opening of the festivities of the Centenary Year of the Stigmatine Presence in Brazil. On December 2nd, at 10:00 am, there was celebrated the Solemn Mass of Opening of the Centenary Year. The parish in Tibagi, the first entrusted to the Stigmatines in Brazil, is dedicated to Our Lady of Healing, and was founded on May 16th, 1846. The first chapel honoring the patron was built in 1836. It was made with wood and covered with thatched. The first three Stigmatine missionaries: Fr. Henry Adami, Fr. Alexander Grigolli and Bro. Domingos Valzachi arrived in Tibagi on March 28th, 1911, at 1:30 pm. The Stigmatines stayed in Tibagi for 23 years. In this occasion (December, 2009) the city counts on about 20,000 people, from which 11.000 living in the urban area. See here the report about the opening of the year of the Centenary by Fr. José Odail Pértile, CSS (Portuguese language).

Some Events during the Year of the Centenary

As a event in commemoration of the Year of the Centenary, the Relic of St. Gaspar Bertoni, containing the brain of the Founder, was taken around to visit all the Stigmatine Houses in Brazil, beginning for the houses of the Province of St. Joseph, and returning to the Provincial Office of the Province of the Holy Cross, in Rio Claro, SP, on November of 2010.

On July, 2010, there took place in Casa Branca, SP, the annual Stigmatine Parish Mission, focusing the first centenary of the Stigmatine presence in Brazil, as well as the opening of the beatification and canonization process of our confrere Brother Roberto Giovanni, CSS, who lived the most part of his life in that city.

On September, 2010 there took place in Luziânia, GO, the I Interprovincial Meeting of Stigmatine Students and Laity, concomitantly with the I Stigmatine Music Festival, focusing the theme of the first centenary.

Solemn Closing of the Year of the Centenary

On December 2nd, 2010,  at 10:00 am, at the Holy Cross Church, in Rio Claro, SP, a Solemn Eucharist Celebration closed the Year of the Centenary. Afterwards there was offered a dinner. The ceremony was presided by Most Rev. Moacyr José Vitti, CSS, archbishop of Curitiba-PR, and concelebrated by other 5 bishops and about 50 priests, among them: Most Rev. José Alberto Moura, CSS,  archbishop of Montes Claros-MG, who was the homilist; Most Rev. Antônio Alberto Guimarães Rezende, CSS, bishop emeritus of Caetité-BA; Most Rev. Antônio Fernando Brochini, CSS, bishop of Jaboticabal-SP; Most Rev. João Carlos Seneme, CSS, auxiliary bishop of Curitiba-PR; Most Rev. Sérgio Krzywy, bishop of Araçatuba-SP, a former Stigmatine seminarian; Fr. Andrea Meschi, CSS, Superior General; Fr. Aparecido Neres Santana, CSS, Superior Provincial of the Province of the Holy Cross; Fr. Eriberto Xavier dos Santos, CSS, Superior Provincial of the Province of St. Joseph. There also attended the ceremony several deacons, seminarians, laity and friends of the Stigmatines.

Afterwards there was served a dinner, attended by about 400 people.

See here some pictures of this event:

Photos. Fr. Esio Fernando Juncione, CSS