Embracing a Common Future

Edmund Rice Christian Brothers

North America

Thursday, 09 August 2007

February, 2006     New Group Begins Novitiate in South Africa

On Saturday, February 18, 2006

A ceremony of initiation into novitiate

for

twelve young men

will take place at

 Colm Keating Formation Centre,

Cape Town, South Africa.

Jeancy Nkumzieme, DRC (South Africa)

Robert Masakhwe, Kenya

Vincent Omondi Onyango, Kenya

Simon Peter Odongo, Kenya

Leonard Melisa Wambia, Kenya

Shane Michael Coleman, New Zealand

Anthony Karim Bangura, Sierra Leone (The Gambia)

Michael Foday Boima, Sierra Leone

Clement Kamwi, Zambia

Kephas Ndalama, Zambia

Michael Mukuka Mumba, Zambia

Kakoma Sakutalika, Zambia

Kindly keep us all in your prayers.

February, 2006     Mt. Sion Community. Waterford, Ireland

Community

In late November Brother Dan Herron CFC travelled to Kolkata, India to participate in the Christian Brothers’ International Symposium Flare Up Like Flame with approximately 140 participants from around the globe.  The speakers and process were challenging yet stimulating.  The community hopes to incorporate Peace & Justice Education as part of the Mount Sion experience once renovations are complete.

Renovations and meetings slowed down considerably during the Christmas break which reduced the noise level as well.  All of the Brothers were able to find some rest and relaxation.

Br. Sean Whitty, CFC and Br. Kevin Mascarenhas, FPM are both participating in a small men’s group that meets here once a month.  The group got its inspiration from a Richard Rohr conference they attended in Dublin.  They have had three meetings to date and are pleased with the results so far.

Br. Kevin was able to visit his mother in Karachi, Pakistan.  She has had a number of falls and is now confined to bed.  Please keep her in prayer.  Since there is a lot of poverty in Pakistan, Bishop Evarist Pinto of the Karachi diocese spoke to Kevin about the Brothers setting something up.

Br. Sean has agreed to be the chairperson for the Diocesan Liturgy Committee for the coming year.  He has been working with the group since May, 2005 and has found their enthusiasm to be catching in their efforts to improve the liturgies in the diocese.

Br. Ian Robertson, CFC exercised his Santa Clause during the Christmas season delighting young and the young at heart.  No hair dye or whiskers were needed. 

Br. Philip Ryan, CFC has been keeping busy with many activities and obligations.

Since the living quarters of the monastery were still undergoing Renovations, the Christian Brothers in Newtown, Waterford hosted a wonderful Christmas meal / celebration.  Sean and Ian prepared half of the dishes and the Newtown community supplied the rest.

The Community traveled to Carrick-On-Suir to join the Brothers there along with the new community from Twickenham, England to discuss the New Life in Mission proposal for the three European Provinces of Christian Brothers.  They were facilitated by Edmund Garvey, CFC.  The community hopes to incorporate some of the ideas gathered there as they continue to plan for Mount Sion.  (photo attached)  

Youth Ministry

Ian and Sean and the student retreat team at St. Angela’s Secondary held their first Encounter weekend retreat during the first weekend in February, 2006. The Retreat was held at the Grace Dieu Retreat Centre in Waterford.  Thirty-five students and three staff from St. Angela’s participated.

The weekend was very successful. The young women who attended were very high in their praise of the Encounter activities. They thought that all of their peers should have the opportunity to participate. At the end when asked for volunteers for the next Encounter, nineteen came forward to give their names. All in all, everyone was very happy that it went so well.

Ian and Sean have also been working with the administration and staff of Ardscoil Ris, a Christian Brothers’ school in Limerick. They have given a definite Yes to participating in the next Vancouver College Encounter in April. Six teachers from the school have come forward to work with the Encounter.  If all works out as planned, this team will host an Encounter Retreat for their peers in the fall of 2006.

On December 23, 2005 the Brothers sponsored a Taize Prayer in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel which was attended by about 70 people. Mr. Phil Brennan and the girls’ alumni choir of St Angela’s Secondary School provided the music. There were readings, reflections and silence all relating to the birth of Jesus and what it means for us today. The people who came shared a cup of tea afterwards and were very glad to have had an evening of quiet and prayer.  There will be another evening of Taize during the Lenten season.

Information and Support Unit (ISU)

After the meeting of the stakeholders a smaller working group was formed made up of about ten  people from different organizations and facilitated by Catherine Morley of Clarity, RTD.  Kevin and Dan both participated.  They have met three times and have developed a job description for a Development Officer who hopefully will be in place this April or May.  They are also looking for an administrator from one the schemes in Waterford.

The ISU, in collaboration with the St Vincent De Paul, organized workshops for approximately twenty-five local teenagers in Mount Sion for five Sundays in January and early February.  The teens included immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers and of Irish heritage.  This programme helped them to work together with their peers on spiritual and other issues affecting teens.  Hopefully this programme will continue every three months. (photo attached… Br. Kevin is standing at the far left, Joe Dalton, organizer of the workshop is standing at the far right.  Pat Hayes, the Deputy Mayor is seated at the far right.  Other leader and dignitaries are standing or seated.  Some of the youth are pictured at the bottom of the photo.)

Due to the delay in renovations, the stakeholders now plan to have the ISU Centre up and running by May or June 2006.

Accessing Education Support Opportunity for Progression (AESOP)

Recently, the Educational Welfare Unit has changed its name to Accessing Education Support Opportunity for Progression (AESOP).  The name was changed in order to avoid labels that young people may not want to subscribe to.

The working group of AESOP is an initial group prior to the development of a proper steering group.  Its primary function is to establish the services that AESOP needs in order to open its doors next September.  Philip, Ian and Dan are all part of this steering group.  Right now they are developing modules in the following areas: Education, Family Support, Youth Services, and One to One support.  They are looking at a tracking service that will look after young people who will come through the Mount Sion doors.  They are currently advertising for an Administration Assistant employed by Waterford Area Partnership.  In April the working group will get the various components that make up the Early School Leavers Community in Waterford.  They will also look at establishing a steering group around this time as well.

Nagle Information Technology Center

The Nagle Centre under the supervision of Sr. Josephine Deegan, PBVM opened its doors in January with a wide variety of computer classes offered between 9 am and 10 pm. 

Building Renovations

The renovations are moving slower than expected, but progress is being made.  The rewiring of the monastery is now complete.  A new carpet on the top floor has been installed which now allows for access to wiring if needed.  Most of the painting touch-ups in the living quarters have been attended to.  The workers are responding to snags from previous efforts.  The Brothers and the staff put everything back together on the top floor and cleaned up.  They are happy to report that the living quarters are in decent shape once again.

Most of the painting work has been completed on the middle floor and is ongoing on the ground floor and stairways.  Carpeting has been installed on most of the middle floor.  An electronic gate is now in operation for car traffic and some new exterior lighting has been added.

The renovation work around the Nagle Centre has been completed.

More renovation work is needed before Mount Sion can be fully operational.  Stay tuned for further details.

Planning

The planning for the new Mount Sion Heritage site (museum) continues with the Janus Design Group as does the chapel design committee now chaired by Sean Whitty.  The finance committee now has full control over financial matters.  Tom O’Cinnei’de (chair), Claire Winkle (accountant) and Dan Herron have been developing processes to ensure smooth operations.  Catherine Morley from Clarity RTD and Dan Herron have been meeting about policies and procedures.  Much work has been completed and much remains to be done.

Latest Edition of Latinamerican News, Jan-Feb, 2006 - MS Word Document

Latest Edition of Latinamerican News, Dec 2005 - MS Word Document

December, 2005:  CMSM Statement on the Vatican Instruction -  

1st Sunday of Advent:       Sudan Mission Spared

Help appeal for Brothers in South Sudan

Following an earlier decision to withdraw the Brothers from the difficult situation in Yambio, South Sudan, it has been decided that the community should now continue.

However it is likely that the two brothers there - Canadian Bill Colford and Irishman Dinny Reardon - will need assistance from other parts of the Congregation.

In a letter to Province, Region and District leaders last month, Pan-African Province Leader Br Richard Walsh explained that the "compelling reason for continuing our presence in South Sudan is the recognition that this is an area of extreme need".

He said: "Our brothers and sisters in Sudan are amongst the most needy in the world. It has been decided that if there is any way the Brothers can continue, then we should stay with these desperate people as they try to rebuild their lives and their country after years of war."

Br Richard went on to ask Brothers from around the world that "to consider whether there may be a Brother from your part of the world who could augment the community in Yambio".

"It would be our fervent hope that within a few years there would be enough African Brothers available for this mission. Currently most of our young African Brothers are in temporary profession. Many are involved in completing their studies."

October, 2005:  Christian Brothers Oceania Announce First Community for the Philippines in 2006