Apostles for Today
June 2024

AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE WELCOME HIM AND RECOGNIZE HIM.

Love among the members of the community.

    June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. These two feastdays, celebrated one after another, indicate their close connection and the inseparable unity between the Heart of the Divine Son and the Heart of His Mother. In them is hidden the mystery of God's incomprehensible and purest love. It is from this source of two loving Hearts- of Jesus and Mary- that we learn true and pure love, for all brothers and sisters. 

    Let us enter our hearts and pray: Lord make our hearts unto Yours. ‘Where there is love, there is life’, and where is love there is light’. (Mahatma Gandhi)

    In this reflection I want to share my experience of the communal life where I presently belong: not only in a Pallottine religious community but as part of interlocking communities of the city of Laurel, the Catholic parish and Catholic school communities. 

    I came to Laurel, MD in August, 2023. The city is located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD on the banks of the Patuxent River. According to the last US census, the population of Laurel is over 30,000 residents. The beginning of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters in Laurel dates back to 1934. Urged by Love of Christ and responding to the signs of times, a group of young, dynamic and zealous Pallottine Sisters came here and started their apostolic work, mainly in education and parish ministry. Their daily outreach was to the children in the boarding school and families in the Parish. They also conducted social and charitable works and organized summer catechesis outside the city. Like St. Vincent Pallotti, they wanted to be everything to everyone. Today we bear fruit from the Sisters’ hard work; seeds of faith and love planted years ago by them in the hearts of local people, until this fruit produced the Biblical hundred-fold. Although Sisters lived in the constructs of religious community, their spiritual and apostolic life had a much greater range. For them community life was not limited to the convent, but to the community of Laurel including church, school, and institutions. Everyone became their brothers and sisters—whose lives they shared, touched and changed. Together with the Pallottine Fathers, whose communities were nearby, Sisters created a Pallottine environment, where Saint Vincent Pallotti became a Laurel saint, and his words often were on people’s lips: “Seek God and you will find God; God in all things and everywhere”. Though the number of the Sisters today is diminishing and their strength is limited, the presence of Pallottine Missionary Sisters in Laurel is much appreciated and treasured. The people are open, kind, respectful, generous, and very grateful for all the efforts Sisters have done for them and their children. 

    On the occasion of Sister Karen Lester’s retirement and her 65 years of service to St. Vincent Pallotti High School, which we celebrated at the end of April, the Mayor of Laurel, in his special Proclamation Letter addressed to Sr. Karen reads: Sister’s integrity, special skills, and devotion have profoundly impacted the history of the Church, St. Vincent Pallotti High School, the City of Laurel and the State of Maryland. Sr. Karen, in these words exemplifies the attitude of all the Sisters, who came through the doors of Pallotti Convent, marked this community with their testimony of faith, sacrifices and love. Pallotti Convent always was and still is a place where people can come and quietly pray, have tea with the Sisters and share their life, enjoy fond memories from the past and envision new dreams for the future. Pallotti Convent is a home whose doors are always open for those who need help or just want to spend time visiting the Sisters and receiving spiritual nourishment. We need each other; we need to love and be loved and be supportive of one another. If we are not this, then our life becomes senseless, empty, and lifeless. 

    The Catholic Church and the Pallottine Sisters’ presence truly breathes God and lives God. It is the parish that keeps burning flame of faith among the faithful through prayerful, liturgical, sacramental and community life. St. Mary’s of the Mills Parish in Laurel is an ordinary parish. What makes it special is that this Church is a Church of living faith, where many people come to the church to encounter Jesus. Attendance at daily Mass often numbers over 65 spanning generations. On Sunday not only do they attend Mass but will spend time with Jesus in silent adoration and actively participating in the life of the parish. The church is open from the early morning to late evening, and every day a priest hears confession. It is inspiring to see different groups of small communities within the parish to actively respond and reach out spiritually and materially. 

    St. Mary’s of the Mills Church has two dedicated priests, the pastor and his vicar, who serve the parish community of 1270 parishioner households, including a large number of families with children and around 2860 individual Catholics. As we are experiencing painful changes in our society, country and world, where attempts are being made to eliminate God from our life, this Church lives a regular rhythm of life, where everyone is doing what is expected of them, as members of St. Mary’s Parish. Dedication and collaboration of Fathers, deacons and Sisters, as well as great involvement of the laity in the life of the parish, schools and society, often remind me of Pallotti’s vision of the Cenacle, the life of the Apostles, or the early Christian community described in Acts 2:42-47. Observing the life of the parish, one can say that this is exactly what Pallotti says about the universal apostolate - inviting all to be apostles of Christ. According to St. Vincent Pallotti’s idea, this is the Union of the Catholic Apostolate which is evolving and being officially established. 

    By the example of our life in Laurel, we can say that we live in different communities. Through them and with them we grow, we develop and work. But most importantly, the Pallottine Sisters constitute our religious community - creating a home and family. Although different and maybe difficult as community life may be, we are called to love - not to live one without the other, but one with the other, for the other and in the other as we share joys and sufferings, embracing and witnessing the beauty of the Gospel and Pope Francis’ admonishment to take care of our sheep. We need community to love, to extend ourselves through our vocation and friendships.

    The essence of community life and relationships is love--without which no one can live. Therefore, let us pray: Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us love and make our hearts like yours. 

Sr. Izabela Swierad SAC

____________________________________________

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA 

Tel: (+39) 06.6876827 E-mail: uacgensec@gmail.com

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA 

Tel: (+39) 06.6876827 E-mail: uacgensec@gmail.com

Apostles for Today May - 2024

 Apostles for today

Prayer an Reflection

May 2024

THE JOY OF GIVING AND SHARING WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS

The value of solidarity in the life of the Union

   Responding to the call of Jesus to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick and those who are in prison (Mt. 25:36-40), and inspired by the apostolic zeal of St. Vincent Pallotti, our founder, the members of the Pallottine Communities in Nagpur, India, felt the urgent need to begin an innovative social apostolate, called “Pallotti Bread” with the motto “Together with the Hungry”. The members felt that the Local Community must have a social feeding venture in association with the staff and students of our educational institutions in Nagpur.

    This new venture was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Nagpur, Most. Rev. Elias Gonsalves and Very. Rev. Fr. Varghese Pullan, the then Provincial of the Epiphany of the Lord Province, Nagpur.  The members of the Local Community volunteered to be the core members and they swung into action, specifying the target groups as the homeless, poor, living on the pavements and slums of the Nagpur city.  Our survey revealed that they were the migrant homeless and jobless poor people, struggling to make a living, living on the streets. The initial challenges made us to streamline our distribution chain by introducing smart ration cards for the beneficiaries with the assistance of modern technology. The rations containing rice, beans, wheat powder, edible oil, and cooking ingredients were made as kits and were distributed to the smart card holders. We used to distribute 500 ration kits in a month.  

The members of the Communities are actively involved on every fourth Sunday to distribute these kits at different places. Each time we venture out to distribute these food items, we could experience the joy on their face, and we in turn, felt the “Joy of Giving”, as St. Mother Theresa always referred to.

    We are able to carry out this innovative social apostolate only because of the generous contributions from our Pallottine educational institutions. We have motivated some of the staff members from our institutions to a certain extent to collaborate with us in these noble endeavors. As the poor widow in her poverty had contributed all that she had, her whole livelihood” (Mk. 12:44), these people too contribute from their little savings. We wish to invite our UAC members and other well-wishers to collaborate with us in the near future to share in the Joy of Giving. The onset of the pandemic and the subsequent lock-down (Covid-19) in India in March 2020 onward posed a new challenge to “Pallotti Bread” as we had to stop the distribution due to lock-down.  

   As the migrant laborers started to move from the metro cities on foot to their villages, the members of the Community served hot meals for them daily on the highways. Meantime, we realized that our scarce resources will not be enough to feed the poor on the streets, badly affected by the lock-down and the pandemic. “Pallotti Bread” tied up with the Sneha Charitable Trust, run by the St. Camillus Fathers (MI) and expanded the distribution programs for the poor affected by the pandemic in the city and nearby villages. With the assistance of the Sneha Charitable Trust, “Pallotti Bread” was able to distribute another 600 pulse kits, masks and sanitizers every month, for five to six months from June 2020.

    Besides, we also focused on the frontline workers and the police personnel in the major police stations of Nagpur City and the rural areas. We distributed health kits, containing masks, sanitizers and vitamin tablets for these frontline workers and for the needy people through them. Awareness programs on health, social distancing and Covid norms were conducted in the villages and slums involving College/School staff members, student volunteers, medical staff, police personnel and village leaders.

    “Pallotti Bread” witnessed the caring hands of God as the Heart of Jesus Province of the Pallottine Society in Germany came forward with their contribution to assist us in our feeding program through the Mission Secretariat of the Epiphany of the Lord Province. This helped us again to expand our reach to help the needy with food kits, medicines, masks and sanitizers at different parts of our country.
 We continue our journey of responding and alleviating the hunger of the homeless of our brothers and sisters, inspired by the charism and enthusiasm of our founder St. Vincent Pallotti, who always had the hunger to do more and more (sempre più – always more) for the poor and the needy.

   The Word of God says, Jesus was moved with compassion for the crowd, and He told his disciples, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way” (Mt. 15:32). Jesus, moved with compassion, fed those four thousand people and satisfied their hunger with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. It is true, even today, that when we share our little things with our brothers and sisters we will be able to satisfy their hunger to a great extent. Like Jesus our Master, let us be compassionate and sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters around us. May St. Vincent inspire us to do more and more for the poor and fill our hearts with the “Joy of Giving”.
 

Bro. George Chemplamparambil SAC
Mission Secretary, Epiphany of the Lord Province, Nagpur

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA
Tel: (+39) 06.6876827 E-mail: uacgensec@gmail.com
Sito: www.vincenzopallotti.org

Apostles for Today - March 2024

Apostles for Today
March - 2024

RENEW OUR TIRED HEARTS AND TRANSFORM OUR HORIZONS!

In this March reflection of Apostles for Today, we continue to move within Chapter 24 of the Gospel according to St Luke, which, so to speak, has been accompanying us since the beginning of the year. In the light of this text, we also wish to experience the Fourth General Congress of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate, which is rapidly approaching. For a moment let us linger on the well-known story of the disciples on their way to the village of Emmaus. In its immense richness, it reveals the path to the transformation of our hearts.

The beginning of the pericope shows two resigned, tired, and certainly greatly disappointed disciples leaving Jerusalem with a sense of failure. They had hoped for something more. They had expected that Jesus' victory would bring order to their existence: “… but we were hoping” (Lk 24:21). Perhaps they had hoped they would be triumphant with Him and share His kingdom. Instead, they saw His ignominious death and now heard of His alleged resurrection, such a rather unlikely thing, if not distinctly strange. 

Yet, this encounter proved to be far more important than their fears and the road they eventually chose to take became their transformative journey from hopeless people to bearers of hope.

The disciples' transformation begins with an encounter, with being listened to and at the same time with their opening up to a different perspective, one that transforms and empowers them to look beyond their present horizon, beyond what has seemed right up to now. The encounter with Jesus, is indeed much more than an accidental stage of their journey. It is a turning point. The two disciples are called to compare their ideas about what victory humanly means for them and what it means for God. Thanks to the patience of Jesus who, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, interpreted to them what referred to Him in all the Scriptures (Lk 24:27), they learn afresh how God works, so that in the end they are able to see and receive Him as he breaks the bread.

It appears that this Gospel, especially in the perspective of recent years, takes on a new meaning. After all,“But we were hoping"(Lk 24:21) is the very cry of so many of us in every corner of the world. Everyone experiences disappointment at different stages of their life. The last few years have shown this very clearly: armed conflicts, world hunger, lack of empathy, sex scandals - including those involving the church - all accompany us. We have more and more comforts and less and less time for others. It is not uncommon that we live together in a way as if we are astray. Many of us may be asking ourselves this important question: where is He who was meant to reign? Where is the Church, His mystical body that should make Him present here on earth? These questions, though important, do not help us at all if they are poorly lived out; they deprive us of hope and lead us to a sense of bewilderment. It is not that we should not ask questions, but we must seek the answers in the right way, that is, with Him, the One who has definitively conquered death and to whom the final say belongs. Are we ready for this?

Let us look once again at the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Their transformation was not only caused by Jesus' tenderness and patience, but also by their willingness to listen to Him; a healthy curiosity was enkindled in them that eventually renewed their enthusiasm. This is our journey as Christians. We are a people constantly journeying, struggling with hardships and disappointments, but if we seek answers in the Risen One, no one can deprive us of hope. “Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, trustworthy hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey.” (Spe Salvi, 1). So says Pope Benedict in his encyclical letter on Christian hope. Do these words not contain the whole secret of continuity? 

In the perspective of Chapter 24 of the Gospel of Luke, it is also worth looking at the Synod on Synodality, which is currently taking place in the Church. For us, just as for the disciples of Emmaus, this is a time of journeying together and, like them, we have two options: either to be content with our own ideas about the synod and our disillusionment with the Church - which is justified in many places - or to embark on this beautiful journey to which we are invited by Pope Francis in order to discern and listen together, so that our hope in the Risen One may even better stretch out to the ends of the earth. Are we ready to take this risk? Are we open to one another? Do we really want to live the Gospel than just keep on talking about it?

As Union of the Catholic Apostolate, we too are invited to follow the path of the disciples of Emmaus. Their feelings and doubts are also ours. In many moments of our community life, as priests, brothers, sisters, lay people, we can certainly say: “... but we were hoping” (Lk 24:21), and continue with a whole litany of how we would envisage the Union to be like. Many of us still live decanting the past and are immersed in memories that, instead of moving us forward, hinder our further development. We can indeed see our weaknesses, frustrations, and lack of working together, which should be our greatest task and pride. However, let us make ourselves willing to hand everything over to Jesus. Let us allow ourselves time to express all of this. Let us allow Him to embrace everything that humanly defies us and show us a new perspective. Let us give Him the chance to renew our weary hearts and transform our Pallottine horizons, a mixture of clarity and darkness. And even though we can easily forget it, we’ll see there is always light in everything.

In this spirit we want to live the forthcoming IV General Congress of the UAC, which will be held in Rome from 25 to 31 July, and whose motto is: With Christ our hope, let us set out together with renewed joy and confidence. Throughout the five days we will spend together, we wish to reflect once again on this Gospel pericope - the theme of this text - and experience the transformation of the heart that, after the encounter with the Risen One, switches from resignation to hope. May the words of our Founder guide us as we prepare to live this time together:

I implore you, therefore, to consider, in the light of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified, the works of the Pious Union and to have this conviction that they can be realised because they are useful and necessary for the extension of the glory of God and the sanctification of souls, as well as for coming to the aid of our brothers and sisters in need, even though some, taking the works of the Pious Union as its goal, think that they are very difficult to realise. Remember, however, that according to the nature of Pious Union, these works are only means to an end (St. Vincent Pallotti).

See you in Rome!

Michał Grzeca

 Apostles for today

February 2024

Risen Christ walks with us to make us live in the joy of hope

Number 654 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church shows us that there is a double aspect in the Paschal mystery: through his death he frees us from sin, through his Resurrection he opens for us access to a new life.

This is first of all the justification which restores us to the grace of God (cf. Rom 4, 25) “so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too may live in new life” (Rom 6, 4). In approaching our theme for this month there is a whole project of the resurrected Christ on each and every one of us. As he walked with the disciples of Emmaus, he also walks with us today to make us live in the joy of hope.

Let us pause in our thoughts for a moment and remember the experience of the Paschal Vigil. We all have this experience of the celebration of the Easter Eve which begins in darkness but only the Paschal candle guides the procession. The priest sings: Light of Christ and we all respond: We give thanks to God. After this song and this response, you will no longer see sad faces but all the faithful and the celebrants radiate with joy because the risen Christ, light of the world is in the midst of his children. 

The paschal candle always gives us hope that we are children of light and we no longer walk in darkness. Another experience that we would like to contemplate is that in the Gospel of Saint Luke 24: 18-35 where we see the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were in despair because they believed that Jesus in whom they had placed all their hope had died and that everything was over. But when they realized that on their march towards Emmaus they were accompanied by the risen Christ, their eyes were opened, a new light shone in their hearts and on their faces. A new hope has sprung up and a new page has opened to see their lives and that of their brothers and sisters differently. With renewed zeal, they hastened back to Jerusalem to testify of what they had seen. As Christ gave his life for humanity, Saint Vincent Pallotti also in experiencing the risen Lord, he desired to be food to satisfy the hungry, clothing to clothe the naked, drink to refresh the thirsty, medicine to strengthen the stomach of those who are weak, care to relieve the suffering of the sick, the crippled, the mute and the deaf,

light to enlighten those who are physically and spiritually blind, life to raise the dead by the grace of God. (OOCC X,115).”

As daughters and sons of Saint Vincent Pallotti, we have the great responsibility of perpetuating the ideal of the Founder. This is possible if we walk together in unity and fraternity. Walking alone we go fast and we get lost, but walking together we are strong and we can go far. Let us remember that our Holy Founder Vincent Pallotti bequeathed us his charism. At a time when the Church had to face crises relating to faith and found itself faced with the multiplication of its tasks for the mission, Pallotti realized the urgency of reviving faith and rekindling charity among Catholics and to unite all in Christ. The way he found to achieve this is the collaboration of all members of the Church, both the clergy and the laity, and to unite their efforts in order to promote more effectively the apostolic mission of the Church. (Preamble b.). Experts in Pallottine spirituality speak to us of collaboration as a gift above all gifts. If collaboration is lacking then let us know that the Union is in danger of ruin.

As an Auxiliary Body of the Church (General Statutes no. 58), the Union of the Catholic Apostolate needs to take a step forward in carrying out its mission in the Church. It is necessary to discover new initiatives that engage even the youngest in order to bring new oxygen to the entire Union. Routine is no longer useful. Being a tireless apostle, Pallotti never stopped inventing new methods to be the evangelical trumpet in the Church and in the world. He knew how to open up to the poor and the confined, to the sick and the marginalized, he took care of soldiers, workers, students and prisoners, he was a tireless confessor, he gave conferences to nuns and preached popular missions in parishes, he organized training for young people, adults and the clergy, he opened and supported orphanages, he spread the Good Press, he encouraged foreign missions, he inaugurated the Octave of the Epiphany.

Beyond everything, his concern is to be a man concerned with the infinite Glory of God and the salvation of men. Like the disciples of Emmaus, we must set out again to leave our routines and our comfortable zones and embrace new horizons. Today, there is so much to do around us, there is poverty of all categories: spiritual, material; isolated, people who lost their loved ones, lack of peace, refugees, the homeless, orphans, street children, widows and widowers, elderly people who live alone, people who live with incurable illnesses, drug addicts, people living with inner wounds, couples torn apart by all kinds of problems etc. All these needs around us need answers. The others are waiting for us.

We cannot wait to do great works but rather we can start with small concrete gestures to give our brothers and Sisters the hope of living. There is more joy in giving than in receiving. The following witness helps us see how the risen Christ walks with us when we decide to engage in his mission. Walking requires us to leave one place to go to another. This requires a firm decision and constant will. Every decision in life involves an Easter mystery. I die within myself so that Christ will resurrect me and give me new life in Him.

For us Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottines), walking with the risen Christ also means being available and accepting the mission entrusted to us. This availability allows us to live the Easter experience. Trusting in the one who calls us and sends us and reading the signs of the times, the Pallottine Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Kibeho Province (Rwanda), by the invitation of the Local Ordinary, they left their country to open a new mission in Brittany (Bretagne) in France in the Diocese of Vannes in the Parish of Saint Peter of Quistinic. They are aware that in the past it was the Missionaries of Europe who were going to evangelize as missionaries. Today, reading the signs of the times, the time has come for African missionaries and those from elsewhere to leave to share what they have received in response to Christ's invitation: “Go to all the world and proclaim the good news” (Mark 16, 15). In Brittany, the Sisters carry out their apostolate with children by giving them catechism and preparing them for the sacraments. They supervise those who feel the call to be altar boys and girls, they visit the elderly and give time to

listen to them, they bring Holy Communion to the sick and doffer accampaniement for those who desire it, they participate in funerals and take care of pastoral care in the parishes, they are part of the Parish choir and they lead Masses during the week... By citing these few apostolates it is to show how much others are waiting for us. It is not by their strength that the sisters fulfil their mission but thanks to the one who calls them and sends them. The sisters are grateful and they rejoice that the first missionaries prepared them well, instilling the missionary spirit in them.

Many elderly people live alone, they need someone to share at least a word with. How important it is to be with those who have lost their loved ones! The presence is very comforting. Sometimes we think that this or that person is used to living alone but deep down we all need each other. How encouraging it is to listen to Christians say that you Pallottine Sisters have brought oxygen to our Parishes. You are lightning rods. All this for the infinite glory of God.

I who write these pages have just spent more than three months in this mission and I give thanks to the Lord who wanted this mission here in Brittany. The others are waiting for us. By praying this prayer of our Pallottine community prayers, let us allow our heart be impregnated with it and let it to engage us again.

Pray:

Guide. Lord, the others are waiting for us:

Assembly. They expect something from us; they wait for our word;

they count on our patience

Guide. Many expect a letter from us, a visit; perhaps they are waiting for us

to give them our time, to look at them with compassion!

Assembly. The world needs us so much, those we meet expect us to call them by their own names.

Guide. Many people look for an open door in us; they need a place and a time to talk with us,  they want to share their burdens with us

Assembly. Now we bring to you, Lord, all those who have come into us:
 accept them and us also with our failings.

Guide. Give us the courage to hold the door of our heart open,
so that all those who seek us can only meet you.

Amen 

Sr Liberata Niyongira SAC

_____________________________________________

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA

Tel: (+39) 06.6876827 E-mail: uacgensec@gmail.com

 www.vincenzopallotti.org

Apostles for Today January 2024

 Apostles for Today

January 2024

Prayer and Reflection

“Renewing Our Weary Hearts and Transforming Our Horizons”

Why did the Gospel of Emmaus inspire the Pallottine horizon?

 
    As it has been already informed, the IV General Congress of the Union of Catholic Apostolate is scheduled to take place from 25th to 31st July 2024 at the International College of Saint Lorenzo da Brindisi, Rome. In this well-furnished and historical house of the Capuchin Friars Minor, we plan to host the General Congress with the participation of up to a maximum of 200 members and collaborators from about 24 National Coordination Councils of the Union. As the General Statutes (Art.100) states, the General Congress will provide us with an opportunity to share ideas and experiences from diverse cultural and ecclesial backgrounds, in view of a more effective realization of the universal apostolate in the spirit of our Founder.
    The theme of the Congress will be: “With Christ, our hope, let us set out together with renewed joy and hope." "Of this you are witnesses” (Lk 24:48). The theme was chosen after a long period of discernment, in the spirit of Synodality, especially by the Commission for the Congress. Ever since the UAC General Assembly of 25th to 29th March 2022 and the General Coordination Council Meeting of 16th to 19th June 2022, the Word of God guiding the life of the Union was the Emmaus experience of the two disciples of Jesus, as described in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13-35). 

    The life of the Union can be compared very much to the journey of the two disciples, right from the day of divine inspiration of Pallotti on 9th January 1835 until today. The 28th October 2003 was another decisive moment in its journey when the Universal Church re-affirmed once again the validity, relevance and beauty of Pallotti’s charism and approved its General Statutes as an international public association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, with its own juridical identity and person. We celebrated solemnly the 20th anniversary of this historical event on 28th October 2023.

    The Emmaus experience was also the key Scriptural text chosen by Pope Francis for his Message for the World Mission Sunday on 22 October 2023. The Holy Father wrote: “I have chosen a theme inspired by the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13-35): “Hearts on fire, feet on the move”. Those two disciples were confused and dismayed, but their encounter with Christ in the Word and in the Breaking of the Bread sparked in them the enthusiastic desire to set out again towards Jerusalem and proclaim that the Lord had truly risen. In the Gospel account, we perceive this change in the disciples through a few revealing images: their hearts burned within them as they heard the Scriptures explained by Jesus, their eyes were opened as they recognized him and, ultimately, their feet set out on the way. By meditating on these three images, which reflect the journey of all missionary disciples, we can renew our zeal for evangelization in today’s world”.

    These words of Pope Francis sum up in many ways our aspirations for the General Congress of the Union. Our understanding of the Congress must not be limited only to the event in Rome. The journey of renewal of the life of the Union, before and after this event in Rome,is even more important. Otherwise, it will only serve to give an opportunity to the few participants to visit Rome and the Spiritual Center of the Union – which is certainly something good but not enough. We need to keep in mind also the enormous financial investment involved. 

    As UAC President, I cherish the following dreams for the Congress as well as for the entire Union. Firstly, our delusions and joys within the Union can be understood only when we journey with the Risen Lord and allow him to Break the Word and the Bread with us. Our primary responsibility is to proclaim the Risen Lord to the entire world and walk with the Church. Secondly, I wish and pray that our “hearts are set on fire” for St. Vincent Pallotti and his great charism. We need to do everything possible to rediscover the richness of our charism. Thirdly, our “feet on move” means engaging in concrete missionary activities in favor of God’s people, with particular attention to the poor and needy around the world. The Union cannot remain self-absorbed and self-serving; it needs to move out, especially to the peripheries of human existence and faith, and become an effective “evangelical trumpet”, inviting all to the apostolate of Jesus Christ. We need to listen to the “cries of the poor” and engage in the mission of compassion. That will give us the sense of purpose and inner joy.

    The radical living of the Gospel, thereby making it the fundamental rule of our life and apostolate, our commitment to the people of God, specially to the poor, and our ability to work and walk together as missionary-disciples of Jesus, always inspired and guided by the spirit and teachings of our Founder, are some of the elements that can set our hearts on fire and let our feet move forward.

    The General Congress will be one of the important moments of our journey together. However, if we truly intend to set out with renewed hope and joy in the company of the risen Lord, we need to go through a process of spiritual conversion. It is with such an intention that the monthly theme of “Apostles for Today” is chosen for this year. During the entire year 2024, we shall continue to meditate and pray over the many aspects of the main theme of the General Congress. I invite all the members and collaborators of the Pallottine Family to join in this spiritual journey together, under the maternal gaze of Mary, Mother of God and Queen of the Apostles, inspired by our Founder, St. Vincent Pallotti, and in the company of our Blessed Martyrs and Blessed Elizabeth Sanna.

    May the New Year 2024 set our hearts on fire for the Gospel and for God’s people, always inspired by the profound spirituality and prophetic charism of St. Vincent Pallotti.

P. Jacob Nampudakam SAC
UAC President
Rome, 1 January 2

Apostles for Today Decemer 2023 Part II

 Apostles for Today

December 2023 # II

Saint Vincent Pallotti and Nazareth - The Deliberate Choice of a Simple Life 

    A comparative analysis of the life of Saint Vincent PALLOTTI and the village of Nazareth leads us to adopt as our theme: "A life in all its simplicity". We adopt this theme in view of the many points of similarity between the life this Saint led and life in Nazareth. 

    Nazareth could derive from the root "nasar", which in Hebrew means "one who observes", "one who guards", "to care for - to protect - to guard". We could call it "the guardian". It was a simple little place, poor and unadorned. People's lives were just as simple, with daily activities typical of the lower classes: grain-grinding machines, oil presses, farming tools, water tanks. Through this very ordinary life, Nazareth has much to teach humanity, but unfortunately this simplicity and wisdom are not appreciated. In the end, Nazareth's fate was to have no fame or reputation. 

So the symbolism of "Nazareth" starts from its very etymology, and this is confirmed by the birth of Jesus. We have the lexical field "to take care of, to guard, to protect, to observe", which already gives an idea of the role and character of the people who live there, of their responsible spirit. The family plays a key role in the upbringing of children, but let's understand the family in the broadest sense, in the sense of the family clan. It's not just the nuclear family, but all people consider themselves to be united by blood ties. It is truly the union of hearts, and it is precisely this place that the Lord chose as the home of his son, Jesus of Nazareth, a place of love and peace. 

    If we now look at Joseph and Mary, we see that they are among those who espouse this way of living and thinking. They were a religious and prayerful couple, committed to the observance of the Law of Moses. They probably made an annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Their faith is close to the realities of every day life and work. It is the same spirit of simplicity, love, patience and obedience that animates them. 

    In their family life in this village, they experience simplicity and the absence of domination in human relationships. At the heart of this life, they have learned to turn to God, to cry out their distress. They rely on his goodness and mercy, and praise is the expression of their spirituality. And it was in this humble home of Nazareth that God was to find a home and was born in Bethlehem. It's not his lineage, his wealth, or the size of his population that will make him famous. It will be its smallness. We understand what this means for us, what the Lord expects of us in terms of attitude: the spirit of poverty, humility. 

    We are sometimes ashamed of our smallness. We believe that holiness is a matter of virtue, whereas it is first and foremost a matter of faith and openness to God. Contemplating Jesus, St. Paul said: "He became poor for you out of riches, so that you might be enriched by his poverty" (2 Cor. 8:9). 

    On the other hand, we have the founder of the Catholic Apostolate, St. Vincent Pallotti, who knocked on the conscience of the laity as one knocks on a door" (Pope Paul VI, September 1, 1963 in Frascati). He affirms: "The fundamental rule of our little Congregation is the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ to imitate him with all possible perfection". He intended a small congregation as the small village of Nazareth, with simplicity in the foundation and objectives of the apostolate, as in the Nazareth way of life. 

    Vincenzo Pallotti, Vincent in French, was born in Rome on April 21, 1795 into a middle class family. The Lord, provider of all things, chose to have His Son born in a small, poor, unnamed village. Saint Vincent Pallotti came from a middle-class family, but he decided to serve the cause of the poor and destitute. 

     He decided to start from greatness, just as God, Creator and Giver of all riches, decided to let His only Son to be born and live in simplicity, despite the difficulties he had to brave. In fact, as we can see here, Vincent Pallotti decided to be a saint with all his might. He decided to give his all – knowing that it's God who makes saints. But you can't become a saint without giving it your all, without wanting it with all your might, without a very great desire, as Jesus manifested. You can't become a saint by leading a quiet life, letting yourself go, always trying to do the minimum... Committing yourself to the path of holiness means changing your life, giving yourself totally without keeping anything for yourself. 

    Vincent Pallotti is known throughout the city for his charitable work, where the population often lived in wretched conditions. When a cholera epidemic broke out, he threw himself wholeheartedly into caring for the sick, taking risks with his own health. In the same way, God left Jesus in this environment, with no concern for the living conditions or the environment. He was known throughout the city for his charitable work, where people often lived in miserable conditions. When a cholera epidemic broke out, he threw himself wholeheartedly into caring for the sick, taking risks with his own health. 

    This obliged Vincent Pallotti to restate ever more clearly the objectives of his Society of Catholic Apostolate, which were none other than to imitate and follow Christ in his work of Redemption, and to kindle and nurture the fires of zeal and love. 

Ms. Genevieve Bofia 

UAC Member - Cameroon

Apostles for Today December 2023

 Apostles for Today

December 2023

Faith and Love:
The Essence of a Christian Family

The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the family as the sanctuary of life, and the Holy Family of Nazareth stands as the prime example. What made it special? Christ was at its center, and with God dwelling there, heaven was right in their midst. As someone wisely said, 'A happy family is but an earlier heaven,' and how true that rings.

Like every family, the family of Nazareth experienced both joys and challenges. They faced unique circumstances, including Mary being with child before living with Joseph, having to journey during her time to give birth, poverty, the necessity to escape to a distant country on a donkey's back, and moments like Jesus being lost. Mary likely endured all the sorrow foretold by Simeon, a piercing of her heart. They encountered rejection, accusations against Jesus, and the heartbreaking moment when Mary witnessed Jesus' crucifixion. What sustained them through it all? Their profound love for the Lord and for each other, their obedience to God, and their unwavering commitment to submit to God’s will through hard work and toil.

For our families too, the fundamental rule remains unchanged. Christ must take centre stage, ensuring the constant and sure presence of God.

My early memories include rising with the dawn to walk to church for Holy Mass alongside my parents and siblings. I am thankful to have been born into a devout Catholic family. My father, a role model, prioritized Jesus and the sacraments, instilling in us the importance of practicing faith and upholding tradition. Sundays and first Fridays were marked by confession and Holy Communion without fail.

My childhood is adorned with cherished memories of joyful family moments with mom, dad, and my five siblings. Our tender love for each other created a close-knit bond where the older siblings cared for the little ones, and love and sacrifice were woven into the fabric of our lives. Together, we prayed, shared daily experiences – both the good and the challenging – offering encouragement and support.

Dad and mom instilled in us a love for God and others, teaching us the importance of prayer and guiding us on the path of values, morals, kindness, faithfulness, and gentleness.

Despite not having everything we desired, we found contentment in what we possessed. Instilled with gratitude, we consistently thanked the Lord for every blessing. Growing up in a nurturing family moulds individuals capable of standing tall as adults. We owe a profound debt of gratitude to our parents, the architects of the foundation that shaped us. As time passed, the moment arrived for me to start my own family. The values passed down from both my parents and my husband's parents played a crucial role in shaping and constructing a warm home for our three children – a divine gift bestowed upon us by God.

As our children grew, they brought both joy and challenges into our lives. As parents, we embraced the responsibility of meeting their evolving needs. We provided them with abundant love, comfort, and most importantly, imparted the faith inherited from our own parents. We emphasized the genuine value of things, instilled morals, and cultivated good values. Together, we attended mass, prayed the Rosary, and delved into God's Word. Family prayers took centre stage in our evenings.

Dinner time became a cherished moment for sharing, listening, and expressing care with patience and love. We invested considerable time and effort in nurturing interpersonal relationships and addressing the emotional dimensions of life.

Ups and downs are inherent in our earthly journey. Just when life seemed to be flourishing, my husband received a cancer diagnosis, and our children were still very young. We navigated through the most challenging times. Despite the darkness that enveloped us, we felt the divine presence offering strength and solace. Our extended family provided unwavering support. Eventually, my husband lost his battle and succumbed to cancer. The days, weeks, months, and years that ensued were challenging, yet our resilient faith, a pure grace, remained our anchor. Guided by the Lord who walked beside us, we found the strength to persevere. As grown-ups, the elder children have broadened the sphere of love in our family with their marriages. The addition of Adam, my grandchild, a profound blessing, has further expanded this circle.

Indeed, as God's word states, 'Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.' The truth of these words resonates in the joy a grandchild brings. Witnessing his growth, especially in love for the Lord, is a precious gift. Recently, his parents shared with me that, at just nine years old, he eagerly arrives at school early every day. When I asked him why, his response was truly remarkable: 'I go to the school chapel and pray to Jesus before classes start!' Isn't that simply beautiful?"

My heart overflows with gratitude to the Lord for His unwavering faithfulness, love, grace, and blessings, often bestowed upon us even when we are unaware. If only we pause and reflect, we come to realize that our Lord is a generous God, willing to provide not only what we ask for but even what we haven't dared to imagine.

In conclusion, a good Christian family stands as a testament to the enduring power of love, faith, and values. Through the trials and triumphs, the foundation laid by parents becomes a guiding light for generations. It's a commitment to God at the centre, a dedication to passing on the torch of faith, and a willingness to navigate life's challenges with unwavering trust. As we reflect on the lessons learned from the Holy Family, it becomes evident that a good Christian family is a sanctuary of grace, where the echoes of love and faith resound across time. May our families, rooted in Christ's teachings, continue to be beacons of light, nurturing the values that transcend generations.

Mrs Teresa Kattukaran

UAC Member, Bangalore, India