R E T T 20 E L S W E N OF THE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM - - PDF document

Dear Brothers and Friends, Welcome to our Congregation Leadership Team (CLT) Newsletter! The purpose of this publication is to share some news and refl ections from our experience of ministry over the past year. As we refl ect on the last twelve months, we are struck by the message of Pope Francis. Mercy has emerged as a key theme of this already remarkable pontifi

• cate. Mercy is the essence of the gospel, the Pope tells us, and is the

key to the Christian life. Our challenge is to refl ect on mercy in our personal lives, in our communities and mission. Mercy leads to hope, and hope will not deceive us! The Canadian spiritual writer, Ronald Rolheiser, has written of the need for Christians to rediscover the lost virtues of admiration and praise. To show mercy, to admire, to praise – these are my wishes for all of us throughout 2015! I assure you that we, as a Congregation Leadership Team, will endeavour to allow these qualities to animate our ministry. Wishing you and your loved ones peace and joy!

• Br. Martin Kenneally,

Congregation Leader

THINKING CONGREGATIONALLY

Mount St Joseph, Blarney St, Cork, Ireland.

N E W S L E T T E R

OF THE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM

20

The Emmaus Experience – a Personal Encounter with Christ on the Journey of Life Our Vision as a Congregation Leadership Team

• Helping to create the atmosphere and opportunities

across the entire Congregation through which Brothers and others can enter into the Emmaus experience.

• To adopt life affj

rming priorities in our leadership ministry.

• To lead in such a way that we facilitate members to enter

more fully into the mission of the Congregation.

• To help people to experience Christ in a way that is real

and personal.

• To be with people … to listen … to challenge. To notice

and draw the attention of the entire Congregation and Presentation Family to what the Spirit is saying in the signs

• f the times.
• The primary purpose of CLT visitation is to facilitate an

“Emmaus Experience” for Brothers and others.

• The membership of the Congregation (Africa/rest of the

world), broadly speaking, refl ects the two halves of life in terms of younger and older members. The role of the CLT is to unify, build bridges, hold

• together. The CLT will promote

“thinking Congregationally”. We see the specifi c role/call of the CLT in the following way:

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The entire Congregation Leadership Team travelled to Canada in September 2014 for an assembly of Our Lady of the Americas (OLA) Province. The gathering took place at Villa St Joseph Retreat & Ecology Centre in Cobourg, by the shores of beautiful Lake Ontario, about an hour and a half from Toronto. The purpose of the assembly was to look at the challenges facing OLA Province and to plan for our future. The Brothers refl ected on how the call of the Spirit, as expressed in the Chapter of 2011, is to be lived in the Province today. The Brothers of the Province are now working on a set of recommendations that emerged from the meeting. “It was a very fruitful and refl ective time,” said Brother Francis Schafer, Province Leader. “We hope and pray that new life will be experienced throughout the Province.”

• Br. Walter Hurley will act as mentor to the Province Leadership

Team as the implementation of recommendations proceeds.

18th-23rd July 2014, Mount St Anne’s, Killenard, Co. Laois, Ireland

The Congregation Leadership Team commissioned L&P Trustee Services Ltd to carry out an ‘Assessment of Congregation Resources’ in preparing for our gathering at Mount St Anne’s. The objective of this assessment was to enable Congregation Leadership to assess the current reality and likely future capacity of resources in each Province, and to support the overall mission of the Congregation into the future. Shane Cowley, on behalf of L&P carried out ‘on- site’ meetings with the Province Leadership Teams in Dublin, Toronto and Tamale. Congregation and province bursars and other relevant fi nancial personnel were also involved in this process. L&P prepared a report for our conference at Mount St Anne’s. A summary of the L&P Report was later presented at an assembly of Our Lady of the Americas Province in Canada in September, and to a gathering of the Anglo-Irish Province in Cork in December. The Brothers of the West Africa Province will discuss the Report in April 2015. This Congregation Resources Assessment is an important step for us as Presentation Brothers in implementing

• ur Chapter Vision Statement and in further advancing our mission objectives.

STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETS IN CANADA

B R O T H E R S O F O L A P R O V I N C E W I T H T H E C L T A T V I L L A S T J O S E P H , C O B O U R G

Mix & Mingle in Toronto

A group of young people gathered for a ‘Mix & Mingle’ with the Religious of the Archdiocese of Toronto at the Brothers’ residence in Parkdale, Toronto in September. This initiative is one of the many activities hosted by the Brothers at their

• residence. Br Denis Claivaz is an active member of TAVDA

(Toronto Area Vocation Directors Assocation). During their visitation of the West Africa Province, Br Denis Claivaz and Br Rupert O’Sullivan visited Hain in the Upper West Region of Ghana. This is the location for the new school built with funds from Misean Cara and Tom & Ann Jago. Tom and Ann have additionally contributed to the costs of a community house for the Brothers who will live and work in Hain. Tom is a past pupil of the Presentation Brothers in Cobh, Co. Cork.

BR RUPERT AND BR DENIS WITH STUDENTS AT HAIN IN GHANA

NEWSLETTER OF THE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM 3 STUDENTS’ RETREAT

Br Patrick Fitzgibbon and students from Coláiste Chríost Rí came to Mount St Joseph earlier in the year for a retreat facilitated by Br Martin Kenneally in preparation for their immersion trip to Ghana.

BROTHERS’ JUBILEES

Seven Presentation Brothers celebrated their Jubilees with Mass in the chapel at Mount St Joseph on August 12th, 2014. It was followed by a meal at the Rochestown Park Hotel. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Aidan Vaughan, OFM Cap and the homily was given by Br Rupert O’Sullivan. Our 2014 Jubilarians are Br Nilus O’Regan (Platinum); Br Bernard Murphy, Br Mark Fitzpatrick, Br Majella Burke and Br Germanus Noonan (Diamond); Br James O’Donovan and Br Hugh Sweeney (Gold). Congratulations to all our Jubilarians!

IN MEMORIAM

A large crowd attended the annual commemorative Mass for deceased Brothers celebrated by Bishop William Crean of Cloyne,

• n a beautiful Saturday afternoon in September. The choir of Turner’s Cross provided the beautiful singing.

Treise O’Callaghan (Youth Ministry Coordinator) and Brion O’Sullivan (Ghana volunteer) shared refl ections on their work, while music for the

• ccasion was provided by the relatives of Br Patrick Fitzgibbon. The Mass was

followed by prayers in the Brothers’ cemetery.

PRESENTATION SISTERS VISIT

We hosted the Congregation Leadership Team of the Presentation Sisters and their Province Leaders at Mount St Joseph in December 2013 on the occasion

• f the declaration of Nano Nagle as Venerable. The visit included a moving

ritual which was attended by many Brothers and members of the S.H.A.R. E. Executive, followed by a buff et lunch prepared by Aedeen McGuckan and her staff .

EVENTS AT MOUNT ST JOSEPH

K A T I E C R O W L E Y , M E M B E R O F S . H . A . R . E . E X E C U T I V E , L I G H T S A C A N D L E T O B E P L A C E D I N T H E N A N O N A G L E L A N T E R N

VISITATION OF WEST AFRICA PROVINCE

O U T D O O R M A S S A T T H E B R O T H E R S ’ R E S I D E N C E I N P A R K D A L E , T O R O N T O

Following the renovation of Mount St Joseph in 2007, the CLT agreed a common vision for the house in consultation with the resident community. The house serves as our Generalate and as a centre of hospitality and ministry. The local Brothers community supports the mission of the CLT. There is an extensive programme of outreach to schools, young people, visitors and people living in the locality.

Visitors at Mount St Joseph

We received many visitors during the past year from far and near…

• Angela Edwards & Cathy Bennett, teachers from Presentation College,

Windsor in Melbourne.

• Sr Rehana Mehnga & Sr Teresa Yonas, Presentation Sisters

from Pakistan.

• Eamon McErvale from Melbourne joined us while he traced his roots in
• Cork. Both his parents are teachers in Presentation College, Windsor in

Melbourne.

• On September 25th, we had a visit of Presentation Sisters leaders from

Australia led by Sr Anna Fewer. Two other groups of school leaders from Australia visited us and held the fi nal rituals of their pilgrimage in Mount St Joseph.

M O U N T S T J O S E P H C O N T I N U E D . . .

• Br Francis Agoah, West Africa Province Leader of the Presentation Brothers,

Br Alban Besigrinee from the Mission Development Offj ce & Br John Dorgbadzi, Province Bursar, all from Ghana visited us after the Stewardship Conference at Mount St Anne’s Retreat Centre in July.

• Br Edwin O’Sullivan also enjoyed a few days with us as he took a break from his

missionary work in Ghana. Br Mike McGrath also visited us from San Antonio while on a break with family and friends.

• Fr Damien McPherson, celebrating the Golden Jubilee of his profession, visited in

July as a guest of the Leadership Team. Damien, who was accompanied by Br Denis Claivaz, is a Franciscan Friar of the Atonement. He is a member of the community in Parkdale, Toronto.

• Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Catherine Clancy visited our community and the

S.H.A.R.E. residents in May 2014.

• Presentation Volunteers, Joe & Hannah Lane, Sarah Green, Mary Coughlan and

her adopted daughter Natifa Coughlan made a surprise visit to Mount St Joseph in July. They were welcomed by Br. Rupert O’Sullivan, a returned missionary from West Africa and now a member of the CLT.

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VISITORS FROM AUSTRALIA AT MOUNT ST JOSEPH

NEWSLETTER OF THE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM 5

Fostering Vocations in Sri Lanka

Colins Thirugnanaseelan and Mariya Duglus M. William

• J. Milton began their postulancy programme in Killarney in

May – the fi rst stage of their formation with the Presentation

• Brothers. The Killarney Novitiate community welcomed

Colins and Duglus in a special prayer service in the community chapel. Br Barry Noel, Director of Novices, accepted the promises made by the two postulants and welcomed them to the

• Congregation. He encouraged them to embrace their call

to religious brotherhood with joy and enthusiasm. Colins and Duglus were presented with a copy of sacred scriptures, from which they are to fi nd the fundamental values for life; a set of rosary beads, from which they are to draw inspiration from the life and example of Mary, our Mother; and an insignia pin of the Congregation which they are invited to wear proudly. Colins and Duglus are from Valipadu and Mannar in the north

• f Sri Lanka. They see their journey as an adventure in faith

and hope. They have a willingness and openness to serve all God’s people as Presentation Brothers. For the Presentation Brothers this new life in the Congregation is an affj rmation of the relevance of Brotherhood in our world. Thank God we are still blessed with new and young vocations!

Constitutions Committee

A committee has been established to review our Constitutions and make a recommendation to the CLT

• n the issue of rewriting. The members, appointed by the

CLT include: Br Denis Claivaz (Chair), Br Aidan McHugh (Secretary), Br Barry Noel, Br Joseph Mukasa, and Br Martin Kenneally. The Committee met in March 2014 to begin the implementation of its mandate. The Committee intends to make a recommendation to the CLT by the end of 2014 regarding next steps.

THANK YOU TOM AND ANN! THANK YOU PRESLINK!

The Congregation Leadership Team hosted Tom & Ann Jago and the PresLink mentors group at Mount St Joseph in May. Tom and Ann have provided enormous fi nancial support to development projects in the West Africa province. PresLink is a group of a Transition Year students at Presentation Brothers College, Cork which raises funds for the Brothers’ missions overseas. The dinner was also an opportunity to acknowledge the fundraising eff

• rts for our missions by successive PresLink

groups and their mentors over the last six years. Br Theivethran (Theiva) made history by becoming the fi rst Sri Lankan to profess vows as a Presentation Brother on 23rd August 2014. Br Theiva completed his three years of formation at the International Novitiate in Killarney this summer. The celebrant for the Mass was Fr Thomas Anthony Pillai, OMI who travelled from Canada for the occasion. He was accompanied by Fr Leo Philomin, OMI from Dublin. “This was a moving and solemn liturgy,” said Brother Barry Noel, Director of Formation. “It included the tradition of the Church and Br Theiva’s own culture.” After the First Profession Mass at Mount St Joseph, Br Theiva delivered a moving message of thanks to those who had come to witness this important moment in his life.

FIRST PROFESSION

Edmund Rice International (ERI) is a faith-based non-governmental organisation with ‘Economic and Social Status’ at the United Nations in Geneva and New York. It was founded by the Presentation Brothers and the Christian Brothers in 2007. ERI supports advocacy work on behalf of marginalised children and young people. Br Denis Claivaz, a former member of the ERI team in Geneva, is the advocacy contact person for

• ur Congregation Leadership Team. Br Rupert O’Sullivan is a member of the ERI board which meets

quarterly in Dublin. More information at www.edmundriceinternational.org

Rome Youth Pilgrimage

Twenty young adults made a very successful pilgrimage to Rome at the end of October. The pilgrimage was organised by Treise O’Callaghan, Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Anglo-Irish Province. Br Martin Kenneally, Br Ultan Rohan and a number of teachers accompanied the group to Rome.

Prayer and Pilgrimage

Br Patrick Fitzgibbon, Br Martin Kenneally, Treise O’ Callaghan, and Sharon Gillane accompanied a group of S.H.A.R.E. students and other young adults on this year’s Croagh Patrick pilgrimage. They joined 20,000 other pilgrims for the Reek Sunday climb. S.H.A.R. E. students were also among the thousands who attended this year’s Corpus Christi Procession in Cork. They were accompanied by Br Rupert O’Sullivan and Br Martin Kenneally.

Visit to Áras an Uachtaráin

In October, students from the S.H.A.R.E. executive visited the President of Ireland, Mr Michael D. Higgins, at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin. The group included mentors, trustees and Presentation Brothers.

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YOUTH MINISTRY

The Congregation Leadership Team promotes eco-justice and eco-spirituality. Br Walter Hurley regularly distributes updates and prayer resources on these areas to the Brothers. Eco- spirituality begins with our awareness of God’s love expressed in the ongoing work

• f creation from the furthest galaxy to the

tiniest particle. His presence in creation fi nds its fullest expression in the person of Christ. We can say we are practicing eco-spirituality when we are seeking and experiencing Christ in prayer, in our relationship with other people, in the sacraments, in suff ering, and in our reverent interaction with all elements of creation. Our practice of eco-justice is determined by our attitude to the material world. We can evaluate

• ur own position by looking at our personal

practices around food, clothes, transport, money, waste and other material things.

ECO-SPIRITUALITY EDMUND RICE INTERNATIONAL

Brothers attend Consistory in Rome

At the invitation of the CLT, Br Barry Noel, Br De Lellis Sullivan and Br Donatus Brazil represented the Presentation Brothers at the consistory at which Archbishop Kelvin Felix, Archbishop Emeritus

• f Castries, St Lucia was made a cardinal by Pope

Francis on 20th February 2014. Cardinal Felix is a great friend of the Brothers in the West Indies. The Christian Brothers held their Congregation Chapter in Nairobi, Kenya during March 2014. Br Rupert O’ Sullivan, represented our CLT in Nairobi. Br Francis Agoah represented our West Africa Province.

• The Christian Brothers CLT will visit Mount St Joseph in January 2015.
• A workshop on ‘Personality and Prayer’ will be conducted by Sr Anne Morris, D.H.S. of St Bueno’s

Retreat Centre, Wales from Monday, 12th January to Wednesday, 14th January 2015.

• Sr Elizabeth Cotter from the Archdiocese of Dublin will conduct a Canon Law Workshop with the

CLT in January 2015.

• The CLT will meet at Edmund Rice House, North Richmond Street, Dublin from Monday, January

19th to Thursday, January 22nd 2015. Edmund Rice lived for 10 years in this house during his time as Superior General.

• The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Mary Shields, will visit Mount St Joseph on Tuesday, 10th February

2015.

• Br Denis Claivaz and Br Barry Noel will begin a visitation of the Anglo-Irish Province in mid-

February 2015. Br Martin Kenneally, Congregation Leader, will lead a weekend seminar/retreat as part of this visitation.

• Br Martin Kenneally will lead a workshop for the Brothers in Ghana in April 2015. As a

preparation for this workshop, Br. Martin recently wrote a circular letter to the young Brothers

• f the Province.

NEWSLETTER OF THE CONGREGATION LEADERSHIP TEAM 7

Upcoming Events

NAIROBI CHAPTER

BR PHILIP PINTO, OUTGOING CONGREGATION LEADER OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS, WITH BR RUPERT.

Happy Birthday, Brother!

Happy 80th Birthday, Br John Donatus Brazil! Br John’s birthday coincided with 62 years of Religious Life on 30th August 2014. He marked the

• ccasion in the company of his

community and friends.

CLT Personnel and Ministries

• Br Martin Kenneally

Congregation Leader and Spiritual Director to the SHARE Executive.

• Br Rupert O’ Sullivan

Deputy Congregation Leader & Vocation Director, Anglo-Irish Province.

• Br Denis Claivaz

Community Leader, Parkdale, Toronto; Vocation Director, Canada & Congregation Promoter for Justice & Advocacy.

• Br Barry Noel

Director of Formation & Community Leader, Killarney.

• Br Walter Hurley

Congregation Secretary; Ecology Promoter; Mentor to Our Lady of the America Province Leadership Team.

• Br Terence Hurley

Congregation Bursar.

• Br Bede Minehane

Director of the Generalate.

• Br Donatus Brazil

Congregation Procurator & Archivist.

• Br John Guinane

Director of Mission Development Offjce, Mount St Joseph.

• Ms Eileen Griffjn

CLT Secretary Stafg at Mount St Joseph · Aedeen McGuckan · Chris Ryan · Noreen O’Sullivan · Patrik Lhotsky

THINKING CONGREGATIONALLY

Follow the ministry of the Congregation Leadership Team on www.PresentationBrothers.org