A rocking Nun

Sister Cristina Scuccia stuns panel on The Voice of Italy, becomes global hit online

Just beautiful: Sister Cristina!

Happy Anniversary, Pope Francis!

Alegria e Gratidão

Estando a participar num encontro dos missionários da Consolata no continente América, foi com indizível alegria e gratidão que recebi a visita de duas grandes Missionárias da Consolata: Maria da Graça Amado, de Casal Ventoso, e Graça Maria Lameiro, de Marrazes - ambas da Diocese de Leiria.

Recordo que, no final da década de 90, percorri as estradas,  caminhos e capelas de Casal Ventoso preparando o envio missionário da Maria da Graça; estive muito ligado à sua família que visitei várias vezes em Chão das Pias.

Na Peregrinação Missionária da Consolata de 2006 três Missionários receberam o Mandato Missionário: P. Tomás (Inglaterra), Irmã Graça Maria (Colômbia) e P. José Martins (África do Sul). Foi o culminar de um longo período de trabalho com a Graça Maria mo âmbito da pastoral de Animação Missionária e Vocacional.

E hoje encontrámo-em os três em Bogotá: bendito seja Deus - quanta gratidão!

connected with the Mission

Consolata Missionaries: Continental Assembly for America taking place at Bogotá, Colombia.

Day 3 - Sunday, February 2

The Regional and Group Superiors of the Consolata Missionaries in America, led by the members of the General Government, were taken to a Consolata property in Chinauta (2 and a half hours from Bogotá) in order to have the Continental Council meeting; as it was a Sunday the whole day was taken in a relaxed manner: after the celebration of the Holy Mass we gathered for two hours and, in the first hour we looked at the work done so far in the previous meetings of the Council; in the second hour we looked into the plan of work for the assembly due to start the following day and made few adjustments.

Day 4 - Monday, February 3

The Continental Assembly started at 6:30 am with Mgr. Joaquin Pinzón IMC giving us a talk about "Saints and Missionaries": The first Bishop of the recently created Vicariate of Puerto Legízamo, in the Province of Solano - a region in the Colombian Amazonia - led the assembly in a reflection of ninety minutes about our Founder's heritage, drawing inspiration from the Gospel according to Mark.

The participants in the Assembly started their work by being made aware of the journey done so far regarding the mission 'ad gentes' in the Continent, taking into account some preparation documents and the minutes of the previous Continental Councils: Toronto 2012 and Buenos Aires 2013.

During the second part of the day, the Superior General, his Vice and the General Administrator gave us an overview of the Consolata Missionary Institute in its service to the proclamation of the Gospel in the other Continents.

The day ended with an Eucharistic Con-celebration presided by Fr. Stefano Camerlengo, the Superior General, where he concluded the theme started earlier on and challenged the Assembly to be open to embrace a changing attitude for the sake of a better service to the mission: "The world is changing, and we also need to change in order to have our Charisma continually connected with the mission 'ad gentes'.

Dia 5 - Tuesday, February 4

This day opened with a spiritual reflection by Deacon Lawrence Ssimwba IMC about the "Family Spirit" according to our Blessed Founder Joseph Allamano, as an african contribution to the building up of the Continent America.

After breakfast the missionaries started putting together the Missionary Project for the Continent, as the contributions regarding each one of the "missionary options" - priority areas of the mission chosen by the XII Chapter of the Consolata Missionaries - were presented to the Assembly by the delegates of the groups of missionaries that reflected upon them.

Two "options" were presented to the Assembly: the Mission in the context of Amazonia and Mission in the Indigenous environment. Following the presentation of the delegates' contribution the Assembly would spend some time reflecting upon the theme and, sometimes, adding or suggesting additional points of view. 

We concluded the day's work around the Altar where the Vice General Superior, Fr. Dietrich Pendawazima, led the missionaries in the celebration of the Holy Mass and offered his word regarding the centrality of our Blessed Founder's dream and work aimed at starting a religious family dedicated to proclaiming the Good News to all peoples.

On the day that the Consolata Missionaries celebrate 113 years of existence, a new digital platform has been launched to help building a better world for all: INSPIRIT

Fr. Marco Bagnarol

On the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord - a missionary feast - Fr. Marco Bagnarol received his missionary mandate in the parish of St. Andrew, Etobicoke. 

The highlight of the four Holy Masses presided by Fr. Marco was the celebration in Italian; before the reading of the holy Gospel, Fr. Marco was given the book of the Gospels and was told to "announce to all peoples, by word and by example, the Gospel that you proclaim in this Church, so that the mystery of Christ and of the Church may be revealed to everyone".

At the time of the missionary mandate Fr. Marco, kneeling in front of the Altar, had his parents - Lazzaro e Maria - standing beside him with their hands on his shoulders while the prayer of the mandate was being said by the pastor of St. Andrew's and religious superior of the Consolata Missionaries. Maria Marta Crucini Bagnarol held the Crucifix in her hands before handing it to her son who received it and honored it with a kiss.

As Fr. Marco stood up and, together with his parents, faced the assembly he was greeted with a great applause of encouragement and gratitude.

At the end of all the celebrations presided over by Fr. Marco people bade farewell to him and manifested their support by kissing his missionary Cross.

Fr. Marco will depart for his new mission field, Brazil, on January 31, 2014.

 

 To see more pictures, please click here

 

missionary mandate

Fr. Marco Bagnarol received, from the hands of the religious superior and pastor of St. Andrew's, the missionary Crucifix as a sign of his missionary mandate from Toronto to Brazil:

"Fr. Marco, receive the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
compendium of his whole life,
your support on toils,
consolation in difficulties,
and a sign of love and of victory.
Preach Christ crucified,
and hasten the day on which all peoples
will form one single family,
and recognize the only God and Father of all.
Amen.