Magazine Brothers CMM 2015/3 by CMM Brothers

BROTHERS CMM 3/15

CONTENTS

CONVERSATION WITH

THE SUPERIOR GENERAL

CONCERNING BROTHER ANDREAS

MISSION STATEMENT

COLOPHON

Mercy belongs to all times and places.

Brothers CMM {formerly Ontmoetingen (Encounters)} is a quarterly publication of the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy (Brothers CMM). A subscription is free of charge (available on request at the address below). ISSN 1877-6256

Mercy is at the centre of all world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The movement of mercy has left traces throughout history.

Editorial Board: Mr. Rien Vissers (editor in chief), Br. Edward Gresnigt, Br. Ad de Kok, Ms. Nathalie Bastiaansen, Mr. Peter van Zoest (executive editor)

The various forms in which mercy appears, are expressions of the society in which it arose, and of the spirituality that carries it.

Translation: Br. Edward Gresnigt, Mr. Peter Huybers, Fr. Jan van der Kaa AA, Mr. Tony Verhallen

The Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, is rooted in Christian mercy.

Original design and layout: Heldergroen (www.heldergroen.nl) Printing: Franciscan Kolbe Press, Limuru, Kenya, press@ofmconvkenya.org Contact: E-mail: Website:

Brothers CMM, Rhapta Road, P.O.Box 14916 Nairobi, Westlands 00800, Kenya magazine@cmmbrothers.nl www.cmmbrothers.org

A voluntary contribution to meet the costs of the magazine is appreciated: ING Bank Account 106 85 17 for Fraters CMM Tilburg. For international transfer, please use: IBAN: NL30INGB0001068517 BIC: INGBNL2A

Photograph front cover: The Kenyan Brothers Elijah Osena Agilo (left) and Nicodemus Orangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;i Otundo in conversation with visitors at the Open House at the Generalate (see page 18). The Prodigal Son, Rembrandt. Photograph back cover: Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (photo: Brother Ad de Kok). 2

BROTHERS AND THE TILBURG COMMUNITY GARDENS

APOCALYPSE 21 IN ENAMEL

ENCOUNTER WITH VINCENT DE PAUL

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD On 1 August 2015 Brother Jan Smits, former member of the editorial board and editor in chief of Brothers CMM died. He was 89 years old. You can read a short In Memoriam on page 22. The members of the editorial board, together with many others - family, fellow brothers, friends and acquaintances - took leave of him on 7 August, during a commemorative funeral celebration in the chapel of the residential care facility Joannes Zwijsen, where he lived. In 2004 Brother Remigius Heesbeen, who had been for years at the helm of the congregational publication Ontmoetingen, the precursor of the magazine Brothers CMM that had started in 2005 passed on the baton to Brother Jan Smits. In 1984 Brother Jan Smits had joined the editorial board of Ontmoetingen. The position of editor in chief would be ‘ad interim’, but lasted till 2009. On 17 January 2009 the then Superior General Brother Broer Huitema announced at the beginning of an editorial meeting that Brother Jan Smits had decided to withdraw as editor in chief in order to become again a ‘regular’ editorial board member. That was possible because Mr. Rien Vissers was going to take on the task of editor in chief. On 1 March 2009 he exchanged his function as librarian at the Brabant Central Library for that of being the archivist of the Congregation. The editorial board is greatly indebted to Brother Jan for the great dedication with which he has led the team. Besides, as a writing member of the editorial board he produced a series of excellent contributions. Unfortunately the last couple of years his health inhibited him to participate in the editorial work. What remains with the editorial board after his passing are good memories.

MISSION

‘MY JEEPNEY’

ANOINTING THE SICK

IN MEMORIAM

RELIGIOUS TOGETHER IN APARECIDA

OPEN HOUSE GENERALATE

NEWS IN BRIEF

‘HIS GRACE IS NEAR’

23 3

CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERIOR GENERAL

From 27 till 29 May 2015 I took part in the in the biannual meeting of the Union of Superiors General (USG) in Rome. The theme was: ‘Sent Forth in Joy. The Mission of Consecrated Life in the Church of Pope Francis’. To me it was an extremely inspiring experience. For the upcoming Synod of the Bishops on the Family one religious brother will be elected to participate with the right to vote. This is a first in the history of the Church’s synods.

The theme ‘Sent Forth in Joy’ was developed by the speakers in a variety of ways. The discussions took place in a brotherly atmosphere and the participants explored how their lives were being influenced by this Pope, who is also a religious. The entirely personal style of Pope Francis, his language, his messages and projects leave quite an impression on the mission of the religious. His choice to be close to ordinary life and his repeated pleas for a culture of encounter rather than exclusion of one another opens new perspectives to us. What does all this mean for the leadership within religious communities? Pope Francis suggests that administrations of religious orders should prefer not to operate from a position of power. For our Congregation this approach means that board members need to promote circumstances in which provinces, regions and communities cultivate their sensitivity for their mission in a process of continued formation. It is the task of the boards to stimulate this spiritual education while taking into account the various circumstances. Our own tradition with our focus on mercy also helps in understanding

the signs of the times in a creative manner. It will be one of the most important tasks of the general board to take advantage of this at their canonical visits to provinces and regions. The personal formation of the brothers demands ongoing attention of the boards and of the individual brother. It is important to deliberately respond to one’s mission. How can I, with my capabilities contribute to a healthy community life? Do I feel ‘sent forth in joy’ in the tasks I carry out? A good example of this ongoing education is the formation program this past summer with the addition of the Vincentian Pilgrimage in France. Eleven brothers took part in it. Seven brothers who had already made their profession for life were from Indonesia. Four brothers from Kenya were here to prepare for their profession for life. I hope that the deepening of their spirituality may bear much fruit for them, their communities and the people with whom and for whom they work! Brother Lawrence Obiko in an interview with Rien Vissers

CONCERNING BROTHER ANDREAS

COMPLETE INTEGRITY After the death of Brother Andreas van den Boer many brothers continued to talk about him. One of the themes which kept on coming back in their memories is that of his dutiful life, according to the rule. The explicit statements made about it are remarkable.

Brother Rudolpho van Meegeren writes e.g.: “I cannot remember any example of transgression.” Just like him, there were many brothers who were absolutely convinced that Brother Andreas had followed all the rules and regulations of the life of a brother. Always. Both as a teacher, a supervisor and as a fellow brother he was completely blameless. But how could they be so certain about it? And why was just that so important to them? It must have been his conscientious and coherent way of life which they noticed. Brother Andreas stood out as a man of complete integrity. Brother Andreas had integrity as a brother, a teacher and as a supervisor. As a supervisor at the boarding school he was very meticulous and scrupulous. He knew that the supervision of the children which were entrusted to the school had to be of the highest level and that all regulations dealing with it had to be followed to the minute. As a teacher too he was extremely precise. “He prepared all his lessons and he put a great deal of time and care into checking the work of his students”, writes Brother Rudolpho. Good quality education demands total dedication and undivided attention of a teacher, in both the organization and in the assessment. As a religious, Brother Andreas was also considered an example in his living up to the great ideal.

Religious integrity was of course not only part and parcel of the Rule of Life of the brothers, it is also a concept with deep Biblical roots. Brother Andreas was familiar with the Latin origin of words. The iustus, the just man, is someone who avoids evil and does what is good, who does not cheat or hurt his neighbour, who speaks the truth in the heart. That is how Brother Andreas wanted to live. The Hebrew primary words tsedeq = just, upright, correct, and tam, tamîn = full, perfect, unimpaired, he probably didn’t know. They appear frequently in the Bible. Brother Andreas would come across them daily in translation in his praying of the Psalms and in his meditation. He prayed Psalm 26:1: Judge me, LORD! For I have walked in my integrity. And Psalm 119:1: Happy those whose way is blameless. Psalm verses which have been translated differently, but which deal with living a life of purity and integrity in the face of God. That was the ideal of Brother Andreas. The manner in which he lived that ideal has made a deep impression on everyone.

Charles van Leeuwen

THE NETHERLANDS

BROTHERS AND THE TILBURG COMMUNITY GARDENS Since World War II, thousands of persons of Tilburg have spent entire evenings, days, weekends and sometimes even their complete holidays in the community gardens found all over the city. One time these parcels of land were a dire necessity, but over the years they turned into an important form of recreation. At their gardens the community gardeners live according to the rhythm of the seasons. There they forget their problems and the pressures everyday life would bring; the tension just fades away. Several brothers shared in the founding of the community garden concept in Tilburg. Brother Silvius Mutsaers. e.g. the then Mayor of Tilburg, Van de Mortel, Brother Silvius became a member in 1942 of a committee that supplied information and advice on summer crops, the drying and preservation of vegetables and other ‘green’ topics. Apparently such courses responded to a high demand during the war years, because at one time some 750 persons showed an interest in a meeting prepared by a female cooking teacher. As the war progressed more and more people were interested in a community garden and the organization saw its membership growing fast. At the end of 1943 there were 204 members enrolled in Tilburg’s first Community Garden Society. A year later that number had been more than doubled. During that time of the war the Committee of Leijpark, at the Southern end of the city, erected the first community garden compound.

Active

Though he died more than thirty years ago, his name still rings a bell in Tilburg: Brother Silvius. Already during his life this brother was a local celebrity and even now he is praised for his extensive knowledge on everything that grows and blooms. During World War II Brother Silvius was involved in the establishment of the first allotment or community garden project in the city. It was a time of scarcity and even potatoes and vegetables were in short supply. Together with 6

The personal dossier of Brother Silvius that is to be found in the archives of the Brothers CMM shows that Silvius, born in 1903, had been pretty involved in the field of gardening. He had earned diplomas in Horticulture and Agriculture as well as in Apiculture; he was a teacher at the Secondary School for Horticulture in Breda, and he taught at the Day School for ornamental flowers. As mentioned before, he was co-founder of Tilburg’s oldest community garden, but also of the Dahlia Society Flora, that still exists. Under his leadership this was started during the late 1940’s. He was also a member of the Royal Dutch Society for Horticulture and Botany, section Tilburg (of which he was the secretary for more than 30 years) and he taught all kinds of courses. In the monthly magazine Onze Tuin (Our Garden) ‘de Sil’, as he was popularly

Brother Oelbert van Vliet. known, was for many years the author of a column in which he would share with his fellow gardeners his know-how and explain all the things that needed to be done in the garden during that month. There are still gardeners who fervently adhere to Silvius’ writings. “He understood the art of writing on one page the contents of half a book, in order to give us in one go as many useful hints as possible”, wrote Wal van Hest, Secretary of the Tilburg Union of Community Garden Societies, in Onze Tuin in 1984, after the death of Sil. We can go on and on like this about the impact he had made on gardening in Tilburg. No surprise therefore that Arnoldus Joannes Mutsaers, the proper name of Brother Silvius, was appointed honorary member of the community gardens Tuinpark Noord, and that several community gardens still have a ‘Frater Silvius Lane’. “Through the years he was for countless people a true source of information but more so a great friend. On account of this last attribute saying goodbye was particularly tough”, wrote Wal van Hest, after de Sil had departed to the greener pastures. “For the Tilburg community gardeners he will certainly continue to live on in their memories with great gratitude.”

Brother Embertus Kuijpers.

Pride Brother Silvius may have been once chairman of the community garden society in Leijpark; he was not the first chairman. That honour goes to a fellow brother who was also involved in the establishment of that community garden complex during the years of war: Brother Oelbert van Vliet. He was born in Tilburg in 1909 and entered the Congregation in 1926. Besides his regular teaching certificates he obtained diplomas in Agriculture, Horticulture and Apiculture. “I am still proud to have been the first chairman”, wrote Brother

Brother Silvius plants a tree, 1948. 7

THE NETHERLANDS

The Royal Association of Community Gardeners Hoflaan manages one of the largest community gardens in Tilburg (photo: Jan van Oevelen).

Community Garden Hoflaan (photo: Jan van Oevelen).

Community Garden Flora (photo: Jan van Oevelen).

Oelbert in his memoires about his time in the brother houses in Tilburg and Goirle. Brother Oelbert, who left the Congregation in 1948, was to remain chairman of the community gardens society till the summer of 1944. He then left the board because of ‘busy work commitments’, as is written in the 1944 Annual Report of the Community Garden Society Tilburg and the surrounding areas.

whoever hires an allotment here is obliged to plant half the garden with flowers or perennials. According to a hand-written document in the archives of the St. Francis Society, flowers, according to Brother Embertus, “play a very important role in the lives of people”. “Gazing at flowers and having flowers means joy and reverence for God, who in his infinite goodness has given us besides the labour for our existence, the beauty of flowers and the luxury of plants.”

Wealth of flowers Apart from the Brothers Silvius and Oelbert there was yet another brother who played an important role in the Tilburg community garden world. Brother Embertus Kuijpers was the founder of the Flower Society St. Francis. And just like the community gardens Leijpark and Flora, this society also still exists. If World War II had not disrupted things, St. Francis would have been the oldest of the thirteen gardens which are now part of the United Society of Amateur Garden Societies Tilburg. It was founded in 1939, but prohibited two years later by the German occupier. In 1946 the nursery gardeners started again. The gardeners of St. Francis have never forgotten their origin, because 8

Jeroen Ketelaars

Jeroen Ketelaars, Fourteen Gardens, four seasons. Living with nature in the Tilburg community gardens, Volume III in the series: ‘In Tilburg’, Gianotten Printed Media, Tilburg 2015, 96 pages, € 11, 95. Available in bookshops.

THE NETHERLANDS

Artwork by Brother André de Veer.

APOCALYPSE 21 IN ENAMEL Brother André de Veer, like so many brothers, now and in the past, is a gifted artist. Especially during the 35 years he worked in Indonesia he created many beautiful works of art: crucifixes, candleholders, wall decorations, ornaments for altars, and tabernacles among others. They were done mainly in enamel. On 19 March 2015 he celebrated his 65th jubilee as a brother in the residential care facility Joannes Zwijsen in Tilburg, the Netherlands.

Brother André’s art work inspired Brother Harrie van Geene, the superior of the Joannes Zwijsen community, to write a reflection for the vespers on that feast day. The work, made in 1988 with enamel and precious stones, was placed in the chapel of the brother house in Gunung Sitoli at the island of Nias in Indonesia. An earthquake in 2005 damaged it severely. Brother André de Veer incorporated still usable pieces into other projects. Here follow some passages taken from Brother Harrie van Geene’s reflection. “The work illustrates chapter 21 of the Apocalypse, the final chapter in the last book of the Bible. It describes the positive peak experiences, which all of us occasionally are privileged to have and which ultimately reflect the beautiful completion of life and everything we hope for. The chapter depicts a vision, a dream for the future, which sometimes we already are able to see and can sense at times to be present. It contains the imagery of the New Jerusalem, the new heavens, and the new earth. …. In this artwork we see all kinds of things. We see the Lamb in the center. It represents Jesus. The cross removes all doubts about that. That center clearly does not claim

majesty and power. Quite the opposite, the Lamb represents the more gentle powers in life: it stands for thoughtfulness, tenderness, compassion, integrity, goodness, and beauty. We further see a strong walled city, a city with many gates. One can count those gates. There are twelve of them. At all those gates one sees angels. Twelve again. One also sees various precious stones. All of them are apocalyptic images. If those images cause confusion you may just think of expressions we have like: ‘people can be angels’, or ‘jewels of people’ since they relate intimately with Jesus and that New Jerusalem’. The city represents that great ‘togetherness’, that connectedness among people, the warm sense of ‘us’. … We return to the center of Brother André’s work, the Lamb. It is the image for Jesus. In the center we see that person who is the epitome of gentleness, mercy, and brotherhood. Grandeur and power cannot be the directive for our life and community. For Jesus the key issues for community life are: justice, mercy, and fidelity. In them we find the gospel’s wisdom and they show its goodness and beauty.”

INTERNATIONAL

Evening prayer around the statue of Vincent de Paul. Château l’Évêque.

ENCOUNTER WITH VINCENT DE PAUL Every year the Brothers CMM and the Sisters SCMM organize a journey to those places in France which have been significant in the life of Vincent de Paul (1581-1660). This saint is an important source of inspiration for both congregations. This year the ‘Vincentian Pilgrimage’ took place from 29 June till 11 July, 2015. The group was made up of eleven brothers (seven from Indonesia and four from Kenya) and twelve sisters (nine from Indonesia and three from Brazil). During the trip quotes from Vincent de Paul’s letters and other writings were read, as well as texts from his spiritual companions: Louise de Marillac (1591-1660) and Frédéric Ozanam (18131853). Nathalie Bastiaansen, the executive secretary of the general board of the Brothers CMM coordinated the journey. She composed an article with selections of the reading materials and the reflections made by the participants. Our first stop was Folleville in France. It was here that Vincent discovered how the ignorant poor peasants lacked the most basic preparation for the sacraments. It broke his heart. Why should he continue spending most of his time within the small circle of a rich family? He decided to devote the rest of his days in service to the poor. He described the idea of ‘vocation’ later as: ‘a call from God to do something’. Most participants experience their vocation as a process which may have a humble beginning. One pilgrim said: “The Lord calls every person in different ways and it most often starts as a simple nudging. Subsequently

the initial motivation becomes increasingly more purified through a variety of concrete situations.”

Prayer We continued our journey to Chartres, an important pilgrimage place for Louise de Marillac. We enjoyed the yearly light show in the evening. Lumière (Light) is also the title of one of Louise’s writings. In it she described how during her prayer, her thoughts were freed of all doubts she had about the purpose of her life, for she was assured “that later on the time would come that I would be able to profess vows of poverty, chastity, and

Group picture at the birthplace of Vincent de Paul. Brothers read a text of Vincent de Paul in Folleville. obedience ... My last doubt was removed by the inner certainty which I felt that it was God who showed me these things. This confidence in God carried with it the certainty that I did not have to doubt the rest.” One of the sisters recognized in this comment her own experiences: “I was in a situation similar to that. In a moment of anger, fear, misunderstanding, rebellion and uncertainty, I was about to leave religious life. Praying about this I recalled the words of Jesus: ‘I am with you till the end of time.’ Peace returned again. I strongly believe in the power of prayer. How do I know it comes from God? Peace, joy, tranquility, even in difficult circumstances, are for me a guarantee that God is present in my life.”

Providence We visited the town of Richelieu, named for its founder. Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) was one of the most important political connections for Vincent. Richelieu had asked him to work for the new city of Richelieu. Unfortunately the agreement, which would finalize some matters, had not yet been signed when the cardinal died suddenly. Vincent writes a bit later in a letter to one of his missionaries: “Providence has permitted that (the foundation in) Richelieu will not be financed.” He adds: “We must praise God for this. We must wait and see what his heirs will do now.” It sounds somewhat odd to us that when things 11

INTERNATIONAL seem to fall apart, Vincent also attributes it to God’s Providence. What would that word really mean to him? “This letter shows that Vincent truly believed in God’s Providence”, one of the brothers observed. “Correctly so”, he continued, “for in spite of the cardinal’s death the project in Richelieu became ultimately a reality.” Another brother added to this: “Providence does not mean that we can sit back and that everything will just work out fine the way we want it. It means that we may place our work, our plans, but also our joy and sadness in the hands of God.”

does happen and nobody knows how, except God. It is familiar for the pilgrims: “Through a variety of life experiences, both those that make us happy and those that make us sad, we discern God’s will in the purification of our vocation.”

Virtues

The journey took us to Chateau l’Évêque. It was here that Vincent was ordained priest in 1600. Vincent wanted to be a priest for its respectable social position and its nice salary. However, God’s ways are not always man’s ways. Gradually Vincent discovered this too: “St. Augustine taught us that we are able to recognize God’s works by the fact that they seem to happen by themselves. They happen in such a way that they are not observable and finally something

Vincent de Paul was born in Pouy on 24 April 1581. We spent several days in his place of birth: ‘Le Berceau’. Our spiritual companion on this pilgrimage, Father Agus Heru CM presented two talks on the five Vincentian virtues: simplicity, humility, meekness, detachment, and diligence/enthusiasm. Vincent refers repeatedly to his humble background. He says it is easier to talk about humility, but more difficult to put it into practice. “To be humble always means to choose the lowest place and to bear slander; things that naturally are repulsive to us.” How do we deal with these ourselves? The pilgrims shared their experiences: “Community life is often still influenced by the background of its members. Consequently, there are poignant differences in the communities between

Eucharistic celebration in the chapel of Vincent de Paul, mother house of the Vincentians, Paris.

Celebration at the birthplace of Vincent de Paul.

Recognizable

Visit to a little souvenir shop in Buglose.

young and old, differences in the level of education and cultural background, differences in task and position. We must develop an attitude and mentality on the basis of the religious virtues which Vincent de Paul pointed out to us: especially simplicity and humility.”

Love Near Vincent’s birthplace is a sanctuary with a statue of Our Lady of Buglose. In his youth Vincent visited this sanctuary with his family. Rather than seeing Mary as an ‘object of devotion’ Vincent preferred to see Mary as an ‘example of how to live’. Consequently he told the Daughters of Charity: “What purpose is served to hand out soup and medicines to the poor when such actions are not rooted in love? Love was the driving force for the Blessed Virgin’s actions and of all good women, who under the guidance of our Blessed Mother and the apostles served the poor.” The brothers and sisters tackled the question of who is Mary for us. One of the sisters commented: “Even in moments of doubt or crisis I ask Mary to guide me. At the time of the earthquake on Nias and in Sibolga we

went to the chapel. The convents of the Sisters SCMM escaped the disaster and in this way they could serve for an extended time as shelters for the refugees.”

Question We visited the church where Vincent was baptized in 1581. In 1624, while visiting his family, he renewed his baptismal promises. The baptismal promises contained for Vincent the answer to an important question: “What has to be done?” The answer: “In our lives and in everything that affects us we have to follow God’s will.” What does God want concretely from us brothers and sisters?” Regarding this question a variety of answers were given. “There must be good communication in our communities, both among the members and between the leadership and the members in order to develop a spirit of openness and support.” “We have to be visible in the world; the Congregation has to show her vision and her work.” “We have to be of service, for instance by guiding the young people and also when we work in the context of a team.” “We have to be open to new works of mercy.” “God asks us to be happy with the poor.”

The pilgrims at the basilica of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris. 13

INTERNATIONAL

The pilgrims upon their return to the Netherlands are together in the garden of the brother house De Vuurhaard in Udenhout.

Sacrifice In Paris we visited the chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and in a certain way encountered Louise de Marillac. Louise chose as motto for the Daughters of Charity: “The love of the crucified Christ impels us.” This quote comes from Paul: “The love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor. 5:14), but in her version Louise added ‘the crucified one’. At first you might think she could have chosen a more uplifting addition: ‘the risen one’ or ‘the merciful one’. Instead she emphasized the love of Jesus made manifest in his struggle and sacrifice. For those among us who might struggle with their task, this motto could be very consoling. For instance, when we have the feeling of being a failure at our job, or are suffering because of it, or when things just seem to be impossible. But when we recall that it is the love of the crucified Christ which impels us to do this kind of work, we find the strength to continue.

Renewal Vincent de Paul has motivated many people to work for the poor. One example is Frédéric Ozanam. In 1833 he, together with some others, founded a charitable organization which later on would become known as the Vincent de Paul Society. This organization has now about 800.000 members in some 140 countries. Frédéric Ozanam’s world is comparable to our current

culture. It was a world marked by unrest, afflicted by one crisis after another. The French Revolution overthrew old convictions and traditions, including those of the institutionalized church. Frédéric Ozanam looked for renewal of the church and translated the Vincentian spirituality in concrete actions to deal with the problems of his time. And what about us, what can we do?

Serving Vincent sometimes feared that his ideal would be difficult to realize. He understood from personal experience, that serving the poor could be very demanding. It takes effort to see Jesus in the dying patient or in the addict, in the criminal, the annoying student, or in the unbeliever. In the mother house of the Vincentians we visited St. Vincent in order to greet him and maybe to let him know that our pilgrimage had inspired us to continue in his footsteps and in those of Louise de Marillac, of Frédéric Ozanam, and of the many sisters and brothers who went before us. We take Vincent’s words with us: “Let us love God, my brothers and sisters, but let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.” Nathalie Bastiaansen

YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

MISSION In June 2015 the third instalment of the series ‘Joy!’ for the Year of Consecrated Life appeared with reflection material for the brothers and the associate members of the Congregation. ‘The Joy of our Mission’ is the title of this publication. Another initiative in the framework of the year of religious is the ‘spirituality poster cards’. These cards, however, are limited to the Netherlands.

The spirituality poster card of June with ‘The Good Samaritan’ painting of Vincent van Gogh. The June edition of Joy! opens again, just like the two previous instalments with a few quotes. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). “Be always cheerful and joyful, for God wishes to be served with a cheerful heart” (Joannes Zwijsen). “The joy that compassion brings is one of the best-kept secrets of humanity” (Henri Nouwen). “People today certainly need words, but most of all they need us to bear witness to the mercy and tenderness of the Lord which warms the heart, rekindles hope, and attracts people towards the good. What a joy it is to bring God’s consolation to others!” (Pope Francis). “Wherever we may be working, we shall continually reflect on the deeper human and evangelical meaning of our work. Together with all those we meet on our way, we want to grow towards

In the universal Catholic Church the ‘Year of Consecrated Life’ is celebrated from 29 November 2014 till 2 February 2016. Pope Francis proclaimed this special year on 29 November 2013 during a meeting with religious in Rome. He calls upon orders and congregations to reflect during this year on their significance for Church and society. Also the Brothers CMM pause this year to reflect on their vocation and mission.

the full development of our humanity, as willed by God” (Constitutions CMM I, 219-220). In the center of the publication are again quotes from a circular letter of the Vatican Congregation of the Institutions of the Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life for the Religious concerning the Year of Consecrated Life. The title reads: Rejoice!

Poster cards The provincial board of the Brothers CMM in the Netherlands presents to the brothers and associate members every month ‘spirituality poster cards’ as part of the Year of Consecrated Life. The first one appeared in January 2015. Every card has a text of the apostolic letter of Pope Francis, addressed to all religious on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated life, and a quote from the Constitutions of the Brothers CMM. The cards are illustrated with the official logo for the year of the religious and an image fitting the texts. The instalments of Joy! appear in Dutch, English, Indonesian and Portuguese and can be found under ‘news’ at www.cmmbrothers.org. Peter van Zoest

YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE

The national shrine in Aparecida.

RELIGIOUS TOGETHER IN APARECIDA

The small town of Aparecida, close to the metropolis São Paulo has become one of the largest Marian pilgrimage sites in the world. People venerate Our Lady of Aparecida there. She is the patron saint of Brazil. Therefore it has become a ‘national shrine’. In the context of the Year of Consecrated Life, the Conference of the Religious of Brazil (CRB) organized a national congress in this city from 7 through 10 April 2015. The CRB is an umbrella organization of roughly 33,000 female and over 2,000 male religious. More than 2,000 of them had come together in the congress hall of the sanctuary.

The purpose of the congress was to reflect on the identity, the mysticism, and the mission of religious life in today’s world. Sister Maria Inês Ribeiro, the CRB president, formulated it this way: “The congress wishes to present a reflection on our radical imitation of Jesus, on our mission to God’s people, and to experience a strong moment of mutual celebration and sharing among religious.” It was a good opportunity for reflection with bishops, for instance also during the celebration of the Eucharist. This was in response to a reflection and video presentation by João Cardinal Bráz de Aviz. He is the Brazilian prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Challenge Many congregations have moved away from schools and hospitals and went to the outskirts of the big cities or to the country’s interior. There they dedicate themselves to do pastoral work and promote poor people’s awareness of their dignity. Sharing life and property with the poor receives more attention. Bishops of South America have come together in Medellin (1968), Puebla (1979), Santo Domingo (1992), and Aparecida (2007). Their conferences greatly influenced liberation theology and the church’s small Christian communities. Laypeople and religious took on a bigger role. Today’s world brings more opportunities: we see a greater emphasis on individual differences, which calls for a more intensive and open dialogue. The world of consumerism presents a great challenge to simplify the lives of the religious, to incorporate

authentic values, and to conscientiously choose a life of poverty. Jesus continues to be the great example of a radical dedication to the Kingdom of God, the poor, the suffering, and the destitute.

Mission At the closing of the meeting the participants received a special mission: “Remain joyful, when you’re with the Lord, when you do his will, when you share his faith, his hope, and his evangelical mercy. You have been entrusted to Mary’s intercession. She will help us to make important decisions in freedom and without fear. She assists us to learn the logic of the love that is in the cross. Through our prayer she teaches us to grow to greater unity with the Lord and so become rich, fruitful, and joyful witnesses of our existence.” Brother Theo Adams A picture of the congress.

SYMBOLS

‘MY JEEPNEY’ During the General Chapter of 2014, all chapter members were asked to present a symbol expressing their view on the future of the Congregation, their mission, or their personal religious life. This yielded a number of fascinating stories. ‘Brothers CMM’ will publish a selection of them. This edition presents the symbol of Brother Rofinus Banunaek, general board member of the Brothers CMM.

The symbol I would like to present to you is a Jeepney. A Jeepney is a vehicle for public transportation in the Philippines. Travelling by Jeepney is not expensive. A Jeepney transports all sorts of people, without any discrimination: men and women, children and old people, healthy and sick, rich and poor, students and construction workers, religious people and atheists. When there is rain or storm, the sun burns or when the streets are bumpy, then the passengers feel safe in the vehicle. And during the ride the passengers can enjoy the songs the driver or the driver’s mate sing. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I dedicate my life to the Congregation of the Brothers CMM. This Congregation is ‘my Jeepney’. Travelling with the ‘CMM Jeepney’ also means that I am travelling with fellow brothers, with others and with God. ‘Travelling together’ in the spirituality of the Brothers CMM means that in Christ and with others we are on the way towards the same goal: ‘mercy and brotherhood’. On my journey, called ‘life’, I should not be self-centered or avoid others, especially in the context of my community, but also in the whole Congregation. I have to hold on to the most important goal of the Jeepney: ‘so that, without making any distinction, everyone can reach safely and happily his or her destination’. When I do not do this, then

sooner or later the Jeepney will loose passengers. As a consequence the earnings will not be enough to purchase fuel and keep this Jeepney for future travels and routes. In the past there have been plenty of passengers, at this moment there are passengers and in the future there will be passengers who would be happy to get on board of ‘our Jeepney’. There have been times when we refused passengers who wanted to get on board. We also lost passengers during their journey on our Jeepney. Did we leave them mercilessly behind somewhere? Did we use our ‘own rules’ to judge and to condemn? I have a dream about ‘changing the environment’ in a way that is right and meaningful for the entire Congregation: in the area of vision, mission, goals and the apostolate. The general chapter is an excellent opportunity for us daring to open the doors, go new roads and bring mercy and brotherhood into the world. We have to have the courage to invite young people to travel with our Jeepney: to travel with us, with our charism and our spirituality. Do we dare to go that way? I hope so! Brother Rofinus Banunaek

THE NETHERLANDS

OPEN HOUSE GENERALATE As part of the Year of Consecrated Life an extra ‘Open House Day’ for religious communities was held. There were occasions in the past, such as in March 2000, March 2003, May 2006, June 2012 and May 2014 in which religious communities participated. During the day orders and congregations open the doors of their communities to show what inspires them and what they are all about. This time the ‘Open House Day’ attracted some 9000 visitors. Forty-five communities participated, also the community of the Generalate in Tilburg. From 2 p.m. till 5.30 p.m. the building on Gasthuisring 54 was visited by 140 people. PowerPoint presentations, visits to the exhibits of the brothers and personal encounters with the brothers were the most important elements of this Open House Day. At 5.30 p.m. those who were interested could participate in the vespers. Special for this day was that there were not only Dutch brothers, but that there were also brothers from Kenya and Indonesia to tell the guests about their inspiration and work in their own country. They were in the Netherlands for a formation program

The door of the Generalate is open for visitors. Brother Ben Maijvis welcomes guests.

The Kenyan Brothers Elijah Osena Agilo (left) and Nicodemus Orang’i Otundo in conversation with interested guests at the Open House at the Generalate. Brother Edward Gresnigt guides visitors through the exhibits of the CMM Museum.

THE NETHERLANDS

ANOINTING THE SICK On Tuesday 26 May 2015 a joint celebration of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was held in the chapel of residential care facility Joannes Zwijsen in Tilburg. Fifteen brothers, two associate members and eleven other religious residents were present to receive the sacrament. The celebration was presided over by Father Willem Spann OSFS and Mr. Gabriel Roes, pastoral minister of ‘De Wever’, the care organization for the elderly in Tilburg that manages the center. Mr. Henk van de Wal, associate member of the Brothers CMM wrote the following impression.

In the past, you could only receive the sacrament of the sick if you were nearly dead: it really was a sacrament for the dying. Nowadays the sacrament is increasingly being offered at an earlier stage in life: it is more focused on the encouragement of the sick or elderly person. Even younger people can receive it! An additional advantage receiving it at an earlier stage is that people will be experiencing this sacrament being more aware. A week earlier, during the day of recollection the brothers and associate members of the community of Joannes Zwijsen were informed about this ‘sacrament of encouragement’, as it is frequently called.

Vulnerable These people do not feel sick, but are aware that they are vulnerable, sometimes tired and carrying burdens. In a celebration like this they feel supported by the attendance of others who also received the sacrament,

as well as by those who by their caring presence want to let them know that they are there for them, even in difficult times.

Brotherly support After the celebration those in attendance exchanged congratulations for receiving this sacrament of encouragement and while having a cup of coffee and a slice of cake they enjoyed each others’ company. Old and weak people are an image of God also. The quality of a society is expressed by the level of respect for its vulnerable people. The same is true in a Congregation. That is why the community of Joannes Zwijsen invited all the brothers and associates in the Netherlands for this celebration: to participate in the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick or to give their fellow brothers and associates a sign of fraternal support. Henk van de Wal, associate member CMM

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas. 5:14-15) (1526). The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age (1527). Father Willem Spann administers the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

NEWS IN BRIEF

CMM SERVES ON THE BOARD OF THE VINCENTIAN FAMILY At the beginning of this year a decision was made to expand the Executive Committee of the Vincentian Family with an additional three branches of the family. Presently the standing committee consists of the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and an assistant, the Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity and an assistant, the international President of the AIC (International Association of Charity) and an assistant; and the international President of the Society St. Vincent de Paul and an assistant. The Congregation of the Brothers CMM, which has

been actively involved in the Vincentian Family leadership and formation programs since its inception in 2009, was asked to serve on the board of the Vincentian Family Executive Committee. Brother Lawrence Obiko was personally asked by Father G. Gregory Gay, CM, Superior General of the Congregation for the Mission and he accepted the invitation. Brother Lawrence Obiko has chosen Brother Broer Huitema as his assistant to serve with him on the VFEC. The first meeting of the VFEC will take place in Rome, in January 2016.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY DEATH OF BROTHER ANTHONY KONING The tenth anniversary of the death of Brother Anthony Koning was remembered twice this year in Kenya. Brother Anthony died ten years ago on 28 April 2005, as a result of a fatal car accident that occurred when he was on his way to Nairobi to attend the first temporary profession of his fellow brothers in Sigona, Nairobi. On 25 April 2015 there was a Eucharistic celebration in Mosocho for the three brothers who are buried in Kenya: the Brothers Amator van Hugten, Martin Peters and Anthony Koning. The brothers of the communities of Mosocho, Oyugis and Sikri had invited some guests for a simple ceremony of remembrance. After Mass they visited the grave of Brother Anthony. Provincial Superior Brother James Ochwangi gave a short speech that touched on his personal experience and lessons he had learned from the life of the late Brother Anthony. Afterwards he invited all those present for a meal at the brother house. Present at the occasion were also community friends and the staff of St. Vincent de Paul Boys School Mosocho. On Tuesday morning, 28 April, a small group of the Oyugis Integrated Project (OIP) staff members went to the cemetery of the brothers in Mosocho. Brother Anthony Koning was the driving force behind this project founded to prevent hiv/aids and to support people suffering of its consequences. A few songs were sung and some petitions said. In the afternoon,

the former Provincial Superior Brother Andrea Sifuna gave a presentation to the staff of OIP on the legacy of Brother Anthony. He spoke about the three great ‘Loves’ of Anthony: his love for schools and sports, his love for Shirikisho and formation of African brothers, and his love for OIP. About this last project he once said: “I still believe that, after teaching in a secondary school for a long time, and after leadership functions in all kinds of organizations and in the community of the Brothers CMM, OIP is the best that ever happened to me. Working with dying and marginalized people in such a direct relationship is a challenge, given to me by God, for which I am very grateful.” Brother Anthony Koning at Shirikisho.

NEWS IN BRIEF

BROTHERS EAST TIMOR CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY CONGREGATION On 25 August 2015 the brothers of the Region East Timor celebrated the fact that 171 years ago the Congregation of the Brothers CMM was founded. A Eucharistic celebration took place in the chapel of the community in Dili, presided over by the Franciscan Hermenegildo Dato. The Sisters SCMM, the Ambassadors of the WWB and students also attended. During the Mass, the regional superior of the Brothers CMM of East Timor, Brother Silvino Freitas Belo, said that the Congregation, compared to the age of a person, is ‘old’, but that the brothers radiate a lot of vitality in their witnessing to Christ. He invited the Ambassadors to support the activities of the CMM communities of East Timor. The anniversary celebration ended with a dinner and some musical performances by the Ambassadors and the brothers. Picture of the Eucharistic celebration in Dili.

SUPERIORS GENERAL TOGETHER IN ROME Together with 115 superiors general of religious orders and congregations, Superior General Brother Lawrence Obiko participated in the biannual meeting of the Union of Superiors General (USG). The meeting was dedicated to the theme ‘Sent in Joy. The Mission of the Consecrated Life in the Church of Pope Francis’ and was held at the ‘Salesianum’ in Rome from 27 to 29 May 2015. By means of presentations, group sharing and discussions the participants attempted to give an answer to the challenge of Pope Francis when he proclaimed the ‘Year of Consecrated Life’. On the first day of the meeting a paper was given by Father Bruno Secondin, OCarm. His presentation was entitled: ‘An Active Love for Living New Horizons: Pope Francis’ Language, Styles and Projects for the Church’. He described

the main course directions in the mission of the Church through the language, style, projects and messages of Pope Francis. The Dominican Father Bruno Cadorè demonstrated what the meaning is of Pope Francis for the consecrated life. In a good atmosphere, in which the fraternal language group discussions took place, the participants explored how their lives as religious have been influenced by this Pope, who also is a religious. On the last day of the gathering João Cardinal Bráz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and Archbishop José Rodríguez Carballo, O.F.M., Secretary of this same Congregation, answered questions specifically related to the developments regarding a number of documents. For the upcoming Synod on the Family one religious brother will be elected to participate with the right to vote. This is a first in the history of the Church’s synods. Brother Lawrence Obiko (fifth from the left) during a discussion.

IN MEMORIAM

INSTALLATION REGIONAL SUPERIOR NAMIBIA The Brothers Benyamin Tunggu and Niek Hanckmann, members of the general board of the Brothers CMM made a canonical visitation to the brothers in Namibia from 30 April till 15 May 2015. On behalf of the Superior General Brother Lawrence Obiko, Brother Benyamin Tunggu installed Brother Athanasius Onyoni as regional superior of the brothers in Namibia. The ceremony took place in the chapel of Windhoek-Jan Jonker Road on 2 May 2015. The two general board members expressed their sincere gratitude to the outgoing Regional Superior Brother Hermenegildus Beris for his extra time of serving the region, while Brother Athanasius was processing his residence and work permit.

NEW WEBSITE RETIRO VICENTE DE PAULO Recently the retreat and reflection center Retiro Vicente de Paulo (RVP) received a new website. The RVP is a holistic center for spirituality in Igarapé, Brazil. This center is designed, founded and maintained by the Brazilian region of the Congregation. In its architecture, sculptures and programs it vibrantly radiates the charism and spiritual heritage of the Brothers CMM: brotherhood and mercy. The new website gives information about the retreat center, the programs, the events and news items. Go to www.retirovicentedepaulo.com.br. Opening photo of the website.

Brother

Jan (J.A.M.) Smits He was born in Tilburg on 15 September 1925 and entered the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy in Tilburg on 29 August 1942. He made his profession for life on 15 August 1947. He died on 1 August 2015 in the community of Joannes Zwijsen in Tilburg and was buried at the brothers’ cemetery at the Estate Steenwijk in Vught, the Netherlands. Brother Jan Smits was born in the Lange Nieuwstraat in Tilburg, near the mother house of the Brothers. He attended elementary school at the Stedekestraat, a school run by the brothers. These contacts and the Catholic atmosphere at home contributed to the choice of Jan for the religious life. After acquiring teaching qualifications, he taught at several elementary and secondary schools in the Netherlands and from 1966 onwards in Curaçao. Tasks as a bursar, board member and local superior were entrusted to him. In 1984 the general chapter elected Brother Jan as a member of the new general board. During two board periods (1984-1996), together with others, he gave direction to the course of the Congregation. After his term in the general board he was deputy provincial superior for six years in the Netherlands. In 1999 he moved to the community Joannes Zwijsen, where he was again asked to be a board member. Brother Jan always attached great value to good family relationships. Regular visits to his sisters and brother were an expression of his solidarity with them. Slowly a gray cloud of darkness came over his life. Faster than expected Brother Jan transitioned from darkness into the Light, in which he sincerely believed. We now entrust him to the Light, in which God’s merciful love is all decisive.

‘HIS GRACE IS NEAR’ (From the Rule of Life of the Brothers CMM)

NOBODY HAS EVER SEEN GOD In 1956 I made my profession for life. Custom had it that one selected a prayer card as a memento. A variety of beautiful and devout images circulated among us. One selected an appropriate text for the picture of his choice. Brother Vincenzo de Kok drew a picture of Mary for me. I did not quite know what to do with it. For me it was a little too pretty and maybe too pious as well. I still don’t know, even today, why I selected a text by Hadewijch:

God si u God ende ghi hem minne

evangelist. But he followed that up with: “If we love one another, God remains in us and his love becomes complete within us”.

Let God be the God in your life and you: love Him. “Ende ghi hem minne”, wrote Hadewijch. This text accompanied me throughout my entire life. In all the many phases I went through. Sometimes it was a challenge, or an anchor to hang on to, or a concern, wondering whether I was on the right track, or even the torture of emptiness, of not-knowing. Quite often I get the question: you still believe all of it? It has an undercurrent of not quite knowing what to do with all of it and gives the feeling that one has been had. From my own experiences I do understand those questions. It is the experience of only knowing what He is not and realizing that intellectual reasoning will not bring conclusive answers. Often I give honest answers and that turns out to bring comfort: I don’t know either, but I do know that God is love, merciful love. And still: ‘nobody ever has seen God’. Maurice Bellet wrote an incisive and courageous little book and gave this as title: ‘Dieu, personne ne l’a jamais vu’. In it he guides the many who struggle with God ánd those who dismiss Him because of the silence of notknowing. “Nobody has ever seen God,” wrote John the

It is comforting when you worry, doubt, are disappointed, and do not know what it all means: love one another and then God remains in us. What an immense challenge it is when you realize that the other is also ‘one who carries eternity within him/ herself’. Because, as Maurice Bellet sees it: “If God is, He is the point of light in each human being that supersedes every logical reasoning and every form of foolishness, which will not be able to destroy it. Maybe ‘believing in God’ consists in this: believe that this point of light is present in each person.” Maurice Bellet stammers at the conclusion of his reflection. I myself experience timidity. After all, this deals with something that is very private, something that one talks about with difficulty. Maybe some readers recognize themselves in this and for them it will be possible to continue on the way of love, even if it is often in a cloud of not-knowing. Brother Wim Verschuren

EACH BROTHER GIVES HIS OWN FORM TO HIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, DEPENDING ON HIS STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AND HIS PERSONAL SITUATION. (from the Rule of Life of the Brothers CMM)

Magazine of the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy