BROTHERS CMM 1/22
m aga zine
| ZIN ACADEMY | HOME BASED CARE IN OYUGIS | BROTHER VINCENZO, VERSATILE ARTIST | LONGING FOR HUMILITY | YOUTH SEMINAR IN MOSOCHO | FORMATION | VOICES FROM THE PAST | CALLED TO SERVE OTHERS |
Take a look at the website www.cmmbrothers.org
CONTENTS OUR MISSION We are called to be merciful brothers and to do what Jesus did: to serve and enlighten, speak a redeeming word and be a helping hand. Most of our work is in the domain of teaching, accompaniment of youth and church ministry, especially for the poor and the needy. Through the quality of education and religious formation we want to empower young people and contribute to the development of society. We take care of the sick and vulnerable and create places of hospitality, and we help people to find meaning and happiness in their lives. Together with others we devote ourselves to building a more humane world of justice and peace. We are religious brothers and live in communities, joyful and courageous, open to the world around us. Trust in God, simplicity, brotherhood and mercy characterize our life and work. We honour Mary as our Mother of Mercy. We cherish the memory of our founder Joannes Zwijsen and we follow the example of Saint Vincent de Paul: serving God in the poor and the needy. We carry in our hearts the words of Jesus: “As you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.”
CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERIOR GENERAL
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ZIN ACAMEMY
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COLOPHON Brothers CMM appears three times a year and is a publication of the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy. A subscription is free of charge. A voluntary contribution is appreciated: ING Bank Account for Fraters CMM Tilburg IBAN: NL30INGB0001068517 (BIC: INGBNL2A). ISSN 1877-6256 Editorial Board: Nathalie Bastiaansen (editor-in-chief and executive editor), Brother Edward Gresnigt, Brother Ad de Kok, Brother Benyamin T. Robiwala. Contributors: Brother Lawrence Obiko, Gerie ten Cate, Nathalie Bastiaansen, Mary Mboya, Ester Akech, Anton van der Lee, Brother Bonface Ogari, Brother Geoffrey Sinange, René Munnik, Mascha van Kleef, Brother Gabriel Fatima Soares, Brother Euricio Fatima Amaral, Brother Ad de Kok. Translation: Nathalie Bastiaansen, Brother Edward Gresnigt, Peter Huybers, Father Jan van der Kaa AA, Tony Verhallen. Design: Layout: Printing:
Heldergroen, The Netherlands DekoVerdivas, The Netherlands Franciscan Kolbe Press, Kenya
Contact: Brothers CMM, Rhapta Road, P.O.Box 14916 Nairobi, Westlands 00800, Kenya E-mail: Brother Leo van de Weijer: brotherleo42@gmail.com Contact: Brothers CMM, P.O.Box 89, Windhoek, Namibia E-mail: Brother Athanasius Onyoni: atonyoni@yahoo.com E-mail: magazine@cmmbrothers.nl Website: www.cmmbrothers.org Photograph front cover: Provincial Board CMM Indonesia 2022-2027.
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Photograph back cover: Statue by Jaume Plensma (part of a series of statues in the cities of the Elfstedentocht [Eleven Cities Skating Tour]), Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Photo: Brother Ad de Kok.
HOME BASED CARE IN OYUGIS
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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REFLECTION
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FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD After a short interruption, this edition of Brothers CMM Magazine returns to the ‘Conversation with the Superior General’. Brother Lawrence Obiko was re-elected in November 2021, and we are happy to continue these conversations. Meanwhile, the world is still not rid of the coronavirus. On page 5 you can read that a pandemic does not only have negative consequences. Gerie ten Cate, director of Kloosterhotel ZIN speaks about the new ideas that could arise when the world stood still for a moment. On the pages 6 and 7 we let two inspirational women from Kenya have their say. They tell about the Home Based Care project in the Oyugis Integrated Project. The section ‘In the Spotlight’ presents a selection of Brother Vincenzo’s multi-faceted work, and we also read about a remarkable journey of one of his drawings. On page 11 you will find a reflection on humility, written by a secondyear novice from Kenya. The reflection on p. 16 is by Brother Gabriel Fatima Soares. The editors are delighted with such contributions from the young guard: after all, they are the future of the Congregation. In ‘Images of Apostolate’ we see pictures of a youth seminar in Mosocho, Kenya, which was led by Brother Geoffrey Sinanga. In the category ‘Stories from the Past’, René Munnik goes in search of voices from the past. Will we hear them? That remains to be seen. In ‘News in Brief’ we present the new provincial boards of The Netherlands and Indonesia and the new Regional Board of the brothers in Brazil.
IMAGES OF APOSTOLATE
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STORIES FROM THE PAST
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REFLECTION
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NEWS IN BRIEF
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IN MEMORIAM
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SEE MY PEOPLE
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CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERIOR GENERAL
The motto of the General Chapter 2021, “Called to be merciful brothers, joyful and courageous in today’s world”, is also the motto for the board period 2021-2027. Could you explain something about these words?
Starting with the first part, we are called to be merciful brothers. This refers to our vocation: it is God who invites us to be merciful brothers. It starts with this vocation, but this is not only important when we enter the Congregation; it remains the guiding principle in our life and work as brothers.
somebody who is miserable, and you offer a smile, you break the chain of sadness. If you are only sorry and sad, you only add more sadness.
In our life and work, we should also be courageous. There are many aspects of religious life that require courage. To start with, following the above mentioned, vocation requires courage. Going to a person in need, or to the peripheries of society, requires courage. And accepting the responsibility of leadership also requires courage. Courage gives you the wings to enter the unknown, to face changes, and to deal with challenges. And it is not something you only need in facing difficulties: also happy events, such as starting a new mission, require courage.
The present entails both past and future. What happened in the past has shaped today’s world. In taking care of our heritage and history we can take along the good things of the past and decide to leave behind the things that did not contribute. We have inherited from the past, and we have dreams for the future. If we want this future to be a better place for all people, it is today that we must start making a difference, in the reality of today’s world. This applies to all of us.
In addition to courage, the word ‘joy’ has a prominent place in your motto, and also in the new mission statement ‘joyful’ is paired with ‘courageous’. Why is joy so important for the brothers? First, joy is at the heart of the Gospel itself. ‘Bringing the Good News’ is a joyful event, and as religious brothers, one of our main activities is sharing this Good News. Joy is also a key to open doors of brokenness and difficulties. It is simple: if you meet
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And how about “in today’s world”? Are the past and the future less important?
We are who we are because of what has been, and in the future we will be what was created today. So, where do you come from, and who do you want to be in the future? How can you make a difference today? Brother Lawrence Obiko in an interview with Nathalie Bastiaansen
THE NETHERLANDS
CRISIS OPENS OPPORTUNITIES AT KLOOSTERHOTEL ZIN Kloosterhotel ZIN started because the Brothers CMM of Tilburg wished to give a new significance to their brother house in Vught, The Netherlands, fitting their spiritual tradition. Kloosterhotel ZIN exists now for over 20 years. Gerie ten Cate became its director in August 2019. Very soon after his appointment, Kloosterhotel ZIN found itself in trouble because of the corona crisis. Yet, this crisis did bring good things as well.
“This crisis helped us in finding peaceful quiet and encouraged us to go back to the core. We needed to reorient and follow the direction that the founding brothers envisioned,” director Gerie ten Cate observed. “Also, investments needed to be made to get the building updated, and in the organization changes had to be made for future challenges. But when it all came to a halt because of the corona virus, we also had more time to truthfully and profoundly think about what the content should be,” Gerie declared. “Why are we here and what can we offer? These are important questions.”
ZIN ACADEMY This brainstorming is now being translated into a program under the name ZIN ACADEMY. In this program we develop, sometimes together with partners, curricula in which compassion and meaning are at the core. Among these one finds a program titled ‘Compassionate Care’. It presents training specifically designed for professionals in the field of health care and well-being. Another program, ‘Recuperating’, offers a two-day training for parents and educators caring for people who have mental or multiple impairments. ZIN works with a number of trainers who wish to find an updated application of the brothers’ spiritual tradition. The range of trainings will be diverse. They can be offered in the field of health care, education, leadership, or personal growth.
The brothers’ heritage, contemporary and viable for the future Gerie ten Cate sees it as his mission to present the brothers’ spiritual heritage to today’s world and to the world of the future. “The contents of the program come first of course. Still, we have to look at the program’s viability and that has a financial side to it. We do not see profit making as our highest goal: our
Gerie ten Cate, directeur Kloosterhotel ZIN.
goal is to make the brothers’ heritage sustainable, to give structure to the organization so that it can provide answers to the rising questions in search of meaning.” What inspires me in my work? How do I keep my idealism? How meaningful is the work I do? Are we really doing good things as a team? In the ZIN ACADEMY we search for answers to those questions. The theme of compassion always continues to be a central guide. People have a need for togetherness, inspiration, encouragement, especially in a secular world where individualism reigns supreme. The Kloosterhotel as a conference center supports this; its location and the hospitality one experiences there, shapes and deepens its mission. Gerie ten Cate in an interview with Nathalie Bastiaansen
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KENYA
Nurse Mary Mboya together with HBC volunteers.
HOME BASED CARE IN OYUGIS, KENYA Oyugis Integrated Project (OIP) is a project of the Brothers CMM in Kenya. It started in 1982 and in the mideighties they discovered that an incurable disease known as HIV/AIDS had appeared in Kenya and other parts of the world. The project developed a health center known as Shirikisho to provide medical attention. Over the years the project developed several activities to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the Oyugis area. One of these activities is Home Based Care (HBC). Home Based Care (HBC), the program that takes care of OIP’s bedridden clients who are living with HIV/ AIDS, has been on hold for a while last year, due to lack of funds. Luckily after some funds were made available, it could resume in the month of June 2021.
was put on hold again at the end of that same month, when the covid-19 virus affected some members of the staff in our facility. This was necessary to avoid the spread of the virus from staff to the community during home visits.
To guarantee the continuity of the activity, we had a meeting with all the chairpersons (committee members) in June 2021 to plan and develop a timetable indicating the visiting dates. These are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
We were able to continue soon after this interruption. Generally, the community health workers are happy to have this program back since they had challenges in assisting the bedridden in our absence. They were also willing to recrute new community health volunteers (CHV’s) on board to cover areas that did not have any people on the ground.
On June 14, 2021, we actively started the program. Unfortunately, however, we had an interruption, and it
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It now will be easier to assist our clients’ access to care at home after our visit and assessment and even to help those who are unable to reach the health facility accessing treatment using our facility vehicle. We are also able to assist some of our clients with better housing as some live in very poor conditions and in houses with leakages. This endangers their lives and exposes them to infections that can easily bring their health down. We thank God that through his mercy, we can serve the needy within our coverage area. Nurse Mary Mboya, HBC Oyugis, Kenya Published earlier in OIP Newsletter, issue 286, August 2021.
Nurse Mary at work.
My experience as a volunteer I have been working in the field as a community health volunteer (CHV) for ten years now; I walk door to door seeking out those who are HIV positive and checking their blood pressure. Most of the people I meet lack the basic needs. When I want to check their blood pressure, they ask whether I am going to reward them with money, food or medication. I have to sweet talk them to know their status and I promise them that they will get the affordable medication at the Shirikisho health center.
Ester Akech, community health volunteer at HBC.
I am inspired by my clients; for example, there is a woman who lives alone and has high blood pressure. Whenever I visit her, she asks me to pray with her. Sometimes we talk a bit and when I have time, I do the dishes. Whenever I leave her, she always says that it is Gods will who sends me to her. Her blood pressure is now normal. God wants us to generously offer our skills and strength; we must make sacrifices, not for our own benefit, but for those who need our help. Ester Akech, HBC, Kenya Published earlier in OIP Newsletter, issue 287, December 2021.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
BROTHER VINCENZO, VERSATILE ARTIST In the past and today, there are quite some brothers with creative skills. They make paintings, drawings, sculptures, or beautiful craftwork. It gives a different, sometimes unknown insight into the makers. This feature places a selection from this work in the spotlight. In part 13 of this series, we return to the versatile work of Brother Vincenzo de Kok and follow the wanderings of one of his drawings.
Tableau with mountains and woods, no date. Oil on canvas.
Evening town, 1967. Etching/sugar aquatint.
Brother Vincenzo (Jac) de Kok (1911-1997) was a versatile and gifted artist who enjoyed music, drawing and painting. His artistic works were distributed throughout the country and abroad. He mastered many techniques, and the subjects of his work were also multi-faceted. Brother Vincenzo was a lover of nature. He enjoyed being outdoors and often went out with his drawing materials and field easel. He lovingly captured the beauty of nature in his work, but he also created cityscapes, portraits, still-lifes, and abstract work. Winter landscape with boat, 1985. Oil on panel.
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Veermankade in Hoorn, 1983. Drawing.
Onesimus, 1996. Oil on panel.
Beets, 1983. Watercolour.
Werststeeg Berlicum, 1981. Watercolour.
Garden, 1985. Watercolour.
Portrait, 1993. Oil on panel.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Empel, 1950.
The wanderlust of a drawing Anton van der Lee is the happy owner of one of the many drawings by Brother Vincenzo. He tells how this drawing travelled a remarkable path. It started like this: in 2006 Anton assisted his good friend Nico to develop a commemorative card for Nico’s lonely neighbour... As a thank-you I was allowed to pick a drawing from Nico’s stack of ‘works by Vincenzo de Kok’. I chose a pencil drawing in colour, made in Empel, April 1950. The first thing I wanted to know, of course, was how my friend had come to possess all those drawings. I was told a bizarre story. He had bought them at an open-air second-hand book market in Tilburg, where late at night a young man, completely stoned, was selling them for 50 cents each! My next question was: what exactly does it represent? Was it drawn to life, that little farmhouse, apparently half shot away in World War II and provisionally fixed? I placed the drawing in the free local newspaper ‘De
Bossche Omroep’ with the question if anyone knew more about it. There were four responses. It turned out to be the house of a man named Marinus van der Dussen, nicknamed Marinus de Kuut, and it stood on a mound near the connecting road between the city of Den Bosch and some villages. It was demolished because of a viaduct construction. And then there was a phone call from a frustrated relative of Vincenzo, who asked me how on earth this junkie had been able to get his hands on so many works, when after his uncle’s death he had not been able to buy even one piece as a memento. I could not give him an answer. The drawing of Empel is now a precious possession for me, kept in a large folder, tied up with little bows, together with other art and old maps. God knows where it will go after I’m gone. Would Brother Vincenzo’s nephew still be alive? If so, he would be the first to be considered for it. Anton van der Lee, The Netherlands
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REFLECTION
LONGING FOR HUMILITY After I had read the book Loving Mercy by Brother Wim Verschuren, I reflected on what he says about mercy, being more than just an activity. Mercy is an attitude, a way of being. I would honestly say that before I joined the Congregation, I knew that mercy of course was more than actions. Now being a member of the Congregation, I realize that there is a lot more to learn about the way of mercy.
To start with, humility is one of the greatest virtues that I should have. How will that be possible in this current world? It is by emptying myself. And how do I empty myself? The only way is by having the desire for humility. Trying to weigh the answer was like, ‘Am I serious about what I am saying? ’ Because it seems one of the impossible things in my life. But when I came to think of it, Jesus Christ came to the world because of the loving mercy He had for us. He came to show us the way to the Father, that is to have eternal life, and Jesus is the only way. From the example of Jesus Christ, the way to have the desire for humility is by doing what is least expected of me in a positive way (Philippians 2:6). Jesus, being Lord, humbled himself and took the form of a slave. And that was the least of what was expected of him. For me as a Christian I try to follow the way of mercy. Having learned that this is possible by living a humble life in this world today, I was surprised that what came to my mind was the famous quote from the Bible, Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” By doing the least of what is expected of me in a positive way to everybody, I will empty myself so that God can take possession of me, and that is the way humility is earned. Brother Bonface Ogari Monyancha CMM, second-year novice, Kenya
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IMAGES OF APOSTOLATE
EVANGELIZATION THROUGH GOD-GIVEN TALENTS Worldwide the Congregation is being confronted with all sorts of material and spiritual needs. The brothers, together with others, are trying to alleviate these. In the twentieth edition of this feature, we look at some of the pastoral activities of the brothers in a parish in Kenya. Brother Geoffrey Sinanga is active in youth ministry.
Staff visiting youths in the Mosocho parish, with bottom left (in white shirt) Brother Geoffrey. The Mosocho Parish Youth Group is an organized group of young people who are focused on ensuring active participation of the youth in church activities as a way of following Christ’s teachings and as way of life. The parish consists of 12 outstations, where these youth come from. Through their participation in various youth programs, every year many young people are drawn to the church. The activities include not only pastoral programs, but also seminars, theatre and music festivals and social welfare programs.
issues affecting society, as well as their experiences in the various outstations. There is of course also entertainment.
Learning from each other
Talent show
The key objectives of these programs are to make them strong and responsible Christians in the Catholic Church, and people who follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. They equally interact with and learn from each other, share about school life, contemporary
On the 31st of December 2021 some 400 young people gathered at St. Vincent de Paul Boys’ Primary School in Mosocho. The theme of the event was Evangelization through God-given talents, with on the agenda a number of performing arts. Experts in various fields
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The month of December has been the most conducive for conducting these activities owing to the fact that many of the youths are at home on holidays. Every year the program is different and under the guidance of the brothers a thorough preparation is done by the youth leaders.
Participants of the youth seminar.
Comforting one of the youngsters who lost a parent.
were invited to speak on a number of issues affecting their lives as young people. For many of them it was a moment of self-discovery, and they attested to a positive personal change.
Going out into the streets
There is also time in the program to reflect on a variety of spiritual matters by reading and sharing the Word of God. Besides they perform traditional dances, songs, and modern music/dances. The most outstanding performers are awarded a small token as a motivation. Since the foundation of this group, there has been a great improvement of their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships.
As part of this wholesome program, the youths also visits fellow youths who have lapsed from the Christian faith, or those who have doubts because they have to face sickness or death of someone close. This has in a number of cases reduced drug abuse and other irresponsible behaviours. On every last Saturday of the month gatherings are held under the supervision of the religious brothers and sisters. Brother Geoffrey Sinange CMM, Kenya
Talent show at the youth seminar.
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STORIES FROM IN THE PAST APOSTOLAAT BEELD
LOST VOICES RESOUND In the spring of 2019, I had the privilege of spending weeks in the attic of the Generalate. That attic houses a motley collection of items from the history of the Congregation including many hundreds of paintings, watercolours and etchings by brothers. I selected and photographed these in preparation for the exhibition ‘Kunstbroeders’ (Brothers in Art). While I was doing that, an old Edison phonograph caught my eye, along with twenty-eight rolls of wax. That phonograph must have once stood in the brothers’ house and been used. The thing intrigued me. Would it still work? Would it be possible to hear the sounds on those wax rolls again? Would there be something interesting to hear on it? So, I asked the General Board for permission to examine that device more closely. The Edison phonograph was the predecessor of the gramophone. Between 1893 and about 1915, almost a million were made. After that, 78 rpm records came into vogue. But it also differed from the gramophone. First, it did not work with flat records but with wax cylinders. Secondly, unlike the gramophone, you could also use it to make your own recordings; a gramophone could only play prefabricated records, but a phonograph also had a recording head with which you could record your own voice on the wax roll. By far most of the wax rolls contained such recordings. So did those of the brothers. Judging by the patent data and the serial number on it, this phonograph must have been made around 1898. It eventually ended up in the store of Carl J. Golichowski, a piano dealer in Den Bosch. Brothers from the Ruwenberg probably bought the device soon after. This is evidenced by notes that were found on the boxes of wax rolls which contain dates: the oldest recording is from 1899 and a roll from 1901 states: ‘The brothers and students of Tilburg compliment the Ruwenbergers on the warm reception’. New wax rolls were no longer available after 1915, and I suspect that the recording and playback heads were worn out some twenty years after purchase. They contained a lot of natural rubber that deteriorated quite quickly. That means that the device was virtually 14
René Munnik in the attic of the Generalate. Photos: Mascha van Kleef.
non-functional after, say, 1920. That’s a century ago. It must have been a useless curiosity in St.Michielsgestel and then in storage in the attic of the Generalate all that time. That century had left its mark. The grease with which the spring engine had once been abundantly lubricated had hardened over a hundred years to a kind of pitch-black tar: all the gears were jammed. There was nothing left to do but to dismantle the entire instrument down to the last screw and to clean it. That worked. Now it runs smoothly again: fifteen turns of the crank and the drum spins evenly for two minutes... the playing time of a wax roll.
The Edison phonograph.
This brings into view the possibility of getting those wax rolls to work, as most of them are undamaged and the grooves still look spotless. But even if it were possible to restore the original playback head, I will not play those rolls with it. Already in Edison's time, wax rolls were completely worn out after twenty spins... and these more than a hundred-year-old rolls are extra vulnerable. The sound on them would be erased forever after a few times. I am looking therefore for a safer way to play these wax rolls. Preferably an optical one that doesn’t create any mechanical stress. That’s going to take some time, but it will work. I hope.
Andreas van den Boer - who could very well have been there - is thanked once more for the hospitality... and that a modest but unmistakably audible voice then answers: ‘You’re welcome’ or something religious like ‘Deo gratias’. That would be fantastic, wouldn’t it!... Such an acoustic relic of two words with their own timbre. We shall see. You will hear about it. To be continued. René Munnik, The Netherlands
In the meantime, those wax rolls have been waiting for a century to make a sound again. Together they contain about three quarters of an hour of audible signs of life from the Ruwenberg of about one hundred and twenty years ago. If you can believe the labels on the boxes, we will soon be able to listen to the Serenade by Franz Schubert, to the Panis Angelicus and to songs like The hat of charity... performed by largely anonymous brothers (Brother Am, Brother Jan, Brother Eunachus?) from a time when even the oldest living brother today was not even born yet. But I am most curious about the brothers and students from the Teachers Training College from Tilburg who in 1901 paid their compliments to the Ruwenbergers. Imagine that you can listen to them again and that you then hear (but I am making that up) that Brother 15
REFLECTION
FORMATION The formation period is coloured by different things, and challenges and difficulties are part of it. Brother Gabriel F. Soares writes: “Sometimes I was desperate, or sad, and sometimes I just wanted to give up. Looking back, I am happy with all these experiences. Why do I say that? It taught me to answer my calling in a mature way.” The days pass, like flowing water, and now I have been a member of the Congregation of the Brothers CMM for about 3 years. In the beginning I did not know exactly who I was (‘Who am I? ’), but during the formation period I got to know myself better. That is important because every human being is a gift from God, including his strengths and weaknesses. In the atmosphere of brotherly love in living together in community during formation, I also got to know the others, and I learned to accept their strengths and weaknesses as well. When I entered the Congregation, I was afraid and shy, but after a few months I felt at home and dared to open and share my experiences with the novicemaster. The formation period thus became a guide in my spiritual pilgrimage with God. Two things are very important on that road: prayer and work. Without prayer I don’t know what the meaning of my life is. With prayer I try to hear God’s will within me. Prayer is also the response (‘Lord, here I am’). About work, our Constitutions say: “He who does not love labour, does not have the spirit of the Congregation" (Const. I, 135). Work can be very simple or routine (sweeping the floor, peeling potatoes, watering flowers). Yet it is meaningful, both to myself and to my vocation. On my path, I am sure there will be more challenges and temptations to face, but my faith that God is always present and faithful will accompany me on my way. Living with fellow brothers during the formation period made me happy and joyful because we helped each other and respected each other. After the formation period, it is inevitable that everyone leaves for another community, but the feeling of solidarity remains. I would like to describe that togetherness in a poem:
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God created everything in pairs, there is day, there is night, there is darkness and there is light. Likewise with encounters and togetherness there will always be separation, because nothing in this world is eternal. I am still grateful to God for all the experiences I have had, all these experiences have really helped me to get me where I am today, and to prepare me for what is yet to come. Brother Gabriel Fatima Soares CMM, Timor Leste
NEWS IN BRIEF
NEW LEADERSHIP IN PROVINCES AND REGIONS After the election of the new General Board during the General Chapter in November 2021, the term of office of the Provincial and Regional Boards also comes to an end. Meanwhile the Provinces of The Netherlands and Indonesia, as well as the Region of Brazil have a new board. In the Province of Kenya and in the Regions of Namibia and Timor Leste the new leadership will be appointed very soon.
NEW PROVINCIAL BOARD THE NETHERLANDS
NEW REGIONAL BOARD BRAZIL
In accordance with Article 201 of Part II of the Constitutions, the Superior General Brother Lawrence Obiko, with the consent of the members of the General Board and after having heard the Provincial Chapter of the Province of The Netherlands, has appointed a new Provincial Board for the Province of The Netherlands: • Brother Broer Huitema: Provincial Superior • Brother Niek Hanckmann: 1st Board member and Deputy • Brother Ad de Kok: 2nd Board member
In accordance with Article 233 of Part II of our Constitutions, the Superior General Brother Lawrence Obiko, with the consent of the members of the General Board and after a hearing of the Region of Brazil, has appointed a new Regional Board for the Region of Brazil: • Brother Henrique Matos: Regional Superior • Brother Lukas Betekeneng: 1st Board member and Deputy • Brother Rosario de Jesus Martins: 2nd Board member
These appointments are for a board period of 6 years and take effect as of December 10, 2021.
The appointments will take effect on 30 January 2022 and will be for a period of three years.
Provincial Board The Netherlands: Brother Niek Hanckmann, Brother Broer Huitema, Brother Ad de Kok.
Regional Board Brazil: Brother Lukas Betekeneng, Brother Henrique Matos, Brother Rosario de Jesus Martins.
NEW PROVINCIAL BOARD INDONESIA Pursuant to Article 201 of Part II of the Constitutions, the Superior General Brother Lawrence Obiko, with the consent of the members of the General Board and after hearing the Provincial Chapter of the Province of Indonesia, has appointed a new Provincial Board for the Province of Indonesia: • Brother Philipus Weredity: Provincial Superior • Brother Paskalis Wangga: 1st Board member and Deputy • Brother Fransiscus Linus: 2nd Board member • Brother Agustinus Farneubun: 3rd Board member • Brother Antonius Sipahutar: 4th Board member
Provincial Board Indonesia: Brother Antonius Sipahutar, Philipus Weredity, Fransiscus Linus, Paskalis Wangga, Agustinus Farneubun. These appointments are for a board period of 6 years and went into effect as of March 11, 2022. 17
IN MEMORIAM
DEVELOPMENTS AT SPARRENHOF The Estate Sparrenhof in Tilburg will become an educational meeting place for and by youth from Tilburg and the region. The Congregation of Brothers CMM, owner of the estate, will work together with six organizations for this purpose: the Foundation Estate Sparrenhof, the Municipality of Tilburg, T-PrimaiR, Portvolio, ContourdeTwern and Fontys University of Applied Sciences. The common goal is to create a promising and an inclusive environment at Sparrenhof, where children and young people can work together on broad talent development. Since 1921 the Brothers CMM have been the owner of the estate and the buildings. Until the early 1980s the brothers used it as a farm for their communities. After that they made the estate available for children and young people in disadvantaged situations, for recreation and for vacations during the summer months. The brothers are happy with the new developments. Looking at the future they lack the manpower and financial resources to continue the management and organization of activities on the estate. It is one of the last apostolic activities left in the Dutch Province and in this way, they would like to remain involved in society. Cooperation with other organizations makes this possible.
Ambassadors of a Worldwide Brotherhood at Sparrenhof, 2016.
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BROTHER
Frans (F.M.A.E.) van de Meulengraaf Frans was born in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, on March 8, 1940, and joined the Congregation of the Brothers CMM in Tilburg on August 29, 1957. He died on February 12, 2022, at de residential care facility Joannes Zwijsen in Tilburg. On February 17 his fellow brothers, family members and friends paid their final respects to him in a Eucharistic Celebration. Afterwards he was buried among his deceased fellow brothers at the Estate Steenwijk in Vught. Brother Frans received his teacher certification in 1960 and started his career as an educator in Oss. In 1967 he was sent to Cork (Ireland) to pursue his studies. Subsequently he left for Namibia where he would stay till 1996. From 1984 till 1990 he was a member of the Regional Board of Namibia. He taught in Döbra and lived for several years in Katutura in response to the call to be present among the poor. Upon his return to The Netherlands, he lived in the Elim Group. He was responsible for the finances of the house and took care of the digital transformation of the community library and the library at the Generalate. For many years he served as the secretary and archivist of the Provincial Board of the brothers in The Netherlands. He appreciated peace and silence but was available for people whenever necessary. While at the Elim Group he enjoyed making berry preserves and he picked the berries himself. At that time many people received a jar of preserves from him. In 2011 he moved to the residential care facility Joannes Zwijsen. His final years were marked by ever increasing dependency and the need to increasingly greater surrender. May God, the Merciful One, welcome Brother Frans in the glory of the Risen Lord.
‘SEE MY PEOPLE’
CALLED TO SERVE OTHERS Who are these brothers? What motivates them? What are their dreams, their ideals? In what way do they give shape to ‘mercy’ and ‘brotherhood’ - the two key concepts in the charism of the Brothers CMM? In this column ‘See my people’, we always let one of the brothers speak. This time it is Brother Eurico De Fatima Amaral. He works in Timor Leste at the boarding school St. Vincent de Paul in Gleno. This boarding school is attached to the brothers’ school in Gleno, a secondary school for vocational education. Initially I did not understand what my vocation meant. Why am I called? To what end? And why should I? I have so many shortcomings. These questions occupied me in my early days in the Congregation of Brothers CMM. But after my formation period I got the confidence to work as a teacher and to do pastoral work, especially in the boarding school for boys, St. Vincent de Paul. The boarding school is one of our social works in the Region of Timor Leste.
Despite their ups and downs and the many challenges they face, I am sure they will grow up to be intelligent and good people. The experiences in my work also help me to better understand my vocation. The many questions I had before are now answered. I realized that my vocation is to serve others, especially those who need a little more help, like the children in the boarding school. Through them, I was called to become a brother.
Although I and all of us have our shortcomings, I do my best to take care of the young students. It is not always easy for them, nor for me. We are all different: in character, ethnicity, or culture. Sometimes these differences cause arguments and create a wall of separation. Then, with great patience, I try to put myself in their situation so that I can help them. Telling them about the spirituality of the brothers is then a way to bring them back together. I tell them about the way we live our lives in community. What can they learn from that? A life of prayer, brotherhood, humility, simplicity, honesty, discipline, way of working, respect for elders and everyone they meet. This is how I try to guide and form them.
As written in our Constitutions (I, 209), “Because of this mission in the Church and of the history of our Congregation we prefer to work for the development of the world around us through educational work: the guidance, in many different forms, of young people especially of those who are poor and needy.” And how beautiful it is to mentor children of this time. Here I am tested by God, whether I really serve God with a pure heart. And here I get the strength, enthusiasm, motivation and happiness to live my life’s vocation as a brother CMM. Brother Eurico De Fatima Amaral CMM, Timor Leste 19
WE HOPE THAT OUR WAY OF LIFE WILL BE SUCH THAT OTHERS WILL BE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MISSION IN THE CHURCH. (from the Rule of Life of the Brothers CMM)
Magazine of the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy
