JUNE NEWS Pope's Prayer the Beauty of marriage - Let us pray for young Intention people who are preparing for marriage with the for June support of a Christian community: may they grow
in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience.
The Angelus Prayer & The Mystery of the Humanized God in a Dehumanized World BY SR. HELENA ADAKU OGBUJI, CCVI
Our world is dehumanized because of injustice, racism, inhuman behavior, lack of tenderness and compassion toward one another and toward God’s creation. As if that were not enough, we are still battling with the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic which has the whole world scared and disillusioned. The entire experience feels like walking in a lonely desert and feeling the absence of God. At the start of the pandemic and for many months, the clouds were gloomy and bleak. The roads and streets were empty. The Churches were closed for many months. The number of deaths increased daily. The healthcare providers and first responders were overwhelmed because of pathogen exposure, long working hours, psychological distress and trauma, fatigue, and occupational burnout. The entire world was at a standstill and imagined the “silence of God.” The world was filled with fear, just as were the disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk. 24:12-32). “We had hoped…” In the midst of our fears, Jesus walks among us and tells us: “Be not afraid, I am with you on the journey. This darkness will pass away. These clouds will clear and better days will come.” That is why every March 25th, the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Annunciation. This is an important moment for the Church to recall what happened in the history of humanity when the Incarnate Word became flesh after the resounding “YES” of our Blessed Mother Mary. Jesus became one of us to break the distance between us. He is Emmanuel, “God with Us,” even when we assumed him to be a Stranger. He became flesh to humanize our world! He became human so that we may become divine. It is this mystery of the Incarnation and Jesus’s self-emptying (Phil.2:6-8) that we recall when we pray the Angelus. The Angelus is a Scriptural meditation that points us to Salvation History and the Incarnation story. We meditate on the words of Mary to the angel Gabriel when she gave herself the title: “the handmaid of the Lord.” We join Mary in praying to do God’s will and we invite the Lord “to take flesh” in our lives.
NEWS & NOTES
IN PRAYING THE ANGELUS, we pause to celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, and how we are incarnating the Word by being the healing presence of Jesus. Our Incarnational Spirituality calls us to enter into a deeper relationship with God who became one of us and whose life mirrors how to be in a relationship with each other. - Sr. Helena Adaku Ogbuji, CCVI
NEWS & NOTES
THE ANGELUS PRAYER, CON'T.
For us, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston,
the Angelus prayer is especially important. Apart from our individual time to say the Angelus, it is also part of our morning and evening prayer when we pray the breviary as a community and as individuals. In praying the Angelus, we pause to celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, and how we are incarnating the Word by being the healing presence of Jesus. Our Incarnational Spirituality calls us to enter into a deeper relationship with God who became one of us and whose life mirrors how to be in a relationship with each other. The Angelus reminds us of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary announcing the plan of God for her. It reminds us of Mary’s fiat and her desire to collaborate with God’s plan. It unveils the mystery of the Incarnation and our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection. It is a prayer that invites us to meditate on God’s greatest love for humanity. Praying the Angelus at noon interrupts our daily routines, so that we turn our thoughts to God, to our Blessed Mother, and to the mystery of the Word made Flesh who taught us to pray without ceasing (Lk 18:1; 1Thess. 5:17). In meditating on and living Incarnational Spirituality, we discover the sacredness in each person; we discover the need to practice compassion and see Christ in all people, as well as the need to stand as agents of transformation and social justice. It inspires us to live in harmony with others who are different from us rather than building walls between “us and them.” The Incarnate Word mirrored how to live in a dehumanized world. He spent time with sinners and ate with them. He touched the untouchables in society and let himself be touched. He reached out to the poor and the discriminated. The Spirituality of the Incarnation, embedded in the Angelus prayer, challenges us to commit to eliminating the walls that bring discrimination and to build bridges in the world of walls and dehumanization.
NEWS & NOTES
A History of the Angelus The origin of praying the Angelus is dated around the 11th century, when Franciscan monks prayed three Hail Marys along with the bell that was rung, at their evening prayer. In 1269, St Bonaventure proposed that his Franciscan Friars recite these three Hail Marys in the evening after Compline, meditating on the mystery of Christ's Incarnation, urging at the same time that the recitation be preceded always by the ringing of a bell so that the brothers and all the faithful nearby would know that it was time for the Hail Mary. In 1456, Pope Calistus III directed the ringing of the Church’s bells every day at noon and he encouraged Catholics to pray three Hail Marys. The Pope exhorted the faithful to use the noonday prayers to pray for peace in the context of the 15th century invasion of Europe by the Turks. Thus, the bell rang at noontime and became known as the “Peace” bell. At some point in history too, an indulgence was granted to those who pray the Angelus in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. The morning Ave Maria, as it was called, focused on Christ’s resurrection, the noontime prayer focused on his Passion, while the evening prayer was for His Incarnation. Toward the end of the 16th century, the Angelus became the prayer as we know it today with three Hail Marys, and short verses in between (called versicles), ending with a concluding prayer. It was first published in modern form in a catechism around 1560 in Venice. At this time, the Angelus was said kneeling, but Pope Benedict XIV directed that the Angelus be recited while standing and he exhorted that, during the Easter Season, the Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven) be said instead of the Angelus. - Sr. Helena PAGE 11
THE ANGELUS PRAYER, CON'T.
"In meditating on and living Incarnational Spirituality, we discover the sacredness in each person; we discover the need to practice compassion and see Christ in all people, as well as the need to stand as agents of transformation and social justice." Through the mystery of the Incarnation, Jesus became one with nature and inserted himself, not only into historic reality but also into cosmic reality. He stepped foot on this earth, he breathed the air, and he contemplated about the soil, harvest,
etc.
Pope
Francis,
in
his
encyclical,
Laudato Si’, revealed a new relationship with nature
and
a
sense
of
responsibility
and
commitment to created things. Our Spirituality, therefore,
calls
compassionate
and
us
to
just
in
be our
ecologically lifestyles
and
behaviors. Incarnational Spirituality is all about compassion, love, and tenderness toward all God’s creation. The tenderness that comes from within, has the power to heal and bring us closer to God. We are all striving to become more human-like the Incarnate Word. And may Jesus help us to become by grace, what He is by nature—Divine. Praised be the Incarnate Word—Forever. Reference: Fournée, J. (2000). Praying the Angelus. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company.
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FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI IS JUNE 6TH The celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ is a perfect summation of the Paschal Mystery that we celebrated at Easter. When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ we honor Christ’s tremendous gift of self to us as well the acceptance of our self- surrender of our own Christian living. We become what we receive. This is the new and everlasting covenant between God and humanity. Amen! Alleluia!
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“JESUS CHRIST ALLOWED HIS SACRED HEART TO BE PIERCED SO THAT IT SHOULD ALWAYS REMAIN OPEN FOR EVERYONE TO ENTER THERE.” ST. JULIE BILLIART
FULL MOON OVER THE INCARNATE WORD PHOTO BY SR. RICCA DIMALIBOT, CCVI
NEWS & NOTES
MINISTERING WITH JOY IN TOROLA
PARISH MINISTRY IN SANTIAGO APÓSTOL, TOROLA, MORAZÁN, EL SALVADOR
ARRANGING FLOWERS FOR THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IN THE PARISH
SR. VILMA SHARING A REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL DURING THE CELEBRATION OF THE
SISTERS MARÍA ARACELY PÉREZ CHINCHILLA, VILMA ARACELY RAMOS GUTIERREZ, AND BETTY CAMPOS ARIAS
WORD IN THE PARISH OF TOROLA.
NEWS & NOTES
PAGE 15
BY SR. ETHEL PUNO, CCVI
Our O congregation cong ngreg g ation can n claim cla im member memb er representation r prres re e e nta tati on from om two w Asian As an countries, cou co unttries, namely n am mely el y Vietnam Vie et nam m and a nd the Philippines. Philipp n es Currently, P Curren tly, we e have haav e four h fou ur sisters siister s from ffro m Vietnam Vietn V na m who w o wh are professed herr family proffe sed members membe rs and two wo pre-novices p re-novic e cess - one who w ho immigrated im m miig aated with w amily and an one who is off Vietnamese Vietnam mese heritage. h erita i ag ge. We have ha ve two t o professed pro rofe fe sse d sisters from the Philippines Philippi p ines and a n d one who wh ho is a novice. novice The what heritage these T he e congregation c o ng reg gattion welcomes we w elcomes and nd appreciates appreciate w hat the herita ge off tthe s sist ssisters ter s contributes enrich charism, spirituality. and honor contri n ib ute es tto o en nric h o our cha iis m, llife, fe and sp p r tu tuaalityy. To recognize g e aan d hon h or the th generations Asian Americans Pacific Islanders ccontributions o nttri t b uti on n tthroughout hrou gh hou ut the g ene n r ations of A As a n Am A meriic ans an s aand nd d Pa P Paci if ic Is l anders d American celebrate month May the ((AAPI) (AAP PI)) to tthe he e A m e r c an n w way of life, we now celeb rat e ann aannually u lly ua ll in n the mon ont h o off M Ma ayy th e Asian/Pacific American Heritage A sia n/P ac ificc A Am meriica n H eritage r Month. During events such jubilees, first professions, D ring ccongregational o n g rega ion nall eve nts su ch h aass jub jubi lees fir r st aand d fi ffinal nall profes ss ons, A sss m mbly Assembly Chapter, our sisters have introduced Asian Pacific aand nd Ch hap aptter , o ur sist e rs h avve e been intro ro du ced to traditional rad diti onal on A sian aand nd Pac c ific ic IIslander s a nder foods, customs, songs, prayers, food ds, cel ccelebrations, le eb braat i on cu sto t mss songs ngs, aand pr p ayers, as a s well as a s in i n the e daily life liffe e of o f some so m me off our o ur local lo l communities. c om m u n ties Some S me sisters siste i ters have ha e even eve ventured d to t o learn le ar n a few f ew Vietnamese Viet n a e se Vi and Filipino and a Filipin i o words wo d phrases. phrases Learning great benefits L ear ing about a t and a n d sharing in other othe r cultures c ul tures is one o e of the t th b n eff s of o f living l i g in i the t he e Uni ite d Sta t te e s, where pe peo ple from m aacross c ros r ss tthe he globe lob immi mig gratte g e iin n ssearch ear ch o he United States, people immigrate off tth the American dream. Among those who vitall p diverse population the America can n drea d am A m ong tho osse w ho are a vit pa r of the d part verse er se populatio tion n of th he US S its Pacific Islands. Asian/Pacific broad aare ar e it ts immigrants mm miigrant s from Asia and the e P ac ifi Isl laand As A i an/Pacif icc is a bro ad d term m Melanesia, eencompassing enc om mpassin ng all off the Asian ccontinent on ntiin entt and the he Pacific Pa c islands i n s of Mel lanesia , Micronesia, Polynesia. Mi Mic cronesia, onesia and a Po o ly nes esia. Asians Pacificc islande islanders have carved their niche nation back A Asi sians ans aand d Pacifi rs h ve carv ed th eiirr n ni che he in this hi na n ation i n dating d atin g bac b ck to 1587 the first became 158 1 87 7 when w firs t Filipinos fi Filipi pinos arrived a rrived in California alifo or ni a before befo ef ore the t h e nation n aattio n even e becam e known k wn as the United Uni d States. Unit S ess The next group State grou p of Asians A i a ns came cam me from m m Indiaa in 1635 and an nd settled in first Chinese i Jamestown, Jam stow n , VA. In I 1778, 1778 778, the t f Ch ines e to t reach re each ach the t he h nation arrived rrive in Hawaii while the first Native Hawaiian arrived w hile h H arrivve d on the continental c ontinen tal United States St tes a decade Japanese, arrived in Hawai Hawaii de later. latte r The Th e next T n xt group g roup of Asians was Jap a n e, w who arrive aw ii w when h it 1806 followed Koreans 1884. was still i a tterritory errritoryy in n 1 806 and they th were follo w e d by the he K oreans in 1884 8 4. In n 1898, 1 8 was the U.S. att tthe beginning off th the 1900s, and Chamorros, G am w Guam as cceded ede d tto o th he U.S h e beginn nin ng o he 190 00 0s, an d Ch h morrro s the ham t indigenous people from Mariana Islands which Guam, began indig di ge no ous p e ople p fr om m the Maria a Isla ds w wh h are e a pa partt of G Gu ua m, b eg a n to o migrate California m mi ratte tto o C alli fo r n a aand nd Hawaii.
American Samoa became American When Am meric an a S amo m becam b ca e an a n Am A e riicca n
territory 1904, Samoans migrate Hawaii United terr rit oryy in n 1 9 04 , S am moa o an ns began to o migra m g ate e to Ha aw aii ii and an d the h continental con t ne nttal al U n ited d States Sta tate s in the th he 1920s. 1 920s. In I n 1912, 1 the arrival arriv rrival of the e first f t Vietnamese firs Vietn V t n a me ese was w ass documented d ocum me ent e d in the th he United Un U nite ed d States. S ta tess NEWS & NOTES
c
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AAPII M MONTH, ONTH, C CON'T ON
May chosen celebration off AAPI Month commemorate arrival off M ay was chose n ffor or th the he celebra attio on o A M onth th to o com mm emorate o te the ar rival o Japanese Mayy 18 1843 th e firstt JJap the anese iimmigrant mm migrant g ant on the th 7 7th h of Ma 1 43 and a to mark rk the th e anniversary anniverssary of anniv of the 1869; th e completion c omp let io n of the comple t he First Transcontinental Tra nscontine ntal Railroad T Rail ailr il o ad d on o n the h 10th 10t 0 th h of May M 186 1 69; 9; the majority ma j o riity of the railroad m raai road workers worke s who laid the tracks w t ra c kss were w ere Chinese we Chiine sse C Ch e immigrants. im mm migran ts. The Th he first official celebrated on f offi ial commemoration o com mm em e orattio on of Asian/Pacific A ian/Pac fic American Am r ca n Heritage He eritage was w ce o May 4th, 1979. M 1979 many In ma nyy parts arts of the e country, country AAPI AAP Heritage Heritag ge month mont h is usually u su ally celebrated by b eating ating in Asian festivals or parades sia restaurants r stau res a ant or o r attending a a r es organized org o ganized by AAPI API community co om mmun m ity organizations orga niza i ti on ns where whe re e people pe p eople can n taste the different dif fere er ent foods food ods from various vari ous countries, c unttries, co watch waatch w h cultural c ulttu al performances, p o rm ances and perf nd learn l earn more mo re about a b out AAPI abo AA API history h istt ory ry and a d culture. cu ultu tur e The T current curr en t situation situ ua ti on in i n the th he e United d States Stat es has affected affectte these th he ese e ways waays ys of o celebrating. celeb l b braatting Due Du ue to o the present political issues, major concerns, which have tth pandemic paan nde d mi m c and a nd the an th e p r esent social and politi cal is sssue s m aj o r conc n rnss, w wh hi h ha hic h av e existed even before, brought light. The community learned exi st ed eve e ve n b eforr , are r br bro ught to lligh htt T Th he AAPI co omm mm mu nitty has le ea n ed d to adjust d justt to, voice to these issues to o, live ivve with, w ith t , and give i o the th is es to bring b n g about b out and an advocate a dvo voc o cat e for meaningful m ea niingf gfu l change. ch an ge NEWS & NOTES
LE COEUR DE MARIE FLOWERS
FEAST OF THE IMMMACULATE HEART OF MARY In the midst of the Second World War Pope Pius XII put the whole world under the special protection of our Savior's Mother by consecrating it to her Immaculate Heart, and in 1944 he decreed that in the future the whole Church should celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and above all, her pure love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for all people. Veneration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary generally coincides with the worship of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is especially directed to the “Divine Heart”, as overflowing with love for humanity. In the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the other hand, the attraction is the love of her Immaculate Heart for Jesus and for God. NEWS & NOTES
Feast is June 12.
A Heron at the Villa Grotto PHOTO BY SR. MARY PATRICIA DRISCOLL, CCVI
NEWS & NOTES
Contragulations Sr. symphonie On May 14, 2021, Sr. Symphonie Giao-Huong Ngoc Ngo, CCVI participated in the commencement ceremony at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO., where she received her Master’s Degree in Theology. Congratulations Sr. Symphonie!
NEWS & NOTES
