Se mi na ria n
No 1 • January 2020 Published eight times per year
www.acnmalta.org “The demand for the abolition of celibacy is linked to a mindset that would turn the priest into a kind of social worker with predominantly secular duties, thereby shifting the focus of the Christian life away from eternity and onto the things of this world.”
With an undivided heart: devoted from now on to God alone (Lumen Gentium, 42).
Father Werenfried van Straaten
As we look towards the New Year 2020, what is it that actually motivates people? All our music, films and art seem to be dominated by the theme of earthly love. Over and over again, in song and image, it is romantic, physical, free love which is presented as the most powerful driving force. Christianity, by contrast – at least according to Friedrich Nietzsche – has poisoned “Eros”, and while not actually killing it, has thereby distorted it into a vice. This is also a widespread view in today‘s society – that the Church is hostile to the body and sexuality. Continence makes people neurotic, they say; celibacy is something perverse and hypocritical and must therefore be abolished. Undoubtedly, the Christian understanding of love and the Church’s view of sexual morality are “a stumbling block” for the world. And yet, among the early Christians it was their brotherly love and moral purity which particularly impressed the pagans and moved them to conversion. They saw the Christians’ way of life as something “extraordinary and incredible”, something they had hitherto
thought impossible. And indeed, these early Christians were truly inspired by the ideal of celibacy and virginity, an ideal that was likewise a great incentive to marital fidelity and the recognition of the equality of man and woman. This new way of living was in total contradiction to the ancient customs.
God and of eternal life. We live in an age characterised by such slogans as ‘demythologisation’ and ‘desacralisation’ and by the tendency to reduce the whole of Christianity to a mere matter of interpersonal relations.”
Of course, the Church has always stood for charitable service, for human compassion. But this has always “Celibacy is a sign that the gone hand in hand with the witpriest is called above all to a ness of the martyrs, and likewise particular personal imitation with the “white martyrdom” of celibacy. Celibacy is a sign that of Christ.” the priest is not simply called to The real “logic” of celibacy, and of marriage fulfil a given task, a given function, but too, rests ultimately not on pragmatic argu- above all to a particular personal imitation ments but on God himself, who is Love and of Christ, so as to “represent” Him as Head who also reveals himself as the true essence and Spouse of the Church. The personal of love. This is a love which gives itself fully self-giving, the “sacrifice” of oneself to God and perfectly, a love which is always there. – who is the true Love which moves and perfects all things – is the real meaning of Whoever does not believe in this total love celibacy. will have difficulty understanding celibacy – and indeed marriage as well. Back in 1968 Dear friends, may our first and deepest mothe theologian Karl Rahner accurately ob- tivation spring always from pure love. served: “The current crisis of celibacy has many reasons… But unless we wish to deceive ourselves, we have to admit that the deepest reason for this crisis lies in a lack of faith. We are living in an age in which people Father Martin Maria Barta find it hard to comprehend the reality of Ecclesiastical Assistant 1
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Training the educators
“A priest for you” “You have shown me the beauty and universality of the Church”, said Father Habtelel Ghebray from Eritrea – Father Hagos Danne from Ethiopia also thanks us, with these words: “Together with all the priests, our brothers from all over the world, we were like one big family. The Catholic Church is one great family.” These two priests had recently taken part in an international training course in Rome for seminary teachers. Each year this course brings together over a hundred professors, rectors and lecturers from all over the world. They spend a month in the Regina Apostolorum Institute, not only brushing up on their theoretical knowledge and getting up to date with the latest research in the field of education, but also experiencing the wonderful depths of that mutual “sacramental fraternity” described by the Congregation for the Clergy in its guidelines for priestly formation – in shared prayer, Holy Mass and joint excursions to view the Eternal City. This awareness
of their common fraternity, in the priesthood and service of the sacraments, is something that needs to be constantly deepened. The patron saint of priests, the holy Curé of Ars, put it like this: “Oh how great is the priest! He will understand himself only in heaven. He holds the key to the heavenly treasures. The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution, does not administer the sacraments to himself. He is a priest not for himself, but for you.” It is this awareness that the seminary formators must seek to convey to their seminarians, and they are strengthened in this mission by the spirit of fraternity they experience here. Most of them
come from Africa and Latin America, from countries where the Church is rich in vocations but too poor to be able to fund the cost of these courses. So each year we contribute more than €100,000. This is one way in which we can help them, and are helping them, thanks to your generous support. Ultimately, it benefits us all.
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Wherever the Faith flourishes, so do vocations. Seminarians from Brazil, DR Congo, Nigeria, India and Burundi. They all need good seminary teachers.
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Any donation you kindly give will go to support these, or similar
Albania
New priests from the Church of martyrs Sometimes the question of what your vocation is – in theory at least – is quickly answered. Mother Teresa put it like this: “As to the origin of it all, it was quite simple: the Good Lord called, and I said yes.”
Later, however, this great saint from the little country of Albania struggled with many questions, as she recorded in her private diary. And in the years after her first initial “yes” to God (“Since childhood, the Heart of Jesus was my great love”, she wrote) – she needed time to understand clearly her path with God. For all of us, our vocation is quite simply a gift, which needs to be discovered and lived out in our lives. The sooner we begin with this, the better. For the seminarians in Shkoder, Albania, great care is taken to ensure that they are able, to reaffirm maturely the youthful “yes” they uttered six years earlier at the beginning of their studies. These young men from Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo must be able to remain true to their “first great love” for life. It is not unknown – after the major retreat in which the young theology students give special consideration to the question of the priesthood and seek to discern their own vocation, in intensive prayer – for a seminarian to leave the seminary, still firm in his faith, but called to serve God in other ways. The 16 seminarians in the current academic year are all looking forward to their pastoral projects, and enable the pastoral work of Aid to the Church in Need.
and sacramental duties. This is by no means something to be taken for granted in Albania. Many of the 350,000 or so Catholics in the country (roughly 10% of the population) can still remember the era of the atheist dictatorship under the communists, when every form of religious expression, to say nothing of action, was banned under the constitution and cruelly persecuted. Even before the communists and the successive occupations by foreign powers, this small and grindingly poor country had lived for half a millennium beneath the harsh yoke of Ottoman rule. Only during the past few decades has it once again been possible to study theology and train for the priesthood – in itself a form of resurrection for the martyred Church in Albania. Last year the seminary celebrated the 20th anniversary of its reopening, with the ordination of two deacons. ACN is supporting the seminary with €900 per seminarian per year. They are undemanding and willing to serve. Or, as Mother Teresa herself put it, “I am willing to accept whatever He gives and give whatever He takes, all with a big smile”.
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Venezuela
The light of men “The life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:4-5). In the present darkness of Venezuela, the seminary of Carúpano seeks to be “a little candle that can bring hope to the people, as the Light of Christ”. Bishop Jaime José Villarroel of Carúpano can see both the light and the darkness. He rejoices at the fidelity and perseverance of the 13 students in his Redemptoris Mater semi-
Shining brightly: a new priest, with his family, after celebrating his first Mass.
nary. Yet he also sees how his people suffer. Robberies and murder are daily scourges, and poverty is a constant companion. To buy a new pair of shoes is something quite un-
Enlightened by the Light of Christ: a seminarian in Venezuela.
thinkable. What clothing they do receive comes to the seminary via the “mysterious ways of the Lord”, from Mexico. And as the seminary rector adds, “We share our daily rations with every hungry person who knocks at our door”. Usually between 6 and 10 people knock every day, most of them from the nearby neighbourhood. Friends in Spain send them medicines. But the truth is they cannot afford to be ill, still less pay for intensive treatments. The teachers teach without pay, though they do get occasional travelling expenses and something to eat. “The Church is the only institution helping people to carry their daily crosses; it gives meaning to their suffering”, says the rector. Most people are grateful for the seminary; it is a sign that God has not abandoned them. “Many of them have little hope”, says one of the seminarians, Wladimir Tesorero. “I sense how important the seminary is to them and I thank God for giving a poor fellow like me the opportunity to bring hope to other people.” We are supporting the seminary with a contribution of €10,400 – so that the light can continue to burn brightly.
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India
Seeds of sound doctrine Altogether, ACN is supporting around 12,000 seminarians, or roughly one in every 10, worldwide. Most are in Africa, though there are also many in India. Currently there are 60 young men studying at the Khristo Jyjoti Mohavidyaloyo Seminary in the state of Odisha, India. It is a relatively small seminary, though it has already produced hundreds of priests. Their motto is “Rooted in Christ, in the service of others”. Around 20 young men will join them each year. In order to be able to put down these roots in Christ, they need the rich soil of his words and deeds – or more simply, Bibles, catechisms, teaching on the sacraments. Then it needs to be 4
watered by the witness of the Church and the celebration of the liturgy. We have previously helped the seminary to obtain the necessary books for their studies and prayer. But now these reserves are used up. And while, ultimately, every seminarian will bear the words of Jesus in his heart, he will also need a Bible and breviary for his priestly life – and also for his ministry to others. Most of the vocations in this seminary come from the community of the casteless dalits, the poorest of the poor. And it is
With the Word of God in their hearts, and in their luggage: seminarians in Odisha. among these people that these future priests will live and evangelise. This is a region where Christians face oppression and persecution, and it takes courage to be a priest here. The seminary is now asking us for new books, to inspire this same courage in the 60 new students who will be studying here over the next three years. The cost is just €5,934 – rarely were the seeds of sound doctrine more cheaply purchased.
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Any donation you kindly give will go to support these, or similar
Sudan
Mission possible – with good instruction Sudan was one of the earliest Christian countries in Africa. For centuries kings and common folk alike rejoiced in the Good News of the Gospel. The first Christian mission here took place as early as the year 39. Yet in the 16th century the lack of instruction in the faith was the principal reason why the once flourishing Christianity foundered and was lost. There were no well instructed priests or deacons left, knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures began to fade and, without a relationship with Christ, people were no longer able to withstand the pressure of Islam. That is why today, for the Bishop of El Obeid, a sound and solid formation of his seminarians is such a high priority. Knowledge strengthens faith, and this makes mission possible, and this is why the diocese – conscious also of the prevailing Islamic environment – is asking for help for its 29 seminarians. It is they who must renew the face of the earth, particularly Sudan’s earth. “I count on your mercy” – so the letterhead of the diocese proclaims. The Christians of this country, currently fraught with such political and economic turmoil, are indeed counting on God’s
mercy and on the shared faith of their Christian brothers and sisters of the universal Church. They need €23,200 – just €800 a head – for the 29 seminarians in the current year. That is not much – and yet still too much for this impoverished diocese. Help them to proclaim God’s mercy in the Church!
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Ready to spread the message of God’s love in Sudan: the seminarians of El Obeid.
Benin
The example of Parakou “We worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.” So says Saint Paul (1Thess 2:9). This is also the motto of the seminarians in Parakou, Benin. Their Archbishop, Pascal N’Koué, works on the assumption that these nine future priests will ultimately live on the land themselves and also largely support themselves. Consequently they will not only have to be fully prepared, theologically and intellectually, but also have all the necessary manual and practical and agricultural skills to enable them to survive on the margins and at the same time offer practical help to their fellow men. It is also a way of making a virtue out of necessity, as the diocese is poor and can scarcely support its priests in the 26 rapidly
growing parishes. And the number of vocations is also growing rapidly. Young people are knocking on the door, and there is scarcely room for them all. Today’s seminarians are housed in a half-dilapidated farm building. They have converted the rooms, and installed a makeshift chapel. But they still have to use the dormitory as their place of study. Faithful to their motto, they are working on building their own seminary. But they can’t afford to pay for the materials for building the extensions to the seminary, which is currently designed to house 10 young seminarians and their teachers, plus the chapel. Archbishop N’Koué is asking our help, and we
projects, and enable the pastoral work of Aid to the Church in Need.
Still having to study in their dormitory: more space is urgently needed! have promised €40,000. The example of Parakou’s seminarians is inspiring and Saint Paul would certainly approve.
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Pope Francis joins in
© Grzegorz Galazka
A million children praying the Rosary… The most recent worldwide prayer campaign, which, thanks to your generosity, we were once again able to organise in 2019, was joined on this occasion by one particular child of God – the Pope himself. On October 18, the day of the worldwide children’s Rosary, he tweeted a message that particularly delighted us at ACN: “Dear young people, as you pray the Holy Rosary for unity and peace, consider that in one of the rosary beads I too am with you!” This time there was an additional intention – as well as the usual intentions on the campaign for peace and unity – the petition to Our Lady to inspire the spirit of mission. For there is nothing the world needs more than Christ’s message of love – which brings peace.
Need, love and thanks − your letters The value of spiritual writings Dear Father Martin, the article on “good books” in Mirror 6 was as great as I’ve ever read – to clearly put forth the idea that the word of God saves and spiritual writings are invaluable to the fulfillment of the kingdom’s message that all should know about our God. I made 10 copies to give to my prayer group. Thank you. It was great! Praise God. He saves, and we have to get the good word out there! A benefactor in the United States The generosity of the young I am able to make this donation because my young neighbours, two sisters aged 6 and 13 respectively, will forego the Christmas presents that I was going to give them and asked me instead to give the money jointly with them in the form of a donation to you. In this way they want to share the spirit of Christmas with poor children who are suffering in their own countries because of war. A benefactress in Portugal
Renouncing his earthly possessions Here is a donation from me upon my solemn profession in the order of Saint Benedict, when I renounce all my earthly possessions. I am so happy to be able to help my Christian brothers and sisters in this way. Thank you for your good work! A Benedictine monk making his solemn profession in France ACN’s transparency I am delighted to hear that ACN is also present in Slovakia. I like what you are doing and above all the way you are doing it. Someone gave me a copy of your Mirror newsletter, and I am impressed by the way you always describe exactly where you are helping and how much money you need. I think this kind of transparency is very important. The Lord has moved my heart to help you financially, but at the same time I assure you of my prayers. A seminarian in Slovakia
Thomas Heine-Geldern, Executive President, ACN (International)
Dear Friends,
“We don’t have too few priests, we have too few faithful!” So one European Archbishop loudly declared to me during a discussion about the current situation in his own ecclesiastical territory. It is true; the real soil of vocations to the priesthood and other forms of the religious life consists in a thriving parish community and above all in a family environment in which Jesus Christ and his Church hold a prominent place. We are all responsible for creating a culture of shared conversation in matters of faith, which will gradually develop in order to progressively awaken and increase the coming generations’ interest in God. We need to talk, for example, about people who are deciding, here and now, to commit their lives totally to God and how they are going about this. This is one way of countering the widespread and growing indifference towards Jesus and his teachings. Thanks to your generosity, ACN is able to provide continuing support to our brothers and sisters of the suffering Church. Let us take inspiration from their faith and courage and so enable the voice of God, calling us to vocation, be more loudly heard in our own homes and households.
Editors: Jürgen Liminski & Stephen Axisa Please use the envelope. Aid to the Church in Need, 39B Mdina Road, Publisher: Aid to the Church in Need, 39B Mdina Road, Attard ATD 9038 Attard ATD 9038; Tel: 21487818; Fax: 21586257 APS Bank, IBAN: MT72 APSB 7705 7008 5772 2000 1771 733 Printed in Malta BIC: APSBMTMT De licentia competentis auctoritatis Email: info@acnmalta.org – facebook//Aid to the Church in Need Malta Pass this leaflet on to your neighbours, friends or leave it at the Parish ecclesiasticae www.acnmalta.org Church for others to review.
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