 |
 Vol. 11, Issue 1 Spring, 2002 |
[Note: The Spanish version of this issue will appear
shortly.]
| The Spirit of the Cenacle is the official Newsletter of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. It is published three times during the year in conjunction with the liturgical seasons of Advent, Lent/Easter, and Ordinary Time. The deadline for the next issue is July 15, 2002. Please submit materials for the newsletter to Smittie Bolner, 460 Bancroft Way, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA. E-mail: sbolner@lcox.net |
Contents
May the Grace and Peace of the Hoy Spirit Be with Us Forever!
Dear MCA members,
I ask you what I am asking myself during this Easter season: was Lent a transformation? Was I in need of transformation to begin with? During this providential time, what kept me from contemplating the meaning of our Lord on the cross? Did I reflect honestly on the sublime gift from God that we now proclaim with so much joy at Easter?
I would like to connect these questions and our replies to the call to our specific vocation-a call to which we have responded through the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. Personally and collectively, are we in need of transformation? I feel that we all need to reflect seriously on our call to be missionaries.
Through the Act of Consecration many will be received into the MCA during the season of Pentecost. This is not to be just a "good feeling" during this special ceremony. New Associates must be ready to respond to this vocational call, knowing that there are bumps and sacrifices down the road. Older members must be aware that as leaders and Associates we are still on our way to perfection and that ultimately it is Jesus whom we are following because He is the One who has called us through this less than perfect association-the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. If we understand this we must be ready to love, value and practice our Constitution that contains the Rule of Life as a means to deepen our baptismal commitment.
Those of us who have made the Act of Consecration and received the pin symbolizing our commitment are responsible for the formation of candidates. We do this by prayer, example and attitudes. The MCA is experiencing "growing pains" at this time; if we are less than faithful to our charism and the vocation given to us, then we are causing these "pains" to become more intense. Our pin is a reminder of God's redemptive gift and of our response to that gift. Let it also remind us of the importance of adhering to the Rule of Life in our daily lives.
To those of you directly involved in the care and formation of new candidates, I convey my most profound thanks and admiration. I am aware of your dedication. Because of you the MCA is able to expand for the glory of our Triune God.
Congratulations to the new Associates and welcome! Join me in this journey where together with Jesus we experience and celebrate his birth, death and resurrection!
In the Trinity,
Josie Morales, Custodian General, MCA
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPIRITUAL GUIDE
February 28, 2002
My dear Friends:
May the grace and peace of the Holy Spirit be with us forever!
Discipleship is about following the Master. With Jesus we willingly went into the desert. Guided by the Spirit we encountered and confronted “self.” At times reluctantly, then a bit later more generously, we curbed self’s faithful companions: self-seeking, self-ishness, self-interest, self-absorption, self-centeredness and the many others we know well.
The words of our founder, Father Judge, gave us encouragement: “You are to go from virtue to virtue, to sanctification. The Heart of Jesus is to be your heart. The mind of Jesus is to be your mind; the thought of Jesus your thought. The developing, the intensifying, the increasing of Faith, Hope and Charity is to be your work.” And so we have come through the darkness into the light…with the Master. We share the glory of His triumph over death! Our steadfastness in the work of Lent gave greater credibility to our vocation as disciples.
With my heartfelt wishes for a joy-filled Easter, I pray also that you may continue deepening your understanding of your call as a disciple, a missionary, an apostle of the Missionary Cenacle Family. Together let us praise and thank the Triune God for all the good you have accomplished. May love abound and your hearts never grow tired of loving!
With my love and prayers,
In the Most Holy Trinity,
Father Domingo Rodríguez, S.T.
International Spiritual Guide
Evelyn Heilker, a member of the New Life in the Spirit Cenacle, Atlanta, was elected Woman of the Year from Our Lady of the Assumption Parish by the AACCW (Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women).
The following letter from Sister Deborah Wilson concerning the Trinity Mission Center (TMC) was sent to the Sisters Community and copied to us for widespread dissemination among the MCA.
Dear Sisters,
I'd like to bring you all up to date on recent developments with Trinity Mission Center. TMC was originally a committee sponsored by the ST Vocation Office. It was comprised of members from all branches of the Missionary Cenacle Family. One major goal was to involve all the branches and our Volunteer program in the work of vocation promotion for the whole Family. However, the committee developed a life of its own, with its own mission statement and goals forged by appointed representatives from each branch. In 1998, the Missionary Cenacle Family Council officially recognized it as an independent project, sponsored and funded by all four branches. It remains unique in that regard.
This past September, Trinity Mission Center's part-time administrative assistant, Keith Pohlmeier, resigned, since his new family relocated to Virginia. After much deliberation together, we decided that we should move the office from Stirling to Cleveland. This would enable us to hire a full time, rather than part-time, administrative assistant, who could also provide sorely needed office support for the Missionary Cenacle Volunteer Program.
The Missionary Cenacle Family Council approved this request and is providing the necessary support. At this writing, several promising applications have been received and a new administrative assistant should be hired soon, perhaps by the time you read this. The address change is already reflected in recent promotional material, and the TMC phone now rings in its new space, shared with the Missionary Cenacle Volunteer Office.
With the office leaving Stirling, it seemed a propitious moment for Fr. Dennis to "retire" from Trinity Mission Center. After prayer and counsel, I agreed to become the new Coordinator. This position now has a two-year term, and will rotate among TMC core team members in the future. As coordinator, I now represent TMC to the Missionary Cenacle Family Council, and I am also responsible for the general guidance of TMC. Shawn Witmer, director of the MCV program, will serve as treasurer of TMC, and will supervise the new office administrator.
The work of Trinity Mission Center will continue as it has. We expect to have five Alternative Spring Break groups placed for service this spring, at least three Find Your Mission workshops, five short-term summer volunteer opportunities, and of course our increasingly popular Summer Mission Institute. One thing that will not happen this year is our annual Project Report that goes out as a separate mailing to every member. Instead, I will provide you with a brief review of our work for 2001 through our MSBT newsletter. Other branches will receive reports through their regular newsletters as well.
Your prayers and support for the work of Trinity Mission Center are always welcomed and gratefully received.
Yours in the Trinity,
Deborah Wilson MSBT
The following report submitted by Sr. Debbie Wilson provides a brief review of the accomplishments of Trinity Mission Center during the year 2001.
Summer 2001 Poster
This poster is mailed annually to every campus minister in the U.S. as well as
a large number of parishes and individual members of the Missionary Cenacle
Family. Its primary purpose is to recruit short-term volunteers for the
summer, but it also serves to bring in hundreds of vocation inquiries as well.
(In 2001, the MSBTs received 180 requests for vocation information through the
poster's rip-off reply postcards.)
Alternative Break program
This year we placed six groups for a week of service at these MCF sites:
Stirling NJ, Philadelphia PA, Camden MS, Pensacola FL, Temascalapa Mexico, San
José, Costa Rica, and Peninsula de Osa, Costa Rica. A total of 106 young
adults experienced our Family in action at local missions, and were provided
an orientation on the basics of the Missionary Cenacle Family. Most groups
also received promotional literature and TMC t-shirts. We are convinced this
is a great way to expose apostolic young Catholics to our charism and way of
life.
Find Your Mission workshops
We sponsored one workshop for Spanish-speaking young adults in East Los
Angeles. This workshop is designed to develop apostolic spirituality, and it
includes blatant promotion of the Missionary Cenacle Volunteers and other TMC
events. Although we did not meet our goal for FYM workshops, we hope to
receive more invitations from local members of the Cenacle Family to conduct
these workshops. Please consider inviting us to speak to young adult Catholics
in your area.
Summer 2001 mission opportunities
About 40 young adults in all served at Trinita, Tucson, Costa Rica, and
Tijuana. Trinita is in a unique position. It is a short-term mission, but its
volunteers are actually coordinated through Missionary Cenacle Volunteers
rather than TMC. TMC nevertheless actively promotes Trinita and refers
qualified applicants to the MCV office.
Summer Mission Institute 2001
We had 14 participants, a smaller number than previous years because we held
it in Stirling, NJ, instead of Mother Boniface Center (due to construction).
SMI 2001 was noteworthy for two reasons– it was bi-lingual, since several
participants spoke only Spanish, and it was an extraordinarily ethnically
diverse group. Participants were from Mexico, Korea, Sri Lanka and Puerto Rico
(both by way of New York), and the United States
The next MCA General meeting will take place on April 17-21, 2002, at Mother Boniface Center in Philadelphia. All Regional Custodians and Assistant Regional are invited to attend. The agenda for the April meeting will include orientation for new members of the Council and time for Council members to get acquainted. Fr. Domingo will take part in the meetings on Friday and Saturday and will give a workshop on “collaboration.” Fr. John Seymour will also be attending the meetings and will be providing hospitality, including pick-ups and departures from the airport. Josie has requested that Regional Custodians provide a report from his/her region. (These reports will appear in the July newsletter.) A meeting of the Spiritual Guides has also been tentatively set for the 22nd and 23rd of April at the Motherhouse in Philadelphia.
Peter Bock, husband of Mary Bock, MCA, Myrtle Beach, SC, passed away in late January 2002. Mary was co-founder of Holy Trinity by the Sea Cenacle of Myrtle Beach and a former Custodian. Peter often attended Cenacle meetings. Mary was also active in cenacles in Atlanta, Georgia, before she moved to South Carolina.
[This photograph of Rita and Joe was taken recently for inclusion in the parish directory of Queen of Peace Parish, Ocala, FL.]
Joe Kibbe, a long-standing member of the MCA, died rather suddenly on January 4, 2002. Born in New Brunswick, NJ, Joe moved to Ocala FLA, from Burnsville, MN., about fourteen years ago. A veteran of World War II, Joe is survived by his wife Rita (also a member of the MCA) and sons Martin, Andrew, Daniel, and Paul and daughter, Maura.
Joe was the founder of a cenacle in Minnesota. This was done with considerable effort on his part as there were no other members of the Missionary Cenacle Family in the area. After retiring and moving south, Joe founded Queen of Peace cenacle in Ocala, Fl. He served as Custodian and Assistant Custodian at various times. He always encouraged others to join the MCA and become missionaries. He was one of my favorite mentors, and would "tell me like it is," to use his words. Within the last month, he sent me a letter pledging his all to help with formation within our region and the MCA. Last year he drafted what he called a “Work Book” for the formation of new candidates.
Joe was a faithful contributor to the stewardship of the MCA even before we switched to a dues support base to a stewardship basis of contribution. Joe lived his life as a Missionary, always conscious of "being good, doing good and being a power for good."
---Joanne Jones, Regional Custodian, Trinity Region
Joe Kibbe: September, 1924-January 4, 2002
When Dick and I retired to Ocala, Florida, in 1986 God had a wonderful friendship in store for us. We met Rita and Joe Kibbe in 1988. We were immediate friends because Joe's second love, after Rita and his family, was the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. When he found out that I was related to Margaret Healy he was ecstatic. One day as we sat around our living room with a group of friends, I asked Joe to explain to them what the Cenacle was about. When he finished, we decided to form a new Cenacle right then and there. Joe was the first Custodian. In 1990 a second Cenacle was formed and both groups continue doing many apostolic works as led by the Holy Spirit.
Joe and Rita were always aware of opportunities given us within the providence of our daily lives to reach out and touch someone with God's love. We were all parishioners of Queen of Peace parish and resided in the same subdivision. Once all four of us were bus passengers together on a local trip. Joe explained to us that he and Rita would not sit with us on the trip because perhaps there was someone else to whom they could reach out and befriend. This was a small incident but so indicative of their enthusiasm as apostles and concern for the abandoned.
Joe and Rita had seven children and supported the God-given right-to-life of the unborn They very effectively picketed an abortion mill in Gainesville for many years. When a new one was opened in Ocala, their presence was seen there frequently. Many confused women had a change of heart after talking to these compassionate people. For twelve years they persevered to educate others about the horrors of abortion and to save the lives of these tiny unborn human beings.
Joe spent many hours serving meals at the local Soup Kitchen. He also received permission from several local supermarkets to pick up food every morning that had become outdated and deliver it in his car to the Soup Kitchen for the poor and hungry. Any surplus cakes he gave to other Cenacle members who ministered to at-risk teenagers at the Juvenile Detention Center.
Rita says another one of Joe's favorite charities was Food For the Poor, an organization that ministers to the needs of our brothers and sisters in third world countries. He and Rita also contributed very generously to all three branches of our Missionary Cenacle Family.
In his own unassuming but zealous search for the truth, Joe led the life of an apostle that will be a constant reminder and incentive to all of us who knew and loved him dearly. It is easy to visualize Jesus, the light, meeting him at the end of the tunnel of enlightenment, and saying to Joe:
"Welcome, Joe, my good and faithful servant.!"
And we have said in our nightly prayers:
"Thank you, Lord, for bringing Joe and Rita into our lives to show us how to be apostles within the providence of our everyday lives."
—Written with gratitude and love by
Virginia Lacina, Custodian, Sr. Marie Josepha Cenacle
Top
Regional
Reports
Saint John the Baptist Region—Puerto
Rico
Fr. Judge tells us that the Missionary Cenacle has a mission and that mission has many angles, but no side is more beautiful than our practices which contribute to the fire that Jesus came to bring to the world. This thought summarizes what we are living as Family in the region. We celebrated our First Regional Encounter in Coamo (the town of Fr. Domingo’s birth). Sharing as family were MCA members, our relatives, and Father Cristobal Reilly, ST, who celebrated Mass. San Blas Cenacle welcomed us and the “Mission Team” guided us in a dynamic exercise called “the Miraculous Fishing." Just as Jesus called the Apostles to become “ fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18-22), we were called to fashion a net and cast it with our hands united. Then we were invited “to fish" by giving of our time, talent and treasure. We left our "Encounter" filled with enthusiasm to serve, to become “fishers of men.” As a result we visited one of our jails "El Zarzal" where we served a supper to about 400 prisoners. We cooked , danced, sang and brought gifts. The best part, however, was that we found many souls in need of love. We now have an open door. Deacon Miguel (husband of Dorys Acevedo, MCA) is very happy to have so much work as a result of our outreach.
Shortly after, we were blessed with another "Encounter catch." "Grace" is the only word I can use to explain the arrival of Martha Vega, MCA. Before Martha’s arrival on the island, I was busy preparing for her visit. My son who is 5 years old asked me: “who is coming to our home?" I did not think he would understand if I told him that it was the MCA International Formation Director, so I said, “ A woman of God is coming, someone like a superhero.” Martha’s visit proved to me that among us there are many men and women of God. From Martha we learned the importance of being formed as apostles and using all our wonderful gifts in service to God. She explained the term Missionary Family and what it means to be a member of that Family. We learned that we must be open to the daily call of the Holy Spirit and to respond with praise and total confidence in Him. We discovered strengths that we must share and weaknesses that we must place on the foot of the cross. We gave Martha a tour of the island before she left for Santo Domingo and the mission where she was welcomed by other "Superheroes"--women and men of God. Nilda, Pablo, Olga, Tony and Doña Lala are already familiar names to many of us, having heard them from Virgenmina Lugo, MCA, who was making her sixth visit to the Dominican Republic.
On May 18 we will celebrate our annual retreat; we are pleased to have Father John Seymour, ST, with us. Please keep us in your prayers.
"The Spirit of the Cenacle" unites us, and the Eucharist reunites us in the heart of God. "The best way of obtaining another favor from God is thanking him for everything that he has just done in us” (Saint Vincent de Paul).
In love and service,
Alma Robles de Perfecto, ACM.
INCARNATION REGION—NORTHEASTEARN U.S.
MCA MEMBERS BRANCH OUT
MCA Associates Mike St. Pierre and Allan Wright have been teaching
theology in Catholic high schools in New Jersey for over a decade. As friends
and members of the MCA, they decided to pool their efforts and resources to
form "Catholic Ventures," a ministry at the service of the dioceses
of New Jersey. Providing keynote talks, adult training, retreats and
one-on-one coaching, Allan and Mike have been featured in several
publications, and Allan is working on his first book on the topic of
scripture. If you would like more information about their efforts, contact
them at www.catholicventures.com Says Mike St. Pierre, "We felt called to
do something more than teach in our everyday settings so Catholic Ventures was
the perfect outlet for expanding our work and resources. We feel that many
people ‘on the front lines,’ in parishes and dioceses are often too busy
to get the ministry support they need. CV is the response to those
needs."
Fall Retreat
Incarnation Region
Date: October 18,
19, 20
Retreat Master: Fr. Domingo Rodriguez, ST
Coordinator: Holy Trinity Cenacle, Silver Spring, MD
Where: Mother Boniface Retreat Center, Philadelphia (tentative)
For information and to register, contact:
Eleanor Kleman
10204 Prince Place #205
Largo, MD 20774-1207
Tel. 301-336-2806
TRINITY REGION—SOUTHEASTERN U.S.
New Cenacle in Decatur, Al
Sr. Chris Wiltrakis was hired by the parish of St Ann/Holy Family, soon to be Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Decatur AL, a few years ago . After about a year of careful prayer and discernment, she invited about twenty people to "Come and See" the MCA. The group began to meet once a week and developed an immediate sense of community and an interest in Fr. Judge's history and mission. Over the last two years they have solidified and reduced to the current 12 people. Seven members will be pinned this May at the Pentecost and Trinity Sunday retreats. These events will mark the true nativity of the Cenacle. With the new parish on the eve of development, it seemed Providential to name it "Spirit of the Annunciation" Cenacle.
New Life in the Spirit Cenacle, Atlanta: Working to Help Others
New Life in the Spirit Cenacle sent 118 bags of Christmas gifts to the coal-mining region of Summerville, West Virginia. This corporate ministry is an ongoing project for the Cenacle and one that has been quite successful
Candidate Cenacle in Dickson, Tennessee
In February, several members of the Latin American community from St. Christopher's Catholic Church, under the leadership of Abel G. Camacho, decided to begin an MCA. Mr. Camacho made contact with the MCA through the MCA Homepage on the Internet. He said “I did not expect to startup this fast, but once the ‘ball began to roll’ it got caught-up with the zeal and excitement of those members of the Latin American community interested in being part of the missionary laity.” The first meeting was held at the Church Education Center (basement) on Friday, February 25, 2002, with four candidates in attendance
Trinity Region Retreat Schedule
1. May 12th (Mother's Day weekend)
Fr. Shawn McCarty, ST. Theme: "On Gifts and Counsel."2. May 19th
(Pentecost Weekend) Fr. Ray Riding ST. Theme: “Pentecost."3. May 26th
(Trinity Sunday Weekend) Fr. Domingo Rodriguez, ST (MCA General Spiritual
Guide). Theme: "Trinity." (This will be a bilingual retreat.)
The registration form is printed below for anyone who wishes to use it:
PLEASE PRINT
Please reserve a place for me at the Trinity Region Annual Retreat on:
NANE OF RETREAT (weekend) ______________________________DATE ___________
NAME: ________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________
CITY___________________________________ST__________ZIP____________
PHONE (______)_______________________CENACLE___________________________________________
DEPOSIT ENCLOSED (MIN $30)________________ NOTE: The TOTAL FEE is $99.00 - $125.00 (Please plan to pay as much as you can. The total cost to the Retreat Center is $150.00. Fees for the MCA retreats do not cover the Retreat Center’s actual expenditures. Any additional offering is gratefully appreciated. All gifts are acknowledged and tax deductible.)
Please enclose a check for total amount of deposit. Make checks payable to Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity or M.S.B.T. Your cancelled check is your confirmation. If you wish additional confirmation of your registration, please enclose a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Mail this form and your deposit check to: Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat, 107 Holy Trinity Road, Fort Mitchell, AL 36856
Dear Associates and Candidates:
It has come to my attention that monetary contributions as part of our stewardship program have fallen down considerably in the recent past. This may have been due in part to confusion over the announcement in the last newsletter that Pat Regan would no longer be handling the MCA stewardship account. This was in error. Pat Mantzouris, an MCA Associate from Maryland, will be taking over the duty of processing the contributions once she learns the system. Until further notice, continue sending your donations to Pat Regan at the address on the pledge form below .
I realize that the economy has been on a decline during this same period, which could account in some measure for the decline in contributions. In the past we have depended on the generosity of the religious branches of the Missionary Cenacle Family for the bulk of our support. We had hoped by this time to become more self-sufficient. Unfortunately this is not yet a reality, although we were greatly encouraged by the generous outpouring following our initial appeal in 2000. Most of the funds have gone towards strengthening the MCA, and improving communications within the Regions. You will be receiving a full accounting later this year as part of my annual report to you.
So once again, I call upon you to share your goods and resources so that we might continue the work that we have begun. It is never easy to ask you to make sacrifices for the community, but even Father Judge reminds us “The cenacle calls for a spirit of sacrifice. You should be known as men and women of sacrifice. In other words, you ought to have that virtue down so fine that not a murmur of complaint should come from you no matter what would happen…” (Missionary Cenacle Meditations, p. 102). Let us be assured then Stewardship encourages the virtues of generosity and self-sacrifice; whatever sacrifices we make for the Cenacle we will be blessed by God. So, fellow missionaries, in the words of Father Judge: “Do give this much thought, do hold yourselves responsible for the future of the Cenacle.” Please pray for the grace to respond generously to this beautiful gift we have been given!
You are constantly in my prayers, and I beg yours for me. Your love of and commitment to the MCA and the Missionary Cenacle Family continue to inspire me.
I am your servant,
Josie Morales, MCA General Custodian
Pledge Form Missionary Cenacle Apostolate
After prayerful consideration, I am pledging the following amount in support of the MCA:
$__________each month _____________My first monthly pledge gift is enclosed.
_____________I would like a monthly reminder sent to me at the beginning of each month
_____________I don’t need a reminder $____________as my entire stewardship gift for the year 2002
Name: __________________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ___________________________________________________
Phone ______________________________ E-Mail: _____________________
___ Please send me information about making a bequest to the MCA in my will.
___ Please send me information on donating stock or other assets to the MCA.
MAIL THIS FORM AND FUTURE DONATIONS TO:
Pat Regan, MCA
MCA Fund Development Coordinator
3929 Greencastle Rd. #207 Burtonsville, MD 20866-2114 USA
Home Phone: 301-890-1680 Office Phone: 301-434-6761
FAX (Office): 301-408-1443 E-mail: patregan3@aol.com.
Please notify Jim Bolner, who maintains the mailing list for the newsletter, by e-mail or regular mail of any changes in your mailing address. It is also important that he be given the names of new Candidates and Associates who wish to receive the newsletter. Jim is also in the process of updating the MCA Directory. Please notify him of any changes in your Cenacle’s officers and Spiritual Guide. Jim’s mailing address is the same as the newsletter editor’s; his e-mail address is poboln@lsu.edu.
MCA website: http://mcenacle.org/mca/.
There are three books available onthe life of Dr. Margaret Healy.
Margaret: Called and Chosen
By Sister Marie Josepha McNutt, MSBT
Available since 1989, in English, 283 pages, $8.00Margaret: a Summary
By Lori Fontana, MCA. Based on Margaret: Called and Chosen
Available since 1998, in English, 40 pages, $3.00NEW!
Margaret Healy, Ph.D.
-
Perfil de una Misionera Moderna
By Sister Josefa M. Cordero Vera, MSBT
Now available: in Spanish, 49 pages, $3.00
Missionary Cenacle Press
3501 Solly Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19136 U.S.A.
E-mail: archive288@aol.com