The Provincial's Weekly Letter to the Salesian Family
December 12, 2015
Dear Salesian Sisters and Brothers,
I am presently visiting the Boyle Heights community in Los Angeles. These last few weeks have been very hectic for me as I interrupted my visit to the St. John Bosco community to go to Ratisbonne in Jerusalem for the Curatorium meeting---an annual meeting of provincials and formation delegates to evaluate the Theological program attended by members of our provinces. I am finding out, through experience, that the days scheduled for my community visitations, especially, to the schools, have been less than what was needed. I could and need to spend more time in each of the school communities. So, hopefully, during the Christmas holidays, I can readjust my schedule to make up for what has been lacking. It is part of the learning curve. I thank everyone for their patience and understanding!
My visits to the communities have been a positive experience of sharing with the confreres some of my reflections and desires (hopefully, based on prayer and our Salesian traditions) and also listening to my brothers’ stories, hopes, difficulties and successes. I am in awe as I hear and see how God has worked so powerfully in their lives, at times, despite the challenges and struggles. I consider it an honor and an act of reverence to listen and allow my brothers to open the book of their lives which many times has been shared with only a few. So, I thank my confreres for their trust and vulnerability. This attitude creates a spirit of confidence and trust in each other and helps create healthy communities.
My trip to Jerusalem to visit our brothers in Theology at Ratisbonne was inspiring and uplifting. Although the weather was cold and I developed a slight bronchial infection, I found a great warmth and openness on the part of the Salesian community—both from the students and staff. I was made to feel very much at home and found the brothers very friendly and open. You could sense a spirit of peace and stability in the community. My thanks to Fr. Andrew Wong and his team who have worked very hard to make the formation program a healthy and spiritual one. Br. Gustavo Ramirez is doing well and is looking forward to his ordination to the Diaconate sometime in June.
My trip to Jerusalem coincided with Thanksgiving day. We were meeting at Ratisbonne and discussing Formation issues while the American world in the United States ate turkey, lots of added dishes and watched football games. But, in the evening of Thanksgiving day, Fr. Steve Shafran, provincial for the Eastern Province and I took our American brothers out to an Italian dinner. We were eleven of us, which included the provincial of the Antilles and a brother from Puerto Rico. It was a wonderful fraternal gathering of our American brothers and a time to give thanks for our vocation, the many blessings of our provinces and for each other.
On behalf of the Province I wish to extend our sincere condolences and prayers to Fr. Tim Ploch on the loss of his Mother, Dolores. While several of us had wanted to attend the funeral services in New Jersey, because of the distance, the immediacy of the services and, in my case, the many hours from Jerusalem to Los Angeles and the complicated travel arrangements, it became difficult to be present to support Tim. I was glad that three of our confreres were able to attend: Fr. Jesse Montes, Br. Al Vu and Fr. Joe Nguyen. Even though we were not able to be present at the funeral services, we wish to offer Fr. Tim our support, our prayers and condolences. We thank God for Fr. Tim’s Mom and the influence, the dedication, love and example given to Tim throughout the years which have sustained him in his service to the Congregation and the Church.
Saturday, I will preside at the Mananitas Mass at St. Dominic Savio Parish. After the Mass, I will drive up to Watsonville where I will preside at a 6:30 pm Mass, at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, in honor of our Lady of Guadalupe. On Sunday, the provincial council will begin our regular monthly meetings. We will meet until Tuesday evening. Please keep us in your prayers. I will then spend a day at the Provincial House before driving back down to Los Angeles to made the official visit of St. Dominic Savio Parish. On Tuesday, December 22, I hope to drive back up to San Francisco where I will spend Christmas day with the Northern brothers and a few days of rest and down time at the office.
The last two weeks, I gathered the directors and pastors—regionally- in the North and later in South. We gathered at a local restaurant in order to spend some time together, allow time for open communication and sharing. It is important to find moments in the middle of our busy lives and share our brotherly concern, support one another (especially, those in leadership) and enjoy each other’s presence. Our tendency is to lead very busy lives and feel we are wasting our time if we do not always have some agenda to discuss. However, part of our fraternal life is moving from a life in common to a deeper sharing of our common life. We need to learn to be vulnerable with one another, honest and open and create the style of family that Don Bosco dreamt for his Congregation and which Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, our Rector Major, also desires of us as a fruit of our Bicentenary celebrations.
As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the beginning of the Year of Mercy, we are reminded of God’s immense love for us. Pope Francis and Popes before him have insisted that the face of God is mercy. God the Father’s face through Jesus Christ is one of compassion and one who “enters into the chaos of our lives.” The apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego was a powerful event which continues to be reenacted in our lives today. God did not abandon his people in Mexico after the years of conquest, slavery, and humiliation of the indigenous people. The people of the Aztecs and other Amerindians were experiencing a time of darkness, despair and loss of hope. In the midst of that chaos, God sends his messenger, Our Lady of Guadalupe, to offer hope, comfort, solace and strength. Mary’s words to Juan Diego are the words of a Mother who says to her child, “Yes, you can do it.” The story repeats what God has been doing throughout history, with the people of Israel, with Mary, with Elizabeth, and with so many—”Trust, I will not abandon you! You will be victorious.” And, Mary says the same to us today, “Do not be afraid, am I not your Mother?” May this feast and our Advent season be a time of renewal, strength and a reminder that God is still intervening in our chaos to help us out and give us hope.
With warm regards,
Fr. Ted Montemayor, SDB
Provincial
