It reads more, “Erie is selected to encourage local alumni and friends to attend. In addition, the city has changed for those of us who boarded and now offers many venues to make your extended weekend very interesting. From Presque Isle Downs and Casino, golfing, a drive-by on East 38th Street to the gorge; your opportunity for fun and amusement is only limited by your time and imagination.”

⇒ THE 2011 KANTY REUNION FLYER ⇐

2011 is not only the 50th Anniversary of the graduating class of 1961 celebration. It is also a centennial of laying the cornerstone of the St. John Kanty Prep building. The ceremony took place on Memorial Day (May 30) in 1911. So, there is double occasion to celebrate!

The Kanty Reunion Weekend starts on Friday, September 16 in the The Avalon Hotel & Conference Center, 16 West 10th Street, Erie (get directions).
The Hospitality room in the hotel opens at noon to 10:00 PM. For those who sign up earlier, Winery Tour with hors d’oeuvres is scheduled 7:30 to 9:30 PM.

On Saturday, September 17, hospitality room opens at 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. There will be banquet dinner at the Erie Maennerchor Club, 1607 State Street (get directions).

Sunday, September 17,  Mass at 8:30 AM in St Peter Cathedral, 230 West 10th Street (get directions) followed by
Brunch and Annual Meeting in The Concourse of Union Station, 121 West 14th Street (get directions).

For more information and registration details read the OFFICIAL FLYER or visit www.kantyalumni.com website.
If you have questions, feel free to email Mr. Leonard OLEN (G’61) or Mr. Michael TROTT (G’77). You can also call Mr. Walter MIELCAREK (G’61): (216) 849 3447 or Mr. Michael TROTT: (814) 454 8879.

To sign up for the event fill the REGISTRATION FORM and mail it to Mr. Walter MIELCAREK on the address shown in the form.
Registration Fee is $100 per person (complete package) or $50 per person for banquet only. Discounted rates ($79 – double and $99 for suite) at Avalon Hotel are available for reservations through August 8, 2011.

☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ ☞ GET REGISTRATION FORM ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜ ☜

Following the invitation from the Preparation Committee we say, “Please call who you know and encourage your classmates to attend”.

Father Patrick, the new Director General, will attend his first General Council Meeting in the Central House of the Company at 140 Rue du Bac, Paris, France in November. By Christmas, he will have finished his current work at St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y. As the Director General he will be living in Maison Mere, at 95 Rue du Sevres, Paris.

“According to the Constitutions and Statutes of the Daughters of Charity, the Superior General has the competence to appoint the Director General as his permanent representative and collaborator, with ordinary vicarial powers, to the Company of Daughters of Charity. His mission is to promote the spiritual and apostolic life of the Sisters and to help the Superioress General and her Council in animation of the Company, as specified in the Constitutions and Statutes.” – we learn from Fr. Griffin’s patent letter of October 18, 2010.

Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, C.M. was born on December 12, 1952 in Brooklyn, NY. He was received to the Congregation of the Mission in the Eastern Province of the U.S.A. on June 21, 1972 in St. Vincent Seminary, Philadelphia, and ordained priest on May, 26, 1979 in Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton, PA. He is a graduate of Niagara University, where he earned a B.S. in Physics. In 1984 h e received the M.Div. in Theology and a Th.M. in Theology from Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, PA and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from The Catholic University of America.

In addition to serving on the faculty at  St. John’s University as Executive Vice President for the Office of University Mission, he has taught at Niagara University, Mary Immaculate Seminary, and the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, Long Island, NY, where he currently holds the rank of Professor. From 1993-1999 he was Econome General for the Congregation of the Mission in Rome. On return to his native Province, in 2000 he was elected a member of the Provincial Council for the Eastern Province and has been holding the post until present.

In his letter to the Nominee, the Superior General assured him of his prayers and support as well as of Fr. Alvarez’s assistance in becoming oriented in the new responsibility. “In this jubilee year that we have just completed, I entrust your mandate particularly to Saint Vincent and Saint Louise so that they pray for you and obtain for you light, wisdom, and the strength of the Holy Spirit to help you in your new service”, Father General writes and concludes, “that Mary, whom we invoke in this month of the Holy Rosary, accompany and guide you. «As the Virgin Mary is invoked and taken as patron of things of importance, it is impossible that they do not go well for the glory of Jesus, her Son» (SV XIV,126).”

Read the Circular Letter of the Superior General on the occasion of appointment of Fr. Patrick Griffin CM

On Friday, September 24 at 9:00 a.m. local time Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints presided at the Eucharist in the Hall of Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum in Rome (Via Paolo VI 25).  After the Mass he opened the conference “Mission and Charity” which took place in the Augustinianum, too.  In his speech Cardinal Martins said:

»They were pages of the Gospel lived with intensity« and continued, »they were two great masters of charity because they were primarily two great masters of spiritual life.« Next, Cardinal pointed out that »charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit granted to the Christian community which has the courage to evangelize, teach and heal but above all also to witness and love… In the seventeenth century, to respond to hunger for God, the Holy Spirit gave birth to St. Vincent and St. Louise who engaged in building a new society based on solidarity and charity. They were able to involve everyone in high-class and poor, king and queen, from large to small,« added Cardinal Saraiva Martins and continued, »they did not experience poor as something bulky but as someone to love in Christ as we love ourselves. A love that comes from a paternal sense, prophetic insights having worked with courage, their commitment to living as a real need for faith…« Addressing hundreds of members of Vincentian Family present in Sala dell’Augustinianum Cardinal added, »the Church and the world needs your work« and concluded his speech saying, »Vincentian charity, is not to surrender, but to resist.«

The conference, “Charity and Mission” continued with series of lectures delivered by

• Professor Barbara Negruzzi titled “France of the Great Century”;
• Father Luigi Mezzadri CM, “A new way of being priests: St. Vincent and the priesthood”;
• Father Nicholas Albanian CM, “Christ, the Rule of the Mission”.

Later on the day another lectures came from

• Professor Yvonne zu Dohna, “The Poor in Arts”;
• Professor Giuseppe De Rita, “Towards the New Culture of Charity: The Poor, »My Burden and My Pain«”;
• Father Erminio Antonello CM, “The Church, the Body of Christ, the Home of the Poor”; Father Jean Landousies CM, “The New Way of God Speaking To Men: St. Vincent and Evangelization”.

Meanwhile between first and latter series of lectures participants of the gathering were given ability to watch the latest documentary on Vincentian charism, “VINCENT DE PAUL CHARITY’S SAINT”. The film was prepared by DePaul University earlier this year to commemorate 350th Anniversary. (It can be ordered online from DePaul University Bookstore HERE )

On Saturday morning, September 25, the conference resumed. Another lectures were delivered by

• Professor Gabriella Bruna Zarri talkin on “Women in 1600s”;
• Doctor Marina Costa, “St. Vincent, St. Louise, Vincentian Volunteers and the Challenges of Poverty”; and finally
• Sister Evelyne Franc DC, Superioress General, “Saint Louise, spiritual guide”.

Then, at 17:00 local time, there was a highlight of the day, the Jubilee Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica attended by all Conference participants and numerous pilgrims from various countries and places as well as other people. It was presided by Cardinal Franc Rodé CM, the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In his homily the Cardinal said,

»the demand for love is as urgent today as it was in the seventeenth century, indeed perhaps more… To be a Vincentian today,« said Cardinal, »is once again to follow Christ, the Evangelizer of the poor and His mission; to be a missionary, to “inflame” human hearts with simple, humble, gentle, mortified lifestyle.« In this sense, he concluded, »a Vincentian must have a surplus of love and knowledge of the poor; the true Vincentian knows Christ, puts Him in the center, knows St. Vincent, St. Louise and Vincentian Saints and knows the poor. It is left to him to evangelize and change them, act and work for them. A Vincentian, first and foremost is all for God and for the benefit of all«.

Finally, earlier today, at 9:00 a.m. in Rome there was another Holy Mass in the Sala dell’Augustinianum presided by the Superior General, Father Gregory Gay CM.  Father Corpus Delgado CM delivered speech on “Saint Louise and the devotion to the Holy Spirit”. All participants of the “Charity and Mission” conference attended as well as most of the pilgrims who came to Rome for  closing of  the Jubilee Year of 350th Anniversary.

At noon, in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict XVI in his Angelus message, as part of the reflection on service to others, recalled that Monday is the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, a priest whom he said 350 years ago in France knew how to organize stable forms of service to marginalized people.  The Pope said:

»In this Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 16:19-31), Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The first lives in luxury and selfishness, and when he dies, ends up in hell. The poor, who eats the leftovers from the rich man’s table, his death is carried by the angels in the eternal abode of God and the saints. ”Blessed are you the poor – had proclaimed the Lord to his disciples – for yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk 6:20). But the message of the parable goes further, it points out that, while we are in this world, we must listen to the Lord who speaks through the Scriptures and live according to his will, otherwise, after death, it will be too late to repent. So this story tells us two things: the first is that God loves the poor and relieve their humiliation and the second is that our eternal destiny is conditioned by our attitude. It’s up to us to follow the path God has shown us coming to life, and this street is love, not meant as feeling, but as a service to others, in the love of Christ.

By a happy coincidence, tomorrow we will celebrate the liturgical memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, patron of Catholic Charities, which marks the 350th anniversary of his death.  In France of 1600, he touched with his hand the sharp contrast between the richest and the poorest. In fact, as a priest, he was able to attend both the aristocratic circles, campaigns, as well as the slums of Paris. Driven by the love of Christ, Vincent de Paul was able to organize stable forms of service to the marginalized people, giving rise to so-called “Charitées”, the “Charity”, ie groups of women who put their time and their property available to more marginalized. Among these volunteers, some chose to devote themself completely to God and the poor, and thus, together with St. Louise de Marillac, St. Vincent founded the “Daughters of Charity”,  the first women’s congregation to live their consecrated lives  ”in the world”, among the people, the sick and needy.«

[compiled from RadioVaticana,
Italian edition of  ZENIT.ORG of September 23 and September 26
and the website of the Holy See]

On Thursday, July 8, 2010

Watch proclamation of  election results

Look at he Election Decree proclaiming the election lawful

watch how the Decree was read by Fr. Delgado

Election results were proclaimed  by Fr. Gabriel Naranjo, moderator of  today. The runner up in the ballots was Fr. Javier Alvarez CM, delegate of  Spanish Province of Madrid, Director General of Daughters of Charity.  The second runner up was Fr. Corpus Delgado CM of  Spanish Province of Zaragoza. After Fr. Gregory accepted the election, Secretary of the Assembly, Fr. Delgado read in clear Latin the Election Decree. Next, all participants gave him a standing ovation.  Afterwards, they came one by one and greeted the reelected Superior General with cordial and fraternal hugs.

Daughters of Charity lead by Superioress General Sister Evelyne Franc, who  interrupted  Confrere’s joy for a while when she came whith her greetings and best wishes, quickly joined the common joy and happiness This festival of hugs and greetings moved to the gardens and courtyard of Motherhouse at Rue du Bac.

Watch also picture gallery from the Superior General election

Fr. Gregory Gay CM was born in 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.   Few weeks ago he celebrated 30th anniveersary of priesthood ordinations.  Originally, he is member of Eastern Province (USA).  When he was the Visitor of  Province of Central America he was elected Superior General during the 40th General Assembly  in 2004. During his tenure  practically, he visited all provinces of the Congregation of the Mission and most the provinces of Daughters of Charity and travelled to 72 countries of 87 where Vincentina Family is present.  His second term as 24th Superior General will end up in 2016.   Biography in “Vincentian Encyclopedia” .

[pictures: Province of New England,  films: Province of Chile]

]]> http://cmnewengland.org/2010/07/fr-gregory-gay-cm-re-elected-superior-general/feed/ 1 http://cmnewengland.org/2010/06/farewell-to-concord/ http://cmnewengland.org/2010/06/farewell-to-concord/#comments Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:53:53 +0000 Toma http://cmnewengland.org/?p=561 After 27 years, 4 months and one week Vincentians are leaving St. Peter’s Parish  in Concord, NH.   The Parish was taken over on February 1, 1983 with Fr. Chester Mrowka CM as first Vincentian pastor (8th in total). On September 1, 1983 he and two other confres, Fr. Mitchell Wanat CM and [...]]]> After 27 years, 4 months and one week Vincentians are leaving St. Peter’s Parish  in Concord, NH.   The Parish was taken over on February 1, 1983 with Fr. Chester Mrowka CM as first Vincentian pastor (8th in total). On September 1, 1983 he and two other confres, Fr. Mitchell Wanat CM and Brother Joseph Zurowski CM settled in St. Peter’s Rectory. They moved here from Laboure House , Bow, NH which suppressed the day before. The Vincentina history in this place began. In 1987 Fr.  John Sledziona CM replaced Fr. Chet as pastor and superior and he was followed by Fr. Mitchell in 1996. In  2000 Fr. Francis Mcguire CM (Eastern Province)  took pastorate.  The recent Pastor was Fr. Anthony Kuzia CM, since 2005.  In 2006, additionally he was appointed pasotr of neighboring Sacred Heart Parish and Fr. John became Director of Ckergy Formation.  Today the history comes to an end.

In Bishop’s of Manchester, Most Rev. John B. McCormack’s Personal Assigment Announcement of April 12, 2010 we read:

“The following changes are effective June 9, 2010 unless otherwise noted.

Pastor
Very Rev. Richard A. Roberge, VF, current pastor of Good Shepherd Parish, Berlin and Holy Family Parish, Gorham has been named pastor of Sacred Heart, Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Peter parishes, Concord. [...]
Reverend Steven G. Montesanti, current pastor of Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Concord has been named pastor of Saint Anne Parish, Hampstead.
[...]
Reverend Anthony F. Kuzia, CM, current pastor of Sacred Heart and Saint Peter parishes, Concord has been named pastor of Saint Patrick Parish, Pelham effective June 23, 2010.

Associate Pastor
Reverend Marcos Gonzalez, current associate pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, Portsmouth has been named associate pastor of Sacred Heart, Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Peter parishes, Concord. He will assist Father Roberge with the merger of these three parishes into one parish community.

Other
Father John Sledziona, CM, currently in residence with Father Anthony Kuzia at Sacred Heart Parish, Concord will assume residence at Saint Patrick Parish, Pelham effective June 23, 2010. This is in keeping with the Vincentian Fathers’ request that their priests live in community. Father John will continue to serve as diocesan Director of Clergy Formation.”

It is the sad moment for our community. Vincentians were invited to Concord by Bishop of Manchester who was impressed by the mission Fr. Ronald Wiktor CM conducted in his diocese.  During the pastor’s tenure of  Fr. Sledziona he served as head of Concord Deanery, too.   Taking Sacred Heart Parish in 2006 brought us hope to expand our mission here.  However plans  of the bishop are different.  As we learn from the announcement, new Pastor and his Associate will work on merging three parishes into one. It is very responsible and difficult task.

New pastor and his Associate will be officially introduced to both parish churchs on upcoming Sunday, June 13, 2010.

Leaving Concord, we wish  our parishioners at St. Peter’s and Sacred Heart all the best and plenty of blessings from Our Lord. You will ramian in our prayers and our hearts.  And to Father Richard A. Roberge and Father Marcos Gonzalez we wish they task and goal will be accomplished with success.  May God help you, protect and guide You.

In the old, traditional Polish way, “SZCZĘŚĆ BOŻE, Z BOGIEM”

It was May 15, 1955

Fr. Waclaw Hlond (pronounced: Va-tz-wa-v) was born on July 12, 1929 in Blachownia, a town near Czestochowa, Poland. He was received into the Congregation of the Mission in October 1951. Ordained in 1955. His first and only assignment in Poland was in Pabianice where he was vicar and religion teacher.

As first Missioners did almost 55 years earlier, Fr. “Wacek” (pronounced Va-tz-ek) came to St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Parish in New Haven, Conn. as his first post in then Polish Vice-Province in the United States in the second half of 1958. Next year (1959) became Vicar at St. Stanislaus and hold it until being sent to new post in St. Joseph Parish, Ansonia, Conn. After three years as Vicar there, in 1964 was ascribed to Mission House in Whitestone, New York. He was involved in parish mission and sent to Washington.D.C. to Michigan University Extension. In 1967 moved to Mission House in Utica, NY where he served as second superior (succeeding Fr. Arciszewski) until end of 1973.

On February 1, 1974 he took position of pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish in New Haven welcomed as an old friend by the parishioners. During his tenure as pastor the happy occasion took place at 9 Eld Street. On April 23, 1975 autonomous Vincentian Province of New England was established there and the house became first Provincial Residence. As a pastor. Fr. Hlond’s first major activity in New Haven was to supervise the actual construction of new four-car garage (blueprints were prepared by previous pastor Fr. Julian Szumilo). Another accomplishment was continuation of repainting of the church by Anthony Amato in 1974, furnishing the sanctuary with new chair of celebrant, concelebrants and new lectern. In 1975 he supervised redecoration and renovation of the auditorium repainting of convent chapel. In the year of Diamond Jubilee of the parish (1975) Fr. Hlond additionally became superior of the house.

From 1973 to 1975 was member of Vice-Provincial Council. Again in 1979 – 1981 was Provincial Councilor. On September 8, 1981 was elected the third Visitor (Provincial Superior) of New England Province succeeding Fr. Julian Szumilo. In 1984 re-elected for second term. He stayed in the Provincial House in West Hartford, Conn. for another year and since 1988 served as superior (until 1994) and pastor (till 1996) in Ansonia, Conn. In 1996 returned to New Haven for the third time, again as superior and pastor. Since 2006 is assigned to St. Joseph in Ansonia again.

On this special jubilee celebration day we wish Fr. Waclaw abundant graces from Jesus, the Eternal Priest, in his life, health and Vincentian ministry. May the Lord bless and protect you Father!