After celebrating the Sunday liturgy together, the community, residents and guests gathered recently for this semester’s first CONVERSATIONS AT THE CENTER at the Assumptionist Center in Brighton, where the overriding theme was “Launch Us on the Adventure of Mercy!” More specifically, the presentations zeroed in on the inspirations gleaned by attendees at this summer’s World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland as experienced by Fr. Ron Sibugan, AA, campus minister at Assumption College and Cameron Martin, a member of the college’s choir and a teacher at Algonquin Regional High School.

The theme for this year’s WYD was, “Blessed are the Merciful for They Shall Obtain Mercy.” After visiting several significant sites in Italy and France where the U.S. Assumption pilgrims traveled in the footsteps of Fr. d’Alzon and were greatly touched by his spirit and his love of the Church, youth, the poor and marginalized. Moving on they met up with the international Assumptionist pilgrims in Brussels and then on to Krakow, Poland where they represented fourteen countries. According to Fr. Ron and Cameron, what was most striking during this pilgrimage was the over whelming experience of celebration, openness, hospitality, diversity, fraternity, love, solidarity, commitment, trust and compassion experienced not only by meeting other pilgrims but by living with host families in Poland. Because of the many languages represented during daily encounters with folks, there were many creative methods of communicating devised that were quite successful!

This past August six young Vietnamese began their novitiate under the capable guidance of Fr. Paul Nguyen Van Hung. The novitiate is located in Ba Ria, some 55 miles southeast of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on the shores of the South China Sea.

The Assumptionists run a house of theology, a novitiate, one parish, an orphanage, a community for candidates, and four student residences in Vietnam. They also oversee a residence for young workers in Saigon.

The Assumptionists are celebrating their 10^th anniversary here just as they are in the Philippines and West Africa.

What were your thoughts as you made your final profession?

As I look back over the years since I have met the Assumptionists, I feel a certain kind of joy that the Lord has led me to be counted among them as a brother and as a fellow-worker for the extension of the Kingdom. I must admit that the journey was not always easy and I found myself asking whether this was where the Lord wanted me to be.

There were many things in my life that I had to let go and more still that I need to change. In the journey filled with constant conversion, my Assumptionist brothers have provided the invaluable challenge, support and encouragement to be formed in Christ who has called each one of us.

Perhaps like the brothers who had been through the path of Assumptionist formation, I am now at a certain point and with a certain confidence to say that I could not imagine living any other life other than being an Assumptionist—with the conviction that the Lord has truly called me to be one.

THE ASSUMPTIONIST CENTER...

a place where we learn together,
a place where we discover what it means to be Church.

In order to help that happen, we need to think and talk together.
And so, we are happy to announce this semester’s

CONVERSATIONS AT THE CENTER
on SUNDAY, September 25

“Launch Us on the Adventure of Mercy!”
Inspirations from World Youth Day Krakow 2016

At this conversation, we are delighted to have Fr. Ronald Sibugan, AA and Mr. Cameron Martin share with us their recent experiences at World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. Fr. Ronald is a campus minister at Assumption College. Cameron is a high school teacher at Algonquin Regional High School and sings for the choir at Assumption College.

Come, Listen and Share
Sunday Eucharist at 11:00am, followed by
Conversations and Brunch
@ 330 Market Street, Brighton MA 02135