My dear Religious Brothers and Lay Brothers and Sisters in Assumption:
Christmas always reminds us that the love of God is close to us. Not only does the child Jesus make Himself human, but also His fragility reveals his face in the little ones of this world.
I cannot wish you anything better than the presence of Jesus in your lives, in your feelings, in your relationships and in your decisions. He is the one who has reunited us, He is the one who has called us to live our faith in the style of Assumption.
The challenges and rewards of doing campus ministry as evangelizing the next generation of adult Catholics was the topic and focus at the recent Sunday “Conversations at the Center” in Brighton, MA. After celebrating the liturgy for the Second Sunday of Advent, the community, residents and guests listened to Fr. Bernard Disco, O.S.B. address the topic. Fr. Bernard, a resident at the Center since August, 2011, is a Benedictine monk and was campus minister at St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, NH from 2006-2011. He is now in graduate theological studies (S.T.L.) at Boston College’s STM.
Based on his experiences, Fr. Bernard shared stories, his perspectives and questions about ministry to college-age young adults for our reflection and conversation in order to illustrate approaches to this ministry in our contemporary culture.
Recently, the Assumptionist Center in Brighton, MA welcomed Archbishop John Dew as a visitor from ‘down under’ Wellington, New Zealand. The purpose of his visit was dual in nature. First of importance was his wish to spend some time with one of his diocesan priests, Fr. Patrick Bridgmen, who is studying for his License in Theology in the STM at Boston College. Secondly, he was in route to Rome for his ‘ad limina’ visit at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI.
The entire Assumption Family requests healing prayers for our brother Fr. John Franck, A.A.
On Friday, November 24, as he was returning from a routine jog in Rome, Fr. John was the victim of a hit-and-run driver. He sustained extensive injuries, including broken bones, multiple abrasions, and sprains. Confined to bed with casts on both legs, he is now recovering at the Assumptionist house in Rome, Italy.
Having most recently served as superior of Emmanuel House in Worcester, MA and vocation director for the Province of North America and the Philippines, Fr, John is now serving the congregation as a member of the Superior General’s council in Rome. May he experience a quick and complete recovery.
Campus Community Donates 800 Pounds of Food for St. Paul’s Pantry of Worcester
Assumption College’s Reach Out Center (ROC) hosted the College’s 3rd annual Homelessness and Hunger Week from Nov. 14-18. Assumption’s events corresponded with the National Awareness Week sponsored by the National Coalition to End Homelessness.
“Hunger and Homelessness Week is an important effort at Assumption, because it raises awareness of a population which much too often goes ignored or forgotten,” said senior Meredith Deacon, an ROC Committee member. “I hope that, by participating, students are now able to see the issue more clearly and can recognize their own ability to act.”
This morning, Monday December 5, our Vietnamese brothers are gathered in Ba Ria (Vietnam) for the funeral Mass of Fr. Paul NGUYEN VAN DONG (37 years old) who was killed in a motor bike accident. He was one of the founding members of our Assumptionist mission in Vietnam and Master of novices.
It is a sad moment for his family, for his young Vietnamese brothers and for our Assumptionist mission in Asia.
Thank you for your prayers for Fr. Paul, for his family and for our frail communities in Asia.
