By Matthew Chua*

I arrived in Mexico City two weeks ago not knowing what to expect, and two weeks later, each day is still overflowing with surprises.  My first few days in Casa Manuel were an interesting mix of handling the language barrier, receiving welcoming gestures yet with the still unfamiliar awkwardness, and with not knowing what will happen next for each part of the day up to dinner time each day.

Fr. Vincent Machozi, A.A. is an Assumptionist from the D.R.Congo (Central Africa) who is studying at Boston University's School of Theology since September 2006. In May 2011, he received a  Certificate in Religion and Conflict Transformation from the Boston Theological Institute (BTI) after fulfilling the academic requirements of the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program. Students from all over the world preparing to become peacemakers in their respective countries, churches, congregations, NGO’s, register every year in this program. Fr Vincent, who intends to be an educator and a peacemaker upon his return in the D.R.Congo, registered in this program during 2010-2011 with other students from the following countries: USA (8), Jamaica (1), Tanzania (1), Ivory Coast(1), Ghana(1), Belgium (1), South-Korea(2), Serbia (1), Zimbabwe (1), and Puerto Rico (1).

In the words of Saint Marie Eugenie of Jesus, Foundress of the Religious of the Assumption and patron saint of AMA, “God has fashioned us in a unique way… He wants us to take a certain place in his plan.”  Last August, a group of 11 young AMA’s  were sent out from Assumption College to better understand their certain place.  As the end of the volunteer service year approaches, I reflect on the lessons that this year’s AMA’s have learned and what they can teach us by their very being.

Enthusiasm is at the top of the list of characteristics that I have seen shine through in this group. Their zeal for embracing Jesus in the form of those that they serve is no less than inspiring.  Their enthusiasm allows them to be disappointed, homesick, confused by culture and language, and unsure about their impact on communities which have become home, and bounce back, ready to continue on.  I strive for this type of attitude in my own life and thank them for passing on the example to me and all those touched by their service.

This past Thursday, June 16, 2011, Fr. Benoît Grière, Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption, appointed Fr. José Miguel Diaz Ayllón  Provincial of North America.

Fr. Miguel Diaz accepted the mission entrusted to him and will take office on July 1, 2011.

NEW BEGINNINGS

The St. Peter and St. Andrew Center opened officially on January 17, 2011 in Bucharest.  The building, confiscated  63 years ago, was returned to the Assumptionists after the fall of the Communist regime.

The Center is first of all a place for ecumenical dialogue and research especially with the Orthodox Church.  It is also a residence with a dozen rooms available to university students.  The Center  houses an important theological library of some 15,000 volumes mostly in the area of ecumenical studies and research.

A WORD TO OUR ASSUMPTIONIST BROTHERS,
TO LAY ASSUMPTIONISTS,
AND TO SISTERS OF THE ASSUMPTION FAMILY

Dear friends, brothers and sisters,
The 32^nd General Chapter of the Assumption began on May 3, 2011, in Rome, in the immense house of the Brothers of Christian Schools the day after the beatification of Pope John Paul II.

I come from Passos, a city located in the southern part of Brazil. Born in 1982, into a Christian family, I am the second of three girls. My parents, simple people, attached to tradition, but not regular Church-goers, always insisted that we have a Catholic education. From my first year of catechism classes, I felt drawn to the Church, experiencing a great happiness in being able to pray, to sing, and to go to recite the rosary in different homes. I was fortunate enough to belong to a lively parish and so it was quite natural that, around 12 years old, I became the coordinator of our neighborhood, inviting residents to prayer meetings. At 14, I joined a very active youth group in the parish, where I seemed to find a second home.

During the recent series of tornadoes that predominantly hit central and western Massachusetts, two had a significant impact on the parishioners of our Assumptionist parish of St. Anne's in Sturbridge, MA.The first one hit a half of a mile up route 20 at Heritage Green while the second one hit by New Boston Road. Some parishioners were definitely struck, as information becomes known gradually. Electricity is being restored slowly, as a number of streets are being cleared of trees and debris. Meanwhile, we pray for those who have lost their lives and for those who are in need of healing as they try to rebuild.

I am a Little Sister of the Assumption from Cork, Ireland and have been living in the semi-desert region of the State of Bahia, North East Brazil for the past 15 years.  I am visiting Boston because this region of MA has the highest consentration of Brazilians in the USA.  I am staying with the American sisters of our congregation in Dorchester, where they have been involved with Project Hope for many years.  The charism of our Congregation is that the Kingdom of God may come among the families of the poor.   We do not have institutions such as hospitals or schools, but work with the family in their own setting, in their homes and neighbourhoods.