The longest of the three parables on God’s mercy in chapter 15 of Luke’s Gospel bears the traditional title of The Prodigal Son, named after the younger son who wasted his inheritance in a foreign land. Since the father is the central figure in the story, the parable has sometimes been re-named after the Prodigal Father, who so lavishly shows his love and mercy to his rebellious younger son.

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Since the month of November 2019, the massacres in North Kivu have intensified. No one is asking what strategic motives are behind this resurgence. These butchers, who have often been active in the eastern region of this area, that is to say, the eastern flank of the city of Beni watered by the Semuliki River, are now carrying out operations on the western flank of the city as far away as the peaceful populations of the Ituri Forest, in towns bordering North Kivu Province. In the eyes of some analysts, this intensification is a strategic move by the killers from east to west and reveals the enforcement of an order to carry out, as soon as possible, a plan motivated by some extravagant expansionist desires. The thesis of a balkanisation is the one most often proposed in Christian quarters, especially Catholic ones. People holding certain political positions, depending on the divergent interests and ideologies that underlie them, speak of the possibility of occupation or secession, especially when one considers that these massacres frequently occur in places situated several hundred yards away from government military or Monusco camps.

After some hesitation, the Kinshasa Region, which is part of the African Province, has decided to establish the postulancy community in Bibwa, an area located on the outskirts of Kinshasa, some 40 km from the city center. The Province has a vast piece of land along a river, which allows for the development of food crops and livestock for self-financing. The Province of Africa had in recent years built the necessary premises for this installation.

In addition, in 2017 the congregation opened a primary school on the same site that is developing from year to year.

Although still rural, this area is nevertheless seeing more and more houses built that are occupied by poor families living mainly from the products of their fields.

Access to the Bibwa area is very difficult: from the national highway, it is necessary to take 6 km of sandy tracks before having to cross a river whose level can rise during the rainy season.

The purpose of this project is to build a small concrete bridge over the river that will allow pedestrians, motorcycles and cars to traverse it, and also to facilitate access to the Bibwa district not only for the Assumptionist postulancy community, but also for the children who attend our school and the wider population.

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Father José Miguel Díaz Ayllón recently celebrated 25 years of priesthood. The celebration took place at the Assumptionist Parish, “Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Emperatriz de América” in Mexico City together with the Assumptionist community, family members, friends and local parishioners.

In his homily, Father Miguel shared his gratitude to God for the gift of ministry and for everyone who has supported him along his journey. He highlighted, a priest is one whose life becomes a response of God's love. This sacrifice has nothing to do with suffering, but in a renunciation of oneself in order to be at the service of the Church.

Written By Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A., Provincial Superior of the North American Province.

In a piece for Assumption’s alumni magazine a few years back, I was musing on the fact that students rate getting a good job as the #1 reason for going to college. No surprise there, but there’s an irony lurking in that. The more apparently practical and pragmatic one approaches the purpose of education, the more one is at the mercy of forces outside of one’s control. What’s the job market going to be like when I graduate? As long as the economy is humming along, as it has been for some time now, that question does not rise to the level of urgency. But how susceptible we are to taking things for granted.

I was thinking along these lines on hearing that the coronavirus is causing stock prices to plunge and bringing to light how much dependence we have on China. Who knows what further disruption this epidemic/pandemic will cause, but it’s one of those moments, apparently, when we are brought face to face with a discomforting truth: that the ground under our feet is not as solid as we might have supposed. 

You are merciful to all, O Lord, and despise nothing that you have made. You overlook people's sins, to bring them to repentance, and you spare them, for you are the Lord our God.

(Wisdom 11:24, 25, 27)

(Liturgy for Ash Wednesday-Entrance Antiphon)

Written By Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A.

A book in hand

Undoubtedly, there are advantages to reading from a tablet or an iPad. Cost, convenience while traveling, storage capacity, font flexibility all favor the electronic device over the traditional book, to say nothing of environmental concerns and the elimination of all that paper. Clearly, electronic is the reasonable way to go.

But sometimes rationality is not all that it’s cracked up to be. Or, better, a rationality reduced to considerations of cost and convenience. Consider all the pleasures of the book, starting with the tactile ones: holding the book in hand, turning the pages, even tearing open the Amazon-delivered box. Then there’s the underlining, the highlighting and notes in the margins. Yes, those last three can be done on the tablet, but not with my peculiar script and idiosyncratic notations. Altogether, there is a presence to a book that makes it an extension of myself. I used to say when I was teaching a course that it felt like a companion for the duration of the semester. A book in hand can feel something the same.

By Fr. Peter Precourt, A.A.

I have now been here for two weeks and have begun to find my way around El Paso. Thank goodness for the app Waze which guides me through the maze of roads here in Southern Texas. This is no small city. It is very spread out. I would say that 95% of the buildings are only one story high and that includes most of the commercial property. The tall buildings are found in the city center and college campuses. The current population is estimated at around 682,669. The diocese of El Paso is estimated at 80% of the population. When it comes to weather, I would say “Toto this is not New England”. This a desert climate that is cool at night and warm during the day. The humidity is generally around 12%. The trees (which are few) have been planted and are watered daily by irrigation. It is quite dusty when the wind blows because there is not much vegetation to keep the soil down.