From February 26 to March 6, members of the Assumption Family living and working in Eastern Europe (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Russia) and Israel held their annual meeting in Jerusalem. At the end of their session, which included a retreat and various workshops, they issued a message to the members of the general chapter scheduled to be held in Rome this coming May.

Meeting at St. Peter-in-Gallicantu (Jerusalem) from February 26 to--March 6 for our annual retreat and working session of the Near Eastern Mission, we, the brothers present, wished to address a message to the General Chapter of the Congregation to be held the month of May in Rome.

February 4-7, 2011

Day One: Our Founders

At Due Pini, the General House of the Assumptionists in Rome, a workshop just ended, which brought together the five Congregations of the Assumption Family (with four representatives from each Congregation). It is the second gathering of this kind, dedicated to deepening reflection on the charism of our religious family. This year,  the theme was the love of the Church. 

Day of Recollection for Those in Ministry at St Anne-St.Patrick Parish - an Assumptionist Parish in Strubridge, MA

A Lenten day of recollection for those in ministry took place recently in St. Anne/St. Patrick’s parish in Sturbridge, MA. The theme “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” was developed by the parish staff members and lay ministers who reached out to one another. The attendees of the day long event, which concluded with liturgy, were parish volunteers who represented areas of service which included: social outreach, grounds maintenance, hospitality, catechesis, liturgy, pro-life, finance/development, prayer groups and special events, just to mention a few.

We have entered Lent: a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a time of spiritual renewal as well. For us, Africans, this year, we do so as we experience the particular reality of the northern half of our continent, Arab Africa, as we often call it.  Unprecedented events are taking place there and we all worry whether they will lead to lasting democratic changes or to a simple “cosmetic makeover” which will soon reveal the wrinkles that come with age.  Food for thought!

(Fr. Alain Thomasset is an Assumptionist currently teaching theology this Spring 2011 semester at Assumption College in Worcester. He is "on loan" from the Region of South Belgium where he is a member of the Maranatha community. Fr. Alain holds a doctorate in theology from Louvain University. He dedicated his doctoral thesis to the work of  Blessed John Cardinal Newman.)

Conversations at the Center - Sunday, March 6, 2011

The lay volunteer program, Associate Missionaries of the Assumption, was the focus of the latest in a series of “Conversations at the Center” in Brighton, MA. Sponsored by the Religious of the Assumption and the Augustinians of the Assumption and as stated in their mission statement, “AMA is a lay community of persons whose life and mission are rooted in the love of Christ and His Church.”

New London, Conn. (February 28, 2011)—Bayard Magazine Group has acquired all future publication rights to Faith & Family magazine from Circle Media, a publishing apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ.

Faith & Family, a magazine for young Catholic families, is the center of a Christ-focused community of like-minded mothers who encourage and support one another in the joyful, challenging, important work of Catholic living. This sharing of wisdom and inspiration takes place in the pages of the magazine as well as on its vibrant website - www.faithandfamilylive.com.

On Monday, January 17^th, 2011– a significant date for it was the vigil of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – the official launch of the new Assumptionist community in Bucharest, Romania took place. The renovated  building houses a Center that seeks to be at the service of Church unity and is placed under the patronage of the two apostles, Peter, “Coryphee”, and Andrew, the First-called, emblematic figures for the Churches of the West and of the East.

The local community, made up of Fathers Lucian Dinca, Michel Kubler, Cornie Nelissen and Ovidiu Robu, welcomed a good number of Assumptionists and Oblate Sisters for the event, but also representatives of other Churches, friends and acquaintances, lay people, priests, and religious. In all, close to 130 people took part in this very successful inaugural session.

On February 5, 2011 Brother Mbusa Katomeko Anicet was ordained a priest at the hands of the Most Reverend Edouard Kisonga, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa. The ceremony took place in there Assumptionist parish of The Divine Master where Fr. Anicet had his diaconate experience. Two others were ordained with him, as priest, Fr. Michel M’vula of the Congregation Love and Liberty and, as deacon, Brother Alexandre, a Norbertine.

Surrounded by family, friends, and his Assumption brothers and sisters, Fr. Anicet gave thanks to all at a lively reception held at the parish hall next door.