Some news in the Delegation

"Delegation Mother of the Church"
Assembly of verification. 

On 12th April we successfully completed our Delegation Assembly in the General Curia and elected Fr Mariano Jorge Zapico to represent the Delegation at the General Assembly of the Congregation at the Shrine of Aparecida, Brazil 13-20th October 2013.  Thanks for all your contributions from the communities.  We are still working on the final document to be sent to the General Council after having translated it into Italian.  During our Assembly we had the joy of seeing Pope Francis from very close quarters at the General Audience and also the joy of visit his patron saint's town of Assisi, which is so full of places which are witnesses to his amazing following of Christ, nearly 1000 years ago.

I am in the Philippines at the novitiate house at Montalban, after a good journey via Dubai from Rome.  All the confreres, novices and seminarians preparing to go to the ordination of Deacon John Socorro Castillo on the Island of Samar where his home is.  It is a 16 hour journey by car to the end of Luzon Island.  There we get the ferry to Samar and then I don't know how long it will take to reach his home.  We are leaving tomorrow morning at 3 am local time.  So please pray for John as he prepares to receive ordination to the priesthood on 1st May.  He will be the second Philippino priest to be ordained in our congregation.

Let us also pray for those who are sick. Recently Fr Henryk Halman, from the Hampton Wick community had a back operation in Poland.  He is doing well and should be back in England soon.  Let us pray that it may be a long-lasting cure to his problem.  Fr Angelo Quadrini seems to be recovering well in Jasper, USA.  Fr Lawrence Tosatto has regular check-ups and is doing well in India.

Later on at the end of May, 6 novices (4 from the Philippines, I from India and 1 from Kenya) in the Delegation Novitiate, here in Montalban, should make their first profession.  Let us also pray for them, as they commit themselves to follow the Lord closely in the footsteps of St Luigi Orione.

Sadly Br Santhosh from India has decided not to renew his vows.  Let us pray for him as he discerns the way forward in his life and thank God for his presence among us.

I also ask a remembrance in prayer for my auntie Doris who died recently in England at 93 year of age.  She kept up with the news of our congregation by being a regular reader of the Bridge, although she was an Anglican.  She and her daughter, my cousin, regularly sent donations.

I also ask your prayers for Merlyn Fraser and especially for her husband, Keith who is seriously ill in Kingston-on-Thames.  Merlyn has been the one who has put the Bridge Magazine together for many years with her skills as a graphic artist.  She has had to leave us to give all her attention to her sick husband.  

May the peace of Christ, the motherly care of Mary and the intercession of St Luigi be with us all.

Fr Malcolm

Fr. Malcolm Dyer FDP

Delegate Missionary Delegation "Mother of the Church"

Via Etruria 6 - 00183 Roma-Italy

Tel.  0039 06 7726781