Contents

• A word from the Superior General
• Fr Etchecopar wrote...
• To my brothers priests
• This lake which I have seen
• The generosity of Betharram
• 5mn with Fr Alessandro Locatelli
• Notice from the General Council about Fr Gilbert Koffi Kouman
• In memoriam: Fr. Jean Tipy (1922-2009)
• 1959-2009: Betharram in Ivory Coast (7)
  

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A word from the Superior General

Procuring the same happiness for others

During one of my visits to the communities, one of our Betharram Brothers who had recovered from a drinking problem, invited me to go with him to a reception centre of Alcoholics Anonymous. The first thing I want to point out is that this religious is doing everything in his power to be rid of the problem and despite the difficulties, never misses s meeting of the group.  When you see him in activity it is easy to understand that the recovery is most important for him; it has helped him to regain many elements of his life and to assume the responsibilities of his vocation and mission.
At the rehabilitation centre we took part in a meeting with people who are undergoing therapy for their drink problem.  Our brother gave witness on his experiences, before and after his rehabilitation. What struck me most is that he talked for an hour – the same man who is always complaining about the length of the sermons by certain Bishops.  However I understood; when one is convinced of something from having experienced it in one’s own flesh – something which means a lot in a lifetime – the time spent explaining ones hopes is of little importance, from the moment it is a question of convincing others not to bypass a liberation which is vital for them.
This experience reminded me of the Betharram mission, which, according to St Michael’s saying, consists in procuring the same happiness for others.  For those who have had the same misfortune as himself, the brother in question is trying to pass on the quality of life following freedom from drink addiction.  Two life qualities are here under observation: the one which he can say has already been realised in his own life, and the other which the audience can reach if they really believe it possible and if they take the means to attain it. 
Thanks to the witness of the consecrated life and the activities of his mission, the Betharramite proclaims the love which God has for him but also the love he has for the whole man, such as has been revealed to us by Jesus in his obedience and death. The object and aim of the mission is to introduce us into a movement of quality of life or happiness.  Thanks to this experience of God’s love, every individual we meet on our path, could reach a better quality of life, happiness and salvation.
It’s the same happiness as that of the Betharramite Priests.  It is also a special experience, but a hidden one: the same happiness experienced by our Father, St Michael Garicoits.  And the happiness of the priests of Betharram is the same as that of Jesus bowed and obedient before his Father, from whom he receives that Love which shines forth from his attitudes, his acts, his actions and his words.
The happiness of Jesus.  Jesus, incarnate, dead and risen, is the source of happiness. In him happiness is the result of the conviction that he is the Beloved Son of the Father, who loves him with a tender and committed love.  It is a love, in response to his Father’s love, which brings Jesus to freely give his life, and consists in doing nothing of his own accord, but in acting always under God’s Spirit, ever abandoned to God’s will to suffer and to do whatever He (God) wants.  Such is the happiness of Jesus bowed and obedient; he is appealing; he is the modal and means for reaching divine love.
It is the same happiness as that of St Michael Garicoits:  he answered God’s love for him by dedicating his life to the organisation of the Congregation willed by God; he died on the cross of obedience, without seeing his work recognised and with all the signs of possible dissolution.
It is the same happiness of the Betharramite Religious – and today we would say of the laity; as they contemplate Jesus and St Michael they too have experienced God’s love, which urges them to consecrate their life by vows to procuring that same happiness for others. This happiness is contagious. If it is lacking in a Religious, what can replace it?
The same happiness of the others: the expression of our happiness will inevitably pose a question for those who see us: why is he like that?  And just like the hero at the beginning of my reflexion we will say that the reason is our quality of life and our happiness.  We shall announce to them God’s love manifested in Jesus Christ; we shall tell them that he is there for them too, that they will get to know him, experience it, announce it and in turn they will procure for others this same happiness, to the end of the world, and to the end of time.

Gaspar Fernandez,SCJ 

Fr Auguste Etchecopar wrote... personal notes #38

I have no doubt at all; the priesthood is something so sublime, so divine, that the Priest must be another Jesus Christ.
My Saviour, what a poor ambassador you will have.  What a poor copy, debased, unrecognisable of the admirable original, of your holiness, My God, of your qualities, O Jesus.  And yet, “There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength” (Phil. 4,13)  You can change stones into children for Abraham.  O Lord, fill me with your Spirit.  “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you,  then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you”  (Rom 8,11)
Revive, increase and expand within me that Spirit of force and grace which, in your goodness, you gave me at the moment of my diaconal ordination. Grant that I may correspond to your grace, and place all my trust in the Blessed Virgin, your divine Mother.
O Jesus, I hope in you!  O Jesus, I want to please you!  O Jesus, how good you are!  I want to praise you throughout eternity. Amen.

To my brothers Priests

For the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of the Cure d’Ars, the Betharramite Archbishop of Rabat wrote this open letter.  Materiel for reflection and thanksgiving!

On 19th June 2009, Feast of the Sacred Heart, the Holy Father opened the Year of Priests.  May this year be for each one of us a year of thanksgiving for all we have received since our ordination.
Thanksgiving for all that love by which we have been overwhelmed;  love which flows daily from the pierced Heart of Jesus.
Thanksgiving for all the meetings we have had and, which at the same time, have drawn us closer to God and to humanity, to whom the world is entrusted.
Thanksgiving for all those different from ourselves and yet who have helped us to grow in humanity and in our faith.
Thanksgiving for the wealth of love given and received.
Thanksgiving for a better understanding of how much we are part of this Church which wants to be a sign of the unprecedented love of God for the men and women of every culture and every religion, and especially in this country where we have been welcomed.
Thanksgiving for the invitation to be not only at the service of a Christian people; we understand better that we are priests for all the men and women we meet.
As we reflect on how far we have come since our ordination, we also remember all those people, priests and laity, men and women, young and not so young who have accompanied us on our journey;  is it not a little thanks to them that we are what we are today?
On such a day, should we not be thanking God for the gift of the Eucharist which we are invited to celebrate as we recall what Pope John Paul II wrote: “The Eucharist is not only the expression of communion in the life of the Church but it is also a project for solidarity for the whole of humanity”   How important it should be for us where ever we are in this country!
The Pope continues: “The Christian who takes part in the Eucharist learn to become a builder of communion, peace and solidarity”. What a huge responsibility is ours at every celebration!

+Vincent Landel,SCJ

This Lake which I have seen.

Lying in a narrow valley Surrounded on all sides by steep hills Nursed by the warm Mediterranean climate Peaceful and silent, a real wonder of nature! As I travel along its friendly shore I step on stones which have been smoothed by the passage of time Stones left there for countless eyes to contemplate By people of every colour and from the four corners of the earth.  In the distance I can see a solitary boat Swayed by the currants of the water Carefully, delicately, affectionately, Just like a mother cuddling her child. To the North of this lovely scene, matchless historical sign Lies the oasis, Source of Life and shelter Known as the Lake of Tiberiad,  Witnessed the birth of God’s Holy Church. Oh sweet and gentle bottomless Source, Lying at the foot of remnants, relics of founding civilisations; Words of fire have been spoken here To renew the face of the earth. Go and have a look at the Lake of Tiberiad and let your imagination loose Dream – imagination – meditation – praise – Prayer . I don’t doubt for a moment The Son of God spoke here and the Age of Love was opened for good. Serge N'Da, novice in Bethlehem poem composed during a pilgrimage with the novitiate into Galilee,to the North of Israel

The generosity of Betharram

The Betharram family was born of the outstanding generosity of the Incarnate Word.  By an act of love, he gave up his divine state; he turned his attention to our wretched condition to raise us up to God.
Saint Michael was able to contemplate the movement of Jesus who became man through love, and who lived among us as one of us, with the exception of sin.  He then tried to find how best to reproduce this incarnate generosity.
Essentially, every Betharramite is called to live like Jesus, by consecrating himself totally to the care of others, principally the poorest and the sick.  The generosity of Here I Am led him to live totally abandoned to God.  He sought neither honours nor recognition.  On the contrary he tried to have the Name of the Father known and loved by all.
Following the example of the Incarnate Word a true Betharramite is always ready to do the Father’s will.  He can be active but he also knows when to withdraw.  He is aware that he is a servant, and a useless servant at that.  He is generous in everything he undertakes.  He knows that it is not important to do a lot but to do, with a generous heart, what has been entrusted to him.  He can display the utmost charity in the limits of his position.  He never keeps anything for himself; he can share.  Like the widow in the Gospel who put into the Treasure of the Temple the few coins she had, the Betharramite trusts Divine Providence.  He knows that everything created, even our Congregation, owe their existence to God.
Betharram has always been noted for its generosity.  From the moment of its foundation, it existed to be of service to the Church.  Our first Betharramites served the diocese of Bayonne by praying, hearing confessions, preaching the Word, and teaching.  They existed for others.
The mission to America shows clearly the great generosity of our Father founder: to appeals from the Bishop of Buenos Aires he responded without delay.  He sent him his best religious, even though his own community had less than thirty religious in final vows.
Betharram is poor but knows how to give generously.  He believed that we had to do everything possible and leave miracles to God – for example the multiplication of the bread.
St Michael’s Here I am is generous and doesn’t restrict itself to a particular task; it is open to the times and needs of the Church.
When Pope Leo XIII asked Father Bourdonne, Superior General, to plant the Lovely Tree in Paraguay, straightaway the Betharramites said Here I am and off they went to work in colleges, parishes, and missions in the service of the poor.
Likewise in Brazil when, at the request of the Cardinal of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Sebastiao, the Betharramites pitched their camp at the foot of the Serra de Mantiqueira;  from there they went to other places and bore many fine fruits.
The Betharramite is a valiant warrior, dedicated to the service of God and of the Church. He is not discouraged by obstacles.  He goes straight ahead, convinced that all is possible when the heart is in it.
This is why the Betharramite is obedient; he lets himself be guided by God’s plans which are the most generous way of giving oneself to Him.
St Michael dreamt of men who would be totally devoted, ready to obey without delay, without reserve, without looking back, for love’s sake rather than for any other motive.
Following the example of Our Lady of Beau Rameau in her immense generosity in saying “yes” to the Lord, may we learn to live generously, given more and more  to the mission which has been entrusted to us, and at the end of the day may we be able to say: “we have only done what was expected of us”.

Davi Lara,SCJ
seminarian in Belo Horizonte

5 minutes with... Fr Alessando Locatelli

“To be Parish Priest is a fine but exacting adventure.  Fine, because after some years, one is at the head of a big family; demanding, because it is not easy to keep the sheep in the sheepfold. (A parishioner from Montemurlo)   Chat with the man in question, Fr Alessandro Locatelli.

Nef: You have spent the greater part of your priestly ministry in the Sacred Heart Parish, Montemurlo.  After such an experience you must have some interesting things to tell us.
- It’s true!  Without exaggerating I could write a book!  I’ll stick to one aspect, a reflection I have been pursuing for some time now.  When I look at the children and the youngsters, those from the catechism classes, the chaplaincy, or the summer youth club, a line from Psalm 128 comes to mind: “You will see the sons of your sons” And when, in the parish, I see the children of those who for the past 21 years have been coming to the chaplaincy or the youth club, I feel that I have been blessed by God.  Today, not every club has the joy of seeing its young people grow up, and once married with their own children, in the name of all those happy times spent together, see them entrusting their children to you, while they continue to be part of the Christian community.

The nerve centre of most parishes is the youth.  It is said that after Confirmation they give up the Sacraments.  It this true or is it an exaggeration, in your opinion?
- It’s true; everyone working in the parish agrees.  Even here, once they have received the Sacraments of Christian initiation, few young continue to come to Church.  Personally, I continue to hope, not only because certain stay on; but because the good relations we have with every one and the fact that the door is always open, helps to keep contact which one day may even lead to a return to Church. The thing that helps me keep contact is the little blog which I keep and the social facebook which allows me to maintain links with lots of young people.

Incidentally, with the show Narnia you got all the young people involved. Can you tell us a bit more about your love for the Narnia chronicles?
- The Narnia experience which is now in its third year has been considered a “marvellous adventure”.  It all began as a game and no one, not even me, was expecting such a passion. This year 130 actors (children, teenagers, youth, adults) have all been acting for the last six months  in the show which every one says is a success and is suggestive. And I’m not even talking about the army of helpers: costumiers, producers, decorators, sound technicians, dancers etc. It’s on purpose that I mentioned “floor” for Narnia is the work of Lewis, a great friend of Tolkien; their novels are part of fantastic literature of Christian inspiration, and therefore offer matter for reflection and catechism.

19th June saw the opening of the “Year of priests”. The cure d’Ars used to say that “only in heaven will the greatness of it be fully understood. If it was fully understood here on earth, we would die, not of fear but of love. After God, the priest is everything”. Does such greatness not frighten you?
- Of course it does, but I remember what Don Gino, the parish priest of my village, used to say just before I went to the seminary. I was afraid of being neither worthy nor capable of being a priest, he would answer:  It is not the worthiness which counts but the call. His words still fill me with trust. 

What do you think a priest ought to do so as not to stagger beneath the weight of his responsibilities?
- It is obvious that the care of his spiritual life as religious and priest is not just a duty; it is an act of love for ones self, for the people entrusted to you and for God.  Then, it is just as important not to neglect the purely human dimension, cultivate sincere and loyal friendships with people with whom we can compare, have moments of relaxation, have things in common, what ever they are, which help in self construction in every aspect of life.

As a religious-priest, how would you situate the community in the pastoral activity?
- Besides mine, two other parishes were entrusted to our community.  We are willing to help each other in our pastoral activity.  Incidentally, for years we have been waiting for our superiors to define the persons, the activities and a calendar for the launching of “L’unite Pastorale” which would make the presence of Betharram here in Montemurlo more incisive.

Notice from the General Council about Fr Gilbert Koffi Kouman

In September 2007, the assembly of the Religious of Rio de la Plata (Argentina and Uruguay) had decided to restructure the communities and particularly to leave the parish of San Roque de Santiago del Estero to strengthen our presence in Nueva Esperanza (200km to the north).  Fr Gilbert Koffi Kouman, a Betharramite from Ivory Coast, who had been received in Santiago in 2003, didn’t accept the change; he did not go to Nueva Esperanza and refused to join another Betharramite community, in Argentina or elsewhere.

At the beginning of 2008, support committees organised protest marches; the media got hold of the story.  Sticking to his position and refusing all authority from the Church, Fr Gilbert continued the exercise of his ministry, celebrating healing Masses which had brought him notoriety, despite being forbidden by the Bishop.

All efforts to meet with him failed to alter the situation. After exhausting all avenues for dialogue, in line with Canon Law, the General Council took note of the refusal to return to the Betharramite Family and submitted his case to the Sacred Congregation for Religious and the institutes of Consecrated Life. By decree of the General Council confirmed by the Holy See on April 27th 2009, Fr Gilbert Koffi Kouman has been dismissed from the Congregation. We pray for this religious suspended from office and for the communities affected by the whole affair and its outcome.

In memoriam: Vicariate of France-Spain

25th September 1922 in Hasparren - 5th June 2009 in Betharram

The Gospel of the Beatitudes is a resume of the whole Gospel. It is the ideal of every Christian, every priest and of us all, religious.  Whereas from every angle we hear people say: Happy the rich, the powerful, the strong,; the Lord says Happy the poor, the merciful, the pure of heart.
This was the ideal of Fr John Tipy.  Born in the Basque country, as a young man he heard the Lord’s call; in August 1940 he entered the novitiate in Balarin, continued his studies in Palestine where he was imbued with the spirit of the Beatitudes. On the 4th July 1948 he was ordained priest. With other Betharramites Fr John Tipy was embarked in the mission of education. For years and years he devoted himself to this mission body and soul.
He was a conscientious teacher who always considered his role in the world of education as a mission, and he was always surprised to hear voices who didn’t agree with him.  It is true, that having been well prepared Fr Tipy was an excellent teacher, loved and respected by his pupils.  Early on, he had to take on headships in several colleges: he was always a competent superior, good at organisation, always concerned about the good of his pupils. Whenever he was appointed head of a school or college, at Betharram or at Ozanam in Limoges, it was certain that the mission would be well carried out.  
There is one point which is worth mentioning:  the religious community of which he was responsible always held him in high esteem and was fond of him. Of course there were difficulties, but in the hurly burly of this age, Fr Tipy remained faithful to his vocation as an educator.  
At St Stanislas College in Paris, he gave the best of himself, finding there a place to blossom fully. He was a theology teacher greatly appreciated by his pupils who were ever grateful to him. For Fr Tipy never lost sight of the fact that he was a priest , believing that the education of youth was part of the mission entrusted to the Betharramite fathers; and he wanted to remain faithful to that mission right up to the end.  
When the time for retirement came, Fr Tipy was able to be useful in the Parish of Saint-Amand in the diocese of Bayonne, a diocese to which he was proud to belong.  For he never forgot, however brilliant he was as a teacher, wherein lay his spiritual and human roots; there too he was faithful
Thank you, Fr Tipy for all those services rendered, for the conscientious teacher you were.  Thank you for all those young people you helped to grow up; they will not forget you.
To say thank you is to recognise the work of the Spirit in the life and work of Fr Tipy, a life which was one of service.  
Thank you is also the meaning of the word Eucharist, thanksgiving. “The Eucharist is the highlight of my day”, Fr Tipy used to say. May he be thanked for all eternity!

Gaston Gabaix-Hialé,SCJ

1929-2009 BETHARRAM IN IVORY COAST It is nearly 50 years ago since our Congregation took its first steps in Ivory Coast. We are following the story of this undertaking during this jubilee year. We shall owe it to Father Laurent Bacho, General Councillor and formator in Abdijan.

7. ANNIHILATION