Contents

• A word of the Superior general
• Saint Michael Garicoïts wrote...
• Rediscovering 
  
• The Service of Formation
  
• 5 minutes with the Community of Yamoussoukro
  
• A History of the general Chapters of The Congregation of Jesus of Betharram (2)

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A word of the Superior general

CONSECRATION THROUGH THE VOWS.

By choosing us Jesus wants us to get to know his Father’s love and to keep us for Himself.  We answer God’s love for us by consecrating our lives to him.  To him who gave his life for us, to him to whom we are configured through Baptism, we give the best of ourselves through the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience by which we participate in the life style of the very person who chose us (Rule of Life 6).

Consecration is not only the expression of the individual.  It is a grace, a free gift from God who looks on us with love, chooses us, consecrates us to himself and makes us partakers in his mission.  This consecration becomes a reality in Baptism by the gift of the Holy Spirit which transforms us into sons through divine grace.   Through the seal of Baptism and Confirmation we are associated with Jesus, the Beloved Son of the Father, the Messenger and the Dedicated.  Through our association with him, we too become disciples and messengers.  This consecration seen as a gift from God is very well expressed in the celebration of Final Vows.
The very foundations of the life of a consecrated person are his relation with Jesus, the Incarnate Word, our sole love, our sole richness and Lord (RoL 25).  As we contemplate him in his consecration to his Father we discover to what extent he was concerned only with the relationship and obedience to his Father, when  he exclaims “Where your treasure is, there too is your heart” his feelings as a human being are not indifferent, and his answer: “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2, 49) allows him such ease and freedom that he has nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9,57).
Here we are talking about a consecration which absorbs the whole of the individual.  It creates a certain life style showing our place in the Church and the world as consecrated souls.  It is manifested through the three fundamental dimensions of our existence: dependence on God the Father through obedience, equality with others through chastity and self-control in the use of this world’s goods through poverty.  It is interesting to note to what extent these three dimensions are interconnected.  Sometimes this unity of life can be noticed when a brother is being asked for a  change of community or a change of mission after several years in the same spot. Then his reservations could seem disobedience when in reality on closer inspection he is only expressing his attachment to people and a certain security.  Perhaps the individual doesn’t realise how all this reduces his aptitude, his availability and his freedom to respond generously to the calls which are the direct consequences of living situations.
Poverty as lived by Jesus doesn’t consist solely in the absence of goods.  Jesus is also poor because he is attached affectively to no human being.  He has neither wife nor children and he keeps nobody locked in a relationship: “After this all deserted him and fled” (Mark 14, 50.)  Furthermore he doesn’t think that he is master of anything; all that he is, has been received from his Father.  To the very point of considering his death as the failure of all his projects and thus his Father’s projects are made evident.
Jesus’ chastity is to be seen in his freedom and independence in relation to people; he loves them as his Father loves them; his freedom and independence in the presence of materiel goods are his reply in total obedience and availability to his Father’s plans.  As Betharramites we consider obedience to be our particular characteristic; through our obedience we live out our chastity and poverty by avoiding the break-up of the individual. (R.of L 22)  The unity of a life through  consecrated poverty, chastity and  obedience has its roots in the Gospels: “Unless the grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.  Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If a man serves me he must follow me, where ever I am, my servant will be there too.  If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him”. (John 12, 24-26)  It is to be believed that the consecrated person can renounce goods which in themselves are good because God has loved him first according to the Ignatian principle “for the greater glory” or as St Paul says “For me to live is Christ”.
The consecrated soul focuses his entire life on Jesus.  He is not bothered with the management of goods nor has he a wife and children to occupy his mind.  He is not even preoccupied with his own projects since his are those of Jesus and his Church.  Besides even marriage is built on the Gospel principle that “losing one’s life is to find it again”.  There is a need to forget one’s own projects, of being focussed on self so as to be attentive to one’s wife, with all that that could involve. The husband or wife receives everything from God  through the husband or wife.  The consecrated soul bears witness to the importance of relationships with God.  Both states of life are complementary; the religious is witness that God is the unique necessary excluding all other links, learning thus to transcend the link.  Marriage shows that there is no stopping at good intentions but must be confirmed by love of the neighbour.
Consecration is a life style, an existence, an activity defining our conduct, the way of life in relationships marked by a great simplicity, facility and liberty as much in relation to people as in relation to goods and to life projects.  As for marriage it expresses otherwise how to be in relationship with God, the neighbour and goods.

Gaspar Fernandez, SCJ

Saint Michael Garicoits wrote... 

Why should we obey our rules?
There are several reasons: but the principal one is our love for Our Lord Jesus Christ and the desire to serve him and to please him, and not through fear.
He who loves in truth makes no distinction, when it’s a question of carrying out an order, whether the dearly beloved is ordering or simply asking.  The good son has only to know the wishes of his Father.  It is pleasing to God to have willing servants.
Our interest since it is in this that our perfection consists; the rules are our plan of action in our pursuit of holiness and perfection; they are providential means for working with God’s grace for our sanctification and perfection.
All our rules are great, important, even the smallest of them.
 Because coming from God who inspired them, they can only be important.
 Because they cost so many meditations, tears and prayers to St Ignatius.

The Life of the Council

REDISCOVERING

In January, was held in Rome the Council of the Congregation, which “examines the general state of the Institute; it supervises the implementing of the decisions of the last General Chapter; it defines the practical means of helping to pool resources for mission; it assesses the decisions, which have been made at all levels in regard to their general objectives fixed by the Congregation in the Acts of its Chapters” (R of L 217). What follows is the report of one of the participants.

Service of Formation

SERVICE OF FORMATION

In Rome, in the wake of the Council of the Congregation, the new team of the Service of Formation held its first meeting. After sharing their personal experience, the members of the team drew up a detailed programme of  some initiatives regarding formation, contained in the Acts of the last general chapter.

The Betharramite Service of Formation, totally renewed since the General Chapter, was summoned by the Superior General to a meeting at the Generalate on Sunday 22nd January.
The whole week was given over to sharing our experiences as Formators in the three regions of the Congregation.  With clear sightedness and Faith we explained our difficulties and our joys.  Listening to others and reflecting on what was said set us on the path of trust.
The specificity of our team is to include On-going Formation in our reflection, as requested by the Chapter.  We have been able to exchange ideas on the aims of the International session planned for mid-June 2015 for the religious more than 40 years of age.
We must admit that we have been contemplating the urgency of the International session planned in preparation for Final Vows 11th April – 16th May 2012 at Betharram.  An exact programme has been drawn up and tasks assigned to several religious.  The important number of participants taking part (6 Indians, 5 Thais, 5 South Americans, and 3 Africans) will be asking us for serious accompaniment.  We have been promised help by Fr Jean-Luc and Fr Enrico Frigerio.
We were able to tackle some very important themes for reflection and are including them in our programme:
• Personal accompaniment has become a very precious means and is being used regularly.  This is something we wish to pursue.
• The educational elements included in the Ratio Formationis (No 61 – 118) two years ago, add an important dimension in the configuration of the young man with Jesus, humble and obedient.  We want these elements to be better known and used in both Initial and On-going Formation.
• We took another look at the 2007 reflection on formation for poverty; there too the example of our Seniors is very eloquent for the young in formation.  Fr Graziano, the General Bursar, helped us to gage the efforts being made by the Congregation to assure formation and the responsibility which this demands of each religious.
• We barely touched on the reflection concerning the talents to be developed in the service of the Congregation and the responsibilities incurred in the sense of this service without being overwhelmed by our own importance.
• We also discussed the importance of our links with the Congregation, which neither failures nor misunderstandings can undo.  Consequently solutions like Exclaustration or definite departure can only be envisaged with utmost gravity.
In all our discussions we were totally trustful of each other; our trust was built essentially on the Eucharist, the Office and the narratio fidei on St Michael’s letters (Letters 81, 92 and 145).  We are always discovering how our Founder’s words are an invitation to us to regard our Betharramite vocation as a precious gift from God.  Our weaknesses are solely there to help us better appreciate God’s grace.
We are going away now with the desire to share more and more with our brothers the movement of the Heart of Jesus at the heart of the world.

Laurent Bacho, scj

5 minutes with...

... the community of Yamoussoukro

The community of Yamoussoukro consists of three religious in final vows (Fr. Jean-Marie Ruspil, Fr. Théophile Dégni N’Guessan and Fr. Arsène Noba) and a young religious in his period of placement(Br. Armel).
The Superior, Fr Jean-Marie Ruspil, along with the community, has agreed to answer some questions.

You are a religious community at the heart of a parish.  When you first arrived there was absolutely nothing, how did you manage to do all that exists now?
- When they gave their consent for the foundation of this community, our Provincial and General Superiors were clear when they told us and the diocese that Betharram had not the means to build a church and a presbytery.  For three years we had to lodge in a house in town, which means that we had rent to pay: there the Province didn’t hesitate as the community needed a minimum of autonomy.  Right from the beginning the local community helped us greatly, materially.  We soon saw that they wanted our meeting and prayer place to be autonomous, likewise our living accommodation.  Thanks to the money which they collected and thanks to the  help of a religious community a big chapel was built which we inaugurated at Easter 2009 less than two years after our arrival.  Then, thanks to a grant from OPM at the end of September 2010, a four bedded house meant that we could leave the rented accommodation.

Tell us something about the life of your community
- The four members of the community have not been the same during these first years:  there has been a succession of trainees, second year novices, future deacons and deacons.  But the community has always tried to observe the Rule of Life: community life marked by community meals, a time for community prayer with the Office, a common cashbox, leisure moments spent together at the TV.  In view of the fact that we are all involved in the same pastoral activity, we are working together, consequently when we meet in community there are always the two aspects, religious and pastoral.

During the recent wars what problems did your community have to face?
- The city of Yamoussoukro wasn’t very affected by the recent events, except for a few upheavals.  This allowed our community to keep in contact with the exterior and to report especially on how the brothers in Adiapodoume were managing confronted as they were with the results of the conflict.   Here, the cities and villages of the parish were invaded by the displaced families from Abidjan; the N’Gbessou community was multiplied by three!!More than 1000 students from the INP found themselves blocked in their city without their canteen.  The community worked in collaboration with the parish Caritas to get food for them.  They also provided pastoral accompaniment for these young people disturbed by the crisis and anxious for their families in Abidjan.

Tell us something about the important moments in the life of the community (prayer, retreats, rest).
- The community has had some great moments, for example the final profession of the two Brothers Omer and Arsene, or meetings of the delegation and of the Vicariate.  Normally the community takes time off for days of recollection at the Basilica.  But we don’t always manage to visit the community at Dabakala, nor visit the religious communities in the diocese as we had planned in our community project. 

The laity of the parish discovered the originality of the community, that you are Betharramite religious.  How did the Lay Associates originate?
- Used to being catered for by diocesan clergy from the Cathedral parish the laity soon discovered that we were another type; they were aware of female religious, but the masculine counterpart escaped them!  Very discretely they tell us how much they appreciate the difference, our community life, our solidarity and pastoral closeness, a special way of celebrating the liturgy with sobriety and recollection, our openness in financial matters.  They also find us available and present with them.
A delegation of Lay Associates from Abidjan came one week end in 2009 to meet us and tell us briefly during Sunday Mass what they are doing with the Betharramites.  Afterwards a few of the faithful  prolonged the discussion with them.  That is how, little by little, a group of laity, associated at Yamoussoukro, has adopted the name “Mi ye” (Here I am, in Baoule).  Some of them already knew Betharram thanks to the retreats given at Adiapodoumé.

We were reminded by the General Chapter that “Promotion of Vocations is the responsibility of every religious.  We mustn’t be afraid of the youth; they keep us on the path of conversion, so that our witness is always coherent and we look to the future positively”.  Does the community consider that it is a challenge for the young?  How?
- There are a lot of young people in our parish; the two communities at the INP are made up of 800 youngsters from 18 – 25 years of age!  Country wise more than half of the population is under 18.  The young are all mobilised by their school work or superior education, consequently they are not always as available as we would like to be present at the different movements and groups that are proposed.  The community is actively engaged in accompanying these youngsters, and this without hiding our religious identity.  Vocational groups exist in the parish and the INP; we tell them who we are and we invite them to get to know us better.  So far, one young student, Fulgence, has said that he would like to share our life, at the end of his studies.  He is therefore an aspirant. We hope that others will be attracted to the Betharram way of life which we are happy to live together here at Yamoussoukro.

2. THE CHAPTERS OF FR ETCHECOPAR (1878 - 1897) 

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Roberto Cornara