A word from the Superior General

The holy door of St Peter Basilica has been closed. The rite of closing has been achieved by Pope Francis, on Sunday 20 November, before the conclusive mass of the extraordinary Year of Mercy, in the Solemnity of Christ King of the universe.

Pope Francis through his reflections, actions and gestures during the Jubilee of Mercy that we have just lived, has helped us to understand that in the Gospel as in the practice of the Christian life, the law is not what is most important, but the welcome and forgiveness of the brother, echoing what the Father of kindness has done for each of us. It is in this way that fraternity is built between neighbours and solidarity between peoples.

Mercy comes alive in the celebration of the sacraments and in the warm reception of people during pastoral activity, catechesis and within groups. What mercy is spread by the devotion of our Betharramite brothers in parishes, shrines & chaplaincies! … in celebrations of baptism, the Eucharist, reconciliation & during visits to the sick and by the attention paid to each individual…!

“With conviction, let us prioritise the Sacrament of Reconciliation, since the touch with our hands mediates the greatness of mercy. For each penitent, it will be a source of true inner peace. (Misericordiae Vultus, 17)

Let us thank the Lord for our missionary brothers of Mercy, in the dioceses of Chiang Mai and Bayonne, who have been able to absolve the sins reserved to the Holy See.

“The time has come for the Church to rediscover the joyful announcement of forgiveness ... to take on the weaknesses and difficulties of our brothers.“ (MV 10)

The attention and care we take of our older brothers and sick people is the first manifestation of our mercy. This is done with dedication in the retirement home of Betharram, in the communities of Albiate, Albavilla, Chiang Mai, Olton, Belo Horizonte and Mendelu.

“It is in each of these 'little ones' that Christ is present. His flesh becomes visible again as a tortured, wounded, whipped, hungry, lonely ... body to be recognized by us, touched and served with care.” (MV 15)

Many of our brothers are devoted to the ministry education. Teaching those who do not know is a work of mercy, whether in the schools of Betharram, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Thailand (Maepon); be it in the sewing workshop of Ban Pong, where young girls learn a job that gives them a life opportunity. In Côte d’Ivoire, there is the House of Welcome on the campus of Dabakala, the educational farm of Tshanfeto, where young people are offered agricultural training. In the same spirit, Caritas Bouar (Central African Republic) promotes the work of the land by organizing, for example, a seed bank. I am also thinking of the 30 village schools (CAR), the college in India, the chaplaincy of two religious Brothers in schools in England, teaching the poor in evening classes in Barracas. There are also the colleges of St. Michael-Garicoits of Rosario and Asunción. In addition, a retired English couple spend three months each year teaching English to our pre-applicants in Chiang Mai. Let us have a thought for all our brothers engaged in catechesis in all different sectors.

“To be capable of mercy, we must first of all listen to the Word of God. [...] It is thus possible to contemplate the mercy of God and make it our way of life. (MV 13)

Other brothers practice mercy by visiting and caring for the sick in Monteporzio (Italy), Niem and Bouar (CAR), listening to and alleviating the suffering stemming from social injustice as in Paraguay, where suffering engenders various types of addictions, as in Paraguay. Some serve the sick like our Betharramite brothers who are chaplains to hospitals. Six brothers from the Adiapodoumé formation community visited youths detained in Abidjan detention and correction centre (Mica) in June.

“Mercy is the basic rule that dwells in everyone’s hearts when he looks sincerely at the brother he meets on the path of life” (MV 2).

Some of our brothers in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil accompany groups of young people from the cities for rural missions: these young people share the faith and joy of the Gospel and provide services to the isolated interior.

“The person [of Jesus] is nothing but love, a love that gives itself freely. Relationships with people who approach him have something unique and singular. The signs he performs, especially towards sinners, the poor, the excluded, the sick and the suffering, are marked by mercy”. (MV 8)

In Brazil, certain bishops took back three parishes that we had run and nourished very well. But Betharramites were not discouraged, however, and have re-oriented themselves in favour of missions to people in areas where much needs to be built up: Sabará, Setubinha (MG) and Serrinha (BA). During one of my visits, I sensed the fear of those people who thought I was coming to move the religious! They were accustomed to perpetual changes of priests, for priests had not wanted to remain long in these places far from the buzz of the great cities. In Uruguay we left the parish of the Basques in the centre of Montevideo for a mission in the López neighbourhood of Tacuarembó, where everything has to be built up from scratch there too. This corresponds to the Betharramite prophecy which is, in the words of St. Michael Garicoits, “to go where others do not want to go”, responding to the call of superiors.

“The first truth of the Church is the love of Christ. The Church becomes a servant and mediator of that love which goes as far as forgiveness and self-giving. Consequently, where the Church is present, the Father’s mercy must be manifest. [...] Where there are Christians, anyone should find an oasis of mercy.” (MV 12).

When he arrived in Lampedusa, Pope Francis highlighted the drama of the refugees by a prophetic gesture. The Montemurlo community welcomed a family of refugees and took them with them to the new parish of Pistoia. The Monteporzio community also welcomes refugees in transit to Germany or America.

“Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until he has absolved sin and overcome rejection through compassion and mercy. “(MV 9)

The actions of Pope Francis, through his chaplain, in favour of the poor around Saint Peter’s, provoked a chain reaction of actions of mercy including in Betharram. The best known are those of the Showers of the Sagrado, in the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Buenos Aires. One of our brothers served meals organised by Franciscans in Milan. Our brothers in Rome collaborate in the service of a meal offered every Monday evening to 120 people and a dormitory that welcomes 20 homeless people in the Piazza del Popolo. This help is organized by the charismatic group of Friends of Jesus, Mary & Joseph who gather to pray in our church in Rome.

“It is crucial for the Church and for the credibility of her message to live and to testify herself to mercy.” (MV 12).

Betharram is a work of mercy in the care of children. In Bethlehem the novices visit children abandoned by their families and fostered in two homes. In Bangalore, our brothers have a home for street children. The Casa del Niño in Adrogué (Argentina) welcomes children from 8am to 5pm to allow mothers to go to work.

”The mercy of God is not an abstract idea but a concrete reality through which He reveals His love as that of a father and a mother who let themselves be moved deeply by their son ... An affective love.” (MV 6)

Most of these works of mercy carried out by the religious and lay people of Betharram throughout the world are not limited to this jubilee year. These works were done before and will continue to be done in the future through the gift of self. Many people associate with our actions of mercy through voluntary service and pecuniary support. Without the collaboration of these lay brothers and sisters, we could not carry out many of these services. The Lord does not forget the glass of water stretched out to one of his children. For all this, we thank and proclaim in chorus: I shall sing the faithful love of Yahweh for ever, / from age to age my lips shall declare your constancy.

Gaspar Fernández Pérez scj
Superior General