A word from the Superior General

“Beloved, since God has loved us so much,
we too must love one another. (I John 4:11)

It is a little staggering that I address myself to you, with the certainty that this first exchange will be welcomed as the sharing of an elder brother. The Peace of the Heart, which proceeds from the Holy Spirit, was very present during this last Chapter; As well as the striking reality of our Charism, our vocation and our mission.

We have discovered that if we are faithful, we will be able to respond to the calls that the Church is giving us today.

The presence of many laypeople - who drink from the same source - has helped us to live a genuine fraternal experience. Things like listening, respect, joy and celebration have been the hallmarks of this time of grace. I take this opportunity to thank all those who have accompanied us by their constant prayer.

Since May 18, the role of Father Gaspar Fernández as a guide of the Congregation has ended, like that of his collaborators, Fathers Enrico Frigerio and Laurent Bacho. On the other hand, the General Bursar, Fr. Graziano Sala, and the Councillor for the Missions, Fr. Tobia Sosio, were reappointed. The newly elected General Councillors are Fathers Jean-Dominique Delgue (France - Spain) as Vicar General and Stervin Selvadass (India) as Formation Advisor.

I will now tell you a few things about the author of this editorial (as I was asked, although there is little to say ...) And, by the way, I will answer all those who, like I must have asked myself, why? Who is this character coming from the “outskirts”?

So I was born on August 17, 1962 in Buenos Aires; But I was raised in the town of Avellaneda, in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. My father was a sailor in the merchant navy and my mother was a hairdresser. Both modest people, they always did their best to give my only sister and I a good education. I did my primary studies at the Sacred Heart College of Barracas; Secondary schooling in a Don Bosco School, with the Salesians. After the Falklands War in 1982 (between Argentina and England), I studied to become a teacher of Economics. I practiced this profession as a layman for seven years at the Sacred Heart College of Barracas, as well as being a very active member of parish youth ministry groups.

This is where my vocation was awakened. In 1988 I entered the House of Formation of Adrogué (then in Martin Coronado), where Father Gaspar was my formator for eight years, with Fr. Martín. I finished my ecclesiastical studies as Professor and Bachelor in Theology and I was ordained a priest on 4 November 1995.

I took the Formator’s course and after three years as a spiritual director in the colleges of San Joseph de Buenos Aires and Sacred Heart de Barracas, I was destined for formation, where I stayed for eleven years. I was a formator of postulants and scholastics in Martin Coronado for four years and Master of Novices for seven years in Adrogué. During these eleven years I was also Vicar of the Province of Río de la Plata. As of 2009, I accompanied the Region of Auguste Etchecopar as Regional Superior.

Given this meagre experience, I could not have imagined that my brothers could come to ask for this service... I remember that Pope Francis told the cardinals that: “You must make bishops from those who have no ambition to be so“. My case is, I think, very similar. It is true that I have sometimes asked myself the question. What would happen if...? The answers I gave myself at the time were not very convincing. But the time has come, I have accepted. At no time did I feel lonely. A growing Peace spoke to me in silence... Beyond the limits and fears that I feel, I am sure that the Chapter has elected with me a group of workers for the Kingdom who love Betharram and are ready to give their lives for Betharram.

We are the servants of the servants. This is the mandate that the Lord has left us: “He who desires to become great among you will be your servant; And he that would be first among you shall be your servant.” (Mt 20: 26-27). His Word gives me confidence. I put everything in his hands.

My wish is to ensure that we all renew ourselves in fidelity to the Charism of St Michael, so that our religious life may be more creative, fraternal and sound every day, even if we have disagreement and differences.

“The encounter with others” is a necessary means to achieve it. So yes, we can go out in community to proclaim the gospel of Jesus all over the world. I realize that our family also runs the risk of disintegration in a changing world and a sense of relativism. The fashionable tempter “individualism” - knocks at the door of our communities to come inside and take root. If we open it, it leads us insidiously towards an isolated consciousness, toward self-referentiality.

We are now beginning to understand that it is not the crisis within religious life that causes disenchantment and indifference... but rather a comfortable status quo that seduces us today, in order to leave us with a loss of meaning... In some of us, discernment has disappeared and we must recover it.

Such a life prevents us from taking wings like St. Michael and so many Betharramites who preceded us. It prevents us from being witnesses to Jesus with the strength of the Passover.
Let’s go forward without delay!

To go out, “like a bridegroom coming forth from his tent, [...] like a champion joyfully running his course.” (Ps 18.6).

Go out towards the vulnerable lives of so many of our brothers and sisters who inhabit this land (sometimes very close to our communities).

Go out and give your life for Christ.

Betharram gathered in San Bernardino (Paraguay), and proposed to “go out without delay eager to embrace life”. Inwardly - towards the marginalised within our institutions – and outwardly - towards the marginalised of our world.

To serve, to heal, to grow, to comfort, to live in a joyful fraternity, to be the voice of those who have no voice, and the Light that illuminates so much darkness generated by the culture of ruin.

I affirm and maintain that an authentic Betharramite cannot sit on the fence faced with such calls. Our Betharramite heart calls for an inner liberation ... We need only listen to it.

Saint Michael knew “the cup of suffering”, but he also knew an infinite joy, which impregnated his soul, stimulated him, and even made him’ touch heaven’.

He could never resist this gift which he had received from the Most High. He nourished it with that love which he himself lavished on his brethren. The love that was destined to serve the Church in its poverty: ministers in tears, the growing dechristianisation of the land. He devoted his life to designing a religious family willing to obey. Ready to listen, accompany and forgive. A community ready to suffer for the Lord, to suffer less ... Ready to always do the Will of God. Such is his way, and ours.

Gustavo Agín scj
Superior General