Life of the Congregation

Saturday, March 18, in the chapel of the community of Chiang Mai (Thailand), Fr. Austin Hughes scj, Regional Superior and delegate of the Superior General, received the final vows of Br. John Bosco Sommai Sopa-Opaad and Br. Alfonso Prasert Pitakkiriboon (Region of S. Mary of Jesus Crucified, Vicariate of Thailand).
Sunday, March 19, in the chapel of the College of Passa Quatro (Brazil), Fr. Gustavo Agin scj, Regional superior and delegate of the Superior General, received the final vows of Br Jeferson Silvério Gonzaga scj (Fr Auguste Etchecopar Region, Vicariate of Brazil). These were two important events in the life of the Congregation! Dear Brothers, we wish you all the best! Be more and more Jesus' friends and do not hesitate to "run to embrace life's call."

My name is Jefferson....

am 31 years old, my parents are Alfonso Gonzaga and Angela Maria Silvério Gonzaga, and I have a sister, Jane Silvério Gonzaga. I lived with my family in a farm about three kilometers from a pretty little town in southern Minas Gerais (Brazil). Educated with fervor in the Catholic faith by our parents, my sister and I have frequented the parish a lot. Today, my family still lives in Carmo de Minas, but in the town and no more in the country side. They have not forgotten their origins and they do return from time to time to this earth where it all began. I do not lose too the opportunity to return to the San Francesco farm, of which I keep many memories, especially the call of the Lord to follow him. I will tell you in few words. I was very young, still a child to say everything, that already I felt uncomfortable in the midst of many activities of the farm. There was the noise of the machines, of the peasants who passed by singing and all the other noises related to the daily activities. I remember the silence that reigned at last in the evening when all the workers went home and the machines were extinguished. One could then listen to the voice of nature, animals and birds. I used to feel a great sense of peace. I was going out to walk alone along the fields and on the paths of this peaceful place. Little by little I realized that I was not really walking alone, but God was walking by my side. In the garden of our house, we have a beautiful bronze crucifix planted in the midst of the flowers. It became the goal of my walk. I was passing long moments contemplating this crucifix. I do not know very well if we were talking to each other or if I was praying ... I would not be able to say ... but yes most probably it is so! The only thing I know is that in this place the Lord invited me to follow Him. And I accepted.

With the help of my old parish priest, Mgr. Cruz (presently emeritus), we made a discernment and together we discovered that the Lord was calling me to follow him as a consecrated religious. This was not a great surprise to my family, which already had eight consecrated persons, including nuns, priests and a bishop; moreover, I had been an altar boy already for six years at the parish, and as my mother often said: “This child does not leave the church, if he wishes, he too will become a priest!”. No sooner said than done. After a long period of preparation, from 1999 to 2004, I entered the St. Pius X Seminary in the diocese of Campanha (Minas Gerais) in February 2005, and stayed there until mid-March 2006; While following the course of philosophy in Três Corações (MG), I decided to leave the diocese, driven by the desire to become a consecrated religious. The designs of God are unfathomable, and his providence is extraordinary. Thus, in May of the same year, I met the vocation promoter of Betharram, i.e. Father Paulo Vital. Father Paulo spoke with great enthusiasm about his Congregation and the availability of a man who, without delay, was always ready to put himself at the service of others. This man was St. Michael Garicoits. Availability, service, the Here I am ... exactly what I was aspiring to. Animated with the desire to know better Saint Michael and Betharram, I did not hesitate to pronounce my ‘Here I Am’. I wanted to be a Betharramite!

On 13th August, 2007, with six other youth, Father Paul Vital as formator in Paulinia (San Paolo), I started my formation in Betharram as an aspirant; as a candidate in Passa Quatro (Minas Gerais), in 2008;  as a Novice in Adrogué (Argentina) from 2008 to 2011, as a scholastic in Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) from 2012 to 2015. It was a long journey marked by faith and hope with my eyes fixed on Our Lord Jesus Christ. What strikes me most in Saint Michael is his constant zeal in the service of the Lord, without delay, without calculation, without regrets, out of love more than for any other motive ... Always “Here I am” was my source of inspiration all along these years. Faithful to this inspiration, I have definitively confirmed my commitment to follow the will of God on Sunday 19 March this year at 10 am in St. Miguel College in Passa Quatro, in the day of my perpetual profession in this religious family. For many, it seemed a radical choice or a madness but for me it is one of the greatest achievements of my life, because “I know in whom I believed” (my motto).

Today, I live in Setubinha (Minas Gerais) and I bear witness by my life to the joy of consecration. I say especially to the youth that Jesus Christ continues to walk with us and that by his gaze, he calls us with love to follow him. He who let himself  be seduced by God’s gaze, full of tenderness and He who accepts with generosity to embrace promptly the consecrated and missionary life, will find true joy. This first fascination will never end if it is accompanied by an attitude of faith and zeal for the things of God, as St. Michael lived.

20 March 2017, St. Michael College

My name is Alfonso Prasert Pitakkiriboon,...

hailing from Ban Hoay Hoi and belonging to St.Paul’s parish, Ban Hoaytong, Thailand. I was born on 17 September 1984 and I was baptized on 4th October 1998, at the Ascension Parish at Meapon by Fr.Carlos Rodriguez, a Betharramite missionary. My late father’s name was Mr. Paje Pitakkinriboon and my mother’s name is Mrs. Kaomahen Pitakkiriboon. I have three elder sisters and I am the youngest son in my family. I joined Betharram in 1999 and I did the Novitiate in India (2009-2011). I made my first profession on 14 May 2011 at St. Garicoïts Church, Chomthong, Chiangmai. I finished my Philosophical and Theological studies in Lux Mundi College, Sampran, NakhomPathom, Thailand. I made my final profession on 18 March 2017, at Ban Betharram, Chiangmai, Thailand.

I discovered my vocation while attending primary school at my own village Ban Hoy Hoi, when the Parish priest came to my village. I was impressed by him and my father asked me, “My son would you like to be a priest?” At that time, I did not know what to be a priest exactly means, but my father took me to the parish priest, Fr Caset, a Betharramite missionary. When I saw Fr Caset celebrating the Eucharist, he made a good impression on me and I felt so happy that later I told my father that I would like to be a priest. After I finished my primary school, Fr Caset sent me to the Betharram seminary at Phayao.

Later on, when I joined the Betharram seminary, I came to know what it means to be a priest. Being in the Seminary, I learnt more and more about the lifestyle of a religious and the Charism of St.Michael Garicoïts. I was happy to live in the seminary and prepare myself to be a religious priest in the future.

I have been reflecting on my vocation during the many years of formation and I learnt to follow Jesus in the Betharramite family as a son of Saint Michael Garicoïts.

I am aware that I am never alone: God is always beside me and He knows me more than I know myself. Living in the Congregation I have learnt many things about its charism and the lifestyle. This fostered my spiritual and intellectual growth. I am very grateful to God, to Betharram and to all the people who have been helping me so far. I believe that what I am now is God’s plan for me.

My name is John Bosco Sommai SopaOpaad...

hailing from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Ban Dinkhao Maejaem in Chiangmai. I was born on 10 December 1985 and I was baptized on 4th October 1998, at the Ascension Parish at Meapon by Fr. Carlos Rodriguez, a Betharramite missionary. My father’s name is Mr. Dumrong and my mother’s name is Mrs. Papho SopaOpaad. I have two younger brothers and I am the eldest son in my family.

When I was 11, I discovered my vocation while attending primary school. I remember that my mother played a key role in showing me the way towards the priestly life. She used to question me when I was young, “Would you like to be a priest, my son?” “Who is a priest and how can I become a priest?” I used to answer. Once she asked me, “Do you know Fr. Pedebideau? I like him, he is a holy and dedicated priest who lives a simple life style with the enthusiasm so typical of a Betharram missionary” This short description made by my mother instilled in me the idea of becoming a priest in the future. I could often see Fr. Pedebideau come to my village by walk carrying a bag. He would never get tired to proclaim the good news of Christ from village to village, ready to go anywhere overcoming all the difficulties just like a commando, carrying peace and joy like saint Michael Garicoïts.

Later on, I came to know more about Betharram thanks to Fr. Prasit Kunu a Redemptorist religious who was my Parish Priest at that time. At the end of my primary school, my mother asked him to find a place for me in a seminary. Fr. Prasit sent me to Maepon center in 1998. There I could see the life style of the Betharram missionaries and I appreciated them very much. I was impressed by their community life and their enthusiasm in following the spirituality of St. Michael. I reflected upon my vocation to follow Jesus Christ as a son of St. Michael Garicoïts, our founder. I really thank God for His unconditional love and care for me. God extended his protective hands through various situations and people throughout my life, particularly when I had to face troubles and difficulties. I believe that God had His plan for me in the Betharram family. God surprised me and he is still working in an unbelievable way in my life. I tried my best to further understand my place in God’s plan, and to respond to Him according to his plan. I love to climb on the top of the mountain like Saint Michael to find the will of God, to feel His presence in the world and in the people I meet in my everyday life.