DEACONATE ORDINATION

      In this coming Sunday 14^th, Brother Deem S. Virtudazo will be ordained deacon as the last step in his preparation to priesthood. The event will take place in Saint John’s the Evangelist parish, in Nakuru under presidency of the Most Reverend Bishop  Maurice Muhatia Makumba, current bishop of Nakuru diocese. 

        Together with Bro Deem, as Calabrian Family – Saint Joseph Mission, we are living this special moment with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord whom continually calls the people to serve his Kingdom. May he grant to Brother Deem strength and enthusiasm to live with faithfulness this special call.  Brother Deem comes from Philippines and is in our mission since 2012.  

ASSEMBLY 2 2016 - CONCLUSION

       We have concluded our assembly in an atmosphere of fraternity and joy, assuming the commitment of putting into practice the decisions of this important event for our mission. we want to continue focused in which is essential as it happened to Jesus in his journey to Jerusalem. His focus was Jerusalem. Although he experienced rejection during the travel, in some village, he preferred to go to another village but didn’t loose the focus.

       St John Calabria got to build a lot of things to help the poor in a very difficult moment of Italy, through the faith in the God's Providence and the involvement of many people in this sake. As witness of this great Opera, we want "to promote a model of prophetic management collegial and innovative, animated by calabrian spirituality, through witnessing, formation, collaboration, transparency and to serve the poor." In his last participation, our general treasure - Bro Gedovar Nazari - addressed to us words of encouragement in order we may continue our mission with enthusiasm, as witnesses of the care and tenderness of God.  

ASSEMBLY 2016 - SECOND DAY

      Our task, since the beginning of this new day has been to elaborate the management plan for this mission according to the proposal of the General Council, defining with clarity the MISSION - VISION - VALUES - OBJETIVES. 

THE ASSEMBLY OF THE MISSION HAS STARTED

     During the evening of yesterday we started our assembly of the mission with the presence of two members of General Council (Fr Abraham and Bro Gedovar), who have come from Italy to stay with us and help us to reflect about the Calabrian Collegial Management. In this first day we reflected about the principles of sustainable management.

IF THERE IS PASSION FOR JESUS, THERE IS ALSO PASSION FOR THE PEOPLE

    Between 10^th and 16^th, as religious of St Joseph mission, we lived a very strong experience of encounter with the Lord and his Word. The facilitator, Sr Luciane de Cesaro, together with texts for personal reflection, she shared her practical experience of life, helping us to renew our commitment with the Lord who took the initiative in calling us and has made us new people. The new condition of our lives is to be guided by his Spirit in order to produce the proper fruits in accordance with our identity of disciples. The Spirit of God wants to guide our actions for the good of others and not for our well being or personal satisfaction. From the example of Paul and other apostles we have learnt how to spend the best of ourselves to serve others, being instruments of the love and tenderness of God.

     Nothing more is so precious for us than to have the grace of belonging to Jesus, taking part in his sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. For that from this experience of spiritual exercises we are willing to sacrifice ourselves more and more with Jesus in order we may live truly because it is he himself who wants to live in us.

       Through the love it is possible recognize in each person the own Jesus Christ. This is the love which he gives to us making us to follow him in his sensitivity and mercy before the reality of the people with whom we work. This is a passionate love which is expressed in the service to others, just because it is free. We are invited to cultivate this passionate love for Christ which makes us really free, giving true meaning to our lives and mission. Of course, if there is passion for Jesus, there is also passion for the people who belong to him. As it is Jesus our motivation, only the intense and deep relationship with him will guarantee to us the fruits which are expected in our mission and the sincere love in the relationship with the brothers in the community. .

        “The blessed Jesus wants us to cooperate with him and to accomplish what is lacking in his passion. Jesus offered himself for the salvation of the brothers; we have to offer not only him, divine victim of infinite value, but also our lives with him.”

St John Calabria

ASSEMBLY OF THE MISSION

       After the retreat (July, 10^th-16^th), we’ll continue gathered for the second assembly of this year. In this assembly we shall have, for the first time in this mission, the presence of our new general treasurer – Bro Gedovar Nazari - to help us reflecting on the calabrian collegial management, which is the current administrative process in whole our Spiritual Family. Bro Gedovar is Brazilian and was chosen as general treasure in our last General Assembly (May, 4^th-18^th 2014). Karibu sana, Bro Gedovar!  

RETREAT OF THE RELIGIOUS OF THE MISSION - 2016

    

The religious of the mission will gather together for the yearly retreat of one week. This experience will take place in Nairobi from 10^th to 16^th of this month. The facilitator will be Sr Luciane de Cesaro, member of our Spiritual Family. With her help we want to reflect more deeply about the message and directives of the last General Assembly of the Poor Servants Sisters (General Chapter - from 24 May to 14 June 2015). 

  

The same Spirit who invite us for this experience, according to the text of the Sisters, “has led us to recognize the mystery of love that inhabits in our communities. This is a gift that can’t be kept only for us, but we are called to announce it with joy to every periphery of human existence, so that it becomes a blessing for all.” Let us accompany these our brothers and sister Luciane with our prayers!

KARIBU Fr. NILO!

   After some period of help to the Community of Nakuru on weekends, Fr Nilo was integrated officially to this community in the beginning of this week. He has five years of priesthood and comes from Philippines. His country consists of more than seven thousand islands and is divided in 12 different areas. Our Spiritual Family is present in Philippines since 1990 and actually we have 5 religious communities in three of these areas. Fr Nilo arrived in Kenya last year and since that period up to last week lived with our brothers in the formation house in Ongata Rongai, dedicating to the studies of Kiswahili language.

     The coming of Fr Nilo is a great help for the sake of the mission, bringing new energy and strength especially to the community of Nakuru, where he is assuming the social activity “Welcome to the Family” so that Fr Felix can dedicate more time to the pastoral activities in the parish. Karibu Fr Nilo and asante sana for your availability to serve the Kingdom of God in this St Joseph Mission.

IT HAS STARTED THE POSTULANCY IN SAINT JOSEPH MISSION

     On 20^th of June, three youth were welcomed in our house in Nakuru to start the stage of Postulancy. It is being a meaningful moment for our mission and we really longed for that. The youth who have been accepted for this stage of formation concluded the experience of Aspirancy in our formation house in Ongata Rongai and the Philosophical studies. The next step will be the Noviciate.

   The current group of postulants comes from two different dioceses of Kenya, such as, Hillary and Carlistus from Kakamega diocese and Augustine from Kisumu diocese.

     Although the journey of postulancy in Nakuru comprises experience pastoral and social, the experience in community with some religious of the mission will be centrality in their lives, preparing them to assume little by little the lifestyle which is required for the ones who want to consecrate themselves to the Lord through Religious Life. As superior of the religious community in Nakuru, Fr Felix Salvat is the main responsible for formative journey of these youth. Let us thank to the Lord for this great gift to our mission.

EXPERIENCE OF “COME AND SEE”

       From 13^th to 17^th of this month it happened the experience of “Come and See” for the candidates to Aspirancy of this mission. The experience took place in our house in Nakuru town.

     They were 13 youth from different towns and tribes of Kenya. This useful support to our formation house (Ongata Rongai) is part of the vocational work under responsibility Fr Felix Salvat in the name of St Joseph Mission. Bro Olinto (responsible for the Mission) and padre Jelson are the religious responsible for accompanying the daily activities with these youth.

    During this experience of “Come and See” the youth had the opportunity to experience many aspects of our daily life. Let us thank God because he continues blessing us with the gift of the vocations and let us also accompany these youth with our prayers so that they may persevere in their journey to Religious Life.  

THE PRESENSENCE OF THE POOR SERVANTS SISTERS IN THE ST JOSEPH MISSION

    We have prayed, we have requested and finally, during the month of April, the Poor Servants Sisters started officially their activities in this Eastern Africa mission. Now we are together, Poor Servants Brothers and Sisters, living the same spirit and charism, witnessing to the same love of God Father and Provider. Since last year we had the visitation of some sisters (Sr. Maria Chiara, Sr. Helena and Sr. Elenice) in order to know better the place and study the possibility of starting some activity in this area. Actually we have two Sisters (Sr Rosela and Sr Jenipher).

   Together with the sisters, two young girls ware welcomed to start the journey of Aspirancy. These girls were being accompanied by Fr Felix before the coming of the Sisters. Other girls also are in this process of discernment and waiting for the conclusion of the studies in their local places from different towns of Kenya.

  

  Besides the formation house, the Poor Servants Sisters are assuming also the social activity with girls in situation of social vulnerability. Together with the daily formative accompaniment of the girls, the Sisters make bread to sell to the community around and to be an opportunity for the girls developing some personal skills. 

"EFFECTIVE PRESENCE OF OUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY IN KENYA"

   

   On 02 of May 2016 the religious of St Joseph Mission gathered together for an extraordinary meeting because the visit of the Casante Fr Miguel, general superior of the Congregation Poor Servants of Divine Providence. After brief moment of prayer led by Fr Miguel with the letter of St John Calabria to his Religious, we continued with the report of the last letter of the Casante to the religious of this mission. Fr. Miguel told us words of encouragement, appreciating the effective presence of our Spiritual Family in Kenya and about the possibility of starting some activity in Tanzania, extending a little more the reach of our presence in Eastern Africa.

      In continuity Fr Miguel said that we are invited to act like Paul and Barnabas whom were glad because the good things God had done among the people. In the same way we are invited to move on, recognizing what God has done and making out our participation as instruments in the hands of the Lord.

 For while, our Spiritual Family is present in two towns of Kenya. In Nairobi (Ongata Rongai) we have the Formation house (Aspirancy) and Social activity. In Nakuru, our Opera is responsible for one parish, social activity and experience pastoral for the candidates of the first year of Postulancy.

A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF ST. JOHN CALABRIA

     St. John Calabria was born in Verona (Italy) on October 8, 1873, in a very poor family. By wonderful ways, the Divine Providence helped him to complete his studies in Seminary, overcoming very hard difficulties.

     He was consecrated Priest on August 11, 1901 and was Assistant Priest for 6 years at St. Stephen's Church, and later on Priest in Charge of St. Benedict in Monte, Verona.

In November 26, 1907 he started the "Casa Buoni Fanciulli" (house for abandoned children) in the lane of Case Rotte, transferring it in the next year to San Zeno in Monte, a new and more comfortable place.

    God sent him faithful disciples and inspired him to establish a Congregation, the Poor Servants of Divine Providence", composed of Priests and Brothers, and the Poor Servants of Divine Providence Sisters", with the specific mission to live and to restore in the world faith in God the Father, dedicating themselves to the poorest and marginalized.

   He prayed, wrote, suffered and made himself animator of courageous initiatives for another transparent return to the Gospel and for the unity of Christians.

   

       He died on December 4, 1954. He was beatified by John Paul II in Verona, on April 17, 1988 and canonized by the same Pope in St. Peter's Square, Rome on April 18, 1999.