A WORD FROM THE PRIOR GENERAL

Dear Brothers, Once we had a day-

trip-out with our class-mates to a famous ba-roque church in the north of Bavaria. In this church in the little town of Waldsassen a very special crucifix is vener-ated. It is a quite big cross with a statue of the crucified Lord Jesus on it; so far it is a normal crucifix; but what is not normal with this crucifix is that the statue of Je-sus is missing both arms, both cut near to the shoulder. The crucifix was damaged in this way by someone during the Second World War. It was found after the end of the war and brought to the church of Waldsassen, where it has since been venerated under the title: "Jesus has no other arms than yours!"

My teacher, a Salesian father, said to us, students, during this visit: "If you meditate on the meaning of this crucifix you will better understand the vocation of a priest!" I remembered this little story when I was meditating as a young Servite: What does it really mean for me to be a Servant of Mary? Whereas I did-n’t know any statue of Mary without arms, I began to draw and meditate in my thoughts such a picture. And from that moment until today, this picture became more and more, for me personally, the inspiration of my Servite life and vocation: "Also Mary has no other arms than yours, the arms of her Servants!" We Ser-vites (brothers and sisters) are the arms of Mary in this world. Mary herself wanted and founded our Order for us to be her Servants throughout the ages: through our life, through our witness, through our preaching! I am deeply convinced that this is the vocation of our Order within the church and in the world - and this is the reason why I wanted to share with you this little - and on the whole non important - story of my personal Servite life, just at the beginning of my mandate as Prior General of the Order of the Servants of Mary.

fra Gottfried M. Wolff

From the homily during the confirmation celebration of the General Councilors and Procurator of the Order

Pietralba, 28 September 2013

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Piazza San Marcello, 5 - 00187 Roma Tel.: +39-06-699301 - cosmo@curiaosm.org www.servidimaria.net

Bullettin of quick information form the Secretary General for Communications

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Our common vocation as Servants does not exclude a plurality of forms. In their search for God, some communi-ties give greater atten-tion to the contemplative aspects of our life; oth-ers dedicate themselves to various apostolic ser-vices; still others adapt their manner of living to the demands of new sit-uations. These forms are all expressions of the life through which we strive to establish an active presence of the church in the world and to witness consecrated

love for Christ and for all men and women. Costituzioni OSM, art. 4

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The working of two great figures– Francis and Dominic – between the XII and the XIII Century was a way in which Christ entered anew into history, making his word and his love valued in a new way: a way in which He renewed the Church and moved history to-wards Himself. We can say something analogous about the saints in the XVI Century: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier all brought about new occasions for the Lord to enter into the confused history of their century which was going astray, alienating itself from Him. His mystery, His figure appears anew - and above all: his strength, which transforms men and shapes history, becomes present in a new way. […] And why not ask him to give us today, as well, new witnesses of his presence, in whom He himself draws close to us? And this pray-er, which does not look immediately to the end of the world, but is a true prayer for his coming, bears in it-self all the fullness of that prayer which He himself taught us: “Your kingdom come!” Come, Lord Jesus! !

J. RATZINGER-– BENEDICT XVI, Jesus of Nazareth. From the entrance into Jerusalem.

Chapter: Perspectives. He has gone up to heaven. He sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again in glory

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2013 GENERAL CHAPTER

On 21 September the General Chapter elected fra Gottfried M. Wolff, Prior Provincial of the Tyrolese Province, the 105th Prior General of the Order of Fri-ar Servants of Mary. In subsequent days the following friars were also elected: Procurator of the Order, fra

Hubert M. Moons (CAN/ORD); General Councilors: Paolo M. Orlandini (ANN/ORD), Rhett M. Sarabia (PHI/ORD), Jorge Luis M. Jiménez Delgadillo (MEX) and Souriraj M. Arulanandasamy (IND); and Secre-tary of the Order, fra Camille M. Jacques (CAN/ORD).

ROME- SAN MARCELLO

The Prior General, fra Gottfried M. Wolff, arrived in the community of the General Curia on 31 October.

With their service concluded, the following friars have left the community of the General Curia: Angel M. Ruiz Garnica (6 November), for a time in Mexico and several months in the Spanish Delegation; Eu-gene M. Smith (23 October) for the USA Province; and Charlie M. Leitão de Souza (27 October) for the novi-tiate in Matola (Mozambique). Other friars are awaiting indications on their destination.

ROME - PFT MARIANUM

♦ The PFT “Marianum’s” 2013-2014 academic year was formally inaugurated on Wednesday, 30 October 2013 at 4:00 PM. After the prayer invoking the Holy Spirit and the profession of faith, presided over by His Excellency, Msgr. Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Secretary for the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Vic-ar General, fra Rhett M. Sarabia, delivered a greet-ing in the name of the Grand Chancellor and Prior Gen-eral, fra Gottfried M. Wolff. There followed an opening address by Msgr. Zani, the report of the President, fra Salvatore M. Perrella and a musical interlude. Then came the academic dis-course of Fr. Alfio Filippi (Director emeritus of the Edizioni Dehoniane publish-ing house in Bologna) on the theme: Publishing and The-ology: a fruitful relationship applied to Mariology.

♦ Within the ambit of the Chair of “Women and Christianity”, a first seminar will take place on 8 No-vember with the theme: The Face of Mary: Cinemato-graphic transpositions, with presentations by Prof. Ro-setta Stella (writer) and Prof. fra Fabrizio M. Bosin (PFT “Marianum”), and a screening of the film: Nativity (The Nativity Story), 2006.

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ROME, S. MARIA IN VIA – 500 YEARS OF SERVITE PRESENCE

With the feast of the Madonna del Pozzo (27 Sep-tember), celebrations began for 500th anniversary of Servite presence in this Roman church. The celebra-tions took place throughout the month of October. An elegant booklet, drawing on archival documentation, was published and was much appreciated by many of those who are devoted to the holy Virgin and by the many visitors to our church. On Saturday 12 October an exhibition was opened on The Order of Servants of Mary in holy cards and saints’ cards from the XVII to XX Centuries, curated by Giancarlo Gualtieri and Renzo Manfé of the AICIS. It was an original and unique exhibit that remained on display in the convent cloister until 20 October. On Sunday, 13 October, we celebrated a Servite Voca-tions Day: at all the Masses a professed student from St. Alexis spoke about his vocation. For this occasion a special, original exhibit featuring the Servants’ of Mary presence in the Philip-pines was displayed inside the church. All the special events concluded on Sun-day 27 October with the celebration of a Servite Family Day and a presenta-tion by fra Franco M. Az-zalli entitled: Piety and Compassion. The Servants’ of Mary 500 Years at Santa Maria in Via.

MONTE BERICO

♦ An art exhibit entitled Art that sings and invokes the Mother of Hope, was hosted in the cloister of Mon-te Berico from 18 to 20 October 2013. It was promot-ed by the Vicenza chapter of the Catholic Union of Italian Artists (UCAI), and with the patronage of the Servite Community at the shrine and the City of Vicen-za.

♦ With the sponsorship of the ISSR Monte Berico, the PFT “Marianum” and the “Romano Guardini” Cen-ter of Studies a Convention took place on 5 October: Christ is in all and for all the world. There were many authoritative presentations: H.-B. Gerl Falkovitz (Heilingekreuz/ Wienrwald, Austria): Christology as a critique of ideology. The diagnosis of time in Guardini’s Lord; E. Guerriero (Milan): Liturgy and aes-thetics in Guardini - Von Balthasar – Ratzinger: be-tween continuity and progress: M. A. Crippa (Milan): Romano Guardini, his architect friends and architec-ture: a legacy and its interpretation; P. Metzlaff (Munich, Germany): Socrates and Jesus in the work of Romano Guardini; G. Fabris (Vicenza): Beatrice and Mary: femininity, strength and virginity between Dante and Guardini; A. Voigt (Dresden, Germany): Dionysus against the Crucifix. Guardini’s view of Nietzsche.

BRESSANONE – INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE An important and meaningful international theologi-

cal conference took place from 20 August to 1 Sep-tember 2013 in the city of Bressanone, Alto Adige, Italy. It was organized and promoted by the European Association of Catholic Theology at the Bressanone Academy of Theological Studies. This association promotes theology as a science in the context of other scientific disciplines in Europe and supports interdisci-plinary collaboration in order to find solutions to cur-rent issues in ecclesial and social areas. The theme of the Conference, God in question – Religious lan-guage and the language of the world, dealt with how one can speak of God in such a way that the Christian message is understood and found to be attractive in the modern world. The Conference this year was bril-liantly organized by the Vice-president of the Associa-tion, fr. Martin M. Lintner (TIR), teacher of moral the-ology at the Bressanone Academy of Theological Studies. Also attending the Conference as presenters were two teachers from the PTF “Marianum”: fr. Ri-cardo M. Pérez Márquez (PRG), who addressed the New Testament section on the subject of The new-ness of Gospel language: Jesus, the human face of God; and fr. Fabrizio M. Bosin (VEN/ORD) who, in a German-language seminar addressed the theme: In der Höhle des Löwen? Theologie treiben in Rom in ökumenischer Verantwortung, on theological research in Rome in the years after the Council. During the Conference’s concluding General Assembly, fr. Martin M. Lintner was futher nominated President of the AETC for the next two years.

fr. Ricardo Pérez Márquez

MONTEFANO - “G. VANNUCCI” CENTER FOR BIBLICAL STUDIES For a number of years now, the Franciscan friars of

Hong Kong have been collaborating with the Montefa-no biblical studies center to translate the writings of fr. Alberto M. Maggi (PRG), for the Chinese version of the Center’s website (www.studibiblici.it), and trans-mitting its Sunday homilies on Chinese catholic radio. They have now begun to translate and publish all of fr. Alberto’s books (who is known in China by the name Tang Shenfu). They have further invited him to offer a biblical studies week for the Christian communities in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Father of the Poor. Translation and Commentary on the Beatitudes and the Our Father in Matthew (edited by Cittadella of As-sisi) is the first of the books being translated and pub-lished in the Chinese language.

fr. Ricardo Pérez Márquez, OSM

PROFESSIONS, ORDINATIONS, ANNIVERSARIES ♦ Greetings to the following friars who are celebrat-

ing their 60th anniversary of solemn profession: Ste-phen M. Ryan (USA) on 4 October; Charles M. To-land (USA) and Ermenegildo M. Zordan (VEN) on 11 October; John M. Le May (USA) on 18 October; and Tiberio M. Civiero (VEN) on 24 October; and greet-ings also to the three friars who are celebrating 50 years of solemn profession: Bruno M. Dati (PRG) and Aurelio M. Marrone (ANN) on 6 October; and Dome-nico M. Sartori (VEN) on 7 October.

♦ Greetings to bro. Ricardo M. Pérez Márquez who is celebrating his 25th anniversary of solemn pro-fession.

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SERVITE SISTERS OF THE SS. ADDOLORATA OF FLORENCE On 9 October 2013 Pope Francis authorized the

Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate the decree regarding the heroic virtue of Servant of God Maria Eleonora Giorgi (1882-1945). In com-municating the news, Sr. Maria Paola Romoli, cur-rent Prioress General, writes: “We thank the Lord for this great gift to our religious family. We entrust our-selves to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God that she might reawaken in each of us the deep desire to follow Christ and his Gospel”.

RIPARATRICI SERVITE SISTERS – “OUR LADY OF SORROWS” MARIAN CENTER, ROVIGO

With great joy, several lay friends of the Shrine of the “Blessed Virgin of Sorrows” and some members of the Association of the “Blessed Virgin of Sorrows” from Rovigo and Rome took part in the Marian Day in Rome (12-13 October) entitled Blessed are you who believed, which the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization sponsored during the Year of Faith. The prior of the local Secular Order fraternity in Rovi-go, Luciano Tessarin, carried the banner of the Ad-dolorata and was happy to represent the Servite Fam-ily of Rovigo in such a beautiful and grand display of faith in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also taking part were various Servite Riparatrici Sisters from Rome and Rovigo, and several young people from Florence.

ITALY, SECULAR ORDER – NATIONAL CONVENTION On 4-7 October, at the “Mater Gratiae” house of

the Servite Riparatrici Sisters in Santa Marinella (Rome), located on the shore of the sea, the OSSM celebrated its XXXIII National Convention. There were 140 participants, coming from all over Italy. After an opening greeting by fra Rhett M. Sarabia, Vicar General, who spoke in the name of the Prior General fra Gottfried M. Wolff, fra Ermes M. Ronchi warmed the hearts of all with a reflection entitled: Mary of Naz-areth: Madonna? Woman of faith. One evening, the icon “Do not cry for me” by Gianna Caleari was pre-sented for the first time. This icon depicts Christ who rises from the tomb: the Mother welcomes the Son in

her motherly arms and seems to almost smile; images of the Seven Holy Founders, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, serve as a crown for her. During the Conven-tion, Antonietta Trombadore was elected the new National Prioress and Donata Scapol was elected the new National Assistant-prioress. May the Virgin, wom-an of service, assist them in their delicate mission of guiding the Secular Order in its journey toward the Lord, in joyful hope.

fra Luciano M. Masetti

SPAIN, SECULAR ORDER – VISIT TO THE SITES OF OUR ORIGINS

On 11-13 October, seven friends from the OSSM of Ferrol (Galizia, Spain) arrived in Italy to visit the prior-ies of Monte Senario and Santissima Annunziata in Florence. All were happy to be able to see these plac-es connected with the origins of the Servants. Monte Senario is considered the “spiritual home” and “cradle” of the Order and, for Servants of Mary, it is always an essential point of reference for understanding the spir-itual journey of the Seven Holy Founders and, likewise, the jour-ney of Servites today. On Satur-day, 12 October, the group cele-brated the feast of the Virgin of the Pillar, patroness of Spain, with a Eucharist at which fra Angel M. Ruiz Garnica presided in the Chapel of the Founders, where the urn of the Founders’ rel-ics is kept. The community of Monte Senario welcomed the pilgrims fraternally, sharing lunch with them. It was an unfor-gettable day, for which we give praise to God and Ho-ly Mary!

DEIR RAFAT, ISRAEL – FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PAL-

ESTINE On Sunday 27 October, at the Shrine of Deir Rafat, where three Servite friars have been present for two and half years, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Solemnity of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Palestine and Principal Patroness of the Diocese. Presiding at the Eucharistic celebration was His Ex-cellency Msgr. Giuseppe Lazza-rotto, Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Cyprus and Apostolic Dele-gate in Jerusalem and Palestine. Afterwards, there was the tradi-tional procession of the icon of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Pales-tine.

THE YEAR OF FAITH THE WORD OF THE POPE

M ary as the model of faith. In what sense does Mary represent a model

for the Church’s faith? Let us think about who the Virgin Mary was: a Jewish girl who was waiting with all her heart for the redemption of her people. But in the heart of the young daughter of Israel there was a secret that even she herself did not yet know: in God’s loving plan she was destined to become the Mother of the Redeemer. At the Annunciation, the Messenger of God calls her “full of grace” and reveals this plan to her. Mary answers “yes” and from that moment Mary’s faith receives new light: it is concentrated on Jesus, the Son of God, who from her took flesh and in whom all the promises of salvation history are fulfilled. Mary’s faith is the fulfillment of Israel’s faith, the whole journey, the whole path of that people awaiting redemption is con-tained in her, and it is in this sense that she is the mo-del of the Church’s faith, which has Christ, the incarna-tion of God's infinite love, as its centre. How did Mary live this faith? She lived it out in the simplicity of the thousand daily tasks and worries of every mother, such as providing food, clothing, caring for the house.... It was precisely Our Lady’s normal life which served as the basis for the unique relationship and profound dia-logue which unfolded between her and God, between her and her Son. Mary’s “yes”, already perfect from the start, grew until the hour of the Cross. There her mothe-rhood opened to embrace every one of us, our lives, so as to guide us to her Son. Mary lived perpetually im-mersed in the mystery of God-made-man, as his first and perfect disciple, by contemplating all things in her heart in the light of the Holy Spirit, in order to under-stand and live out the will of God. We can ask our-selves a question: Do we allow ourselves to be illu-mined by the faith of Mary, who is our Mother? Or do we think of her as distant, as someone too different from us? In moments of difficulty, of trial, of darkness, do we look to her as a model of trust in God who al-ways and only desires our good? (…)

Mary as the model of union with Christ. The life of the Holy Virgin was the life of a woman of her people: Mary prayed, she worked, she went to the synagogue... But every action was carried out in perfect union with Jesus. This union finds its culmination on Calvary: here Mary is united to the Son in the martyrdom of her heart and in the offering of his life to the Father for the salva-tion of humanity. Our Lady shared in the pain of the Son and accepted with him the will of the Father, in that obedience that bears fruit, that grants the true victory over evil and death. The reality which Mary teaches us is very beautiful: to always be united with Jesus. We can ask ourselves: Do we remember Jesus only when something goes wrong and we are in need, or is ours a constant relationship, a deep friendship, even when it means following him on the way of the Cross? Let us ask the Lord to grant us his grace, his strength, so that the model of Mary, Mother of the Church, may be re-flected in our lives and in the life of every ecclesial community. So be it!

General audience 23 October 2013