BREAKING NEWS from the Superior General !

The 15^th of August, we started with the retreat for the novices and the young brothers in Belgium (Moerzeke). The retreat ended with the profession of 16 novices on the 19^th of August: 15 Asian novices and 1 from Africa. 

 Immediately after, we left Belgium for the Philippines in order to give the retreat to the first year Asian novices who are still with 14. As usual, we had a “typhoon”-experience in Tabaco and the most of the days it was raining.  But the retreat went on very well. 

 It was a whole experience to travel directly from Manila to Kigali in Rwanda. Due to some delay in Hong Kong, we missed the plane and we had to change even the destination. Finally we arrived without luggage in Rwanda.  We had only the most important things with us in our hand luggage: the notes for the retreat! Also in Ndera we had to give a retreat as preparation for the profession of 29 African novices on the 3^rd of September. Bro. Janvier, who is studying in Belgium, also came to Rwanda to do his final profession.  It was foreseen that the Nuncio should preside the ceremony, but he was just nominated in Chili and it was the Archbishop of Kigali himself who came for the celebration. He became very enthusiastic when he saw these 30 young men giving themselves to the congregation of the Brothers of Charity through the three vows. During our stay in Rwanda, we could also meet the new Belgium Ambassador to whom we gave an overview of our apostolic activities in Rwanda and the role of the Belgian government in it.  Through our NGO Caraes, we receive every year more or less 1 million euro for the projects in mental health care projects and the care for people with a handicap in Rwanda, Burundi, the Kivu-region of Congo and in Kigoma.

  After the profession we went for 1 day to Nairobi to visit our novices: 43 first year novices, all from Africa.  It was a good occasion to inaugurate the new sport field in our novitiate and we were invited to play volley. (We think it was from the time of our own novitiate that we still touched a volley ball …)

 And then came Congo, we arrived together with Bro. Romain on Monday the 5^th of September in Kinshasa where we had first some meetings, before leaving with a group of 15 brothers to Lusambo.  But again, travelling in the air is not always easy, and now it was the local flight that was not arranged in a good way. Finally we could only leave on the 8^th of September, so we arrived in Lusambo the same day as our first brothers arrived there, 100 years ago! We postponed the whole celebration to the 9^th of September, but on the 8^th we visited the cemetery where 5 brothers are buried, we visited the first house and than we were all very surprised to see our community house totally renovated.  It was again the most beautiful house of Lusambo.

 The real celebration was on the 9^th, with a Eucharist presided by the bishop of Kabinda, Mgr. Masengo, who also travelled with us from Kinshasa. During the Eucharist, 2 brothers expressed their final profession: Bro. Paul Miki and Bro. Alphonse Marie and Bro. Cletus celebrated his silver jubilee.  At the end, we had many speeches, all to thank the Brothers of Charity for their presence in Congo already for 100 years. 

 On the 10^th of September be travelled back to Kinshasa, where we had still a meeting with the provincial council of Africa and some personal meetings. We arrived safely in Belgium together with Bro. Veron, the regional superior of Belgium, on Tuesday morning the 13^th. 

 But on the 14^th we left already for China.  Also there, we will receive 2 new brothers, the first in China. We shall also teach in the Major Seminary a course of pastoral care.  This year, 47 new brothers joined our congregation. Let us thank the Lord for the gift of these new vocations. May we wish all the brothers and associate members who started on the 1^st of September a new school year, a fruitful apostolate!

Bro. R. Stockman, Superior general - rene.stockman.fc@fracarita.org