Ordinary Time, 1999

Greetings from the General Custodian
 

May the Grace and Peace of the Holy Spirit be with Us Forever!

    

Josie Morales MCA General Custodian

At the outset, I want to express my sincere thanks to all the delegates and guests present at --and those responsible  for planning and facilitating--the MCA Leadership Assembly held at Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat from April 22-25, 1999.     I believe that we were all challenged and inspired.  One could not help but know that the Holy Spirit was with us throughout the assembly.  The love and candor which dominated the gathering made all those present understand what valuable inheritance Father Judge left in the MCA and the Missionary Cenacle Family to the church.  The outcome of the Assembly was  the selection of candidates to be voted on by the MCA Associates.  I am deeply grateful for having been nominated and  elected to serve as the General Custodian of the MCA.      I also want to thank my predecessor, Marvine Waite, and I)ebby McDernwtt, the Assistant General Custodian who  served so well with her.  They have built constructively on the legacy left to them by the Founder, Father Judge.  I feel  the responsibility to continue the process of healthy, 5pirit-filled growth which Marvine and Debby launched.  They have  inspired the MCA, a community of dedicated lay persons, to continue to work both within the churchand in the providence of their everyday lives to build the Kingdom of God,

I promise that I will exert myself to serve the Triune God by serving all of you to the very best of my ability.  I pray  that I can call on each of you to take up great and small responsibilities as we strive to make of every Catholic an apostle.  I also pledge to you that I will work closely and in harmony with Jim Bolner, the new Assistant General Custodian, and with all the members of the MCA International Council as we prayerfully try to live out the charism of Father Judge.  I am thrilled that the Council will now have representatives from the three regions of the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Costa Rica.      As I write soon after close of the excitement of the Leadership Assembly, I am filled with visions of the kind of future I would like to help the MCA realize:  1) For us to engage in a constant process of conversion and renewal; formation must be on-going.  We must devote time and  effort to study the history and the works of those who have gone before us in the MCA and in the Missionary Cenocle Family.  Ours is an inspiring and challenging story; we must tell it and re-tell it, for the telling and re-telling makes us more responsive to the challenges of our Founder and those who have gone before us.  We have a rich store of materials for our  use; we need to supply materials taking in consideration our present needs and languages.  I plan to lead a renewed effort for spiritual growth within the MCA.  2) I recognize that every Region is very unique and the needs are not the same throughout the Regions.  As much as possible  I, personally, want to be present to each Region using whatever means are available to love and care for every single one.  I  will certainly value the input and council of Regional and Regional Assistant Custodians.  The MCA is a genuinely diverse,  multicultural-international community; let's be sensitive to the fact that cultural differences are real and that they can be  a source of strength and challenge.  What a great opportunity to practice our Cenacle virtues and become strong in them!     Again, the conduct and attitudes of those at the Leadership Assembly set the model with respect and trust for each other and the willingness to learn f rorn one another.  3) We must recognize that the growth of the MCA creates a great need f or more ef f ective and ef f icient communication  among all the Cenacles and the Associates; I hope to visit many of you or have other representatives of the Missionary  Cenacle Family visit you.  I plan to explore ways of using new technology to bring all of us closer together. 4) In accepting our heritage and values, let us then also accept the responsibility to support the material work of the MCA; for some, I well understand, financial support of the MCA is a hardship; however, we must realize that the MCA is a tax-exempt organization and that as missionaries our primary allegiance is to the MCA.  I plan to research and pursue input and advise in order to take the necessary steps to make the MCA financially independent.     I realize that during my term of office it may not be possible to accomplish all of these goals fully, but it seems clear to me at this time that some primary goals are: to undergo a general spiritual renewal of the MCA; to recognize that we are a multicultural, international community; to pay close attention to better communication (both within the MCA and in our missionary work); and, to move toward financial independence.     Soon after 1 was elected as your General Custodian I was invited to attend the General Cenacle of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (our S.T. priests and brothers).  That experience, coupled with my experiences at the MCA Leadership Assembly, confirms my belief that we in the MCA truly belong to a missionary farnity--a family that prays together, shares a common mission and a Rule of Life, and whose members are very supportive and willing to help each other.     This is truly a mrnentous time in the history of the MCA.  It is our responsibility to seize this opportunity to move forward to be true apostles!                                                                                                           Josie Morales                                                                                                       General Custodian

Regional Reports
Incarnation Region - Eastern U.S.

Fr. Leon Buggy, MCA
Olga Ricahrdson, Custodian

    On April 17, 1999, Fr. Leon Buggy MCA held a night of Retreat for its members and friends at the Blessed Trinity Missionary Cenacle in Philadelphia.  Our evening started with a most delicious dinner, followed by a conference given by Fr.  Dennis Berry.  Fr.  Berry spoke in the Mission and Ministry in the Third Millennium.  First part was on three key moments in history: Primitive Church; Medieval and Post Reformation Church and the Third Millennium Church.  The second part was on the three key areas of "Mission Today: Ad gentes - to people who have never heard the Word before; Normal pastoral care - in every dimension of Church's life and New Evangelization: to baptized with no "living sense" of the faith.  Fr.  Berry explanation was very clear and informative that all present were able to understand fully.  Following Fr.  Berry's talk, we had a Holy hour where the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary was recited and confessions was heard for anyone interested in going.  After our Holy hour, we had the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We all agreed that it was a very spiritual and enlightening evening.  The Cenacle would like to extend our thanks to Marie Boin, our Regional Custodian for her presence and encouraging words we extended to us.  Next year, we are hoping that some other Cenacles members will be able to join us.  Beside our two sponsors, Sr. Paul Anthony and Sr. Margaret Mary joined us for the evening.

    "Santa Maria de la Asunción" MCA

The past 28, 29 and 30 of May 1999, we had the annual Retreat of the Cenacles of the Incarnation Region, with the participation of the following Cenacles: "Sagrada Familia" of New York, "San Nicolás" of Jersey City, "Cristo Rey" of Union City, "Santisimo Sacramento" of Newark and "Santa Maria de la Asunción" of Elizabeth.  This retreat was held at C.Y.O. (Center for the Youth Organization) Archdiocese of Newark in Kearny, NJ.  The facilitators were Monsignor William Reilly, Sr.  Lourdes Toro, MSBT, Maricela Quintana with the support of our Regional Custodian, Marie Boin.
     The theme was "Peregrinos en la gracia del Padre" (Pilgrims in the grace of the Father) emphasizing in the path of reconciliation and healing, liberation and rejoice. Thanks to the excellent collaboration of all members of our Cenacles, realizing the chores that were
assigned before hand.  The results of this coexistence were marvelous, confirming once again our unity in God's path is the only solution to the challenges that our society faces day after day, only with the support of the conununities as ours MCA, with the rules of life the Apostolic Life by Father Judge.  With invocations to the Holy Trinity and the "push" of the Holy Spirit, we can accomplish being disciples worthy of evangelizing and spreading our Faith.
It is satisfying to announce that during our closing Mass, 17 new candidates were initiated from our Cenacles, with hope that they will be consecrated next year, when we will be celebrating the coming of the new Millennium.  We pray that our Jubilee will be the conversion for which all of us have been praying for and working towards.

    Jesus Live!!
    Luis Carlos Lorza

Making the Local News
The Chronicle Telegram, Saturday, April 24 1999

 Cenacle "Cristo Rey"
     Several volunteers were honored for their outstanding efforts Friday at the 1999 J.C. Penny Golden Rule Awards.  About 150 people attended the awards dinner at DeLuca's Place in the Park.  Gertrude Wirscham was chosen as the winner in the adult category.
     Wirscham has been on the Social Concerns Commission for 11 years.  Since 1982, she has been involved in  the Hot Meals Program in Lorain County.  She served as chairwoman for the last 15 years coordinating meals, which involves the pickup and delivery of donations for the Salvation Army and St. Mary's Church, Elyria.
     Wirscham also has served as a board director for Hospitality House, which has provided free clothing, bedding and food for the needy since 1988.  She is a mentor for many in the community and performs volunteer work 50 or more hours a week.
     Wirsham also is involved in the annual CROP Walk and is chairwoman of the blood drive at St. Mary's, serves as a church lector.  Wirscham is active in the Church's Altar and Rosary Society, and often opens her home to those in need.
 

 "Contact with the poor tends to change us from the inside out"
---From the Catholic Universe Bulletin, March 19,1999

     When it comes to volunteering, Shawn Witmer knows what it takes.  As director of the Missionary Cenacle Volunteers, headquartered in Cleveland for the last four years, Witmer matches people seeking volunteer opportunities rooted in their Catholic faith.
     The Missionary Cenacle is a family of Catholic missionaries devoted to fostering the vocation of "helping Catholics throughout the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
     "We offer opportunities for people to expand his or her horizons with the poor," Witmer said of his organization.  "Contact with the poor tends to really change us from the inside out.  It helps us to see that the poor  have names and faces.
     Witmer, 40, who holds a master of theological studies from the Washington Theological Union, has been on the MCV staff since 1995.  But he said he has been a member of the Missionary Cenacle Family all of his adult life.  He was named to the position because of his nine years of work with Newman Campus Ministry in the diocese, a year as a teacher at St. Edward High School and time with the staff at St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Church in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood.
     The organization agreed to move the headquarters from rural Alabama, the home of the previous director, in order to allow Witmer and his family to stay in Cleveland.
 It was the opportunity to work in Hough that brought the Williamstown, PA native to Cleveland in 1984.  "I fell in love with the city and shortly after that I met Donna," he said.  Donna is now Witmer's wife.  The couple has two children, Erica 10 and Maria 8. The West Park residents continue to worship at St. Agnes/Our Lady of
 Fatima.