CATHOLICS, THE POOR AND CHRISTMAS
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In this time of economic recovery we are all aware of the entrenching poverty and the widening gap between the 1% and the 99%! In the mystery of salvation revealed during the Advent and Christmas season, the poor are the main actors that usher in the miracle of God made human, from Mary and Joseph whose only shelter was a stable for animals and the poor shepherds who came to adore the Christ-child through the message of the Angel Gabriel.
The Catholic Bishops of the USA remind us of our important commitment with the poorest in a country where 1 in 45 children are homeless. Catholics commit themselves to community-based solutions - that know no racial or religious boundaries. We support self-sufficiency and self-determination as the best strategies for change. We support projects that break the cycle of poverty for good both nationally and abroad.
With the poorest, we celebrate the hope of Christ shown through our actions! Merry Christmas!
Fr. Carl Chudy sx
Xaverian Missionaries USA
From the Conforti Institute and the Xaverians in the UK...
This time of year normally involves looking back in thanksgiving for the blessings and challenges of the year that is coming to a close, as well as looking forward in faith and hope to the celebration of Christmas and the year ahead.
We remember particularly this year the passing of Fr John Ceresoli sx and his many years of work here in Scotland and also in Sierra Leone. May his faithful service to the mission of the Lord bring him eternal peace and may his example continue to inspire our work among young people wherever we find ourselves.
This is also a moment when we give thanks to all those who have worked with us in the past year, visited or supported the Conforti Institute, or shared the joy of the canonisation of our founder, St Guido Maria Conforti, in October. May the bonds of friendship, faith and solidarity continue to support us in our mission to make the world a single family.
Christmas Peace,
Fr. John Convery sx
Xaverian Missionaries UK
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UK NEWS
 Chaplaincy support John Convery sx and Patrick Duffy sx attended the Blessing of Cardinal Winning Secondary School in Glasgow where both help with chaplaincy provision. The Blessing completes the merger of St Aidan's and St Joan of Arc schools into Cardinal Winning, with Archbishop Conti showing his support for this new school that supports young adults with various learning needs. Pupils from Cardinal Winning and also St Oswald's have taken part in Advent retreats at the Conforti Institute as part of the chaplaincy provision. Read more here. |
USA: "Thank you" to Father Alfredo
Fr. Alfredo Turco sx (left) was honored at the December US Provincial council meeting in Wayne, NJ and presented with a sign of Xaverian gratitude and fraternity by Fr. Carl Chudy sx. We thank Fr. Alfredo for his many years of selfless service at the Xavier Knoll Mission Center in Franklin, WI, and all his creativity and dedication as our website creator and webmaster. He will leave the province around Christmas time to serve at the Chinese Museum at the Xaverian Motherhouse in Parma, Italy.
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UK: ALTERnativity: Just God, Simply Christmas
As Christmas approaches we sometimes need to take a step back and think about the real meaning of 'God-with-us'. ALTERnativity celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2011, and began in the churches with main aim was of recapturing some of the values of the first Christmas. A quick glance at last year's BBC blog shows that there is a yearning for something different and a growing dis-ease with what's on offer. Many commented on the greed, on the pressures to conform, on the lack of sincerity, the drunkenness, the squabbling over food but the only solution they offer is to opt out.
ALTERnativity offers resources for a variety of groups to help counter the commercial pressures of Christmas and help us celebrate the real meaning of the feast.
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St. Francis Xavier, Namesake of the Xaverians
 December 3 is the Feast day of the patron saint of missionaries.
Saint Guido Maria Conforti sent the Xaverian Missionaries to China, where their Model and Patron, Saint Francis Xavier, had hoped to arrive. St. Francis Xavier was born in Navarre, Spain...read more
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UK: This is Our Faith
 The new syllabus for religious education in Scottish Catholic schools was launched in Edinburgh in November at a meeting of the Scottish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien expressed his belief that the new syllabus is "a sign of great hope for the future of religious education and for the faith development of young people in our country."
The publication covers the purpose of religious education, the strands of faith which provide the structure for the syllabus, the role of the teacher, core learning for young people and the prayers appropriate to each stage.
A programme of local events to introduce This is Our Faith to parents, teachers and parishes will take place over the coming months.
For more information or to buy a copy of the publication, visit the website.
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Africae Munus,Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
"Justice is never disembodied. It needs to be anchored in consistent human decisions. A charity which fails to respect justice and the rights of all is false. I therefore encourage Christians to become exemplary in the area of justice and charity..." Read more of Pope Benedict XVI's words here.
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UK CONFORTI INSTITUTE
We've been reviewing our website recently and have added a blog. We'd love to have your comments on the website or the centre or if you have any suggestions for new projects.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Our partners in the Voice of the Poor project have a new website and their own e-newsletter. You can subscribe here.
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Frs. Rocco Pupolo sx and Adolph Menendez sx of the newly formed, GLOBAL YOUTH MSSION Services (GYM) for the Xaverian Missionaries shared the missionary spirit with 23,000 Catholic teens from all over the country at the The National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. Check out more photos and info here.
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UK: Newman College Open Day
On November 17, Conforti staff members Pauline Eadie, John Dornan and Patrick Duffy sx took part in the annual Open Day at Newman College, the Catholic Sixth Form college in Preston, Lancashire. Each year the College Chaplaincy Team (including Jim Clarke sx) invite guest speakers from all walks of life to share their personal journey or mission, often challenging perceptions and sparking debate. This year our workshop focused on Dr Martin Luther King's iconic speech and challenged students to reflect on what issues would concern Dr King if he were speaking today.
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Whether decorating banana and mango trees in India, listening out for the soulful early morning carol singing in parts of Africa, celebrating against the snowy backdrop of Moscow's Red Square, awaiting Papai Noel's arrival in Brazil or partying through the bright nights of Latin America's Navidad season, Christmas is recognized throughout the world as a time for merrymaking, joviality and reflection. Think Global World Christmas is a tribute to the worldwide celebrations of this joyful and unifying time of year. Expand your celebration of Christmas. Cross acoustic borders and listen to these tracks.
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Founder of the
Xaverian Missionaries
Saint Guido Maria Conforti
Our "missionary to the world" became a saint on World Mission Sunday, October 23, 2011.
 | | Saint Guido Conforti: The Bishop Who Loved the Whole World |
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Church Teaching on World Mission
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No Borders
is now
Across Borders
Passion for Christ
Passion for Humanity
XAVERIAN MISSIONARIES 12 Helene Court Wayne, New Jersey 07470 |
 XMN The Commemorative Canonization edition of the Xaverian Mission Newsletter is available online. We invite you to discover more about our founder and our members as well as events around the world. Read it here. |
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Join us In the Global Mission of the Church!
Thank you for sharing in our mission.
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