New Look designed for Mobile devices.

SHAPING THE FUTURE TOGETHER!

The September issue of ACross Borders is totally reformatted for viewing on mobile devices because that's where most people access their emails nowadays. And the Xaverian Missionaries always want to be with people wherever they are! We hope you enjoy it and please don't hesitate to contact us with your suggestions for improvement. We are here for you!

Xaverian Family News

Fr. Carl Chudy SX, USA Xaverian Provincial, ready to soccer with youth in Sierra Leone in 2013

Ebola Virus Threatens Xaverian Missionary Ministry in Sierra Leone

The US Province of the St. Francis Xavier Missionary Society here recently received word that the Ebola virus has reached the diocese in Makeni where more than twenty Xaverian Missionaries are serving the Church of Sierra Leone. The last report is that four of our Muslim friends died in this vicinity from the disease. The virus has been steadily moving northward from Liberia. Read more.

Three Xaverian Missionary Sisters Killed in Africa

"It was an entirely unexpected and filled us with grief ...," said Father Mario Pulcini, superior of the Xaverian missionaries in Burundi, in regard to the death of three Italian Xaverian missionary nuns killed in the Kamenge mission, in the northern sector of the capital Bujumbura.

Learn more.
Thousands attend the funeral. Coverage here.

Fr. Carl reflects on their lives and mission on his Blog.

Conforti Update

Summer's End

The summer holidays in Scotland are long passed! Schools returned in the middle of August and so did the work of the Conforti Institute! We have had five more schools participate in the Servant Leadership Programme; the continuing work of the Global Learning Project (GLP) is keeping us busy and the Coatbridge Foodbank is now established and helping those in need in our local communities. Above and beyond these we are planning our work in Prison Chaplaincy!

We are lucky enough to have been able to appoint two part-time members of staff to help us fulfill and develop our ministries. Karen Parker will be helping with the GLP and comes with a background in education and Pastoral Care in schools; Pamela will be helping in the background with a background in administration she is someone who can keep us on track. Pamela is also a driving force behind the Coatbridge Foodbank and has helped make it what it is today!

That time of the year again: The Deep Fried Film festival @ Conforti and other locations!

Interfaith Dialogue

"Diversity not as a threat, but as gift to be received with gratitude..."

The 26th Annual NAIN Connect Conference

The Inter-Faith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit hosted the 26th North American Interfaith Network (NAIN) Connect Conference: "Bridging Borders and Boundaries" on the Wayne State University campus from Sunday August 10 through Wednesday, August 13, 2014.

Participants listed 46 different religious affiliations, representing an impressive cross-section of North America's religious thought and spiritual identity. I had the privilege of attending it as the representative of the Xaverian Missionaries, and it was quite a memorable experience.

Read more of Xaverian Fr. Michael Davitti's reflection here.

TheGYM Experience

Called. Chosen. Sent

For the third year in a row, theGYM will be part of the CATHOLIC YOUTH SPECTACULAR of the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT on Sunday, September 21, 2014. This year's theme is"Working in the Vineyard: Called. Chosen. Sent." One of the featured performers is Sean Patrick Malloy, a musician and Director of Youth Ministry at St. James in Lititz, PA. It's an opportunity for students to celebrate their faith with teens their own age through music, workshops, fun and games! Find out more.

Fr. Rocco from theGYM will be exhibiting there as well as offering a workshop entitled Finding the power to rebuild! Stories and learnings from Africa.

Wars and civil conflicts divide and break up many communities. Through stories from recent African conflicts in Sierra Leone, Uganda and Rwanda, examples of restorative justice rather than criminal justice will be shared and used as learnings that will help to point to a sample of restorative justice initiatives offered in two US communities: Concord, MA and Philadelphia, PA. Empowered youth made it happen in Africa and empowered youth can make it happen here in our very neighborhoods. Restorative Justice draws inspiration from Catholic Social Justice Principles of the Dignity of each person, a strong sense of community and solidarity one with the other. Fr. Rocco's workshop will entail success stories, background information on how restorative justice works, and will end with opportunities to imagine how it could work in your communities!!! Find out more.

"Do not underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to work in youth!"

Attention DREs and Youth Ministers in the New England area preparing young people for the Sacrament of Confirmation!! If your preparation program does not have a unit on Catholic Social Teachings, theGYM offers a 90 minute class using skits, input, story-telling and action planning that will offer your confirmandi a taste of what Catholic Social Teachings in action may look like. Contact Fr. Rocco

The Francis Chronicles

Pope hosts global video chat with young students

"The educational partnership has been broken" as families, schools and society are "no longer united together for the child," he said after holding his first Google Hangout - a live video conversation - across five continents with teenagers who belong to the international network of Scholas occurentes, uniting students of all faiths and cultures. Discover more. And even more!

Korea: Pope advises priests to be caring!

During a relaxed and informal meeting with his confreres, the Pope talked about the need for priests to bring consolation to people, rather than castigate them for their sins. Read more.

Love Story

At their best, Christians -- and adherents of all major world religions, for that matter -- are caught up in a love story. They are caught up in a love meant to break down walls between nations and languages, ages and people, human and divine. Discover more.

News from Mission Matters Scotland

'I have come that they may have life'

MISSION MATTERS SCOTLAND brings us two stories from Uganda that explain how it is working to meet the needs of the people and bring the hope and joy of Christ to people in the African country.

Compassion Games

No matter where you are you can perform a Random Act of Kindness, or become a Secret Agent of Compassion and receive a secret mission for each of the eleven days. Learn More

Scottish Referendum

The Scottish Independence Referendum will take place on September 18th: here are some thoughts on this from the Church:

Scotland's archbishops urge Catholics to vote in independence referendum.

Churches Together looks at the referendum.

Scotland: More than 30 Kirk ministers join Christian 'Yes' campaign.

Calling on Character

The 12 Vital Statistics about Teen Character definitely make you think! Discover more.

MOBILE APP

The Xaverian Missionaries have a new Mobile App

available on Apple, Android & Amazon. Now you can take us with you wherever you go. Remember: We are ALWAYS here for you!

The summer 2014 edition of the Xaverian Mission Newsletter is available online.

Experience the magic of summer nights at the Franklin Mission Festival. Travel to the Holy Land with Pope Francis and on a bus in Thailand with Xaverian Missionary Sister Teresa Bello. Celebrate with the sisters in Worcester MA and at a grand wedding feast in Sierra Leone with Fr. Luigi Brioni SX .

Read it here.