Pallottini - Pallottines - Pallotyni - Palotinos - Pallottiner

Last annual meeting of the Institure St. Vincent Pallotti

The fourth and final meeting of the year took place on December 15th 2011 that the Institute of St Vincent Pallotti had proposed for the year 2011 for the reflection on the guiding theme: 'Revive the faith'. The speaker, Corrado Montaldo, vice-President of the International Co-ordination Council of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate presented the topic: 'To live the faith in the communion of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate.' This meeting- has underlined- is full of meaningful ideas that merit more sharing and deeper examination. Faith is a response given by the person to God who in His love calls us to participate in His life. Moreover, faith becomes necessarily 'life of faith'. Faith and life are closely tied. Many have had the experience of an encounter with God and have replied 'Yes' with faith towards events and people. This is confirmed in the lived experience of Giuseppe Leonardi SAC in the Community of Quinta Dimensione. The faith- moreover- is closely bound to history: the history of each one and of the collective. One must record history, reflect on this and discern in each action that God has carried out up until today. This is proved true in the experience of St Vincent Pallotti, in the history of his charism and in the history of the Union of Catholic apostolate. Exploring the General Statutes of the Union one can trace numerous references to faith, in its contents, and in the indications as to how the members should live. In the Union faith is lived in a spirituality of communion: using the memory of the personal encounter with God, meditating upon this and sharing it in life with others. One searches also to transmit our history with God to those whom we meet, intensely living among ourselves the love and the Cross of Jesus, deepening and studying all the patrimony that we have. The life in faith offers occasions to make known the experience of faith to one another and that which God has done in each one of us.

Meeting of those responsible for the Pallotti Institutes

From 15-16 December 2011 in the office of the Pallotti Institute, the ordinary meeting of those responsible for the Pallotti Institute took place. Those present were Fr Mariusz Malkiewicz (Poland) who was also the co-ordinator; Fr Jan Kupka and Serenella Morandotti (Rome); Fr Angelo Londero (Brazil ) and Fr Ulrich Scherer (Germany). Fr Henry Angel representing the Indian Institute was absent.
After sharing their experiences the members reflected on the Jubilee celebration for the canonisation of St Vincent Pallotti and the diverse initiatives and local and common activities. They lingered on the programme of the Convention organised by the Pallotti Institute in Rome from 15-19 May 2012. They had the pleasure of receiving the Rector General before the end of the morning who expressed the support and encouragement of the General Council with some thoughts. Fr Jan Kupka was nominated by the Rector General as the co-ordinator and Fr Francois Harelimana as the representative of the General Council.

Days of spirituality in the Union- Kreis di Hochaltingen

The Director of the St Vincent Pallotti Institute in Rome, Fr Jan Kupka SAC accompanied the days of spirituality of the Union – Kreis di Hochaltingen (Germany) on December 2nd-4th 2011. The theme proposed for the reflection was centred on 'Revive the Faith'. Beginning from the objectives of the Year of faith, proclaimed by Benedict XVI for the years 2012-2013, there were presentations on the meditations on reviving faith according to St Vincent Pallotti and in the General Statutes of the Union of the Catholic Apostolate. The prayer in common, the Eucharistic celebrations and the sharing in groups, were occasions for discussion and to examine thoroughly the challenges to the Christian faith in modern society and in the life of a follower of St Vincent Pallotti.

Symposium of the Pallotti Institute in Poland

The eighth Symposium organised by the Polish Pallottine Institute was held on the days of 26-27th November 2011 at Konstancin-Jeziorna (Poland) on the theme: Pallotti-Man. This symposium had a particular significance because it opens a series of encounters, called 'Jubilee Triptych: St Vincent Pallotti- already near' that are proposed on the 50th anniversary of the canonisation of St V. Pallotti.
Three Pallottine confreres were invited to deal with the theme proposed during the November meeting. Fr Jan Kupka from Rome on the theme Family roots of Pallotti, Fr Stanislaw Zarzycki from Lublin who dealt with the theme: The personality and the human development of Vincent Pallotti, and Fr Stanislaw Stawicki of the Holy Family Region (Rwanda/Congo) who spoke of Pallotti and his acquaintances. 232 people participated at the meeting: Pallottine sisters, the Pallottine confreres from the two Polish provinces and a large number of laity.
Apart from these inputs on the evening of the first day, there was a touching moment with the recital of passages from Pallotti's letters. Stanislaw Gorka, a Polish actor, accompanied by three musicians, read some letters chosen deliberately to show the human dimension of Pallotti.
In the next two encounters of the Jubilee Triptych, they propose their reflections on the themes of Pallotti- Priest (14-15 April 2012) and Pallotti- Saint (27-28 October 2012).
The Institute Pallotti of Konstancin-Jeziorna in Poland (Warsaw Province) is made up of Fr Mariusz Malkiewicz SAC (Director) and Sr Monika Cecot SAC. This team for ordinary work is accompanied by a programming Council and has five members: Sr Anna Ozon SAC (Pallottine Missionary) Izabela Owczaruk (UAC-Warsaw) Fr Marek Chmielniak SAC (Poznan Province) Fr Rafal Holubowski SAC (Warsaw Province) and Grzegorz Hura (UAC- Bielsko-Biala).

50th Anniversary of the Canonisation of St. V. Pallotti

The celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the Canonisation of St. Vincent Pallotti will begin on January 20 2012 and finish on January 20 2013. The Committee "Pallottine Family Celebrates" has developed a programme of initiatives for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Canonisation which were approved during the meeting of the three Superiors General of the Core Communities on October 8 last.
As a starting point for its work, the Committee took the numerous suggestions submitted from many places, the majority being achievable within the time agreed for the celebrations and during 2013.
"Holiness" in St. Vincent Pallotti was chosen as a general theme for the year in order to enter more deeply into his spiritual experience. For this reason, the whole life of the Union should converge towards this 'tempo forte', this 'special time of grace', and the initiatives which will take place will be the instrument through which this spiritual and apostolic renewal can be achieved in order that we may be faithful to the charism which Saint Vincent left us.
The celebrations in Rome will take place during the Triduum of preparation for the feast of St. Vincent Pallotti. The Eucharistic celebrations will take place, according to the following calendar, in different churches which are significant to the history and identity of the Union of Catholic Apostolate, in order to bring Saint Vincent back into the heart of the Roman Church:

January 19 in S. Carlo ai Catinari.
January 20 in S. Lorenzo in Damaso.
January 21 in S. Maria in Vallicella (Chiesa Nuova).
January 22 in SS. Salvatore in Onda.

FURTHER INFORMATION

25 years of priesthood of Fr Gilberto Orsolin

On November 24th 2011, the General House experienced a day of special thanksgiving for the 25 years of priesthood of our confrere, Fr Gilberto Orsolin, General Consultor and Rector of the General House. All the community and many friends of Fr Gilberto gathered in front of the altar of the Founder for Mass. The Rector General took his theme for his homily from the readings (Caritas Christi Urget Nos- The Son of Man came to serve) and from the theme of the General Assembly of the General superiors on New Evangelisation. At the end of the Eucharistic liturgy, the jubilarian thanked all for the gifts of life, of being a Pallottine and of priesthood. The festivities continued in the dining room where there were many speeches and all ate a good dinner.