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All of us here at Holy Spirit Missionary Cenacle/U.S. Pre-Novitiate are doing well, thanks be to God. Unfortunately, however, like everyone else – our daily schedules have been dramatically changed. Fr. Nick is not able to get into the jails and prisons to do his generous ministry along with the wonderful lay volunteers and deacons. We keep those incarcerated and detained in our daily prayers.

Fr. Allen has had to cancel several Lenten missions and gatherings but has done a great job at helping us stream out liturgies and prayers to the wider Facebook community.

The students, Jorge, Javier, and Biranchi, have had their school schedule reduced to all online classes and are getting the hang of it day by day.

I’m trying to keep up with House issues, working on the financials and organizing Vocation promotion contacts with Allen and the help of other STs.

Fr. Ed Molumby has returned home after rehabilitation from pneumonia. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

We are enjoying our extra time together while at the same time praying for the end of the Corona-virus and keeping each of you in our thoughts and prayers. Continued blessings this Lenten season.

In the Trinity,
Br. John Skrodinsky

POST-NOVITIATE, COLOMBIA

At this time, we are well, thank God. We are all inside due to a departmental, and now a national quarantine until April 13. The student Brothers continue their classes online.

So far there are no reports of family members with the virus. We are limiting access to the house. For this reason, the employees are in their homes, and we have assumed responsibilities for the upkeep of the house and food preparation.

Rafaela who is an employee with a fixed contract and the others who contract their services (psychologist, music, Augusto) will continue to be paid according to their contracts in order to help them during this crisis.

Only the Custodian can leave the house to do shopping when it is necessary. As a matter of fact, only one person per family can go out shopping depending on the last number of their ID. We are very grateful to our benefactors who allow us to be so generous with our personnel who help us in the house. We express our gratitude and affection to all our benefactors for their attention. In this crisis, we value their great generosity.

GUAMAL

We in the cenacle at the Guamal mission are well. We pray together each day and celebrate Mass with the community. On Sundays, the Mass is transmitted by internet and radio. In addition, we have begun radio programs on a community station at 6:00 a.m. “Walking with Jesus,” with lay participation, we reflect on the day’s Gospel reading. At 5:30 p.m., “Preserving the Faith.” Each day, an ST shares a topic on formation in the faith, spiritual and human growth. “Tips for Mental and Spiritual Health”: During the day, different brief reflections for living in these times of isolation in an optimistic way are transmitted. They are a maximum of 2 minutes long, done by professionals in the fields of health, spirituality, psychology, sociology, and pedagogy who have previously shared their reflections with us. And, of course, we invite STs also.

This is a time of great creativity for all of us with new challenges in evangelization. In social terms, with the obligatory measures of social isolation, there is a lot of uncertainty on the horizon for many of our people who participate in the informal economy, struggling to maintain themselves. We are looking for and sharing vital provisions. Prices have increased a great deal.

Many people come to the door to ask for help, and in the coming days, many more will come. We are attentive to the national and local governments’ initiatives to assist the needy with food. There is still nothing definite yet. Many people are searching for help in different places: city hall, the church, businesses.

We are trying to work with public employees as much as we can because the mayor of Guamal is a little aloof, perhaps because he is not Catholic. The aide that we provide is for the most vulnerable people (the aging, handicapped and mothers who are the head of the household), but we need to continue to find more help for people who will be hungry because they cannot work. Our notion is not to aid just to help. We help with a strategy and a sense of responsibility with the restrictions that the confinement orders impose on all of us. We give aid at the proper time and according to our possibilities.

Dear Brothers,

Grace and Peace!

Following the recommendation of the XVI General Cenacle, the Spiritual Life Committee is committed to using social media to propagate our Cenacle Spirituality. Given this, on Ash Wednesday, the following profiles were launched on social media. Please follow us and share it.

Facebook: @STspiritualife
Twitter: @STspiritualife
Instagram: st_spiritualife

To be used during the Regional Lenten Day of Recollection, we shared with you a Lenten Reflection prepared by Gustavo Baloco. Starting this month, we will be sending monthly reflections that can be used for a faith sharing in local cenacles, missions, and personal use. The reflection of March by Fr. Eder Tufay it is also an excellent resource to use at this time of Lent (see below).

Another resource to continue fostering our spirituality is our Book of Customs. We invite you to reflect on it and use some practices or devotions that can enhance our spirituality and community life. For example, the devotion of renewing vows on the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25.

Let us continue to invite the Missionary Cenacle Family and other lay collaborators to accompany us in deepening our spirituality. We welcome any suggestions or feedback that you may want to share with the committee.

We are here to serve you,
Fraternally in the Holy Trinity,
Raul Ventura, ST
Spiritual Life Committee

2020 Lenten Reflection

March 2020 Reflection