Provincial's Letter June 2014...
27th June, 2014
Dear Confreres and friends,
Today we celebrate the two great feasts of The Sacred Heart of Jesus and also Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and tomorrow our Ukrainian Martyrs. I know that in all our communities the Novena for Our Lady has been celebrated, and I hope to be in Clapham on Sunday evening for the final night of the Nine Days Prayer. All good wishes for these three feasts which have a particularly Redemptorist flavour to them.
On Monday we have the Finance Secretariate meeting, and then next Friday and Saturday the OPC will meet in Kinnoull. At the last meeting of the EPC we considered three reports on the refurbishment of Kinnoull, all of which indicated that this work will take 10-12 months minimum. In view of this, the Trustees decided that Kinnoull Monastery will close for ministry on 1st March 2015 and the major restoration will commence then. I have informed the Community and the staff. It is envisaged that the Community Nominations will take place around March 2015, and this probability influenced the Trustees in working out
a timescale.
As you will know Sr. Anneliese could not be with us for the Province Retreat due to the death of her father. I appreciate that she had put much work in to preparing for these days, but God's plans altered this. During the retreat the confreres shared about their life and ministry in a very deep and touching way and I believe that everyone was moved and inspired by these days together in Hawkstone. Thank you to everyone for their active participation.
On 10th July Bishop Ralph will be installed in St Marie's Cathedral Sheffield as the Bishop of Hallam. The ceremony begins at 11 am and I am gratified that a large group of confreres will attend. I was due to preach a retreat to the monks at Nunraw but Fr Gerry Mulligan has very generously taken on that work so that I may be in Sheffield.
There is a new document from the Congregation for Consecrated Life on the teachings of Pope Francis named 'Rejoice'. It is in fact a collection of his teachings to Religious, but is being promoted as a letter in preparation for the year of the Consecrated Life. Redemptorist Publications will also be producing material for this year.
Over the summer there may not be much chance for focused spiritual reading but may I recommend a series of audio tapes by the theologian Richard Gaillardetz. The first set with 11 CDs is entitled, 'The Church in Mission', and the second set is called 'Ecclesiology in the 21 st Century'. These were originally delivered in two symposia in the Dublin Province. I have listened to both sets and found them very thought provoking. So if you have 27 hours to spare, then this is not a bad way to stimulate your mind!
This month we welcomed back from Zimbabwe Br Peter Morris, and also Fr William Guri passed through Clapham on his return from fund-raising in US and Brother Benjamin has done the same here.
Birthdays this month: Frs Michael McGreevy 4th , Oliver Keyes 11 th , Charlie Corrigan 15th Terry Creech 21st, Kevin Callaghan 24th, Brother Thomas 31 st and Fr Gabriel Maguire 31 st.
With best wishes for these summer months,
In Christ the Redeemer,
Ronald J. McAinsh, C.Ss.R.
Provincial Superior
