Our Lady of the Annunciation came to collect our dear Brother Jean-Pierre-Marie-Rosins, Thursday 25 March 2021 at 3:05pm, a time he loved so much following a daily Rosary at the Lourdes grotto during the hour of Divine Mercy.

His carers had told us the previous day that he may not last the night and we were able to keep vigil with him in hospital until his last moments on earth. Brother Séverin-Marie and Brother Bernard-Vianney were by his side as he breathed his last peacefully while being taken care of by hospital staff.

Our brother had celebrated his 80th birthday on 24 January. He entered the Community in 1992 on the advice of Mgr Brincard, with his Simple Profession taken the 23 January 1994, followed by his Perpetual Vows on 16 February 1997 at La Chaise-Dieu.

It was also at La Chaise-Dieu priory that he was ordained deacon 19 June 1999, a place he was very attached to having spent 8 years there from 1993-2001, before being sent to Jaumes (2001-2014) and finally Saint-Savournin (since 2014) where he will be laid to rest until the Resurrection.

May Our Lord shine on his countenance and welcome him into His heavenly home with the Virgin Mary.

Please pray for him and the brothers of Saint-Savournin who were with him so beautifully to the end.

Funeral

After he is laid to rest, our brother’s body will arrive Firday 26 March at the church of Saint-Savournin. The funeral Mass will be held there Saturday 27 March at 2:30pm.

After having renovated the exterior side of their presbytery 2 years ago, that covered part of their guesthouse, the Brothers of St John in Austria are now tackling the interior by transforming the reception, with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic into an opportunity for improvements.

In conjunction with experts from the diocese of Vienna – because the German-speaking organization provides diocesan departments for almost everything – they launched a call for tenders. On 1st March, work began, overseen by a building engineer from the diocese. Among the works  – all the plumbing – and upgrades, like bathroom fixtures in bedrooms, new flooring and paint.

The brothers roll up their sleeves.

To keep costs down, the brothers also rolled up their sleeves. Helped by a few friends, they set out to install a new kitchen, living room and dining hall for guests. A computer room will also be created at the priory. These works bring back memories for many brothers from their community days in Rimont! A mention also goes out to the diocese who have promised the brothers a small grant, and the parish who own the building, will also put their hands in their pocket.

It goes without saying, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders work in vain” (Psalm 126). So the Brothers of Saint John in Marchegg have entrusted all these works to Saint Joseph to whom they pray daily! They hope to be able to receive guests for this summer’s inauguration.

For those who are not afraid of the Goethe language…

Brother Samuel Mary had the idea that he would shoot the clip in the Philippines at the end of his internship. However, Covid put a spanner in the works to this project. Whilst taking some time off over the Christmas holidays his desire to shoot a short film resurfaced.

Let us give thanks for our brothers who celebrate their Solemn Profession of Faith Jubilees in March 2021.

40 years, Solemn Profession of Faith:
Brother Marie-Bernard (25/03/1981)

20 years, Solemn Profession of Faith:
Brother Jovan-Bosco (23/03/2001)

Deo Gratias!

 

On Sunday 14 June, three Brothers of Saint-John made their temporary profession at the Noviciate House in St Jodard, France: Brother Pacifique, Brother Jean-Baptiste of the Lamb and Brother Raphaël. The professions were made in the presence of the Prior General, Brother François-Xavier.

We confide the next step of their path to your prayers.

A few hours after Brother Charles and Brother James pronounced their first vows on 15 March, strict confinement was announced in Cebu. Very few cases of COVID 19 had been diagnosed, but the epidemic was already significantly present in Manila. A large section of the population in the Philippines live on a daily wage, which meant that confinement very quickly became problematic for poor families who have no income or savings. With the help of the friends of the Community, the Brothers decided to try to help their closest neighbours in the barrios in Cebu. The friends of the Community responded very generously and we also received donations from the United States, allowing us to get to work in collaboration with the Apostolic Sisters. We went to the shops and brought back large sacs of vegetables and prepared packets of rice, sugar, lentils, etc., which we distributed to around 130 families for two months. Through this work the families were able to experience God’s Providence, who watches over the poorest of his children. With the encouragement of Sr Mila-Maria, many families are now starting to plant their own vegetable garden.

Foundation of an apostolic priory in Taboan

The Brothers of Saint John are building a new priory in Taboan, Cebu. The name Taboan means “meeting place” and is an area where people mostly come to go shopping – an important place for apostolic work!

Construction work was ready to start when the pandemic put the brakes on the project. Demolition of some of the surrounding walls had already begun in January. The Brothers hope the work can start up again soon, but activity in Cebu is only slowly starting to increase. The priory will be situated in a popular and reasonably populated area, not far from the universities and the old town. It is an accessible place and means we can envisage an apostolic life in conjunction with our life of fraternity and prayer. The current priory in Banawa Hills will remain the noviciate house.

The Brothers confide this project to your prayers and hope they will soon be able to show you work in progress.

Following the construction of the priory and the Saint John Centre, the final stage of the Brothers of Addis-Abeba’s “Epifania” project is the building of the community chapel.

The work has been progressing in leaps and bounds since October. Following completion of the land work and foundations, the laying of the basement floor and load-bearing walls, the ground floor slab was poured at the end of April. Two teams of around twenty workers are on site to allow for efficient and optimal working schedules. The Brothers have also benefited from a crane lent to them by a neighbouring construction site, which has enabled them to speed things up and waste less energy in manually transporting wet concrete.

The team are also working on the interior and exterior design of the building. The chapel needs to be adapted to the daily prayer life of the Brothers, as well as the numerous activities organised by the Brothers for the young Ethiopians they accompany and the members of the Francophone parish. The objective is to design a building adapted to varied and multiple

occasions, and a building the appearance of which evokes the richness of Ethiopian architectural heritage.

Life of the community

The Brothers have welcomed three new volunteers: Gauthier and Constance de Mongrand and Charles Déchelotte, who join Yolande, currently assigned to the management of the site. We all have to adapt to the measures taken as a result of the pandemic: the Brothers no longer teach at the seminary, we have reduced the number of times we leave the priory and we have all been rigoursly applying the necessary health precautions within the priory. The Brothers have also provided construction workers with masks and soap.

This has not hindered them from continuing their apostolic mission to the Francophone parish and the youth. Over Easter they distributed foodstuffs (oil, flour, sugar, rice, etc.) to local families as well as all the workers on-site. Their mission also continues through the internet and via social media. The community therefore remains united in sharing teaching, prayer and adoration.

Testimony of volunteers

“We decided to give our first year of marriage to missionary work for Eastern Christians. We were supposed to leave for Jerusalem to work in a retreat house, but Covid-19 decided otherwise. Providence thus led us here to Addis, just at the moment at which France introduced confinement. Our principal work here is to give French and English classes to the two postulants of the Brothers of Saint John, but we are also helping with other projects, such as the new website. Little by little we are discovering the richness and diversity of Ethiopia through discussions with the brothers, sharing our daily life and habits, observing the colourful neighbourhood of Entoto Hill and watching the chapel take shape. We have been struck by the fervour and pride of the Ethiopians, the omnipresence of religion in the rhythms of everyday life and in their culture. We never imagined an entire country could live with such strong and visible faith. They take such responsibility for their faith and live it so fully, both physically and spiritually. It has made us ask questions about our own faith in France and the way in which we live it with respect for our diversity.”

– Gauthier and Constance de Montgrand

Visit the website for the priory in Addis-Abeba (a new site is currently being built)

10 years of mission in Ethiopia

Published in French on 3 February, 2020

“My Unfading Joy” is a song written by Brother Samuel Mary, a Brother of Saint John and a talented musician and composer, who also made the music video. During his ministry in Cebu he was inspired to write a song about the love the people of Cebu have for the Santo Niño, an image of the Child Jesus that has played a major part in the Christian faith of Filipinos since 1521. The song tells the story of the love the Queen has for the Santo Niño whilst she dances for him during a traditional feast.

The video won second place in the category of “Music Video” at the 2020 Sinulog Film Festival, a festival of short-film that brings together both amateurs and professionals.

Brother Samuel Mary is joined in the video by the singer, Inah Libre. The film was directed by Roy Empleo and shot and produced by Cris Damo. Camille Joyce N. Miñoza played the part of the Queen and many other people acted and assisted in making this project a reality, in honour of the Santo Niño of Cebu.

Viva Señor Santo Niño !

Click here to watch more videos from the Brothers of Saint John in Cebu.

Published in French on 12 Febuary, 2020

At the beginning of the month of February, the Priory of the Brothers of Saint John in Cebu, the Philippines, were blessed to be able to welcome brothers from the whole vicariate of Asia and Oceania on the occasion of the Vicariate Meeting.

We should note that the Vicar, Br Justin, was experiencing this “joyful mystery” of the Visitation for the first time! He is, of course, always welcome in Cebu! The superiors from Christchurch (New Zealand), Pondicherry (India) and Taïnan (Taiwan) also came and together they held three days of workshops. It was a beautiful experience of fraternal life and hard work under the benediction of their Archbishop, José S. Palma.

The best way to illustrate their praise and thanksgiving is to share some photos of the occasion!