FROM THE PROVINCIAL

A New Chapter

Dear Friends in Christ,

In his column in the December 2009 newsletter, Father James Swift, CM, introduced me to you as the Provincial Superior-Elect of the new Western Pro-vince. I will begin my term as provincial when the new province – following the merger of the provinces of the West, South and Midwest – is established on January 25, 2010. This event marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Congregation of the Mission in the western United States.

I am both humbled and honored to be asked by our Superior General in Rome, Father Gregory Gay, CM, to assume this responsibility. I am most appreciative of the tremendous outpouring of support I have received from friends, family and confreres who have flooded my mailbox with messages of congratulations and promises of support and prayers.

I am also excited about the opportunity to begin this new chapter. The timing for it couldn’t be better. The leaders of our worldwide Vincentian Family – Vincentian priests and brothers, Daughters of Charity, Ladies of Charity, the St. Vincent de Paul Society – have officially designated this year as a Jubilee Year to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the death of our founders St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac. Their zeal to serve the poor has been handed down to us for the past 350 years and still burns in us today. Celebrating the anniversary of their deaths can help rekindle and stir into flame that same zeal in us. As we remember the tremendous contribution these two apostles of charity made during their lifetimes, we are invited to ponder how we as Vincentians living in the 21st century are being called to be fully engaged in the evangelization of the poor.

The announcement that I would be the provincial was made in March of this year. I feel fortunate that I have had a rather lengthy transition period to get acquainted with the men and circumstances in all three provinces. As part of my orientation, I have taken on the task of interviewing one-on-one each of the members of the new province. To date I have conducted slightly more than 100 interviews – with about 50 more to go. In addition to interviewing our men I have taken advantage of opportunities to gather with the confreres at provincial gatherings in the South and West.

This month’s edition of the newsletter highlights a special gathering we had in New Orleans during our annual October Vincentian Week for the Southern Province. Allow me to take this opportunity to thank all our friends, collaborators and benefactors for joining us for this event and I look forward to their renewed partnership with the new Western Province. I am also grateful to all of our donors who have given generously to our 2009 annual appeal. On behalf of those we serve, I thank you.

Lastly, I wish to take this opportunity to wish you a blessed Advent season. The Church begins her new year with the first Sunday of Advent, on a note of waiting and of joyful expectation. During the Advent season we symbolically participate in the waiting of the patriarchs, kings, prophets, and priests, as we await Christ’s final and glorious return. As we wait in long lines during this season, as we wait for a new province to take shape, or as we wait for anything really, I think it is important that we remember the waiting of those expecting the Messiah, and always wait with patience, humility and expectant hope in a state of prayer. As we wait during this Advent season, let us keep this prayer in our hearts, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

May you have a blessed Advent. May the Lord keep you steadfast in faith and joyful in hope throughout this holy season. God bless you.

Father Perry Henry, CM
Provincial Superior-Elect