The April issue of the International Newsletter of the Congregation of the Mission , NUNTIA, is now available online.

28. General Curia

Arrival of the New Director of Vincentiana and Nuntia. On 19 April, Father Julio Suescun Olcoz (Province of Zaragoza), new Director of Vincentiana and Nuntia, arrived from Spain. Father Julio was born on 7 May 1935. He was incorporated into the Congregation on 22 September 1951 and ordained a priest on 20 September 1959. Before this assignment, Father Suescun worked in Teruel (Spain).

Missionary Itinerary of the Succes-sor of Saint Vincent. From 9-13 April, in Santa Clara, Father G. Gregory Gay, Superior General, led the Spiritual Exercises of the confreres who work in Panama. From there, he traveled to Mexico, where he was from the 20th – 22nd and where he carried out several activities: meeting with the confreres and laity of the Vincentian Family, meeting with the International Council of the AMM, among others. When the visit finished, he returned to Rome on 24 April.

Visits to the Curia. Father Daniel Vásquez (Visitor of Colombia) was here on 2 April. Mrs. E. Budzyna and R. Budzyna, mother and sister of Brother Adam (General Curia) were here from 11-16 April. Father Rubby Alberto Torres Guerrero (Province of Colombia), who works in Naples, was here from 20-23 April. Father James E. Swift (Visitor of the Midwest, USA) was here from 25-28 April, and from the 25th to the 30th, Fathers Daniel P. Borlik (Visitor of the South, USA) and Andrew E. Bellisario (Visitor of the West, USA).

28. General Postulation

Beatification of a Daughter of Charity. On 25 November 2007, the Venerable Sister Lindalva Justo de Oliveira, D.C., will be beatified in Brazil. She served the poor with such great devotion that she merited, on Good Friday 1993, the palm of martyrdom for defending her virginity, uniting the sacrifice of her life to that of Jesus Christ. On 16 December 2006, the Holy Father announced the promulgation of the Decree declaring the martyrdom. It is important to note that she is the first Brazilan woman, belonging to a religious community, to be beatified. Since it is a question of martyrdom, a miracle is not necessary for the beatification.
29. Fifth General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean

Vincentian Presence. The Fifth Con-ference of CELAM will be held in Aparecida, Brazil, from 13-31 May 2007. On the part of the Vincentian Family, His Eminence Cardi-nal Franc Rodé, C.M., Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (Vatican City) and Sister Evelyne Franc, D.C., Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, will participate. There will be 266 participants altogether (162 members, 81 invited guests, eight observers, and 15 experts).

30. International Formation Center (CIF)

Vincentian Heritage Session. From 15 April to 12 May, the Tenth Vincentian Heritage Session, organized by the Interna-tional Formation Center (CIF), is being held. The group is composed of 18 confreres coming from six provinces. Among the participants is Father Rafael Sáinz Ripa (Province of Zaragoza), who was Vicar General for 12 years.

31. Rio de Janeiro

Provincial Missions Team. From 29 February to 3 March, Fathers Agnaldo Aparecido de Paula (Visitor) and Getúlio Mota Grossi were with the missionary team in order to study the Directory of the Mission of the Congregation of the Mission and to draft pro-posals and directives for the province’s missionary work.

National Meeting of Vincentian Students (ENEV). The students of Belo Horizonte are organizing the upcoming National Meeting of Vincentian Students (ENEV), which will be held from 22-29 July, on the occasion of the visit of the Superior General, Father G. Gregory Gay, to the province. The theme of the meeting will be taken from that of the Fifth Conference of Aparecida: “The Vincentian Mission in light of the Latin American ecclesial context from the Fifth Conference.”
32. Zaragoza

Spiritual Exercises 2007. From 4-10 February, 40 missionaries, from the four Provinces of Spain, made their annual retreat. There were 21 from the Province of Zaragoza, eight from Madrid, seven from Salamanca and four from Barcelona. They were led by Father Juan Julián Díaz Catalán (Province of Zaragoza). The theme was centered on the Constitutions, especially the first part. The annual spiritual exercises are an opportunity for re-newal in our vocation and a call to continue united and interested by the pastoral and spiritual concerns of the other confreres. This meeting was held in the “Quinta Julieta” house.

33. Daughters of Charity

NGO of the UN. The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul obtained, on 22 January, consultative status before the Economic and Social Council of the UN. The Company is recognized in this sphere as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which combats causes of injustice, supports the integral promotion of the human person and promotes the construction of peace. The Economic and Social Council is the principal organ of coordination and of the economic and social activities of the UN. It examines international economic and social questions, drafts recommendations on international issues in the economic, social, educational and public health fields and in other similar areas in order to contribute to real respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms for everyone. The UN recognizes that these organizations, among which, officially, the Company is found, must give their opinion from their experience and specific knowledge.

34. Vincentian Family

World Youth Day Australia 2008. In Cologne in 2005, the Holy Father Benedict XVI made a call to youth to gather in 2008. World Youth Day 2008 will be held in Sydney, Australia. This is a unique opportunity for the entire Vincentian Family, especially for the Daughters of Charity, the Congregation of the Mission and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which do not want to be left out. As a result, the three groups have established the FAMVIN Team, which is organizing a Vincentian Family Celebration. It will be held a week before the World Youth Day festivities in Sydney. We invite all the youth of the Vincentian Family to assist in this activity from 9-13 July 2008 prior to the celebration of World Youth Day. Information about the Vincentian Family celebration can be found at www.vincentians.org.au/wyd. You can get further information about registration on the above-mentioned sited too. However, registration for World Youth Day must be done separately at www.wyd2008.org. Groups can already register NOW! When registering, be sure to indicate that you are part of the FAMVIN GROUP, with registration number 327. Individual registration will begin in July 2007. If you wish to obtain some sort of help, you can get in contact with Lisa Bright (Coordinator of the Program).

35. Sisters of Charity of Strasbourg

New Superioress General. Gathered together in a General Chapter from 22-30 March 2007, under the presidency of Msgr. Joseph Musser, Vicar General, the Sisters of Charity of Strasbourg reelected, for six years, Sister Marguerite Schwein as Superioress General. Elected as Councillors were: Sister Anne Catherine, Sister Gabrielle Henry, Sister Blandine Klein, Sister Bernardette Kopff and Sister Denise Margraff. We will keep them present in our prayer for their service to their Congregation and their mission within the Church.