THANK YOU, CLEVELAND JESUS CARITAS!
A special thanks to Jim O'Donnell and the priests of Cleveland who hosted the recent Jesus Caritas National Assembly from August 4 - 8, 2008. Mark Mertes, a priest from Kansas City, KS, was elected as the new National Responsible.
FROM OUR NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE
Brothers,
It will be my great honor to serve as your National Responsible. My goal for the next three years will be to increase awareness of all that Jesus Caritas Priest Fraternities has to offer for our diocesan priesthood. Jesus Caritas provides a great response to the hectic and sometimes overwhelming challenges of priestly life in 2008. Inspired by Charles' witness and by having as a goal daily adoration prayer, monthly shared time with brother priests, and the 'simpler' life of Nazareth, we can all be enriched in our Priesthood. [Jesus] Caritas can be a meeting place for diverse brothers in a common life of prayer, friendship, and review of life. Fraternally, Fr. Mark Mertes.
Jesus Caritas National Report Given at the 2008 National Assembly
[Submitted by Richard Reiser, previous National Responsible.]
National Responsible and National Council. Richard Reiser was elected to be the National Responsible for Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests at the Spokane Assembly in August of 2005. His council consisted of six members: Jerry Devore (Connecticut), Hap Ragan (Georgia), Mark Mertes (Kansas), Phil Henning (Texas), Dick Rossman (Oregon), and Joe Greeley (California).
Office in Chicago. The Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests has continued to have its office linked to the National Federation of Priests' Council in Chicago where their office person is hired for our specific needs. The banking account of the Fraternity has been moved to Chicago to better allow deposits to be made. At present there are 1,420 members in the Fraternity. 362 paid dues in 2008.
Development of Fraternity calendar. One of the council's recommendations was the development of a five-year calendar. (Updated 11/14/08)
2009 Round Up [tentatively in Seattle, WA last week of July]
2010 Month of Nazareth [tentatively in Los Angeles Area mid July to mid Aug]
2011 Assembly
2012 Month of Nazareth
2013 Round Up
2014 National Assembly
2015 Month of Nazareth
2016 Round Up
2017 National Assembly
2018 Month of Nazareth
The months of Nazareth and the weeklong Round Up are normally held in July. The National Assemblies are normally held in the first week of August.
Becoming Brothers Newsletter. This quarterly newsletter records events of the Fraternity that are happening throughout the United States. It was edited by the national responsible and the layout and mailing was done through the Chicago office. The newsletter is a vehicle of communication from the national responsible and communications from the international responsible. It is now also available on the website at www.jesuscaritasusa.org.
Website www.jesuscaritasusa.org. The site has been updated and has topical tabs to identify areas. The calendar section can now more easily keep updated with notification of meetings and summaries of meetings. A domain registration and a minimal annual cost allows the Fraternity to have a larger space and potential for posting more material. The website has the potential for further development and could become something to forward to the English speaking international brothers for their use and copying of materials. The council has discussed this idea which would be used instead of the former English international newsletter, Be Brothers, which was expensive to produce and mail.
Month of Nazareth. Dan Cipar animated the Month in Youngstown, Ohio in July 2007. Jerry Devore was his assistant. There were eleven participants. The Fraternity helped sponsor a priest from the Central African Republic to attend the Month. Tony Philpot (former international responsible from England) was the retreat director. Thirty priests joined those on the Month for the retreat.
Round Up. This gathering of priests for vacation and sharing was held in 2006 near Estes Park, CO. Over twenty were in attendance.
Meetings and Retreats. Howard Calkins presented the fraternity to the priests in Brooklyn in 2005. Richard Reiser led a retreat in Richardton, North Dakota in August of 2005. Jerry Devore helped present the fraternity to priests in Boston in 2006. Joe Greeley organized a retreat for priests in Los Angeles in 2008 with Tom McCormick as the director. Dick Rossman attended a NW region meeting that was organized by Des Dillon and Alejandro Trejo in Spokane in 2008. Jerry Devore and Howard Calkins also were in attendance. There was a Fraternity retreat for the priests of Erie in 2007 that was directed by Richard Reiser. Richard directed the retreat days in Conyers in 2007 and Jerry Devore directed the retreat for the annual Conyers gathering in 2008.
NFPC Conventions. Materials were sent to the convention in 2006. Hap Ragan attended the NFPC convention in Orlando in 2007 and provided materials to interested priests.
Presence at Seminaries. In the Northwest a fraternity meets at Mount Angel and they also meet with seminarians. Several seminarians attended the Jesus Caritas retreat in Youngstown.
International Fraternity. The Beatification of Blessed Charles de Foucauld occurred on November 13, 2005 in Rome. Richard Reiser and Jerry Devore and other brothers were in attendance for this event. Jerry and his brother, Dan, and some other brothers from the United States attended the pre-beatification in May of 2005, the original date for the beatification.
The International Assembly was held in Sao Paulo in 2006. Abraham Apollinario was elected international responsible. Jerry Devore, Dan Danielson and Richard Reiser represented the United States Region. Richard made himself available to serve on the international team. The international team has met in Santo Domingo (2007) and Omaha (2008).
There is a present international concern to review the Directory for a 2012 revision. The process of review is to be done in the various fraternities throughout the world.
Into the Future
● The Month of Nazareth needs to be organized for 2009 (California).
● Continuation of Becoming Brothers as a tool of communication. Perhaps expand its circulation.
● Continued development
● Ways need to be found and shared on how to promote Fraternity to new priests. Consider activating Diocesan Responsibles as a solution.
● There is still need to connect with seminaries to promote Fraternity.
● A method of reviewing the Directory and our American Handbook needs to be developed.
● Study and promotion of the person and charisms of Blessed Charles de Foucauld needs to continue.
● Continue to support the International team and activities.
Photos
of
Members
who
attended
this
year's
National
Assembly
Fr.
Richard
Keolker,
Mt.
Angel
Seminary,
speaker
Most
of
the
Attendees
at
the
National
Assembly
National
Responsibles
who
were
present
Little
Sister
Lynn
Little
Sister
Emily
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