February 2016, Year 9 - N.

1233 - 2016
Electronic bulletin of quick information from
the Center of Communications

Piazza San Marcello, 5; 00187 Roma; Tel.: +39-06-699301; cosmo.osm@gmail.com; www.servidimaria.net

H
R

The Rio Plata Delegation is one of the two jurisdictions that joined
together to form the present Andes Province. The other jurisdiction
was the Andes Vicariate.
The Servite presence in the Rio Plata area began in 1914. In 1913,
Fra Giovannangelo M. De Marchi (1867-1925), the Prior Provincial of
the Piedmontese Province, went to Argentina to visit relatives who
had emigrated to that country in search of a better life. Fra
Giovannangelo spoke to the local Apostolic Delegate and offered to
send a Servite friar to establish a community in that country. The
community would be primarily devoted to providing spiritual
assistance to the immigrant community. Fra Alessio M. Rattalino
(1866-1940) was given this task. Fra Alessio was a native of Bra, a
small town in the Cuneo region. He was a man of considerable Fra Alessio M. Rattalino
(1866-1940)
experience, over fifty years old and a religious for fifteen years.
Fra Alessio left Italy from the port of Genoa on July 6, 1914. Two
thousand passengers sailed with him. Many were permanent emigrants in search of work
emigrants who would never return to Italy. Mario Bergoglio, the father of the present Pope, made
the same journey fifteen years later. The steamship Tomaso di Savoia had been in service on
the Atlantic since 1907; it had a two propeller engine and could reach a speed of 16 knots. The
ship reached Buenos Aires on July 29 after a voyage of only twenty-three days. Rattalino
disembarked at Buenos Aires and went to the little village of Diaz where he found lodging not far
from the Provincials relatives. It was there that he had his first experience of pastoral work
among the natives and the Spanish and Italian immigrants. The outbreak of World War I made
communication with the mother province difficult. Fra Alessios trip was meant to be exploratory
but it became permanent. He was alone and without canonical status. The Archbishop of Santa
Fe whose jurisdiction included Diaz did not initially recognize Fra Alessios presence but with the
help of the Apostolic Delegate his position was regularized and in 1916 he was appointed the
chaplain of the Rufino hospital. In 1918 he was given the parish of San Antonio de Obligado and
he moved there.
But it was not until the wars end that the first Servite community could be established. In
September 1920 Fra Michelangelo M. Enrici (1885-1961) joined
Fra Alessio and in August 1921 two other friars came from Italy.
In 1924 through the intervention of woodsmen who worked for
the Anglo-Argentine company, Florestal, a chapel was
established in Villa Guillermina for people who were far from
parochial centers. Other such chapels soon followed. In 1929
the Servites took charge of the Avellaneda community. This
new parish covered a vast territory in which there were four
other chapels and in spite of the worldwide economic crisis the
friars established a school to train candidates for the Order. In
1930 the Bishop moved San Antonio parish from the primitive
village of Obligado to the more lively town of Las Toscas. The
Servite presence in Argentina was referred to as the Chaco
Mission. In the early 1930s the friars served people in an area
that covered 140 square kilometers. In 1938 the first Servite
community was established in the capital, Buenos Aires where
the Bishop, Santiago Luis Copello, was a Servite tertiary. A
parish-sanctuary was established and dedicated to La Soledad
de Maria.
Along with those ordinary difficulties any new foundation
The parish church of San
Antonio de Obligado where encounters there were two additional problems: local vocations
the first Servite Community were scarce and the Piedmontese Province was no longer able
to assist the friars in Argentina. The Prior General asked the
was established in 1920
Venetian Province to assume responsibility for the mission and
1

2016

in October 1938 the Venetians agreed. Before the end of the year they sent four new friars to Argentina.
This infusion of personnel allowed the mission to open new foundations even outside the country in 1939:
Sagrado Corazn in Quilmes and San Antonio in the Porvenir suburban neighborhood of Montevideo, the
capital of the nearby Republic of Uruguay. In 1940 a new community was established in Argentina at the
parish of San Antonio a La Plata. In 1961 Nuestra Seora de Ftima formation community was
established.
The foundation encountered yet other problems: the serious difficulties caused by the Second World War
and open hostility to the Church in the Peronista regime (1954 and 1955). Some of our friars had special
difficulties during this time. After the Madrid General Chapter in 1968 the mission was erected as the Rio
Plata Vicariate. This gave the foundation a certain degree o autonomy. Our missionary work in Uruguay
continued. In 1967 the church of La Anunciacin was established and the Comunidad del Pan was born.
This latter was an experiment inspired by the post-conciliar renewal and was dedicated to prayer, work,
study and hospitality.
In spite of the new status of vicariate it was inevitable that some of the
communities in this part of the Order would have to be closed: the priories of
La Plata (1987) and Montevideo (1997) were closed. Our presence in Uruguay
did not come to a definitive end until the death of Fra Pedro M. Surez (19302014). Along with Fra Raffaele M. Taucci (1882-1971), Franco Andrea Dal
Pino (1920-2015) Fra Pedro was a protagonist of the renewed interest in the
history of the Order.
In 1999 the Vicariate became a delegation. In 2007 the new Province of the
Andes was created by merging the Rio Plata Delegation and the Andean
Vicariate. At present the Province of the Andes communities in the Rio Plata
region are three: Nuestra Seora de Ftima in Pilar (Buenos Aires), Nuestra
Seora de la Asuncin in Las Toscas (Santa Fe) and Sagrado Corazn in Fra Pedro M. Surez
Quilmes (Buenos Aires).
(1939-2014)
Historical Institute . . .

1. Servite Family in Italy Youth and Vocation Work

Servite Friars and Sisters engaged
in Youth and Vocation Work
organized a weekend in Rome for
boys and girls (December 26 28),
Taking part were young people from
all over Italy: Trieste, Tramonti
(Salerno),
Venice,
Renazzo
(Ferrara), Florence, Follina (Treviso)
and Rome. The purpose of this
gathering was to celebrate the
Jubilee of Mercy. The highpoint of
the encounter was a Mass
celebrated at Rebibbia Prison on
Sunday, December 27th. Afterwards
the young people met with prisoners
who assisted the chaplain
sacristans. In the afternoon we passed through the Holy Door at St. Peters Basilica. Following are
descriptions of this experience written by three people who took part in the encounter.
The whole experience was striking: we met new people, we went through two Holy Doors and we
discussed what we were feeling with others; but most striking of all was the visit the Rebibbia Detention
Center.
On Sunday we attended Mass in the Our Father Chapel. When it came time to exchange the kiss of peace
we did so with the prisoners. We could see how happy they were to see us. At the end of Mass six of the
prisoners who worked as sacristans spoke to us about how what their daily work involved. Given the
nature of their work their activities differed from those of the other prisoners. We could see that many
wanted to leave prison and return to their families and begin a new and better life. One prisoner seemed
especially remorseful and said to us: Kids, you can choose not to make mistakes. His words made me
think of the importance of free choice and of the value of every little gesture.
I will always remember this experience and am certain that one day I will return to the prison to bring
comfort and make other sad prisoners smile.
Ylenia Tramonti (17 years old)
2

They were two intense, beautiful and enjoyable days (especially our visit to the prison). I enjoyed all the
places we visited. We had fun and I like meeting and making new friends. I certainly realize what a
beautiful thing it is to be part of a group that has had this experience. It also made me realize how
important it is to recognize the dignity of all people in spite of what mistakes they may have committed.
Giovanni Florence (19 years old)
I felt somewhat uncomfortable when we got off the bus in Rome. Apart from the three others from Follina I
didnt know anyone. It was unfortunate but inevitable that we broke up into little groups of people who
knew each other. The first morning I woke up with fear and uncertainty about the idea of going into a
prison. The fear dissipated once we entered the chapel and I saw the faces of the prisoners. During
Mass what really struck me was how people expressed their thoughts spontaneously during the Prayers of
the Faithful. They trusted the Lord and prayed not just for themselves but for their loved ones as well. I
was especially moved when I played music with Ferdinando. Looking at him I wondered how he had ever
ended up in such an unfriendly place. I had really strong feelings while he was playing and I was tempted
to cry out encore, encore! I had trouble holding back my tears. Along with the feelings I had about the
prison it was nice to get to know the other kids and to become part of the group. I lost my earlier
prejudices.
Marco Follina (16 years old)
Special thanks go to the Servite Sisters of Nocera who generously provided hospitality in their Via Corradi
house and to the Formation Community of St. Alexis Falconieri. We used their refectory for our meals and
fraternal sharing.

2. P

: Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial Council

The Chapter of Elections for the Lombardy-Veneto Province of the Servants of Mary was celebrated at
Cavallino near Venice January 25-30. The Prior General, Fra Gottfried M. Wolff was present.

The 63 members of the chapter confirmed Fra Lino M. Pacchin as Prior Provincial and elected Fra Giuseppe
M. Zaupa as Socius Provincial. Fra Giuseppe M. Baggio, Fra Maurice M. Kosomose and Fra Andrea M.
Butta were elected provincial councilors. We wish them all success in their work!

3. P

: Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial Council

The friars of the Tyrolese gathered in Bressanone/Brixen at St. Georg Sams for their four-year chapter of
elections (February 1-5, 2016). They elected Fra Silvester (Silvo) M. Bachorik as Prior Provincial, Fra
Martin M. Lintner Socius Provincial, and Fra Frantiek
(Fero) M. Bachorik, Fra Joseph
Chukwuneme M. Okoli and Fra Leonhard M. Lanser as Provincial Councilors. We wish them all
success in their work!

4. P

: Chapter of Elections and Election of the Provincial Council

The US friars gathered in Sierra Madre, California at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center for their four-year
chapter of elections (February 15-19, 2016). They elected Fra John M. Fontana Prior Provincial, Fra
Gerald M. Horan Socius Provincial and Fra Donald M. Siple, Fra Eugene M. Smith and Fra
Lawrence M. Choate as Provincial Councilors. We wish them all success in their work!

5. P
:
Election of Prior Provincial

On February 8, 2016 on the first

ballot
Fra
Susaimani
M.
Arockiasamy was elected Prior
Provincial of the Aikiya Annai
Province (India). We wish him
success in his work!

6. V
:
Election of Vicar Provincial

On February 16, 2016 on the

second ballot Fra Deogracias M.
Alejandria was elected Vicar
Provincial of the St. Peregrine
Philippine Vicariate (Philippines).
We wish him success in his work!

7. P
:
Election of Prior Provincial

On February 19, 2016 on the

third ballot Fra Michel M.
Tremblay was elected Prior
Provincial of the Canadian
Province. We wish him success
in his work!

,O

,A

Congratulations on the fiftieth anniversary of ordination to the priesthood to the following friars: Fra
Giuseppe M. Galassi (
) and Fra Aurelio M. Marrone (
) on March 19, 1966 and Fra Sergio M.
Sassatelli (
) on March 23, 1966.
Congratulations to Fra Yvon-Michel M. Pageau (
) on the twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination to
the priesthood: March 23, 1991.

: Recognition as a House of Life

The Convent of the Servite Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows has been designated a House of Life by the
International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. It hid twelve Jewish girls who were being persecuted during
the Second World War. On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 10:30 a memorial plaque was unveiled in
the General House of the Congregation in Via Faentina 195. Present at the ceremony were religious and
civic authorities of the diocese, the Jewish community, the Commune of Florence and the Region. All the
teachers, co-workers, parents and students of the Via Faentina School took enthusiastic part in the
occasion from little ones of the Mille Colori day nursery to the teenagers of the Liceo Linguistico.
The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization named in
honor of the Swedish diplomat who saved the lives of thousands of persecuted Jews during the Second
World War. His name is included among the Righteous Among the Nations. The purpose of the
organization is to develop educational programs and consciousness raising projects based on the values
of solidarity and civic courage that motivated those who solved so many people during the Holocaust.
The Superior General, Mother Maddalena Cei, performed her act of solidarity and courage in the autumn
of 1943. She too has been listed in the Righteous Among the Nations. Still today for her sisters and all
of us her act of courage is a reason for joy and gratitude. She is an example of that openness and
hospitality that has always characterized our religious Family.