Notes from Rome By the Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC Our Marian Constitutions tell us that the purpose of the visitations is for the Superiors to know better the communities that are subject to them and to be able to animate and form them in the religious life and the apostolate. We meet with the members of our religious houses and residences and speak to each of them personally. We spend time praying with them and observing their apostolic activities. Sometimes we leave recommendations about things that should be changed or improved. It is not simply an administrative process, but an opportunity for spiritual renewal. During these encounters, I always think of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her visitation of her cousin Elizabeth. We try to do the same thing that Mary did by bringing the presence of Christ into every situation and remaining open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In 2024, I had the opportunity to visit our men in Portugal, Lithuania, Brazil, Argentina, India, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam, Poland, the United States, and Cameroon. I received the final vows of Marians in Viet Nam, India, and the United States. I attended ordinations in the United States, India, and Cameroon. The Marians in Brazil were celebrating their 60th Anniversary of their presence there, while those in Cameroon were celebrating their 25th. I am often assisted on these visitations by other members of the General Council. It is fascinating to see how the Church is alive and very different in each country that I visit. For instance, I recently went to Cameroon. T he people in one of our parishes are poor. In a simple and rustic chapel structure, they worshiped God with great joy and fervor on a weekday morning Mass. That day, the offertory procession consisted of the people bringing up what they could give: large bunches of plantains, bowls of freshly-picked peanuts, live chickens, bottles of water, etc. The people sang with their whole hearts with the aid of a drum and even some pompoms that looked like what a cheerleader would use. They were giving God their whole attention and enthusiasm. I attended the diaconate ordination of two seminarians one Sunday. I was also present for the inauguration of a new parish church and diocesan shrine that our Marian missionaries built in honor of Pope St. John Paul II. These festive Masses lasted several hours. Our seminarians from Cameroon and Rwanda study philosophy and theology in Cameroon. Our ministry is well appreciated there and bishops are inviting us to work in their dioceses. During this year of Jubilee and Hope, please pray for our Marians throughout the world! ON THE ROAD AGAIN Part of my job as the Superior General of our Marian Congregation involves visiting on a regular basis our men in the Provinces and Vicariates where they live. T his is part of the oversight that we do to make sure that everything is running smoothly, and we are living our religious, spiritual, community and apostolic lives as authentically as we can. The Most Rev. Joe Roesch, MIC, is the Superior General of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He lives in Rome. Listen to his podcasts, including “Saint Faustina’s Diary in a Year,” on TheDivineMercy.org/podcasts and DivineMercyPlus.org/podcasts. Marian Helper • Spring 2025 • Marian.org 7 Father Joe attended the dedication ceremony of the St. John Paul II Chapel in Minkama, Cameroon. Father Joe talks about visiting Cameroon.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==