THE 136th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOCIETY OF DIVINE SAVIOR, By Deacon Delphin MUTOMBO

Today 25^th  December 2017,  we Salvatorians, have a grateful joy to celebrate the Foundation of the Society of the Divine Savior. The title “Divine Savior” refers actually to Jesus Christ Himself who is our Savior. The Society is dedicated to the Divine Savior. And our patrons are Mary, Mother of the Savior, all the Apostles, Saint Michael the Archangel, and Saint Joseph.

1. How is it composed? (The Structure of the Society)

The Salvatorian Family is like a tree, which has three main parts. The first branch is composed with Fathers and brothers. Then the second includes the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour and finally the third branch includes the Lay Salvatorians. Generally speaking Salvatorians use the post-nominal letters “S.D.S”. We are really an international religious congregation. The universal character of the Society was always present from the foundation right up to our time. That is why we are in many countries. (The case of our community Mater Salvatoris we have brothers from Kenya, Uganda, Congo, India, Tanzania.) This shows the universality. The Generalate of the community is in Rome. Then the current Superior General of the Salvatorians is Reverend Father Milton Zonta, SDS.

2. Our Spirituality and Mission

In keeping with the spiritual vision of Father Francis Jordan, the Salvatorians are prepared to serve in any place, proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Son of God to all people by all ways and means which the love of Christ inspires, especially through the witness of our lives, our kindness, and our apostolic zeal. We are ready to serve all people without distinction of race, color and tongue.

The primary biblical texts which are very fundamental for understanding both our Charism and spiritual vision of Father Francis Jordan are actually found in: John 17:3 “Now eternal life is this, to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” This is the very crucial biblical revelation of our Charism.

        Also we have Matthew 28:19-20 “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am with you always until the end of the age.” Therefore the aim of the Society is Teaching and Evangelizing all nations without distinction.

3. The Official Foundation Day

The Society of the Divine Savior was founded by Venerable Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan in Rome on December 8^th, 1881.

How was it done? After his journey to the Middle East with some priest, Jordan returned to Rome in 1880, and he was ready to act. Father Jordan’s original plan was to found an association for priests and for laity with varied levels of involvement. But the Church authorities rejected that idea and led him to adopt the more typical format of a religious order, known first as the “Catholic Teaching Society and starting in 1894, as the Society of the Divine Savior.

So, Jordan received Pope Leo XIII’s blessing to begin his new “Apostolic Teaching Society.” Two diocesan priests: Father Bernard Luethen and Father Frederick von Leonhardi (Collaborators), joined him. And on December 8, 1881, the three celebrated a simple foundation ceremony. Father Jordan led the Society until 1915, experiencing both success and suffering along the way. Then the situation of the First World War forced him to leave Rome for Switzerland, where he lived until his death on September 8, 1918. Then he was succeeded by Father Pankratius Pfeiffer as the second superior general of the Society.

Conclusion

My dear Reverend Fathers and brothers!!! To sum up this short history of the Society, we can say that it was on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the year 1881, after a period of examination following spiritual exercises B. Luthen took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience for three years in Rome. And Friedrich von Leonhardi for life in the Chapel of Saint Bridget of Sweden. It was actually on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1881 our Society came into being. This is accurate because the founder himself had a great devotion to Mary Mother of the Savior, and that is why he took even the name of Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan.

Through the intercession of Father Francis Jordan, may the Lord bless all Salvatorians present in the world so that they may fulfill good work for the salvation of the souls, in spreading the love of the Divine Savior to all people.

Mary Mother of the Savior!!! Ora pro Nobis.

THE FIFTH GRADUATION CEREMONY AT JORDAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, By Cl. John W. NSENYE

On 4^th November 2017, there was a fifth graduation Ceremony at Jordan University College Morogoro, where a good number of graduates made a wonderful cerebration on their graduation day. Some graduated their certificate level, Diploma level, Bachelor level and some few in masters’ level. Fr. Milton Zonta, Sds the general superior of the Society of the Divine Savior was the guest of honor at that graduation day. Fr. Milton came together with Fr. Augustin Van Baelen, Sds who is the president of Jordan University College Body. Both of the two gave out very good speech on that Graduation ceremony.

On the same day, among those many graduates, four Salvatorians graduated; Cl. Boniface Chimogwa, Sds, Cl. Deusdedith Mbilinyi, Sds, Cl. John W. Nsenye, Sds graduated their Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and  Br. Deogratius Pondamali, Sds graduated Diploma in Education with Religious Studies. Cl. John W. Nsenye, Sds, Cl. Deusdedith Mbilinyi, Sds are now studying Bachelor of Arts in theology at the same College, and Cl. Boniface Chimogwa, Sds is now at Rome Italy where he is preparing to study Italian language before he begins theological studies next year at Rome . Br. Deogratius Pondamali, Sds is now studying Bachelor of Arts with Education at Jordan University College. Generally the graduation was a wonderful one, lovable, joyous and very good indeed.

 

 

ANNUAL RETREAT 2017 AT MATER SALVATORIS MOROGORO By Cl. Robert Marwein, SDS

Once in a while we all need to pause from our busy endeavors and sit back to gather new strength and  develop new strategy in order to be able to handel better  the pros and cons of life. Retreat is one of those activities that serves exactly for this purpose. Retreat has been always the source of spiritual renewal and strength for the believers, but for the religious it means a time for redeepening the relationship and experience with the Divine Master. 
     The Mater Salvatoris International Formation House at Morogoro was greatly blessed to have Rev. Fr. Peter Van Meije, SDS as the animator for the Salvatorians Annual Retreat. The retreat was held on 1^st October 2017.  Rev. Fr. Peter Van Meije, SDS is one the promininent persons in the Society of the Divine Savior. He is known especially for his proficiency about the Founder Fr. Francis Jordan and the Society. His contributions for the Society are greatly recognized and appreciated by all who know him. He travels far and wide to share and enlighten the Salvatorians confreres about the life of the Founder and the different elements of the Society.

     In his presentations Fr. Peter talked about Fr. Francis Jordan as a Founder in the making. He pointed out that Fr. Francis Jordan like any other human beings had his own periods of life. He underwent changes, challenges, clashes, crisis, defeats and finally gained victory. He also intrigued about the last days and the last words of Fr. Francis Jordan’s life. Later he also presented about the Spiritual Diary of Fr. Francis Jordan and its significance in the life of Fr. Francis Jordan himself and his spiritual sons and daughters. He presented another thought provoking question; where do we find Fr. Francis Jordan in the constitution today?

Meanwhile, he emphasized that in our society today unity is no more uniformity, simply because there is great diversity of people and culture. Hence, inculturation must be integrated in our Salvatorian's way of  life. Here it implies that we the Salvatorians have to inculturate the values of Fr. Francis Jordan in our daily life and spirituality. As a result, we can develop many good religious characteristics like enthusiasm, hard duels, team spirit etc.  Finally, as we came to an end of the retreat there was one important question we need to know and understand. The question was what picture of the Founder do we have in our mind? Each Salvatorians will have his picture of the Founder in his mind. But one of the most explicit pictures of the Founder that all the Salvatorians must have is ‘diversity’. Diversity is the treasure and wealth of the Salvatorians. 

In this encounter with Rev. Fr. Peter Van Meije, SDS all the confreres were deeply enriched by his presentations about the life of our Founder and his spirituality. Some of the confreres have met Fr. Peter for the first times. Some others have met him for the second times. Others have met him for more than twice, but it was all the same and It was a beautiful moments together.  There were lots of sharing and interactions. In general, the retreat was very vibrant and fruitful.

DIACONATE 2017, By Cl. Ignace MUKEMBE, SDS

In the Catholic Church, the diaconate is the first of three ranks in ordained ministry. Deacons preparing for the priesthood are transitional deacons. Those not planning to be ordained priests are called permanent deacons. Married men may be ordained permanent deacons, and single men may be ordained with a commitment to celibacy.

on September 28, 2017 at Jordan University College, a mass was celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Anthony Banzi of Tanga's diocese. during the said mass, 13 brothers of different congregations were received the diaconate, among them there were two Salvatorians Cyprian Kikoti and Delphin Mutombo. After mass, a feast was organized in Mater Salvatoris community, more precisely in St. Peter's Hall.