Members of the General Committee of the International Committee of the Divine Savior (ICDS –Lay Salvatorians) in common with one member of the financial commission and accompanied by Fr. Thomas Malal SDS from the Generalate of the Salvatorians met on Dec. 11th, 2015 with Dr. Philip G. Milligan a legal member of the relevant department of the Pontifical Council of the Laity in Rome.
They had a very fruitful dialogue about the progress of the recognition of the ICDS at the Vatican. The conversation was about the several apostolates and actions of Lay Salvatorians in the different countries-units.
One of the topics they talked about was their lived reality and common cooperation. The Council is discerning if it is present at an international level.
Dr Milligan stated that it is expected a response from the office of the Pontifical Council possibly at the end of January or the beginning of February 2016.
You can find some more photographs on our gallery.
On the evening of December 7th, 2015 the Salvatorian Missionary Year was closed by several events around the world. It was a humbling experience to be present at the event in the motherhouse of the Society of the Divine Savior in Rome.
An informative exhibition about the life of the founder Fr. Francis Jordan was opened in the corridor of the first floor in the motherhouse. You can view some photographs in our gallery.
A possible miracle in Brazil through the intercession of Fr. Jordan could be a big step forward in the process of beatification of the founder. These message was made public by the Generalate of the Society of the Divine Savior today. Reed more about this interesting news here in several languages →
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At the closing eucharist of the annual unit meeting three persons did their first commitment. They are from the community of Medellin and now members in our big Lay Salvatorian community – WELCOME!
The Lay Salvatorians are grewing – at last in Australia. Two new members made their first commitment.It’s a joy for the whole Salvatorian family. A big welcome …
The message of Easter: Jesus is alive. A wife, Mary Magdalene, was the first human, who was allowed to announce the Good News – and had to do. Once more it was a radical sign of God, in which he tried to make it clear for the humans, that their rules and hierarchies are not guilty for him.
Fifty days after Easter the disciples of Jesus came together. Why? They celebrated a feast, the Jewish Shavuot. It takes place 7 weeks and one day after the feast of Pesach. It is the celebration of the harvest ( 2. Mose 23,16) or the day of the first field crops (4. Mose 28,26). It reminds also on the overhanding of the second version of the Ten Commandments from God through Mose to the people of Israel. And doubtlessly this feast inspired the Christian Whitsun.
Noli me tangere, fresco by Fra Angelico
Let’s focus on a woman, who was put into the background throughout the history by men, although she was the first human who meet the resurrected Jesus, this year. The reasons why this happened are manifold and diverse. One major fact – she was a powerful woman and that was simply impossible at the time she was living!
It is almost universally agreed today that Mary Magdalene has the reputation in Western Christianity as being a repentant prostitute or loose woman. However, these claims are unfounded. The identity of Mary Magdalene is believed to have been merged with the identity of the unnamed sinner conflating who anoints Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:36-50. Mary Magdalene, the anointing sinner of Luke, and Mary of Bethany, who in John 11:1-2 also anoints Jesus’ feet, were long regarded as the same person. Though Mary Magdalene is named in each of the four gospels in the New Testament, none of the clear references to her indicate that she was a prostitute or notable for a sinful way of life, nor link her with Mary of Bethany. Modern scholarship has restored the understanding of Mary of Magdala as an important early Christian leader.[1]
People of many countries celebrate the feast of St. Valentine on February 14th. It’s often not a day of vacation but they give presents of love to others who are in their hearts. The legend behind you can read on Wikipedia in several languages.
We from the GC of the ICDS took this date to improve our worldwide communication, especially in the mirror of the Salvatorian missionary year. We invite all Lay Salvatorians and certainly all members of the Salvatorian family to participate on this action of brotherly/sisterly friendship and love. So there are two possibilities to participate:
