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New Associates
Bishop Thomas Curry led the retreat of the Josephite Associates in Santa Maria, California, on February 25. At the Eucharistic celebration, new members received their pins.Video by Mary Fonseca and text by Ronnie Escarzaga. Both are Associates.
We currently have 18 full members, having just welcomed 2 Aspirants into full membership after completing approximately 12 months of formation. The Commitment and Pinning Ceremony for the new members took place during the Mass at our Associate “Day of Recollection” given by our Regional Bishop Thomas Curry and Fr. Charles on February 25, 2012. Currently there are 7 Aspirants in formation and hope to be full members by this summer. As Associates one of our goals is to pray for the Josephite Fathers and for vocations to the order. The Associates began Nocturnal Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Louis de Montfort parish specifically to pray for vocations to the priesthood in 2002 and we continue till this day on the eve of the first Friday of every month.
On April 27, 2012 the Associates and Josephite Priests gathered for our annual barbeque. This was the 3rd one. We began the evening with Vespers in the Chapel, followed by a social hour and great food. As part of our community prayer life in accordance with our constitutions we are encouraged to participate in an annual retreat. This year we have chosen a silent retreat in Northern California. So on July 20 about 12 Associates will travel just over 200 miles to St. Clare’s Retreat House in Soquel for the weekend. The topic for the retreat is on the “Mystery of Suffering”, given by a Dominican priest Fr. Sergius Probst, O.P. I think this might the largest group of Associates we have ever had on retreat together.
And last but certainly not least, after several years of hard work by our brother Chris Boerger (who by the way was ordained to the permanent Deaconate on July 16, 2011 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles California) we now have a completed Associate Handbook. The Handbook is over 200 pages long filled with several topics, prayers, writings of the Founder, Fr. Robert and many others including documents from the CCC. Article 10, #38 of our Constitutions states this about the Handbook or Manual:
«The “Manual for Josephite Associates” is designed to facilitate the intellectual and spiritual needs of the Josephite Associate community, and is an opportunity for ongoing formation for all members. It is hoped that the manual will be used as a spiritual guide to increase devotion to Jesus, His Blessed Mother Mary, and our Patron St. Joseph. The collective contents are for spiritual nourishment in living out the Josephite spirituality.»
Finally I would like to say that the Founder’s Charism “Family Spirit” is very important to us as Associates and we are very grateful for the support of the Josephite Priests and for allowing us to share in this Family Spirit with you. May we continue to grow in Family, Love and Holiness.
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