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My dear brothers and
sisters,
The International Session at Plovdiv on the Oriental Mission of the
Assumption has finished. I believe that all were interested, challenged
and encouraged.
We can certainly thank God for these days spent together in the presence
of the icons in the antechamber of the celestial liturgy. There is no
doubt that the Holy Spirit was active especially in the excellent climate
of fraternal agreement and communion that He was able to create and
maintain among all during these three weeks.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish to express my gratitude to each one of
you, the participants, who came from the four corners of the globe. You
received nectar that you will be able to share upon your return home. Your
openness, your interest, and your prayer contributed in a large measure to
the success of our session.
Once again thanks go to all of you lecturers, for the time and energy that
you spent for this session. You had the knack of communicating your
knowledge and experience to us, but also your passion and faith. Thanks to
you, the Orient became closer for us and the Oriental Mission dearer to
our eyes and hearts.
A very special gratitude goes out to you the brothers and sisters of the
Assumptionist and Oblate communities of Plovdiv. This session has meant an
added load of work for all of you. You took it on with courage and an
efficaciousness that is remarkable and, above all, with a sense of
hospitality and a fraternal generosity that were magnificent.
A final thank you goes to all those, brothers, sisters, laity, and
employees… who were at our service day after day. We lacked nothing and I
would say that we received in abundance.
The session is now finished, but the Oriental Mission continues. Even
more, it has a renewed vigor. With your contribution, this Mission –
heretofore understood as a mission of the whole Congregation – will
continue to develop itself and pursue its goal, that of Unity. This is a
goal for which we work through means, but in particular ecumenical
dialogue and service to the Churches in the countries where we are present.
Several events took place during this session. Some concern the whole
Church while others, only the Assumption. It pleases me to see in them «
winks of the Lord » to encourage us, since all are good omens for the
future of the Oriental Mission and ecumenism. The nomination of Msgr.
Pezzi as Catholic archbishop of Moscow, replacing Msgr. Kondrucziewicz who
was named to Minsk; the election of Msgr. Daniel as the new Patriarch of
the Rumanian Orthodox Church; the nomination of the first Russian Superior
for the AA community of Moscow, and finally, the reception of the « small
volume on the Oriental Mission » that will soon appear and that you will
certainly want to spread and make known.
With enthusiasm in my heart – a new one or a renewed one – for the
Oriental Mission, « let us place one another and our whole life in Christ,
our God » (Divine liturgy of Saint John Chysostom).
Fraternally yours,
André Brombart aa
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