FROM THE HEART
A Continuing Newsletter for the Order of AIHM
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Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
A Religious Order of the Independent Catholic Christian Church |
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Grace, Blessings, and Growth in June
It is my great joy and pleasure to announce that our two novice sisters, Shari Marie Myers, AIHM and Lyngine Dominique-Marie Calizo, AIHM have had their petition accepted by Chapter vote to proceed towards their First Profession of Vows in the Order. Their public First Profession of Vows will occur at the Solemn Mass in celebration of the Solemnity of St. Augustine to be observed on Sunday, August 24 at the Temanos Center in West Chester, PA. All the of Order and Church are invited to attend. Valorie Machin has petitioned the Order for acceptance to the Novitiate. I am happy to announce that her petition has been accepted and she has been invited to be received as a novice and will be clothed with the Cincture of Our Mother of Consolation at First Vespers of St. Augustine, August 23, 2007. Jay Dafflitto, a candidate for Oblate membership, has discerned to seek membership as a professed friar of the Order. He has begun his postulancy and will work with the formation team in deeper discernment. This August will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the AIHM Order with great gratitude to God for all the Grace bestowed upon us, especially this growth, not just in numbers but serious quality of religious. These new members are great testaments to the legacy of mysticism and apostolic service of our Holy Father and Mother, Augustine and Monica. We rejoice on this principal of Augustinian Marian feasts for the work of God's Grace in our lives and our Order. Our souls proclaim God's greatness, Holy is the Lord God of Abraham and Sarah! Our Lady of Grace, blessed are you in God's favor! St. Augustine, pray for us.
Happy Anniversary, Fr. Joseph! With Grateful and Joyful Hearts We Celebrate!  Three years ago on June 4, Friar Joseph Michael Augustine Menna, was ordained as a priest in service to God and God's people. The Order celebrates and rejoices with him on this special day. Fr. Joseph is a founding member of the AIHM and currently serves as Prior General. He ministers as pastor of St. Mary of Grace Parish in Media, PA.
St. Rita's Feast...Spring Chapter 2008
On 17 May 2008, the Order gathered for its Spring Chapter and celebrated the Feast of St. Rita at the home Bp. Tim. During Mass, Fr. Chris Ambrose was received joyfully as an Oblate of the AIHM. The day was then spent visiting the National Shrine of St. Rita followed by an evening of dinner and fellowship. Click here for pictures of Chris Ambrose's reception as an Oblate brother Click here for pictures of the visit to St. Rita's Shrine
New Life and Growth in Early Spring
Congratulations to our New Oblates and New Postulant!!!!! Wonderful news to share with you by God's Grace to our community! Our brother, Father Chris Tessone, has discerned through his novitiate time, that Oblate membership is where God is calling him. We are blessed to have Chris in our community and we are happy that he has been accepted as an Oblate of the Order. Chris will continue to lead our prayer ministry. Congratulations Reverend Christopher Ambrose Tessone, AIHM, Obl.  Next, let us all rejoice that we have a new postulant, Valorie Machin, who has begun serious discernment with us. She is from Springfield MO, and has recently been baptized and confirmed in our Catholic faith. She has a great love for prayer and is greatly inspired by our Holy Father Augustine. In fact, she took the name Augustine as her confirmation namesake. Let us all pray for her now and unite with her in our journey in the Gospel.  And finally, we have another candidate with us, Jay Dafflitto,
from Iowa, who has begun his formation toward Oblate membership. Jay is a veteran of catholic teaching ministry for nearly
twenty years making a transition now. He is also new to our Independent
Catholic
movement. Please offer him your help and prayers.Welcome to our new brothers and sister on this journey!
+ The AIHM Community invites you to a deeper Lent +
Visit the link below for some spiritual resources for this season of the Great Fast: http://www.forministry.com/USPAINDPTSMOGN/LentenSpiritualDevotions.dsp
Christmas Chapter 2008....Baptism and Blessings
On January 12, at the AIHM Christmas Chapter, Fr. Joseph baptized Gabriel Nyce into the Body of Christ and the Communion of Saints. Gabriel's mother and father (Becki and George Nyce), his God parents, and their extended family shared in the celebration and the commitment to help Gabriel grow in love and light in the Christian faith. We were all so happy to celebrate this new life in the Church with Gabriel, his mother and father, God parents, and family. God Grant Gabriel many happy, healthy, and blessed years!
Month of All Souls As Augustinians we remember the directive of our Holy Mother, Saint Monica, as recorded by her son in his Confessions, "care not where you rest this body but remember me at the altar of God." We join our Brother Friar, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, patron of the holy souls in Purgatory, in praying for all those whom we love who have gone to continue their journey with Christ in the Kingdon of God coming. Please send requests for prayers or Masses to Fr. Chris (tessone@polyglut.net), Fr. Joseph (jmennaaihm@aol.com), or Bp. Tim (stmikeandsttim@yahoo.com) and we are honored to fulfill this ministry of prayer for our beloved deceased who live on in Christ.
We Remember...Fall Chapter 2007 On 27 October 2007, the members and friends of the Order gathered to remember our deceased
benefactors at Mass. We then had a wonderful time exploring Augustinian
history and spirituality at Villanova University, visiting St. Thomas of Villanova Church, St.
Mary's Hall (the old formation/seminary), and the cemetery where one of
our missionary Independent Catholic Bishops is buried. Following our tradition, members and friends of the Order gathered to share a meal at the end of the day.
Click here for pictures of the day
AIHM Annual Chapter 2007: Blessings, Growth, and New Life From August 24 through August 26, the Order gathered for their Annual Chapter and Retreat in West Chester, PA. The weekend was marked by prayer, joyful community, the reception of three novices, and the First Profession of a brother! At Solemn Vespers of the Triduum of Our Holy Father, Augustine, The Very Reverend Father Joseph Augustine Menna, AIHM, Prior General of the Order, received Shari Marie, Lyngine Dominique-Marie, and Christopher Ambrose as novices of the Order. The novices will spend the year studying the Rule and Statues of the Order and the writings of St. Augustine. At the Holy Eucharist of the feast of Our Holy Father, Augustine, The Very
Reverend Father Joseph Augustine Menna, AIHM, Prior General of the
Order, received the First Profession of Brother John Bartholomew Scott, AIHM. Br. John Bartholomew is the first non-founding professed member of the Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and we rejoice at this historic and blessed occassion for Br. John Bartholomew and the Order. The Order now joyfully serves in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Happy 14th Anniversary to the AIHM Order!!!!
"Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth!" August 15, 2007, marks the fourteenth anniversary of the founding of the Order of Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Fourteen years ago, on Assumption Day, 1993, Charles Tobin and Joseph Augustine made their first profession to deepen their Baptismal covenant in the Gospel life according the the Rule of St. Augustine and the Statutes of the Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. God has taken the Order many places and several people have come and gone, including one of the founders, but the Order has remained and grown to serve the people of God with the Augustinian spirit of Grace, Community, Charity, and Prayer. Please offer a prayer of thanks to God today with and for us all in the AIHM. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord... God has done great things for me, Holy is the name of our God." ++++++++++++++++++++++++ On August 19, 2007 at the parish Mass, on behalf of the Order and the Parish of St. Mary of Grace and in honor of the 14th Anniversary of the Order's Founding, Fr. Joseph Augustine presented His Grace, Bishop Timothy Cravens, AIHM Obl. and our Protecting Bishop with a new Mitre that was made to match the White/Gold Easter Vestments that were donated by Brother Thomas of the Dominicans of Penance and their seamstress Wanda.
Grace and Blessings in June
It is with great joy and in gratitude for God's Grace that I announce to you the following notices regarding those in formation with the Order. (Venerable) Brother John Bartholomew Scott, AIHM has been approved by Chapter for his first profession of Vows. Brother will make first profession and be clothed in the habit of the Order at Eucharist for the Solemnity of Our Holy Father Augustine, Sunday, August 26 at 11 AM at the Temanos Retreat Center in West Chester, PA. The following postulants have been approved by the Prior General and Council for acceptance to the Novitiate and clothing with the Cincture of Our Mother of Consolation at First Vespers of St. Augustine, August 25, 2007. Shari Myers Lyngine Calizo Chris Tessone + We rejoice on this principal of Augustinian Marian feasts for the work of God's Grace in our lives and our Order. Our souls proclaim God's greatness, Holy is the Lord God of Abraham and Sarah! Our Lady of Grace and Our Sister, St. Rita, blessed are you in God's favor! St. Augustine, pray for us.
Love and Conversion...Easter 2007 On 12 May 2007, the Order gathered, as is
traditional, for its celebration of Easter, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Augustine, and the Feast of Our Mother of Consolation with its Spring
Chapter at the home of Casey, an oblate of the Order, and his partner David. The day was marked by Mass at Casey and David's home, dinner at a local restaurant, and a walk down the river for recreation.
Heartfelt Celebrations Melt the Winter's Icy Cold Congratulations Father Joseph Father Joseph completed his Master of Science in Education degree this month from Walden University. Joseph Augustine has been in education ministry for nearly two decades and will use his new degree to further his ministry of education and human development. Congratulations New Postulants The Order is humbled and blessed to welcome three new postulants to our community. Please pray for Shari Myers, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Father Christopher Tessone from Durham, North Carolina, and Lyngine Calizo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please offer your prayers for our new brother and sisters as they begin their journey with us to deepen their baptism in the Lord.
The Word made manifest in our very lives...Christmas 2007 On the Feast of Epiphany, 6 January 2007, the Order gathered, as is traditional, for its celebration of the Incarnation with its Winter Chapter. The day was marked by Mass at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, dinner at a local restaurant, and a movie at Fr. Joseph's for recreation. Christ truly was made in the flesh for us as we again welcomed new life to our AIHM family. Fr. Seraphim McCune from Bryan Texas was received as an Oblate brother, making his promises and receiving the Augustinian cincture. Fr. Seraphim ministers St. Jude and St. Anthony Mission in Texas and is also a husband and father. In addition, a new candidate began the application process for Novitiate, Shari Myers, a mother and excellent cook, from Harrisburg Pa.
First Baptism Ministered by the Order Fr. Joseph Augustine presided over the baptism of Daniel Noah Carter-Smith on Sunday, December 17, 2006 at St. Mary of Grace Parish in Media, PA, a parochial ministry of the Order. Some pictures of the blessed event are below. The parish and family celebrated the sacrament with a candelight Advent Liturgy.
Our Catholic Tradition calls us to a Spiritual Work of Mercy this month. As we bring our Liturgical Year to an end we remember the end of our cycle of life as well. We are called to pray for all our loved ones who have entered their new life with Christ. We remember, especially, on November 14, the birth to new life one year ago of our benefactor, Dorothy Menna. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace. AMEN! Eternal memory, blessed and eternal memory!
AIHM Annual Chapter 2006 a Great Blessing From August 25 through August 27, the Order gathered for their Annual Chapter and Retreat in Haverford, PA. The weekend was marked by prayer, joyful community, the reception of a novice, and the ordination of a deacon! At Solemn Vespers of the Triduum of Our Holy Father, Augustine, The Very Reverend Father Joseph Augustine Menna, AIHM, Prior General of the Order, recieved The Venerable Brother John Bartholomew Scott, AIHM, as the second novice of the Order. John will spend the year at his hermitage of St. Francis in Corning , NY studying the Rule and Statues of the Order and the writings of St. Augustine. The Order rejoices now to be serving in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Virginia. At the Holy Eucharist of the feast of Our Mother Monica, The Most Reverend Timothy Michael Cravens, AIHM Obl., Presiding Bishop of the Independent Catholic Christian Church, and our Protecting Bishop, ordained The Reverend Mr. Bryan Maribanian to the Sacred Order of Deacons.
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Summer Chapter: New Growth At our Summer Chapter and Community Day, held in Havre de Grace, MD this past June, the Order was blessed to welcome new life to the community. Casey Anno was welcomed and received as an Oblate brother. Casey makes a home with his partner David in Havre de Grace and serves on the deacon council and in the choir of his local UCC Church. A very talented musician, and gentle spirit, Casey enriches the community greatly. God is good! Also, John Scott was received as a postulant of the Order at our Chapter in Maryland. John lives in New York State and is a minister and advocate for persons with HIV/AIDS and a nurse. Our prayers and support are with him as he embarks on his formation journey with the community.
St. Mary of Grace Parish Finds New Home On May 7, 2006, the AIHM Parish of St. Mary of Grace, found a new home with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County. The UUCDC graciously shares sacred space with the parish at their site on Rose Tree Road, just past the intersection of PA 352 with US 1. St. Mary of Grace Parish is an inclusive independent Catholic Parish, staffed by the Order of AIHM in the Independent Catholic Christian Church. Mass is celebrated each Sunday at 6 PM. All are welcome and included! |
November: Month of All Souls
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