SOLIDARITY PROJECT 2008
28th july: Feast of our Lady of Betharram
the Mary's beautiful branch
The Lady of Betharram extends her Beautiful Branch to four continents where her "sons" are living. As a mother, she is proud to present us his younger religious from South-East Asia.
ASPIRANTS IN PHAYAO
Nestling in the mountains of the region of Chiang Mai is a house for the aspirants of the fathers of Betharram.
These young men arrive who have experienced the missionary work in the different places and areas and ask, "why can we not serve like them?" The missionaries reply as Jesus did to his first curious disciples, "Come and see."
At Phayao is the House of Jesus under the attentive supervision of the experienced Fathers Lhouerrou and Perlini and the youthful spirit of a young priest of Betharram Tai Mongkhon who looks after them and formed them into a spiritual family, where they alternate with their studies which take place in the town College and work in the property and house and which begins with prayer... to fulfil their quest under the life and shadow of Saint Michael.
Slowly along a path of trust that is created by discovering the reasons which have influenced them to draw closer to Betharram and by enabling them to see whether each aspirant can answer either yes or no by following the programme of life.
Everyone knows that motivations can differ... and for those in this stage of initiation it is most important to remember what Jesus said: "many are called but few are chosen".
The work is hard, but the Lord doesn't force those with goodwill... on many occasions they might feel sadness at leaving home and might return home, but at the same time the joy of having achieved something while respecting the freedom of others... other times they may feel satisfied by by seeing how they have progress in seeing how they have progress in their search and begin preparing themselves by following the path to enter the seminary of St Joseph. In this case they feel satisfaction of knowing that their efforts have not been in vain.
Those who who are involved in this process of formation experience the same feelings: they accompany the development of these young people whom at least life has favoured with other opportunities to serve.
We all know that courtship doesn't necessarily end in marriage, it's a way of seeing if they can realise a way of life together.
In all stages of formation the same can happen: those who begin may not finish, on the other hand there are a few that do. Then the effort is worth it.
For this patience and understanding is needed by the Fathers: those that are committed to the programme of formation understand that we sow, with our generous help we prepare and water the soil, but the harvest doesn't depend on us, it is the mystery of freedom in every person. One year we may see a good harvest, another an excellent year, another a very dry one.
The ways of God are not our ways, the designs of God are not our designs... it is up to us to persevere along the path of solidarity and take the branch of Mary that enables us each day to realise new life.
"Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap." says the psalmist.
