In the brothers community of SSCC Generalate in Rome, the Feast of Dies Natalis of the Good Father began on the evening of the 26 March 2017 with an all-night adoration. All brothers who are in the house at present participated in it from 21:00 pm until 4:00 am the next day: Franck, Remi, Pankras, Alberto, Sergio, Raja and David.
As a reminder of a long tradition of the Picpus family, the simple adoration chapel of the community was adorned with the red mantle laid on top of the kneeler in front of the tabernacle. The red mantle represents the weight of sins of the world in need of reparation that we bring in front of God together with Jesus. This tradition disappeared in the 1960s after the Second Vatican Council. In an all-night adoration, one brother would pass the mantle to the next one.
The community morning prayer in Italian was led by David Reid at 7:00 am to initiate the special day of feast. It was done in the context of the Bicentenary of the approbation of the Congregation (1817-2017). For this reason, a copy of the bicentennial edition of our SSCC Constitutions is symbolically placed in front of the ambo, while in the background a suitable banner of photos of members around the world were arranged in the form of a cross, to remind us that “we are the children of the cross,” according to Pankras Olak, the artist behind the scene.
At 11:30 am our Sacred Hearts sisters: Beatriz, Merci and Milagro joined the Eucharistic celebration that was presided by Sergio Silva Gatica sscc, in Spanish. In his homily, Sergio stressed, among other things, the simplicity in the relations and the availability in the service of the Church as features of Father Coudrin and which reach us as distinctive features of the Congregation. We also prayed for the Superiors General of both branches, and as usual during Mass, for our sisters and brothers in different countries who celebrate their birthday on that day.
After that, we had a moment of joyful chats and laughter over the aperitif, and at 13:00 pm a simple but delicious meal was served to conclude the family gathering.
03/27/2017