We Would Love
to Keep in Touch!
Meet Fr. Joseph Peethuruthel
Over the past few years, we have invited some of our La Salette Missionaries from other countries to come to the United States to share their mission insights, experiences and vision with their fellow Missionaries by living with them and to preach in various parishes and share their enthusiasm by giving mission appeals. It has been a mutually enriching encounter. I asked Father Joseph Peethuruthel, MS, from India to tell what this year’s adventure has meant to him.
“Namaste!” That is how, with my hands folded in front of me and my head slightly bowed, I would greet you in my native language. I have performed this traditional Indian greeting many times during the last six months while here in the United States. I came here to live with my religious brothers, to get a taste of life in the United States and do mission appeals in various dioceses.
Meet Fr. Edison Pamintuan, M.S.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Santiago City, Isabela, on Jan. 26, 1973. I am the eldest son of four children, two brothers and one sister. My hometown has over 100,000 people and our family lived in “Poblacion”, the center of our city. My father, Eduardo, and my mother, Angelita, are both deceased.
How did you first hear about La Salette?
My hometown is one of the first two foundations of the La Salette’s presence in the Philippines. I went to La Salette High School of Santiago. My first exposure to priests was with Fr. Wilfredo Jocson, diocesan priest from my hometown, a relative of my father. He was always willing to be of service to the church and when the La Salettes in the area were away, he would pitch in to help. For me, he showed me the meaning the words, “to serve and not to be served”. That always brings me back to what Jesus said about true service. He was older and “retired but not tired!” He was one of the diocesan priests who welcomed and knew the very first La Salettes who came to our area. He was very approachable and non-threatening, a simple priest, a truly compassionate person.
What ministries have you served in?
Meet Fr. Rene Bissaillon, M.S.
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| Fr. René Bissaillon, M.S., who celebrates 58 years of priesthood |
Where were you raised?
I was born in Cohoes, New York, near Albany on March 17, 1931. My mother, Annette Nadeau and my dad, Leonel, were both born near Montreal. We had seven children and I was the second oldest. My parents moved down to New York State with their families when they were very young. My hometown was known as the “spindle city” because it was at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and therefore had water power for the many clothing factories in our area.
How did you come to know about La Salette?
A La Salette priest travelled regularly from Altamont to our parish for Sunday Mass. When I told my parents in 7th grade that I wanted to become a priest, my dad was very surprised but my parents were very supportive. They went to our parish priest, Fr. Adrien Bechard, and he suggested that I join a missionary order because, with our financial situation as a large family, a religious community would gladly accept me. He was right. Since I was serving Mass for the La Salettes weekly, Fr. Bechard contacted Fr. Conrad Blanchet. After speaking with a La Salette, my parents received application information for me to enter.
Meet Fr. Danilo Galang, M.S.
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| Fr. Danilo Galang, M.S., Pastor, St. Theresa’s Parish, Kekaha, Hawaii |
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Ramon, Isabela, in the northern part of the Philippines. I come from a Catholic family of eight children—five boys and three girls. I am the fifth child and our six child, a boy, is deceased. It is a very small town composed of eighteen villages. Most of the people are farmers, although some are professionals. My father, Carlito, recently deceased, worked for the National Irrigation Administration as a driver. My mother for many years managed our family business, selling produce.
How did you first hear about La Salette?
In our town there are only two schools—one of them is owned and run by the La Salette Missionaries. Apparently the bishop of our diocese invited the La Salette Missionaries to found and manage a high school in our town, some seven hours drive from Manila. I graduated from that school in March of 1984.
Meet Fr. Augustine Cheerakathil, M.S.
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| Fr. Augustine Cheerakathil, M.S. |
Where are you from?
My name is Fr. Augustine Cheerakathil, MS. My father, Mathew and my mother, Mary welcomed me into this world on October 20, 1958. There are seven children in our family — six boys and one girl. I am the second youngest. Our entire family were involved in rice farming in my home state of Kerala, in southwest India.
How did you get to know the La Salette Missionaries?
After High School I joined a local religious congregation called the Indian Mission Society. After two years of Pre-college studies I left that community. While I was at home I was told by one of my friends who was in a Diocesan Seminary about the visitation by Fr. Efren Musngi, M.S., then Vicar Provincial for the Philippine Province, to the local seminary and his speaking about the La Salette Missionaries. He spoke about the La Salette apparition and the message of Blessed Mother. His talk was very interesting and memorable. My mother brought me up with a deep devotion to “Mama Mary”, Our Blessed Mother. And La Salette therefore appealed to my inmost tendencies.
Getting to Know La Salettes in Myanmar
We would like to introduce you to the La Salette Missionaries who are from Myanmar. We are just beginning to recruit young men into our community. In fact, we have just begun our own formation program. Here is a little bit of information about each of us.
Fr. Bernard Taylor, MS was originally a Burmese Diocesan priest who knew the La Salettes while her was growing up. He was ordained and, after a few years, asked his Bishop if he could apply to the La Salette Missionaries, with the hope that he could reintroduce the La Salette Missionaries into his native land at some future time. After many years away from Burma—now Myanmar—our reimplantation happened on Nov 18, 2005. Now Fr. Bernie is directing the establishment of the foundations, among which is to obtain a home and establish a formation program for young men wishing to become La Salettes.
He has been fixing up the “central house” and now it is ready for occupation. With two big rooms and eight smaller ones, this should be enough for the missionaries for a few more years. The big hall-like building will be multi-purpose.
Meet Brother Luke Bauer
Some time ago I wrote about how your generous and caring gifts to the La Salette Mission Center were going to help the poor in our mission fields, especially the schools and children. I thought I would key in on one person who has been a very zealous and constant advocate for our missions – someone who usually remains in the background but who has a great love of the missionaries and a wonderful appreciation of the work that they are doing. His name is Brother Luke Bauer, and he is stationed at our residence in Saint Louis. Bro. Luke is in charge of the kitchen and sets up our menus each day. He also cooks many of the meals during the week. When he entered the community he didn’t start out as a cook. But once he was asked to do some cooking he found that he loved it. He still does some 30 years later!
Meet Fr. Vanãcio Nunda, M.S.
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| Fr. Nunda Venanciao, Regional Superior of Angola |
While at the General Chapter Father Vanãcio Nunda, MS, Regional Superior of Angola, explained a bit about his homeland and the La Salette mission there.
The mission in Angola – then a Portuguese colony in Africa – began in 1946 when eight La Salette Missionaries came from Switzerland. Their missionary zeal was directed to poorer regions of Angola. As a result of their efforts to evangelize, to form Catholic communities, to build schools and to educate youth, they soon began to draw vocations. However the first native priest – Fr. Tarcisio Tchiheke – came to the La Salettes from the diocesan clergy. Today the La Salette Region in Angola is composed of 54 priests, 3 Brothers, 23 professed scholastics in four years of theology and 8 novices. There are 56 young men in three years of philosophy and 45 others in the first two years of college.
We have a mission in Opuwo, Namibia with three priests and two deacons serving there. Soon we will take on another ministry there, opening a new pastoral center. There is one priest studying in Brazil and another in France. Yes, God has blessed us in spite of hardship – or perhaps because of the fidelity to Mission – during more than 30 years of civil war in our country.
Meet Bro. Pedro Santiago Battistini
Brother Pedro Santiago Battistini, MS is a La Salette Missionary born in Argentina. During my visit there late last January he told me a bit about himself, his missionary journey and his ministry. As you will see from his background, it is no wonder that he is the Treasurer of the Argentina/Bolivia La Salette Region.
I was born on June 30, 1975 in a small town named Monte Cristo, just a few kilometers from Córdoba, Argentina. I give thanks to God that my parents are still alive, as are my four brothers and two sisters. La Salette was part of my family’s history even before I came into the picture. As a young woman my mother was the cook at the La Salette seminary in Yofre Norte. My father worked at a nearby bakery and delivered bread each morning to the seminary. That’s where they met – in the La Salette seminary kitchen! As the years went by and they became better acquainted they decided to get married. Fr. Jim Weeks, MS was the priest who officiated at their sacramental wedding. They then moved to Monte Cristo, a small town not far from Córdoba. I was their first born. So you could say that La Salette was part of my life from birth. A few years later they moved back to Yofre Norte in Córdoba and we all became active members of the parish of Our Lady of La Salette, staffed by the same missionaries.
Meet Brother David Cardozo, MS
Brother David Cardozo Ruiloba, MS was born in Tarija, Bolivia on April 15, 1972, one of six children born to Damien and Julia Ruiloba. For the first 20 years of his life he knew nothing about La Salette or the Missionaries who bear that name. After high school he entered the diocesan seminary where he completed three years of philosophy. Yet he knew something was missing in his life. So he left. Of course the Bishop was not happy. He saw a lot of potential in this young man. He told David that perhaps the diocesan priesthood was not right for him. At the same time, because of what he saw in him, he felt sure David was called to the priesthood. Perhaps he should consider joining a religious community. The Bishop suggested four – the Dominicans, the Augustinians, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the La Salettes.
During the next three years while David worked in Cochabamba he also went to visit the first three religious communities the Bishop had suggested. They were names familiar to him so he spent some time with each of then. Again nothing clicked. That left the La Salettes about whom he knew nothing. So he didn’t even bother to go see them.