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09.05.2016 15:01:01 2469x read.
INSPIRATION
Birthday of Bro. Avellinus Janssens (Bro. Martin Handoko)

100th Anniversary of Bro. Avellinus Janssens

 

Dear bothers and sisters,

Today I am very honored to tell a story about  a “superman” of the Congregation.  Our  beloved brother, Bro. Avellinus Janssens, the former General Superior, the predecessor of mine, has received a special gift of life, becoming 100 years of age, the first in the history of the Congregation.  This is really an outstanding event of the Congregation. Therefore it is proper for us to celebrate this in a special way. On behalf of the whole Congregation and my own behalf, hereby I wish Br. Avellinus a very happy birthday.

Until I was elected General Superior I knew Br. Avellinus very little, since I was still too young when he was a General Superior. When he was finishing his term as General Superior in 1970, I was still a postulant. I heard about him  just very little from Br. Humbertus, who was then the Provincial Superior of Indonesia, and then my novice master in the second year novitiate.

As I now stay in the Netherlands, I  have heard and  seen more and more about  Bro. Avellinus. To be honest I admire him very much. He was elected a General Superior in 1958 when he was still 42 years old.  During his administration he opened so many communities outside The Netherlands. This makes our Congregation more and more international. He sent brothers to  Sierra Leone (1959), Malawi (1960),  and Ghana (1965). In Asia he also opened community in Pakistan (1960). Meanwhile in Europe he open some communities in Spain (1962), Ireland (1962), and London (1959). I can say that he was very aggressive in making the Congregation reach out to the people in need.

On the other hand the situation of the Catholic church at that time was very critical, of which  Pope John XXIII finally called  the 2nd Vatican Council from 1962-1965. The impact of the Vatican Council was so dramatic for the whole Catholic Church in general and the religious life in particular. It was  really a turbulent period of religious life. Despite all pain and challenges Br. Avellinus was able to bring the Congregation through that period,  that now the story  of the Congregation continues to go on.

Now Br. Avellinus has reached 100 years of age, a very special case in our Congregation.  What is amazing to me is that in his very old age his spirit of service is still there. Despite the fact that physically he is weak, but his mind is still very clear and sharp. He still wants to make use of his gifts to do  something good  for the people in the neighborhood and the parish. For the Congregation he is also still active in some activities, such as organizing KGM, taking part in the publication of Orientatie magazine and writing books or articles.

Dear Bro. Avellinus,  I do not need to prolong my laudatory speech. What I would like you to know in this special occasion is that  we thank God for calling you to be with us building our Congregation;  that you are admired and loved by so many people. I hope that the celebration of your birthday today will reminds you how great the love of God is to you. In this way the celebration of today is becoming the source of gratitude to God the source of life, and to the people who continue to support and take care of you. Once again Br. Avellinus many happy returns to you.

Martin Handoko








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