Week of July 16, 2003

Servite Father Hugh M. Guentner, pastor of Assumption Church in Welby, was a delegate to the International Union of the Servite Family USA (UNIFAS-USA) national congress in Omaha, Neb., June 27-29. The event drew 140 members of the Servite family from across the country. The congress takes place every three years in different locations.

"It was uplifting and encouraging to gather with other branches of the Servite family to mutually support one another in our ministry," Father Guentner said.

One of the most well known Servants of Mary, best-selling author Sister Joyce Rupp, was the keynote speaker, focusing on the theme, "Light the Flame of Compassion."

Sister Rupp told the group that compassion is an attitude or approach to the way people are with all of life that sees that people are united, not separate from others.

"Compassion also involves action, doing what we can to alleviate suffering and injustice," she said.

But, she said, there is much that tugs at people and keeps them from having this attitude.

"I can get totally absorbed in my own life and longings, in my own busyness," Sister Rupp said. "I believe that all of us need to regularly be re-inspired and re-challenged to be people of compassion in a world filled with suffering. It is easy to get overwhelmed with this pain and thus to deny or to ignore the world's pain by becoming overly absorbed in our own small world."

She said it was humbling to speak to the gathering of Servites.

"Compassion is in all of our spiritual bones," she said. "Each member has spent years reflecting on and living this essential component of Christianity. Our central devotion is to Mary, Mother of Sorrows, whose heart was totally with Jesus as she stood at the foot of his cross on Calvary.

"So, too, for us Servants of Mary, we dedicate our lives to `standing' with those who suffer, to be with them by our presence and our prayer, and by our active endeavor to promote justice and peace in our world. It was a real privilege to be with this group of Servites."

Those attending the national congress included representatives of the American Province of the Servants of Mary, sisters and lay associates based in Omaha; the Ladysmith Servites, sisters based in Ladysmith, Wis.; the U.S. Province of the Order of Friar Servants of Mary, priests and brothers based in Chicago; the Secular Order of Servites, lay men and women affiliated with the friars; and the Plainfield and Tinley Park Mantellate Servites, sisters based in Plainfield and Tinley Park, Ill.

Servant of Mary associate member and event coordinator Rose Roeder said that about 1,000 people make up the Servite family in this country. All of the groups have the same charism, or call to ministry, of compassion.

The international UNIFAS (uniting the Servite family from all over the world) gathering will be in Portugal July 13-18. Father Guentner will be one of the U.S. delegates.