Congratulations to Brother Seán Sammon on his birthday
On November 26, 1947 Brother Seán Sammon was born in New York. So now he is 61 years old. A party was held in the General House to celebrate his birthday. The programme was very simple but full of affection and fraternity. The day began in festive spirit. Holy Mass took place at the end of the morning in the big chapel, with all the Brothers of the house in attendance as well as the people who collaborate, in so many ways, in the offices of the General Administration. The Eucharistic celebration presented an opportunity for a personal greeting by each individual working in the house as well as the opportunity to give thanks for the services of animation and government that are being carried out in the Institute.
During the prayer of the faithful several brothers animated the prayer with selected texts from the documents which have been published during the seven years of his mandate as General Superior. Each one of the texts led to a prayer for different people and the needs of the Institute.
The offertory was the moment to place before the Lord the whole work of animation that Brother Seán has carried out through his writings: letters to brothers of different ages, circulars or introductory words to various events. The entire collection of writings, directed by Seán to the brothers, which have already been published, were placed in a square at the foot of the altar with the flowers that completed the decoration. That was the work of animation of the Institute which the community offered to the Lord in gratitude for the gift of the person of our General Superior.
The aperitif, which was served in the Champagnat Room, gave us the opportunity to recollect some outstanding moments in Seán?s life through the use of pictures. Brother Luis Sobrado García, our Vicar General, congratulated him on behalf of the General Council, the brothers of the General Administration, the whole Institute and the lay people who work with the brothers. On behalf of them all he was given a beautiful statue of Mary. All the brothers and lay people who work in the General House took part in a fraternal meal.
We pray that the Lord and his Good Mother will guard over Brothers Seán life and grant him strength and health to be able to successfully bring to a conclusion the work which the Chapter entrusted to him.