English

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Padre_JessieAnother day of the General Chapter started with the Eucharistic celebration in Portuguese presided by Fr. Juarez and enlivened with evocative songs.  Back in the Chapter Hall there is the resumption of the interrogations and interventions on the part of the Chapter Members with regard to the first part of the report on the situation of the personnel and the discipline. Another 8 Chapter Members make the interventions thanking the outgoing Government and presenting their observations and integrations. At 10:30 A.M. the interventions with regard to the administrative part of the report start, with the Chapter Members registering and then presenting their short speeches. Everyone is deeply interested in the economic and administrative concerns of the Congregation.  The various interventions mentioned the continuous Divine Providence through the generosity of many benefactors and expressed gratitude for all those who with dedication and zeal offered  (e.g., Fr. Pantaleone Palma and Fr. Michele Lomuscio, referring in particular of the Anthonian secretariats) and presently offer themselves at the service of the economy, as well as the difficulties that the individual Circumscriptions in the actual economic situation are  forced to tackle everyday. Everyone acknowledges the importance and the urgency of establishing basic courses of economic formation for, and of preparing in an adequate manner from the technical and professional perspective, the treasurers of the Houses and the Circumscriptions, and to economically sustain the activities of vocation promotion.   16 Chapter Members make their interventions. In the afternoon, the session continues with the interrogations and integrations on the economic report. About 12 Chapter Members make their interventions. Receiving emphasis are concrete problems relating to the spirit of poverty, the meaning of divine Providence, and the reorganization of the works.  At 6:00 P.M., the President of the Chapter invites Fr. Gabriel Flores to read an attachment placed at the end of the written report of the Government regarding the historical and methodological steps of the works for the new editing of the text of the Constitutions and Norms, prepared by the pre-Chapter Commission. The Chapter Members express themselves on how to go about the work. With the desire to revise the rules, everyone is in favor not to neglect the possibility of treating the most important issues of the Congregation so that suggestions and issues could be handed over to the new General Government.