The Provincial Assembly in Chile continues. Today we received the chronicle for Wednesday, September 9th, a day during which the Assembly studied the Provincial Plan and revised the Provincial Norms,
The work of Wednesday, September 9th began with the celebration of the Eucharist and Morning Prayer — Father Fernando Macías presided. Today we remembered Blessed Fredrick Ozanam. After this time of prayer during which we received the spiritual strength to confront the day we entered the dining hall to share breakfast where we received the physical strength necessary for the day.
As usual, we began our work at 10:00am and began to review the Provincial Plan and discussed the modifications that had been proposed. There were not many modifications but each detail solicited an enriching exchange. Some ideas were introduced, for example, our collaboration in the Continental Mission, a work plan to finance pastoral projects, a commission to promote the formulation of projects and to review those that have been presented, the initiation of a provincial fund for these different projects, the creation of a subsidy to promote pastoral and missionary initiatives.
The work on the Provincial Plan occupied our attention for the morning and in fact our discussion extended beyond the allotted time and as a result the time for lunch was moved back.
After lunch and a rest we began the afternoon session and approved the minutes of the previous day. We then began to study the proposals for modifying the Provincial Statutes. There were few proposals but an intense debate followed. What first appeared to be an easy task took up the greater part of the afternoon, but we left the session feeling strengthened.
The break during the afternoon session was also delayed but it was an important time to relax and exchange impressions about the work.
After the break a greeting from Father José María Nieto, Assistant General who was in Mozambique, was read to the Assembly. We had also received greetings from Father José Antonio Ubilllús, Assistant General who was in Brazil, Sister Julia Moreno, Visitor of the Daughters of Charity, Father Jorge Manríquez, Father David Paniagua, Sister Guillermina Ruiz and others.
After these messages we continued the work with the provincial norms concluding with the norms concerning consultors and vacations which took some time to move forward.
The time seemed to move forward quickly and we extended the work of the afternoon in order to review the proposals that had been submitted by the ad hoc Commission on the Statutes of the Congregation. We were in agreement with almost everything that the Commission had recommended. Some proposals, however, were modified and others rejected.
Tomorrow we will review the proposal that we wish to submit to the General Assembly and we will also elect a delegate (and substitutes) to the Assembly.
The evening meal was delayed but nonetheless the superior of the house invited us to eat quickly because Chile was playing Brazil in the elimination round to qualify for the World Cup 2010 … a game which unfortunately Chile lost.
