On this fourth and final day, the Provincial Assembly dedicated itself to the presentation and discussion of the postulata. Father Fernando Macías was elected as the provincial delegate to the XLI General Assembly of the Congregation of the Mission.
The final day of the Assembly arrived. This morning we began with the recitation of Morning Prayer followed by breakfast. The Eucharist would be celebrated at noon as the final act of the Assembly.
We began our work at 10:30am and immediately entered into the task of revising and approving the postulata that some members had proposed and that would be presented to the next General Assembly. One proposal dealt with the formation of brother candidates, another dealt with the number of Assistant Generals and finally there was one dealing with the Vincentian calendar and the Vincentian saints … all of these were approved by the assembly.
After the discussion and approval of the postulata there was a brief break. We then returned one last time to the assembly hall to revise and approve the minutes of the previous day and then proceeded to the election of the provincial delegate and substitutes to the XLI General Assembly. After three ballots, Father Fernando Macías was elected. Father Carlos de la Rivera was then elected as the first substitute and Father Mario Villar second substitute.
It was then decided that the secretary and vice-secretary and the two moderators of the Assembly would become members of the redaction commission which would finalize the texts approved by the assembly before sending them to the General Curia.
After concluding the work of the day and having elected the delegates a vote of confidence was given to the Secretary to redact the minutes of the final day of the assembly. The members of the Assembly then signed the minutes of the Assembly.
The Visitor and the President of the Assembly, after some words of gratitude, asked the consent of the Assembly to close the Assembly. With the approval of the delegates the Assembly was thus concluded.
The delegates then proceeded to the chapel where the seminarians (who had provided logistical assistance during the Assembly) and the other members of the Province had assembled. There we celebrated the closing Eucharist during which we thanked the Lord for the light that we had received and for the work that had been accomplished.
After the Mass and before lunch we had some simple appetizers and a presentation of some typical dances by those present. The meal consisted of a roast and we also shared a cake which was sent to us by the Daughters of Charity who minister at the Escuela Regina Mundi (Queen of the World). This was an occasion to express our joy for the meeting that had just taken place and for the accomplishments of the Assembly. In the afternoon, as part of the recreation on this Provincial Day which had been convoked, we were able to go to Cajón del Maipo where we admired the beauty of the landscape and share joyfully with one another. Many took photographs of the gathering here and everyone felt satisfied with the work that had been done during the Assembly.
On our return to the city we stopped for some coffee or some other type of refreshment and as we arrived at the house everyone began to gather their baggage in order to return to their communities and continue with their ordinary work.
The 2009 Provincial Assembly is now history.
