I’m not talking about the journey that brought us to Mexico. The Meeting of the Visitors is still in its first third. But Fr. O`Donnell today held the last of his four conferences. He was describing the process of Ongoing Formation as a journey that we all have to make, just as Saint Vincent did. This journey brings us to the interior of ourselves to recognize our reality and to move us toward converting ourselves into a man realized in Christ, conformed to the ideal of our vocation. Saint Vincent made this journey that brought him from his ambitious search for benefices to being the great saint of Charity. We have, then, come to the end, not perhaps since we have reached the end of our journey, but because we have seen the end of its description as outlined by Fr. O´Donnell.
Our technical experts, Fr. McDevitt and Miss María José Pacheco, who was the facilitator of our studies, both completed their work. We sent them off with grateful applause.
The group did not arrive at any precise goal, but at various times new plans were presented that, at the end, were not satisfactory. Certainly the theme needs much more reflection to come to maturity. But the materials are all here. We them we can finish what we have begun.
During the afternoon, the “Agenda of the Superior General” continued. Today, it was the turn of the Vincentian Family. Fr. Manuel Ginete, Delegate of the Superior General for the Vincentian Family, laid out the development of the Family during the last few years, as well as the participation by the office for the Vincentian Family in this development. He described his work and that of Sister Pilar López, Daughter of Charity from the province of Barcelona, as persons serving this office full time. Fr. Ginete relied on a PowerPoint presentation to keep the attention and interest of the hall during the long tour of his well-outlined and clear presentation.
Ecofavi is the name that is used for the Coordinating Team of the Vincentian Family of Mexico. The entire group, composed of various representatives of each branch of the Family, attended Fr. Ginete’s presentation, and then after the recess, it was their turn. They were introduced by Fr. Benjamin Romo, a member of the team as a representative of the C.M., and each one presented the origin, current status and future perspectives of each of the branches of the Vincentian Family in Mexico. It was a lengthy presentation, since there a lot to talk about, but, despite its length, it was well done, entertaining and varied.
These presentations certainly helped to affirm in us the love for a vocation that is supported through the Vincentian charism, shared today by so many lay people, committed to and engaged in the service of Christ in the poor of our time, following the inspiration and the thought of Saint Vincent, and who are commended to his care.
J.S-O.
