Visit of the Superior General, Father Tomaž Mavrič, to Venezuela
The Province of Venezuela had the privilege of receiving Father Tomaž Mavrič, superior general, in his first official visit. The visit was motivated by the reconfiguration of the Provinces of Colombia and Venezuela, with the latter becoming a Region of Colombia.
Father arrived in Caracas on September 15th and was received at the airport by a committee that included the Visitors of the two Provinces, the Visitatrix of the Province of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Bogota-Venezuela) as well as some Missionaries and Daughters of Charity from the two Provinces. During the evening of that same day Father met with Father Orlando Escobar (Visitor of Colombia) and Father Henry Kristen (Visitor of Venezuela).
The following day, after greeting the confreres at the Motherhouse, Father Mavrič participated in a meeting with the members of the Vincentian Family who gathered together from all the different regions of the country. This gathering took place at the Saint Vincent de Paul Pastoral Center. After a prayer and some words of welcome, there was a video presentation about the present situation of the Vincentian Family in Venezuela … a member from each branch spoke briefly about their activities. Father Tomaž expressed his surprise at the many different activities of the Vincentian Family, especially in light of the present crisis that has encompassed the country. Father exhorted the members of the Family to continue to be hopeful and to give continuity to the great work that was initiated by Vincent de Paul. He reminded the participants about the importance of celebrating the 400th anniversary of the birth of the charism and encouraged the members of the Vincentian Family to engage in a common project and thus continue the work that was initiated during the Year of Vincentian Collaboration. There was time for an open dialogue with Father General and the meeting was concluded with a blessing from the successor of Saint Vincent de Paul.
In the evening the Superior General met with the Daughters of Charity of the Province of Venezuela. Sister Nubia Quintero is the Visitatrix of the Province of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and at that meeting she was joined by the Visitors of the Congregation in Colombia and Venezuela. Father Guillén, the Visitor of Peru also participated in this meeting.
The Province of our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is the result of the reconfiguration of the Province of Bogota and Venezuela that occurred on June 18, 2013. At the present time, the province is composed of 324 Sisters with 29 houses in Bogota and 8 in Venezuela.
During the Eucharist, Father Tomaž pointed out that the Word of God presents an invitation to live with hope, to be people who are mobile and agents of transformation. His words were quite sobering especially in light of the crisis that Venezuela is confronting at the present time. He stated: Today, this hope is concretized in the people who suffer, in people who are not dead but who are hopeful. I believe that we are the first ones who should request this hope from God, thus imitating the prophets who in times of crisis believed that something better was going to occur.
With regard to mobility, the Superior General invited the Sisters to be attentive to element And to not only be concerned about physical mobility but also interior mobility. He stated: For us as Vincentians, mobility is part of our daily life. We not only move from one place to another, from one community to another, but we also experience interior movement (conversion impels us forward, reality impacts us and all of that creates mobility … and where there is movement there is life and hope and spirit).
Finally, he exhorted the Daughters to be transformational women as a result of their relationship with Jesus and to give their best selves to Jesus … to do this fearlessly, with joy and with all that they are. Know that you carry within yourselves a precious treasure that you are to offer to God and to the poor.
On Saturday, September 17th, three important and significant events occurred: the celebration of the Eucharist with the participation of the members of the Vincentian Family, the creation of the Region of Venezuela as a region of Colombia, and a luncheon. The celebration of the Eucharist was very festive as revealed in the joy and the unity of the people. The music and dance was very lively and colorful. In his homily Father stated: I invite you to remember these three things as essential elements of our present day identity: deepening our spiritual life, collaboration and vocational promotion. We pray that the Spirit of the Lord and of our Founders might guide us and accompany us so that the charism of Vincent de Paul might continue to be seen as relevant despite all the challenges and complexities of the present era. Let us not be robbed of this spirit, rather let us believe in it, cultivate it, and proclaim it far and wide.
Those present at the act of the creation of Venezuela as a Region of the Province of Colombia were the following: the Superior General, the Visitor of the Province of Colombia (Fr. Orlando Escobar, CM), the Visitor of Venezuela (Fr. Henry Miguel Kristen, CM), the Visitor of Peru (Fr. Pedro Guillén, CM), the members of the Interprovincial Commission, confreres from both Provinces, the Daughters of Charity and members of the Vincentian Family.
The Province of Colombia is composed of 174 missionaries: 26 ministering in the Region of Rwanda-Burundi, 38 in the Region of Venezuela, and 100 in Colombia. With new challenges and new hopes the confreres have opened themselves to this new reconfiguration of the two Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission.
On September 18, Father Tomaž Mavrič, accompanied by the three Visitors (Colombia, Venezuela and Peru), visited the Posdada del Peregriino (Pilgrims Inn), a rehabilitation center that was established as a result of the conclusion of the 1984 Provincial Assembly (to embrace and serve the truly poor members of society). The Provincial Council asked two Sisters to remodel the building and to furnish it. Numerous donations as well as the support of countless volunteers made this work a reality … a work that was inaugurated on June 14, 1987. At the beginning one floor serviced men and the other floor, women. But as a result of the high number of men who requested entrance into the program, it became necessary to designate the center as a rehabilitation center for men only.
Some 3,390 personas have been served at this institution … 50% of whom completed the six month program and have continued their process of recovery and sobriety. About 30% have relapsed and another 20% have returned to the streets.
The center promotes the integral rehabilitation of the person: physical, psychological, spiritual, moral, family and social and attempts to do this through means of various presentations, workshops, classes, medical and psychological care, sports, spiritual care, family integration, and job training. The work has been sustained by donations from various institutions and corporations.
Due to the present social-political situation, the number of persons at the rehabilitation center has been reduced to about 15 and there are four other persons who are being given special care.
During the celebration of the Eucharist at this Center, Father Tomaž invited those present to recognize the fact that in God’s eyes and in the eyes of other people, we are all poor and unworthy. Indeed, we are all in need of God’s help and compassion, in need of the prayers and service of our sisters and brothers. I also invite you to place yourselves at the service of the most needy members of society, offering them your humble service … and doing so with a new heart and a new spirit, confident of the fact that whatever you do for the poor, you do to God.
In the afternoon, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Sabino, the Archbishop of Caracas, received Father Tomaž and Father Kristen in his office and there they engaged in a cordial dialogue.
We give thanks to God for the visit of Father Tomaž Mavrič, Superior General.
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM
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