On February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation, the Internal Seminary was opened in the area of CLAPVI North. Taking advantage of this event, it was decided to hold a meeting of the Visitors and Regional Delegates in the Casa San Juan Gabriel Perboyre … the house that the Central American Province has made into the Internal Seminary. Present for this meeting were:
Rafael Antonio Presidente, CM (Visitor of Central America)
José de Jesús Plascencia, CM (Visitor of Mexico)
William Benavides, CM (Vice-Visitor of Costa Rica)
Alejandro Paulino, CM (Visitor of Puerto Rico)
Max Reyes Sánchez, CM (Visitor of Ecuador)
José Manuel Delgado, CM (Region of Panama)
Roberto Adrián, CM (Region of Honduras)
The Visitors and Regional Delegates expressed their gratitude to the Eastern Province of the United States which facilitated the appointment of Emmet Nolan, CM as Director of the Internal Seminary for a period of three years. Father Nolan gladly accepted this new mission in which he will accompany the young men in their process of encountering the Lord and clothing themselves in the spirit of Saint Vincent. They also expressed their gratitude to the Central American Province for providing a place in which these new missionaries can deepen their understanding of Vincentian spirituality and strength the response that they, as servants of the poor, desire to give to the Lord. Father Juan Mendoza, CM (Central America Province) is a member of the Formation Team and will also serve as econome of the house.
The young men who entered the Internal Seminary and who will quench their thirst at the fountains of the Vincentian charism are:
Junior Omar Martínez, (Province ofSan Vicente de Paúl-Spain[Region ofHonduras])
Emanuel Alejandro Sampang, (Province of San Vicente de Paúl-Spain[Region of Honduras])
Francisco Yovani Romero Bonilla (Central American Province)
Delisca Dumy, (ProvinceofPuerto Rico [Region of Haití])
Saint Pre Kervensley, (Province of Puerto Rico [Region of Haití])
Dalnier Lazo Deis, (Province of Cuba)
Darel Fernández Reyes, (Province of Cuba)
Carlos Arturo Méndez Gamas, (ProvinceofEcuador)
Melvin Alonso Fallas Acuña, (Vice-Province of Costa Rica)
The Internal Seminary was inaugurated with the celebration of the Eucharist. Various confreres from the Central American Province, Daughters of Charity, seminarists, aspirants and other members from the various branches of the Vincentian Family participated in this celebration. The Eucharist was presided by the Director of the Internal Seminary who invited the seminarists to allow themselves in order that they might be enlightened by Christ, might encounter Christ and might give a a firm response to Christ. After the celebration all the participants shared a meal together.
The Visitors met on February 1stand reviewed and revised the Statutes for the Internal Seminary. At the same time there were some revisions with regard to the events that had been scheduled for CLAPVI North during the year 2019. During the meeting, the Director of the Internal Seminary shared with the Visitors and Regional Delegates information about the program that will be implemented in the Internal Seminary (a program based on the Ratio Formationis).
We pray that God will illuminate the formators as they accompany the future of the Congregation of the Mission. We also pray for each of the seminarists that they might be seen as signs of hope in their ministry on behalf of those who are poor.
William Benavides Araya, CM
Vice-Provincial of Costa Rica
Translated:
Charles T. Plock, CM
Eastern Province, USA
