Friday: January 24, 2020

Father Erminio Antonello, CM, the Visitor from Italy, gave a presentation entitled, “Assemblies; Domestic and Provincial” … in other words, the first article of chapter 3 of the Practical Guide. Father emphasized the importance of creating a fraternal atmosphere, an environment of communion so that the confreres can speak freely and thus exercise co-responsibility. Prayer and the action of the Spirit are necessary so that the assemblies, domestic as well as provincial assemblies, become instruments of an authentic discernment that leads to bold commitments with regard to living the charism, spirituality and mission of the Congregation in a faithful manner.

After a break, Father Yosif Zeracristos, CM, presented the theme, “The Visitor and the Provincial Council”, that is, #228-242 of the Practical Guide. This theme led to a dialogue among the Visitors and questions were raised from a legal perspective as well as from the perspective of various provincial norms.

At 3:30pm the afternoon session began with an intervention from Father Geunolé Feugang, CM, the Visitor of Cameroon about canonical visitations. His intervention could be summarized in the following manner: he spoke in general about leadership and government saying that leaders serve others, especially the poor and walk with them toward communion with God. Charism and institution and inseparable. The visitations of the Visitor are human and spiritual experiences. Father spoke at length about Mary’s visit with her cousin, Elizabeth. Vincent de Paul knew how to mobilize priests, the laity, the rich, the powerful and the educated in service on behalf of the poor. Father also spoke about the manner in which these visitations should be conducted and what should be avoided. He also emphasized the importance of frequent and profound communication between the Visitor and the local superior in order for the Visitor and his council to have a better understanding of the situation of the local community, its members, its activities, its strengths and weaknesses, its joys and its sorrows.

After a break, Father Francisco Domingo Herrero, CM, Visitor of Peru, developed the theme of provincial and local plans. In order to develop a good provincial plan, it is necessary that there be good personal and community plans. If personal plans are not well done, everything else will fall by the wayside. Review and evaluation of ministries is one of the difficult tasks in provincial planning. A provincial plan has to be possible, concrete, demanding and at the same time must be periodically evaluated … and such evaluation should be done from the perspective of unity and co-responsibility. 

Saturday: January 25, 2020 – feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul

We began the day with morning prayer and then we went to the chapel to celebrate the Eucharist, which was presided by Father Erminio Antonello, CM, Visitor of Italy. At 9:00 we gathered in the meeting room where Bishop Beniamino Depalma, CM (bishop emeritus) developed the theme: “The Visitor and the Universal and the local church”. The bishop focused on the documents of the second Vatican Council and the challenges presented by today’s society. He also referred to some key texts in the writings of Paul VI and Pope Francis. Everyone in the church, bishops, diocesan clergy, men and women religious, members of societies of apostolic life, and the laity should form one universal community … a community in which each person is able to live in communion with every other member and thus give witness to his/her unique charism. The bishop highlighted the importance of recovering and living to the fullest one’s unique charism and mission. When speaking about the members of the Congregation of the Mission, the focus should be on evangelization and service on behalf of the poor, formation of the clergy and formation of the laity.

After an exchange of ideas and experiences, Father Gregory Semeniuk, CM made a presentation about the Vincentian Solidarity Office and Father Emmanuel Typamm, CM about CIF. Father Gregory focused on Pope Francis’ address at the United Nations (September 2015), the sustainable development objectives. This was followed by group work and a plenary session in which we were able to analyze our own projects in light of the development objectives of the UN.

Father Emmanuel spoke about the ministry at CIF and the development of on-going formation programs for the members of the Congregation (formation on the international level). In the beginning CIF was concerned about the formation of the priests and brothers of the Congregation. With the passing of time, however, CIF has opened its doors to the members of the various branches of the Vincentian Family as well as members of other religious communities and societies of apostolic life. Father emphasized that this formation takes place in Paris, the place where Vincent de Paul engaged in his mission of service on behalf of the poor, his mission of formation of the clergy and the creation of lay organizations and associations whose members also engaged in the mission of evangelizing the poor. He spoke about the fact that Paris provides the participants with an opportunity to visit some of the significant Vincentian and Marian sites.

All the members of the General Curia came to Mary Immaculate House and shared in the meal with all the confreres who are participating in this meeting of recently appointed Visitors.

Translated:

A member of the Vincentian Family