Text submitted by Province of Chile
On Monday May 30th, 32 brothers of the province joined in an extraordinary meeting which had been convened to make a decision regarding the place where the new community of insertion requested by the 18th Provincial Chapter would be founded. This community seeks to be an experience of insertion among the poor. We want to go to the margins, social and existential peripheries to answer the call we feel that God is making to us.
During the months of March, April and May, the provincial government visited four possible locations:
1. Diocese of Copiapò
2. Zone Arauco in the diocese of Concepción
3. Diocese of Calama
4. Apostolic Vicariate of Aysén
After each visit we send a report to the province stating why it would be good to found a community there and how we imagine a presence of brothers ss.cc. there.
On Monday we started by singing the Veni Creator, asking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit for this discernment. Then we read the reports and left a space for questions and comments.
Then we celebrate the Eucharist letting the word speak to us in silence, leaving ourselves to be touched by the gift of God that is renewed every time we eat the body and drink the blood of Christ. Especially the call to trust in the promise of God reverberated as we become aware of this God who prepares his vineyard and cares for it to the point of giving his own Son.
After lunch we met in plenary session and we took the time to listen to all. Each had 3 minutes to express his preference and share his reasoning. We truly believe that God speaks to all, that the word of each is necessary because there is something of prophecy in it. The elderly, the young people, externs present, students: all spoke.
Finally we made a secret ballot. The option to establish a community in Copiapó was the most strongly supported (21 votes out of 32).
At the end we are left with the feeling that we had made a truly spiritual discernment and that left us content. Now we have to see what we do to free the brothers we need for this new community. We are not anxious ... we are not afraid ... we are eager that the new community get going... already several brothers have told me they want to leave everything to go live with the poor.
06/04/2016