The annual meeting of ongoing formation for superiors of local communities (brothers and sisters) took place in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (sisters’ house) from 14 and 16 February 2019. 9 local superiors of the territory of Spain participated, plus the territorial delegate Nuria Arias and Nuria Lobo, the territorial superior. On the part of the brothers 13 local superiors were present along with the provincial Aurelio Cayón. The General Superiors Patricia Villarroel and Alberto Toutin also attended.
The documents of the last general chapters of sisters and brothers served as a common point for reflection and internalisation.
Among the points that were highlighted were:
- the importance of having a compassionate view of reality as reflected in the gaze of Jesus before the crowds, the disciples, the sick and the Pharisees, a look that renews the “inner life” of each one of us.
- to grow in such a way of looking involves all of us allowing ourselves to be questioned, affected, outraged by reality in our ways of being and serving in the Church, making us more sensitive and vulnerable to the joys and difficulties and struggles of the people, feeling them as our own. This is one of the priority areas of the Apostolic Plan of the Congregation (PAC) for the sisters and features in the fields of pastoral and missionary conversion for the brothers.
- Facing reality: as brothers and sisters and lay people we seek together new ways of being and serving in the Church; a church of presence rather than protagonism, a church that accompanies people and listens to them and with them finds ways to discover the renewing force of the Gospel of Jesus; a Church in which the voice and contributions of all are important, a Church that welcomes our differences, a Church that is more decidedly on the side of the poor, on the side of those who do not count, the most vulnerable.
In the exchange that took place between brothers and sisters on how to transmit this meeting, the idea emerged of replicating in the local communities - and perhaps, where possible, together as brothers and sisters - the dynamic of spiritual discernment that was used in these days. This would create an opportunity for a rereading of the spiritual sources that animated the decisions of the Chapter. Basically our desire is that the documents containing the decisions of the general chapters remain united to the spirit that inspired them.
If you want to see the pictures, click on this link: Gallery Joint Meeting
02/19/2019