The Superior General, Javier Alvarez-Ossorio, participated in the 16th General Assembly of the Union of European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM) which was held in Tirana, Albania, March 22 to 26.
The UCESM meets with religious from 27 European countries. The assembly had 67 participants. Javier was representing the Union of Superiors General (USG).
The theme of the meeting was: "Men and women religious in Europe, witnesses and workers of communion". The famous Jesuit theologian and artist Marko Rupnik gave two lectures on the present and the future of religious life in Europe. In addition to reports of each national conference, there were meetings with representatives of the Muslim community and of the Orthodox church, with several local bishops, and also with the Prime Minister of Albania and two of his ministers.
Albania is a country of about 3 million inhabitants. In 1991, the country came out of a long period of oppression at the hands of a cruel communist system. Currently, 70% of the population is Muslim.
To read the intervention of Javier in the assembly of the UCESM,
click here.
03/27/2015