The sscc General Government convened an online session on June 16 with Provincial, Regional, and Delegation Superiors from around the world. The meeting, held between 3:00 and 4:25 PM Rome time, aimed to present the format of the online Enlarged General Council scheduled for September 8 and 9. Superior General Fr. Alberto Toutin sscc thanked everyone for their participation and expressed gratitude to the translators who make communication possible in a truly multilingual congregation.
Kinshasa: a shared sorrow, a renewed commitment
Fr. Toutin began by explaining the cancellation of the in-person Enlarged General Council that had been planned in Kinshasa for September. Two reasons converged: an Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which imposed strict quarantine protocols upon return to numerous countries; and social unrest in Kinshasa itself.
The Superior General did not conceal his sadness: the brothers in Kinshasa had already prepared the program and the house to welcome everyone, and some had purchased tickets and vaccines. "We know this is a great sorrow for the brothers in Kinshasa," Alberto acknowledged, while reaffirming that the in-person gathering will take place as soon as conditions allow. In the meantime, he and Fr. Stephen will travel to Kinshasa to celebrate with the brothers, sisters, and Christian communities the 25th anniversary of the Africa Province, follow up on matters from the last provincial chapter, and meet with the provincial government.
September online: Interdependence at the center
In its place, the General Government is convening two virtual sessions on Tuesday, September 8, and Wednesday, September 9, from 3:00 to 5:30 PM Rome time, under the theme Interdependence in the Congregation — a new awareness of the missionary body, as expressed in the last General Chapter.
Tuesday the 8th will focus on Interdependence and mission. The working framework will be the document of the same name sent on April 15, which gathers experiences of collaboration, sending, and welcoming of brothers between provinces. Three concrete testimonies will enrich the conversation:
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Fr. Edvaldo Carneiro sscc, new Provincial of Brazil-Paraguay, will present the unification process concluded at the Provincial Chapter of Pindamonhangaba (May 25–29), which has resulted in a single province. This new body opens possibilities for collaboration in initial formation, ongoing formation, and economics, and invites reflection on an interprovincial stage for CIAL professed members.
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Frs. Bertrand Cherrier sscc (France) and Pedro Gordillo sscc (Iberian) will share the joint discernment journey their two provinces have undertaken following their respective chapters (April 2026), aimed at growing in interdependence and defining governance structures that favor it. This process already has implications for the Province of Poland and the entire CEA, with joint projects such as an international gathering in Polanica-Zdrój (July 2027) and another in Poitiers-Picpus (2029).
Wednesday the 9th will focus on Economics and mission. The General Treasurer, Fr. Nacho Moreno sscc, together with the financial advisory team from Portocolom, will report on the establishment of the Congregation's Global Fund, its investments and results, all with a view to ensuring that material resources are placed at the service of the shared mission.
Leuven and other horizons
During the information session, Fr. Toutin provided an update on the new missionary community in Leuven, a project born out of the last General Chapter. Fr. Quentin Huillard (France) is already there and has begun doctoral studies in Louvain-la-Neuve. Frs. Camille Sapu (Africa), Martinus Paryanto, and Thomas Waluyo (Indonesia) are awaiting visa responses. Migration difficulties within the European space are slowing the process, but the General Government continues to explore alternatives so that the community can be established as soon as possible.
On the CIAL horizon, the Assembly was announced for November 9–14 in Pindamonhangaba (Brazil), preceded by the ENCLAVE of ongoing formation (August 31 – September 30) and canonical visits to the provinces of Chile-Argentina and Mexico. The Assembly will also be an opportunity for the General Treasurer to work with treasurers and provincials on the Global Fund and apostolic priorities for the coming years.
In July 2027, Hawaii will celebrate the bicentennial of the arrival of the first missionaries of the Sacred Hearts who evangelized the islands. Lane Akiona poses the question: Where does mission lead us 200 years on?
A conviction that sustains the journey
Throughout the session, a shared conviction resonated: "Every decision made by one part of the body affects the whole, and the decisions of the body affect every part." Interdependence is not just a word from the Chapter: it is a new way of thinking about and animating the Congregation as a missionary body. The feast of Saint John Francis Regis — an apostle who knew no borders and patron of the secular branch — was the quiet backdrop for a gathering that, even from a screen, sought to make that unity in mission visible.
06/17/2026