On Tuesday, 14 January 2025, the meeting for the superiors, pastors and rectors of the Italian area took place in the mother house of the Congregation. This was the last of three formative meetings, promoted and planned by the Provincial Government of Southern Europe. The first was held on 17 December 2024 at the Shrine of Trois Epis for the French area; the second on 9 January 2025 at our Perpetual Help Community in Madrid for the Portuguese and Spanish area. Numerous brethren from all the communities took part.
The day began with prayer, led by Fr Massimiliano Guardini, Provincial Consultor, in the chapel where the relics of Blessed Gennaro Sarnelli are kept.
The first moment, preceded by greetings and the presentation of the day’s programme by the provincial superior Fr. Gennaro Sorrentino, saw the participants listening to Fr. Sabatino Maiorano, professor emeritus of the Alphonsian Academy, who developed the theme Service of animation in the Redemptorist perspective. The report offered substantial points for reflection, on the roots of our charismatic identity, which were then discussed in the working groups, where each brother could contribute to a topic that touches the heart of our mission. Sharing in the assembly closed the work of the first part of the day.
The centre of the whole meeting was the Eucharistic celebration in memory of Blessed Peter Donders, presided over by Fr. Guardini and enriched by further reflections, offered in the homily.
A lunch offered by the community of Ciorani was a further moment of meeting and sharing in a fraternal and serene atmosphere.
The afternoon’s work began with a report by the provincial superior, which focused on a number of issues concerning community life and its dynamics. Fr. Gennaro focused his exposition on the link between community and mission, reiterating the importance of organising the life of our communities around pastoral programmes and activities, as indicated in our Constitutions. He proposed to the participants some criteria for an effective animation of religious and parish communities, summarised in three tracks of concrete action: share, dialogue, discern, as protagonists rather than spectators, favouring openness to new relationships that make our coexistence dynamic and fruitful.
In the second part of his speech, Fr Gennaro outlined the figure of the community animator, with some appropriate provocations that then animated the work of the groups, in a reciprocal exchange in which everyone had the opportunity to express their considerations on a fundamental aspect of our mission. The horizon of hope was the background of the whole meeting, in which we tried to look at the future and lay the foundations to build it together, listening to the Spirit, and in fidelity to the charism of Saint Alphonsus.
The afternoon sharing concluded the work of the assembly amidst farewells and departures.
A heartfelt thanks go to the Superiors of the host Communities, who made our days even more pleasant with their welcome.
P. Vincenzo La Mendola CSsR
