From May 1st to 31st, the regions of the Province of Our Lady of Aparecida — Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo — receive the canonical visit of the General Government, which has the purpose of animating and verifying the apostolic and administrative life of the communities.
The visit has a fraternal character, since the objective of the General Government is to walk together with the Redemptorist missionaries of the different regions, listening to their perspectives on the progress of missionary work in the most diverse realities.
Superior General of the Redemptorist Congregation, Fr. Rogério Gomes, C.Ss.R., during his stay in Aparecida (SP) — on the occasion of the Assembly of the Maria Celeste Crostarosa Federation — commented on the visit and the importance of harmony between the Redemptorist missionaries of the Province and the General Government:
“We are brothers, and we want to walk together, we want the good of the Congregation, to have a different look at our apostolic life. In this sense, the external look of the General Government can also help the communities on their journey.”
Father General also emphasized how the Province of Our Lady of Aparecida keeps alive the charism inherited from Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori:
“The Province lives the charism through its various apostolic works, always with the perspective of not forgetting the preaching of the Word of God to all people. This is very present in our constitutions.”
Because of the five states that the Province of Our Lady of Aparecida reaches – São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia and Espírito Santo – two representatives of the General Government have been designated for each region:
- Fr. Jerome Echevarría, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Andrzej Kukła, C.Ss.R., are the visitors of the Bahia Region.
- Fr. Cesar Pantoja, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Christian Bueno, C.Ss.R., are the visitors of the Rio de Janeiro Region.
- Fr. Francois Stanula, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Gerardo Hernandez, C.Ss.R., are the visitors of the São Paulo Region.
The visit will conclude on May 31, with the crowning ceremony of the Visit of the General Government.
Natan Gomes ( a12.com )
The video of the Superior General on the Canonical Visit:
