From June 9 to 13, in Trois-Épis (France), the second session of the Provincial Chapter of the Redemptorists of Europe South was held. A total of 30 Redemptorists from Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal gathered to continue walking in this project of unification, with the aim of revitalizing our mission and presence in these countries. The session was also attended by the Vicar General, Fr. François Stanula, the Coordinator of the Redemptorists of Europe, Fr. Piotr Chyła, and the Vice-Provincials of Madagascar and West Africa.
There were two main themes of this second session: the approval of the Provincial Statutes and the Apostolic Plan for the Province. We began the chapter with the Eucharist presided over by the Vicar General, who during the homily urged us to “not allow ourselves to be carried away by a corrosive and sterile pessimism in our consecrated life. As Redemptorists who are seeing a new reality being born, we must live in a hopeful and fruitful optimism, which revitalizes our mission, so that it may be a light for the world”.
From this moment on, there were several meetings, group work, and debates in the hall. Everything took place under the guidance of the Spirit who, as Fr. Gennaro Sorrentino, Provincial Superior, emphasized, “made us share, always in freedom, respect and sincerity, our opinions. This is why we can arrive together at an understanding that, thanks to diversity, enriches us and makes us live and decide from the desire for unity as a single missionary body”. Finally, the Statutes were approved and, after the appropriate revisions by the Chapter, will be sent to the General Government for approval.
Regarding the Apostolic Plan, the Chapter accepted as priorities for our province: people in need of a first and renewed proclamation, migrants, and young people. With the intention of working by listening to the entire Province, it was unanimously decided to send the draft of the apostolic plan to all the Redemptorist communities, so as to be able to listen to the opinion and contributions of all the brothers. Subsequently, the plan will be reworked taking into account these contributions.
On Friday, the 13th we decided to conclude this session of the Provincial Chapter, sharing the vision that Fr. Stanula conveyed to us in his final words: “we recognize the importance of this moment of union and the journey we are taking together. Although our journey is still short, we have already taken important steps together as a unit.” For his part, during the closing Eucharist, the Provincial left us these words to reflect on:
“We thank God for the greatness and beauty of our calling. The Gospel is a treasure in clay vessels, which are us with our frailties; but fragility does not diminish its content. Our province may have weaknesses and limitations, but these are not an obstacle to the grace of God that it itself contains, but rather a channel to manifest the greatness of Jesus’ gift. We are called to bear witness to love, which is expressed and acts even in weaknesses and frailties, which are transformed into a sign of hope for the world. We cannot remain silent about what we have seen and heard, we must sow and let God, through his Spirit, change people’s hearts, through gratitude, joy, and love”.
In recent days we have also been able to count on the presence in Trois-Épis of Msgr. Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R., Bishop of Pembroke in Canada and Superior General Emeritus. His visit was in response to the fact that, the day after the conclusion of the chapter, our province was able to experience another event of immense joy, namely the priestly ordination of two Redemptorists from Europe South: the newly ordained priests are Jean and Jean-Baptiste. We thank the Lord and ask that, through the intercession of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, they may be good shepherds who continue to give life with their witness to our Congregation and now to our Province.
Fr. Carlos A. Diego Gutiérrez, C.Ss.R.
