From Rome December 14, 1997  

A House with a View

The general council spent the first week in December as guests of the South Italian Province SCJ Provincial Community in Naples. The "island experience" afforded the council the opportunity to work in a team setting, to bring focus to their discussions of the last few months, in order to write their program which will serve as the foundation for their ministry of service to the congregation.

For those not familiar with Naples the provincialate is located south of the central city, very near the Bay of Naples. Those fortunate enough to have a room with a view look out on the Bay of Naples with its islands of Capri and Ischia.

The South Italian Province, as of the end of the Third Quarter 1997, had 82 professed members and nine (including some Malgash) novices. This includes scjs working in Madagascar. The province, together with the Portuguese Province, share responsibility for the Madagascar Mission.

In addition to the mission in Madagascar the province opened up a mission in Albania about seven years ago. Historically there is a close relationship between the peoples of Albania and Italy. Currently there are two scjs working full time in Albania, another in preparation and ten Albanian scj aspirants.

Finance Commission

The General Finance Commission will meet from February 9 -11, 1998 in Rome. The General Superior, with the consent of his council, and after hearing the recommendations of the General Treasurer, has appointed the following to the General Finance Commission:
Emilio Ciarrocchi, scj (CU)
Heinz Westendorf, scj (GE)
Jerome Schaad, scj (US)
Larrea Pasquale Saverio, scj (HI)
Turmes Nico, scj (LW)
An important task for the commission will be to advise the general administration on how to best implement the executive plan in the chapter document: We, The Congregation: In Service of the Mission (Provisional Text)
To make international collaboration possible and to all the necessary exchange of personnel, the XXth General Chapter calls upon the provinces/regions to make available the interchange of personnel, projects and goods throughout the Congregation. To allow for the sharing of goods, a 'General Fund' should be established in which all provinces must participate. -- from section 2 Communion -- Collaboration -- Sharing

New Provincial Administration for Poland Named

The general council, after consulting the members of the Polish Province, have appointed the following to the office of provincial and council to take effect on January 15, 1998.
Provincial: Jòsef Gawel, scj
1 Zbigniew Bogacz, scj
2 Jan Strzalka, scj
3 Tadeusz Michalek, scj
4 Jerzy Welna, scj

South Africa Holds Election Assembly

The South African Province held its election assembly on December 9, 1997 to chose its new provincial administration. Fr. Adam Musialek, scj and his council have been confirmed by the general superior with the consent of his council.
Provincial: Adam Musialek, scj (2nd term)
1 John Strittmatter, scj
2 Marke Przybys, scj
3 Zolile Mpambani, scj
4 Benno Hansel, scj