From
Rome January 18, 1998
From
Rome January 18, 1998
From January 12 to the 15, 1998 the members of the Region of Venezuela held their annual regional assembly at our Los Teques retreat house. The group intended to further the study of the implications ariving from the General Chapter theme: We the Congregation in service to the Mission.The assembly also witnessed the inauguration of the new regional administration of Fr. Joaquín Imas as regional superior, and Demetrio Jimenez and Miguel Imaz as councilors.
Fr. Carlos Alberto da Costa Silva, from the general council, was present for the assembly. Upon its completion he left to visit the newest foundation of the congregation in Ecuador.
The situation is still OK here. Gérard Schoonebeck (CG) and Roger Phaneuf (CG) are coming here, with Roger's mother, to stay we don't know how long, as they are in one of the worst areas [south of Montréal]. Pointe-au-Chêne is still closed, and will most probably reopen later this week. But there are still 600 000 houses without electricity, which mean 1,5 million people.The RSCJ's where I use to go [celebrate Mass] had to leave their place last Friday, and they are not back yet. I talked to the superior on Saturday, and she told me that one of them had a stroke. She'll call me when they come back.
As you probably know, the vocation meeting was canceled. Jack Kurps (US) is supposed to contact Paul Tennyson (CA) to see if we can meet together before the Toronto meeting of the scj superiors in of North America in February.
In addition to Rome I, which is home to the general administration, international college and a developing on-going formation program, the city of Rome is also home for both Italian scj provinces. The parish of Cristo Rei is staffed by the North Italian SCJ Province, while the Southern SCJ Italian Province staffs Ascension parish, as well as, Edizioni Dehoniane located in the modern building erected about ten years ago by the province next to the Curia/International College.With the recent complete renovation of the Curia/International College the Southern Italian Province and General Curia have also entered into a joint venture establishing a pilgrim house incorporating parts of the old Curia wing, as well as, a dining hall, coffee bar and conference rooms located in the Southern SCJ Italian building (Edizioni Dehoniane).
The French translation of Progetto has now been posted. The printed text (English, French or Italian) should be arriving in the provinces, regions and territorial communities shortly. The General Administration adopted a booklet style of presentation used in some of our provinces. As previously noted, Mary Gorski (Director of the US Province Office of Communications) was asked to handle the layout, design, printing and mailing of this document on behalf of the General Administraion.