13 November 2019
13 Nov 2019

Entity Superiors Meeting – report 3

by  Zeferino Policarpo, scj
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2019-11-13This morning, the Eucharist was presided by Fr. Léopold Mfouakouet, General Councillor, together P. Koos de Rooij, Provincial Superior of the Confederation of The Netherlands and Flanders and P. McQueen Mascarenhas, Superior of the District of India.

In the meeting room, Fr. Léopold shared his reflection on the Gospel of the day: the healing of the ten lepers. Distance separates the people, but Jesus has overcome the distance and has given the best that he could to the lepers. The Samaritan leper, after being healed, is the only one to return to thank Jesus. It is your faith that saves you, answers Jesus to the Samaritan.

Still in an atmosphere of prayer, the Superior General presented the latest news of the situation in Chile by sharing videos sent this morning by our confreres which presented the looting and desecration of the parish church entrusted to our Dehonian community.

Today, the superiors of the entities have been invited to commemorate the confreres killed and presented as models for Dehonian consecration and vocation: Blessed Giovanni Maria della Croce and P. Martino Capelli, whose 75th anniversaries of martyrdom are being celebrated and are recognized as important steps in the process of Canon for beatification. The relics of Blessed Giovanni Maria della Croce and the original 1931 document of the renewal of the vows of Fr. Martino Capelli were present in the meeting room. At the end of the day the superiors of the entities and several members of the Generalate community went to the Basilica of St. Bartholomew, to honor these Dehonian martyrs of the 20th and 21st centuries. Together with the Community of Sant ‘Egidio, they prayed Vespers and transferred the relics and memories of these confreres, placing them in the chapels. It was a very beautiful, sacred celebration with many participants.

The meeting, taking place only in the morning had as its theme: “Listening, welcoming, receiving”. The first part of the morning was dedicated to listening to the general treasurer, Fr. Luca Zottoli. Referring to sections of the final message of the XXIV General Chapter, he highlighted key elements that evoked a dialogue and sharing among the Superiors: the simple lifestyle based upon the vow of poverty; the sense of co-responsibility; the functioning of the FAG (General Aid Fund); support for Entity projects, common fund; economic sustainability of the Entities; importance of the Inter-Congregational Aid Statute approved in the last General Chapter; sustainability of the International College; management of real estate and assets, especially in the oldest entities of the Congregation and the guidance document on mass intentions.

Luca spoke of a new document, requested by the General Government with guidelines on personal bank accounts. This document will be examined at the next meeting of the General Economic Commission. He also stressed the importance of informing and communicating to the General Bursar the economic shared between entities as an essential means to guarantee collaboration, equity and solidarity.

Solidarity is the underpinning of these themes. It was emphasized that it would be helpful to have a group of lay people to review projects requesting financed aid from the European Community, which has earmarked certain funds to help social projects. With regard to the new Entities, it was emphasized that, in the construction of structures for the mission, they must move gradually and according to the possibilities. It is a grave mistake to commit enormous sums for the construction of large structures which then do not serve the mission and are very expensive to maintain. It has also been said that all projects and their funding should be coordinated by the Entity government and that it is not a good policy to allow individual confreres to seek funding and administer the funds raised. Moreover, it was agreed that the ministry and role of Mission Procurator is still important in some entities, but in others it is no longer significant however, there must always be a good collaboration with the respective Bursar of the entity.

At the end of the morning we listened to two speeches: one by Fr. Bruno Pilati who presented the economic aspects of the International College, of which he is the Superior, and the paths to be followed by the Entities that intend to send confreres for specialization courses in Rome. Another intervention was that of the Postulator of the Congregation, Fr. Ramón Dominguez, who presented the status of the various causes that the Congregation is promoting: Blessed Giovanni Maria della Croce; Venerable Servant of God, Fr. Leone Dehon; Servant of God, Fr. Andreas Prevot; Servant of God, Fr. Bernardo Longo; Servant of God, Fr. Martino Capelli; Servant of God, Mons. Wittebols and P. Francisco Geraedts. More specifically, he highlighted the cause of Fr. Martino Capelli, who recently gained new momentum, hoping that by the end of the year the positio could be presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

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