International Dehonian Theological Commission prepares for General Chapter (and more)
In early December, the International Dehonian Theological Commission gathered in Rome for an evaluation of the year, to prepare for the General Chapter and to gather ideas for the centenary of Fr. Dehon's death (2025).
From Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 2023, members of the International Dehonian Theological Commission met at the Generalate in Rome. Present were Fr. John van den Hengel (North America), Fr. Manuel Antonio Teixeira (South America), Fr. Joseph Kuate (Africa), and Fr. Stefano Zamboni (Europe), Fr. Charles Aimè Koudjou (general councilor), Fr. Victor de Oliveira Barbosa (SSC coordinator), and Fr. Artur Sanecki (general councilor), current CTID coordinator. Fr. Michael Augustine Moses (Asia) was present through the digital link.
Topics covered during the in-person gathering included the activities of the Continental Theological Commissions 2023 and news of the Centro Studi Dehoniani in Rome. The CTID service in view of the upcoming General Chapter of the Congregation was also discussed. According to the International Theological Commission, the general chapter could be an opportunity not only to present the various activities of the theological commissions over the past 6 years, but also to propose a series of articles on issues related to the theme of the chapter itself: Called to be one in a changing world “That they may believe” (Jn. 17:21). The articles could be published online, for easy access by all, and a good portion of them could later be published in the Dehoniana journal.
An important event being prepared for is the centenary of the death of our Founding Father in the year 2025. The Theological Commission plans to devote a special theological seminar to it. The idea is to understand Dehon and his different faces from his literary legacy. This will be discussed after the general chapter.
The Theological Commission had the opportunity to have a long and fruitful dialogue with various realities of the Congregation: with the Superior General, with the preparatory commission for the XXV General Chapter, present at the same time, and with the participants in the fellowship program of the Dehonian Study Center.
