General Council - Plenary Session May 2012
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Rome - May 2012 Plenary Session |
DELIBERATIONS
The General Council of the Order met in plenary session during the period May 7 - May 14, 2012, and treated the following items:
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Approval was given for the transfer of affiliation to the Vicariate of Panama of 7 friars of the Province of Matritense. Additionally, a dispensation from temporary vows of a friar of the Vicariate of Panama was granted.
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Four deacons of the Collegio Santa Monica, Rome, were approved for ordination to the priesthood,: Patrick de Castro and Nestor Bandalan of the Province of Cebu; Matchado Jean of the Vicariate of the Antilles; and Kolawole Chabi of the Province of Nigeria.
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The decision we made was to present Fr. Ambroise Tshibangu Tshiasuma (Congo) to the bishop for appointment as rector of the Basilica at Annaba, Algeria, following the completion of Fr. Raphael Abdilla's service there and his return to Malta.
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Approval was given for the completion of the installation of air conditioning in the refectory of the Collegio Santa Monica, Rome.
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The possible program for newly elected major superiors of the Order scheduled for November, 2012, was discussed.
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Information was shared concerning work to be completed by each of the International Commissions of the Order for the Directory of the General Curia requested by the 2007 General Chapter.
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Information was shared regarding the creation of a new on-line Data Base of the Order, now accessible to all. This information will be made known to all circumscriptions for communication to their members.
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Donations have recently been made by three additional provinces to the Special Fund of the General Curia for extraordinary expenses, in response to a letter sent to each circumscription.
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A request for approval to enter the novitiate of a candidate of the community of Prague was received and approved; a request for solemn vows of simply professed Piotr Lamprecht of the Polish Province was approved.
REPORTS
The reports of the Prior General and Assistants General are summarized as follows:
Fr. Robert Prevost informed the Council of a recent meeting of the International Commission on the Patristic Institute and Studies, including the suggestion of a gathering of specialists of the Order. He reported also on the meeting of the Major Superiors of Europe held in Palermo, Sicily, in which he and four of the Assistants General participated. He also met in recent months with the four major superiors of the circumscriptions in Peru and presided at the Ordinary Chapter of the Province of Cebu.
Fr. Alejandro Moral, gave a report on the progress of the Justice and Peace Manual which will be studied by the members of the Secretariat at its upcoming meeting in Rome. During the month of March Alejandro had visited the contemplative nuns in his capacity as Assistant to one of the Spanish Federations. He also met with the four priors provincial of Spain in a discussion of the path toward unity of the provinces presently being studied on his visitation to the Province of Spain, and commented on the progress of the process directed toward the union of the four Spanish provinces. He participated in the planning meeting in San Diego, California, for the International Education Conference to be held in Lima, Peru.
Fr. Michael Di Gregorio reported on the meeting of the International Commission on Initial Formation and its plan to prepare a supplement to the Ratio Institutionis following upon the suggestions and requests offered by formators at 2011's Course for Formation Personnel. He also inform the Council on the meeting of the International Commission for Vocations in Spain to finalize preparations for the Vocation Promoters Conference to be held in July.
Fr. Miguel Angel Keller reported on his visit to Cuba, his participation in the meetings of the Initial Formation and Vocations Commissions and other items pertaining to concerns of circumscriptions under his responsibility in Central and South America.
Fr. Rommel Par reported on the preparatory meeting held in San Diego regarding the Education Congress in Lima, and on his visit to Brazil for ongoing preparations for the Augustinian Youth Encounter of 2013. Rommel also attended the Ordinary Chapter of the Province of Cebu with the Prior General.
Fr. Franz Klein informed the Council of his work on the Data Base of the Order, adjusting it so as to be accessible on line to members of the Order. He is preparing for a meeting of the International Economic Commission and for the Intermediate Chapter of the Vicariate of the Congo.
Fr. Luciano DeMichieli gave a report on the English language Spirituality Course recently completed, together with an evaluation offered by the participants. He also updated the Council on preparations for the Lay Congress to be held in July. Luciano, recently elected prior provincial of Italy, is currently visiting communities of the province in preparation for the Ordinary Chapter in June. Discussion was held concerning the spirituality course to be offered at San Gimignano. After lengthy discussion, due to the few friars registered, it was decided to cancel this year's course.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
International Vocation Congress 2- 6 July, 2012 Rome
Congress of Laity 11-17 July, 2012 Rome
Augustinian Spirituality Week July, San Gimignano CANCELLED
International Meeting of Educators 30 July - 3 August, 2012 Lima
Assembly of Augustinian Contemplative Nuns 1-5 October, Guadarrama
Congress of the Augustinian Historical Institute 15-19 October, 2012 Rome
The next Plenary Meeting of the General Council is scheduled for November 4-17, 2012.
Michael Di Gregorio, OSA May 15, 2012
Course of Augustinian Spirituality (Italian) February - April, 2013 Rome
For information and registration, contact: Fr. Luciano De Michieli : ldemichieli@osacuria.org
*Secretaries of Circumscriptions: Please send timely notice of the names and dates of death of friars, as well as the names and dates of friars making simple and solemn professions, for publication on the Order web page, to: mdigregorio@osacuria.org