New communities for new times
The América Central Province has seen a special time of grace, of encounter, of exchanging, of looking together towards the future.
The 8th Provincial Assembly gathered 70 % of the province’s brothers (68 brothers took part) and a representation of laity (12 laity) to simply reflect, share, commit and raise awareness of all that can be done together to build “NEW COMMUNITIES FOR A NEW BEGINNING.”
The chosen methodology for the preparatory commission was inspired by the U theory. It is a process of five steps of which four were worked on:
- Co-Initiate, that is to create a common intention based on listening to others and listening to what community life is asking us to do.
- Co-Sense/Perceive, look, observe with the mind and heart wide open.
- Co-inspire: connect to the source, the inspiration and the will. Become aware and act from this new consciousness. Conversion of heart and let emerge what the converted heart asks me to do
- Co-Create: create together what we have begun to understand and see better. Looking for clues for concrete action that can be tested even without certainty of success.
The itinerary that was presented and the rich experiences of prayer, celebration, personal reflection and sharing in simplicity and sincerity turned this assembly into something special, new and profound.
Participants left the Assembly with wanting to make the theme “New communities for new times” a reality.
They left convinced that the Spirit guided them since their “hearts were burning” to the extent that more brothers among brothers and among the laity felt.
The exercises presented: listening to others, encountering our time and our stories, encounter with the "other-Other", with Jesus and with the world, for a transformation starting from the heart, keeping the communities in mind. They helped convince participants that another way of living in community and in fraternity is possible.