América Central celebrates its 15th Provincial Chapter
Brother Hipólito Pérez Gómez, former assistant director of the Brothers Today secretariat, took office as the new provincial during the 15th Chapter of América Central, which took place from Dec. 9 – 14 in Guatemala City.
During the working sessions of the chapter, participants heard the report of the preparatory commission and the chapter's regulations. The facilitating commission that coordinated the Chapter was also elected, formed by Brothers Hipólito Pérez (president), Carlos Vélez (coordinator), Jorge Sánchez (executive secretary), Luis Carlos Gutiérrez (adviser), Juan Antonio Sandoval and Nicéforo Garrán (moderators).
Brother Hipólito will replace Brother Luis Carlos Gutiérrez Blanco, who was elected as vicar general of the Institute during the 22nd General Chapter in Rionegro, Colombia.
Brother Luis Carlos presented the report of the four years as a provincial, reflecting especially on the path that has been accomplished so far, in search of answering the five calls of the previous Provincial Chapter.
The calls were: living a new style of community life, integrating spirituality like Mary, building a Marist community with a clear vocational development, increasing service to the poorest and developing a vocational culture.
The Provincial Chapter followed the itinerary based on the U model that was also used in the 22nd General Chapter and appointed Brothers Gregorio Linacero, Daniel Martín, Jesús Allende and Mynor González as members of the commission for the revision of norms of the province.
During the third day of the Chapter, two Brothers aged over 70 and four university students from the REMAR communities of Guatemala formed a panel to show the capitulars the Marist world through the eyes of two generations and to reflect on calls and challenges of the future, based on their views.
Then, lay people worked on the five calls of the 22nd General Chapter and Br Gregorio presented the economic situation of the province.
Brother Luis Carlos Gutiérrez, vicar general, participated on behalf of the general administration, as well as superior general Brother Ernesto Sánchez, who attended the last two days of the Chapter, namely Dec. 13 and 14.
