
From the viewpoint of the Administrative Units
On Wednesday 11 September, after morning prayer, Br Michael De Waas, of the General Council, invited the participants to ‘feel’, touch the icon of the house of the Hermitage, and to contemplate it, as well as the other icons of the General Conference.
He introduced the participants to the day’s objectives : to examine their Administrative Units from the viewpoint of the call of the XXIGeneral Chapter and its three horizons, through two questions : Where have the forces and energies been placed ? What are the challenges that we see ? Then it was necessary to make these two questions concrete in three responses each.
Sufficient time was given for personal reflection, and towards the end of the morning, in groups, they had to provide three concrete examples, strengths as well as challenges. Those taking part were divided into three groups : the General Council, the Secretariats, and the Provincials and District Superiors.
The exercise continued in the afternoon. The sheets were laid on the ground according to similarities. There was time for personal observation and for clarification about the meaning of what had been written. Each group then had to reach consensus in expressing what it had seen and what it « had not seen », as regards the meaning of the strengths and challenges…, and this gradually emerged…
There was a great richness and diversity of expressions, some causes of concern, others bearers of hope ; some seemed to mix strenths and challenges, others were in accord with the lines laid down by the General Chapter, others still were different but reflected a situation in the Institute. Like Pentecost…, the day was surprising and different, just like the Institute. At the end of the day, it was all surrendered into the hands of the Lord in the Eucharist.