Process of conversion and renewal of our religious life
A commission for the revision of the Constitutions will meet at the general house from Nov. 2 – 14. It is formed by Brothers Josep María Soteras (General councilor coordinator), Tony Clark (Australia), Eduardo Navarro de la Torre (México Occidental), Albert Nzabonaliba (East Central Africa), António Leal (Compostela) and Antonio Peralta (Santa María de los Andes).
The last general chapter, when speaking about the Constitutions, affirmed a need for a conversion of heart and stated “a thorough revision of the Constitutions and Statutes, with the full participation of the Brothers, can help to revitalise our vocation.”
To do this, they recommended that a committee be created to prepare the text to be presented at the XXII general chapter.
The first commission was formed by Brothers Emili Turú (superior general), Joe McKee (vicar general), John Hazelman (Pacific), Adnan Fischer (Rio Grande do Sul), Diogène Musine (East Central Africa), Patrick McNamara (United States), Juan Ignacio Fuentes (Cruz del Sur), António Leal (Compostela) and Nicholas Fernando (South Asia).
The group’s work culminated in the production of the book Stories of the Journey, told around the Fire, a means that allowed the Institute to take the first steps in the process of revising the Constitutions, sharing the experience as a brother.
The goal was to elaborate a text based on life and not simply to present a text. During the first months of the year, the administrative unites worked on the proposals presented by the book. The document invited the Brothers to think about their own life and mission, following the recommendation of the chapter of renewing religious life. They collected and sent all of the reflections to Rome. The commission, which is gathering these days in the general house, is looking at this material and will prepare a first draft of the revision of the Constitutions by February next year based on it and send it to the Provinces. The Brothers, following the organization that each administrative unit will set, will dedicate six months until August 2016 to study this first project.
Considerations and suggestions that arise will again be sent to Rome and the commission will prepare the second draft, which will be presented to the Chapter members in February 2017. During the XXII general chapter in September 2017, the chapter members will work on the second draft and conclude it with the approval of the final text of the Constitutions.