VII Provincial Chapter of Norandina
The VII Chapter of the Province of Norandina was held from 3 to 6 June in Fusagasugá, Colombia. Its motto was “With hands linked in solidarity, we lead daring lives together”. 32 Brothers took part and Fr. Manuel Lalangui was the chaplain. Br. Diego Antón joined on-line from Maracaibo. Br. Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General, and Brothers Ken McDonald and João Carlos do Prado, link General Councillors, were also present virtually.
During the Chapter, Brother Orlando Escobar took over as Provincial from Brother César Rojas. The members of the Provincial Council elected were: Diego Zawadzky, Julián Olmo, Carlos Regalado, Carlos Saúl Corzo, José Miguel Caballero and Leonardo Yepes.
During the opening, Br. César Rojas, Provincial from 2014 to now, urged everyone to be open to challenges and make bold choices, to listen to the Lord; to be united with the brothers, laypeople, and youth of the province, after the pre-capitular journey. Br. César then presented Br. Orlando, the new Provincial, with a lighted lantern, and invited him to be a “beacon of hope” with his fraternal style of leadership.
In his message, Br. Orlando urged all those present and the whole Province to be builders of brotherhood and joyful witnesses fostering our Marist vocation.
For his part, Br. Ernesto invited everyone not to be afraid of the new, to tend new shoots of life that are springing up, in synergy with others in the Province.
After discerning together on how to grow Marist life and brotherhood, three major challenges came to the fore:
– To see the context of our countries through the lens of God’s gaze, to feel part of that gaze, going beyond the ordinary way of proceeding, so that the Chapter generates vision.
– To read again the calls of the XXII General Chapter in the current situation of our world and our Church, to see beyond our Province and Institute.
– To take our spiritual journey seriously in order to make our experience of God more transparent, to transform our communities into homes of light and to be more supportive of one another.
On the second day, Br. César Rojas and the Provincial Councillors presented their report on the past three years to the assembly. They highlighted the presence of young Brothers in the Province and the strength of the lay Marist vocation, which represent great strengths, and at the same time, a challenge to continue accompanying and stimulating this charismatic richness. Afterwards, the Brothers reflected on and discerned the calls based on the Reports of the Mission Councils of the countries and of the different Provincial Commissions, among other documents distributed prior to the Chapter.
On the third day of the Chapter, the eve of the feast of St. Marcellin, there was discussion by table groups of lines of action to implement the calls. After further discussion in a plenary session, some actions were ratified to be taken up by the new province leadership team. Before the Eucharist, the organisation of the province over the last three years was evaluated and ideas shared on the most suitable way to provide leadership and governance for the Province. The letters sent by the Conference of Religious of Colombia and the communities of Tucupita and El Cristo, in Venezuela, were also tabled.
On the fourth day of the VII Provincial Chapter, 6 June, the new provincial council was elected. Before concluding, Br Laurentino Albalá, Provincial Treasurer, presented a financial report for the three years.
At the closing of the Chapter, during the Eucharist to celebrate the double feast of Marcellin Champagnat and Corpus Christi, the new Provincial Councillors of the Province of Norandina for the triennium 2021-2024 were commissioned.