|
[Download
file 
- file  ]
COMMUNIQUE
N.5
Very dear brothers and sisters,
As we had informed you
earlier, on the evening of 6 May, the Bishop of Albano, Msgr. Agostino
Vallini, wanted to be with us in order to witness to his closeness to us.
In his homily, he recalled the overwhelming event of Damascus while
comparing Paul’s experience with Don Alberione’s experience of light
on the night of passage between the centuries. He continued by inviting
us to recognize in our life a ‘Damascus,’ a ‘night of light’
because today the world needs Christians who live intensely, with the
temperature of the lava that, going out incandescent from the volcano,
overwhelms everything.
In the afternoon of 7 May,
the discernment process prior to the election stage began. The Claretian
Fr. José Cristo Rey García Paredes of Madrid brought our attention on
the meaning of the words ‘to serve’ and ‘authority’. True
authority lets grow in profundity, in intensity, in unleashing and in
emptying. One ought to let die, abandon everything that blocks the
charism in order to open up to the future.
On Saturday, 8 May, the
discernment on the election of the Superior General and his Council was
pursued further considering the election from the historical-theological,
symbolic and charismatic perspective. The interesting reflection was
further continued with an invitation to openness to the novelty of the
Spirit and to the deepening on the constitutional and symbolic profile
of the candidate, the human and spiritual profile of the leader. All
these were done in an atmosphere of reflection and spiritual meditation.
On Sunday, 9 May, we began
with the solemn celebration of the Eucharist presided by Fr. Pietro
Campus. At 10 a.m., we went to the session hall in order to begin the
stage of the elections. After the oath, prescribed by the Constitution,
by the president and of the scrutineers and of all the Chapter delegates,
the casting of ballots began. With our Constitutions allowing a maximum
of four casting of ballots a day for this election, the Central
Commission decided to allow two in the morning and two in the afternoon,
with the suitable interval between the two casting of votes. At the
fifth balloting, Monday, 19 May, at 9:20, Fr. Silvio Sassi had
garnered the qualified majority of votes (2/3) and, after having made
the promise of faith, he officially became the Superior General of the
Society of St. Paul for the next six-year period 2004-2010.
Immediately after, Fr.
Silvio Sassi asked the Assembly to express their own gratitude to Fr.
Pietro Campus and Fr. Silvio Pignotti, as Superiors General emritus.
Then he, one by one, fraternally greeted all the Chapter Delegates.
A moving embrace expressed,
in the name of all, the condolences to Fr. José Luis Quintana,
Provincial Superior of Mexico, for the demise of his mother last
Saturday, 8 May.
Then, the Chapter had to
move on to the election of the new Chapter Secretary inasmuch as Fr.
Silvio Sassi had to assume the Presidency. Elected was Fr. Antonio
Masoño who left another empty another place in the Central Commission.
His place was taken over by Fr. Juan Manuel Galaviz, who was as well
elected with the absolute majority of votes
This afternoon, 10 May, we
continue with the election of the Councilor. Till next time.
The Secretary of
Information
Bro. Lorenzo Vezzani
Ariccia (Rome), 10 May
2004
|
