Ten months before the start of the general chapter, the Prior General, with the consent of his council, designated members of the Pre-capitular Commission which will work under his direction the different matters in view of the preparation for the next general chapter which will be celebrated on October 2, 2016.
Pre-capitular Commission
In the first work session which took place on January 12 the Prior General joined with them to greet and orient them in the task they have to realize.
The members of this pre-capitular commission was given the task to prepare and send out, nine months before the chapter, surveys and questionnaires in order to ascertain the opinion of the religious, and to make them aware of the general chapter, and the working out of an “instrumentum laboris”, having in mind the study done by the general council and the answers provided by the religious, in order to specify the draft guidelines which would guide the work of the chapter brothers. The said document will be approved by the prior general with the consent of his council, who will send them out to each chapter delegate.
All the religious have the right to present proposal to the commission, individually or in group, whatever they judge to be either useful or necessary. The proposals and suggestions should be sent to the commission six months before the chapter. The commission is responsible in examining, arranging and evaluating such suggestions and wishes, and to present a written summary to the general council., four months before the chapter. All the materials received is to be handed over to the general council, which will ensure it reaches the general chapter.
The members of the Pre-capitular Commission are: Fr. Francisco Javier Garcia Villoslada from the Province of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Fr. Juan Jose Rodriguez Mesa from the Province of our Lady of Consolation, Fr. Simon Puertas Perez from the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, Fr. Fredric Abiera of the Province of St. Augstine, Fr. Enrique Gomez Garcia of the Province of St. Joseph, Fr. Ademir Garcia of the Province of St. Rita, Fr. Jiovanny Marcelo Pantaleon of the Province of our Lady of Consolation and Fr. Rene Paglinawan of the Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno.
The Prior General welcomes and motivates them
The Prior General, during the first work session, has emphasized “to end, let us think of a game of football. When a team is in trouble nobody would like to receive the ball and the one who has it does not know whom to pass it. Some players keep the ball, they do not pass it to anybody, and intends to outshine all the rest. Others, look the other way away, in order not to receive the ball and the need to run. We all have to be attentive to receive the ball and pass it. If we want to win the game, we have to play united and advance towards the same direction”.
He also close his participation commending everybody the task to the Lord and asking “that the Virgin of Consolation, St. Augustine and the saints of the Order will accompany us to fulfill the task that is given to us”.
“All our hope is found in your great mercy”
For the next general chapter a logo is designed representing a table and constructed around it the community composed of hearts (each of the brother who conform with the Order), by shared lives and by the multicultural (the colors). It speaks as well of open hearts which need of the other to be made whole, which realizes its form in union with the other, with the others. Hearts that hope in God as our center and goal in which our hope is placed and by which by his infinite mercy we all receive.
On the other hand the theme of the General Chapter, “All our hope is found in your exceeding great mercy”, an extract from the Confessions of St. Augustine (Conf. 10, 29, 40).
What is a General Chapter?
The General Chapter is a time of grace, communion and discernment, not only for those who take part in the Chapter but for all the brothers of the Order. The chapter is an opportunity to feel as his own the life and mission of the Order. We need to dialogue, listen and speak openly. We are not a business enterprise but a community of brothers.
The duties of this General Chapter are based on the following words of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life: “our ministries, works, presence, respond to what the Spirit asked from our founders, are they suitable in addressing the purpose of the society and church of today? Is there something that we have to change? Do we have the same passion for our people, are we close with them even of sharing the same joys and sufferings, as well as truly understanding their needs and sharing our part to share with them?