The General Secretariat for Formation organised a virtual meeting on 7 and 8 May 2024 for those responsible for vocation promotion.
On the first day more than 50 English-speaking brothers and co-workers gathered, on the following day about 25 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking people took part.
Fr Paul Vinh, CSsR (General Consultor), led the English meeting, and Fr Gerardo Hernández, CSsR (Executive Secretary for Formation), led the Spanish meeting.
Each day presented the same programme: a moment of prayer, the words of the Superior General, Father Rogério Gomes CSsR, a reflection on the vocation of the Redemptorist brother proposed by two brothers from our General Curia: Br Larry Lujan CSsR, General Consultor for North America, and Br Fernando Batista Cordeiro CSsR (Vice General Consultor), the intervention of the members of the Office of Communications of the Redemptorist Congregation and a moment of dialogue on the proposals presented at this meeting.
Father Rogério Gomes’ words must be underlined, inviting us all to work with the perspective of vocational promotion, starting from our place and task within the Congregation. We must be aware of the difficulties that society presents us before choosing religious life, but also be mindful of our strength as a community to act in a united manner.
The talk by Brothers Larry and Fernando offered a vision of the vocation of the brothers within the Congregation, updated with the new documents and the reality of the mission: one must present the vocation of the brother in the light of his identity (who I am) rather than his function (what I cannot do, as opposed to the priest). The new document of the Brothers of the CSsR was also commented on, recalling that the Congregation, from its inception, has been composed of priests and brothers to fulfil its fundamental mission.
The Communications Office presented a digital project to facilitate collaboration in vocations promotion on the level of the Congregation as a whole: a website to be developed and managed by a group of editors representing the vocations promoters of the different Units. Like any initiative presented for the first time, it is hoped that it will also help mobilise the efforts of those already working in this vital area of the Congregation.
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