With great hope, the Augustinians of the Assumption together with their lay associates in Chile are preparing for the canonical visit that Fr. Benoît Grière will begin on March 13.

Already the members of the Lay-Religious Alliance have held a meeting to organize their rendezvous with Fr. Benoît.

Fr. Juan Carlos Cisterna Bastías, Provincial Superior, commented, “A visit from Fr. General is always an occasion for us to look at ourselves and discover, in the light of the Gospel and of our own spirituality, how we are living out our commitment as religious. It is always to be seen as a visit from God. It gives Fr. General an opportunity to put names and faces on the religious and communities of the province and to have a better understanding of our works. It is an opportunity to give new life to this work and the men involved in it”.

The first stop on his visit was in Colombia, where the Assumptionists first arrived on October 4, 1946, at the port of Buenaventura, as poor as the saint of the day, St. Francis of Assisi.

In addition to missionary work in poor areas, an effort to promote the dignity of the human person by launching a number of social works, the Assumptionists opened a primary and secondary school in 1955, Colegio Emmanuel d’Alzon, in Bogotá. This institution aims not only to provide a solid academic formation, but a human, spiritual, and apostolic one as well, the formation of the whole person where the inner life, social outreach, and having fun are essential components.

At a meeting of the members of the Lay-Religious Alliance in Colombia, Fr. Benoît stated that the was happy that “our spirituality is attractive to laypeople, that they too are responsible for making it known and spreading the charism, and that by their lives and concrete actions they are fulfilling the directives of the last general chapter: to be one in solidarity with the poor with their social outreach programs which make the Kingdom of God present.”

With regard to the work being undertaken by the teachers at the Colegio Emmanuel d’Alzon, the Superior General expressed his great admiration for the Assumptionist character that they were giving to this work. He commended them for being really committed to the educational enterprise and so lovingly attached to the young.

Wherever he went in Colombia, he called on our collaborators to remain united “for the one who unites us is stronger that what divides us.”

In Riobamba, Ecuador, the second leg of his visit, he met with the parish councils of the two Assumptionist parishes, San Miguel de Tapi and San Pedro de Licán. Both are alive and strong.

The first Assumptionists arrived there on July 26, 1996 and were welcomed by the bishop at the time, Most Rev. Víctor Corral Mantilla, recently succeeded by Most Rev. Leonidas Proaño, the “bishop of the Indians.”

In Riobamba, Fr. Benoît also had time to meet with large group of young people. Youth ministry has been a longstanding concern of the Assumptionists. They are a forcé in the Church and in society. In Ecuador as well as in Argentina, Colombia and Chile there are great expectations for this year’s World Youth Day to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July. In fact, Assumptionist youth groups from all these countries will be present there.

Fr. Marco Silva Serrano, the first Ecuadorian Assumptionist, and currently superior and pastor of the Assumptionist community in Riobamba, said, “We were able to meet both with active and contemplative religious in the area, all of whom offered him a warm welcome.”. Fr. Marco added, “Fr. Benoît was able to get a really complete picture of the work we have been doing here since our arrival on July 26, 1996.”

Fr. Benoît will arrive in Chile on Wednesday March 13, after a short stay in Buenos Aires.

Assumptionist Communications Office