Accounting the President – Fr. Benoît Grière – they are nine to be in charge of the good conduct of the 33rd General Chapter. In a nutshell, they introduce themselves, how they met the congregation, how they consider their role during the Chapter and which texts inspire them.
Fr. Wilfrid KASEREKA KIBANDA. Province of Africa
I met the Assumption during my studies in secondary school where young friars where in internship to teach... A little Athens in a state-owned school. I would like to lead the Chapter within a spirit of collaboration until a vision of Augustins of the Assumptions, more integrated and harmonious.
“He tat believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
2017-04-30 - Lyon Most of the day was dedicated to the presentation and the exchanges around Benoît Grière’s – Father General- report. This document was largely spread out in early 2017 and shaped a large consensus from the overview and the challenges listed by Father General. A first synthesis - well illustrated by various pictures- allowed us to remind the main points and the structure of the document. Then, Father General delivered his conclusions and some of the challenges which were enforced at the beginning of our works. The report shows a diagnostic which takes care of the essential – without concessions – and opens a new lane of trust. Father General writes: “ Assomptionist life occupies a modest space…But we must not underestimate ourselves. We are not poor. My contacts with the Holy See convinced me we are useful workers for the Evangelisation.”. He continues: “Our chapter does not aim to revolutionise our congregation. But it aims to be guided by the Holy Spirit, like in Jerusalem, on Pentecost Day". Groups workshops identified some of the challenges our congregartion is facing. Then we listened to Provincial Fathers ‘reports, beginning by Brazil – country where the first ommunities were founded more than 80 years ago.
Having been informed of the celebration of the 33rd general chapter of the Augustinians of the Assumption, His Holiness, Pope Francis, sends warm greetings to all its participants and he assures them that he will be with them in spirit at this important moment for the Assumptionist mission in the world.
The theme that you have chosen for your chapter, “New Wine in Fresh Wineskins: So that Jesus Christ may be proclaimed to the men and women of our day,” touches upon one of the major concerns of the Holy Father. In his homily this past February 2, he underlined this in a special way, “All of us are aware of the multicultural transformation we are experiencing; no one doubts this. Hence, it is all the more important for consecrated men and women to be one with Jesus, in their lives and in the midst of these great changes. Our mission – in accordance with each particular charism – reminds us that we are called to be a leaven in this dough.” In this light, giving thanks to God for the work accomplished by the Assumptionists at the service of the Church’s mission to the world, the Pope invites you to renew your missionary commitment boldly and generously. He encourages you in a particular way to pursue your fraternal presence within the Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite in Bulgaria.
The last capitulants expected at Ecully (the delegation of Madagascar, laymen and members of the technical team) joined the green alleys of Valpré. The official opening of the 33rd General Chapter of the Assumptionists is gradually coming closer to this April evening. Friendly arrivals and accolades took place in the main hall of the reception center, which was transformed into a mini forum of continents. As early as Thursday evening, in his welcoming address, Father General Benoît Grière set the tone, inviting the capitulants who had come from the four corners of the Assumptionist horizon to live a never-banal spiritual adventure. Our assembly stressed the new face of the congregation:
"Our physiognomy changes with time. For the first time we welcome brothers from countries that have never been represented in a general chapter: a Tanzanian religious, a brother from the Philippines, a brother from Burkina-Faso, an Egyptian. Times change: for the first time in a long time we have no brothers from the Netherlands, Spain or England among us. The most important is the love of diversity; Not just his respect, but the search for it. In Lyons, I very naturally remember the beautiful expression of St. Francis de Sales, who asked to live "unidiversity"; That is to say, unity and diversity in the same movement of the heart (Treaty of the Love of God, Book II, Chapter II). "
When, in the spring of 1990, Fr. Claude Maréchal, the superior general at the time, launched the initial appeal for volunteers to participate in the future foundation in Korea, I knew only two things about this country. First, there had been a war there between 1950 and 1953. The oldest of my cousins had fought as part of the Allied Forces. Every night at home my family would sit around the radio listening to the news from the war front. Second, of course, was the smashing success of the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Korea. That was it!
The Celebration
Now here it is 25 years since I arrived. We delayed the celebration date by a few months to accommodate as many guests as possible. Unfortunately, the current archbishop, Most Rev. Hygino Kim, president of the episcopal conference, was in Rome and could not attend; however, his auxiliary, Most Rev. OK Simon, participated together with two archbishops emeriti, Most Revs. Victorino Youn and Andréa Choi, both of whom have been wonderful friends of the community. Also present, of course, were our provincial, Fr. Benoît Gschwind, and Fr. General’s delegate for Asia, Fr. Bernard Holzer, accompanied by Br. Rex Navarro from Manila. We were also happy to welcome Fr. Pierre Nguyen Van Hieu of the community in Vinh (Vietnam) visiting Fr. Paul Hai, who works with Vietnamese immigrants in the diocese of Gwangju.
The Essential - A General Chapter on the way to elect a New Government - PDF file
