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The 18th General Chapter of the Xaverian Missionaries began on Saturday, July 1, 2023. Father Philipe Kitenge, the Provincial of the Barnabiti Fathers. conducted a meditation on the phrase from 1st Corinthians 9, 19-23, “To be everything for all." We were invited to reflect on the importance of the step from prophecy to the duty of the announcement. We were reminded that the religious danger today is to remain in perpetual preparation for the coming of the Lord when we will pass from simply being followers of Christ to actually Christ himself. We are therefore called to understand and to act differently in order to create a new world not with artificial intelligence but with the intelligence of love. The Eucharist was celebrated by the Superior General accompanied by the outgoing Council.
Out of all the messages which have come in from various confreres and friends we would like to mention the words of the Apostolic Nuncio of Congo, Mons. Balestrero who praised the Congregation in its choice of Bukavu for the General Chapter, “You have a history of holiness here in Congo even as far as the witness of martyrdom and perseverance in the midst of hostile and difficult situations."
The Chapter met in the afternoon and Fr. Fernando Garcia began with the ‘preliminary acts’ as written in the directory of the General Chapter (N. 35) and with the consent of the Chapter delegates declared open the XVIII Xaverian General Chapter. The members of the coordinating committee were elected as three 3 chapter delegates known as the group of the “3 wise men” whose job it will be to help with the daily running of the Chapter by coming up with what may be the recurring themes and questions which will make up the order of the day for the General Chapter.
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