St Charles Province holds their assembly in Florida

The Scalabrinian Missionaries of St Charles Province held their annual assembly April 19-22 in Deerfield, Florida.It was attended by sixty priests and one deacon who work from the U.S., Canada, Colombia, Venezuela, and Haiti.Fr Rui Manuel Silva, General Councilor from Rome, along with Fr Jorge Bravo, a representative from St John Baptist Province, was also in attendance.

This year's theme was focused on "Mission and Discipleship," a phrase chosen in keeping with the gospel proclaimed in different contexts of prayer, community life, and service to the church.Fr Steven Olds, Dean of Pastoral Formation at St Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida, helped the group to reflect upon their lives as missionaries in his attempt to explore the evolving situations through new ways and forms, creativity and attentiveness, that would shape the direction of their living of priestly/religious life.

Fr Matthew Didoné, provincial superior, welcomed everyone with a sense of fraternal communion and joy.He presented his report that gave highlights to the present status of the province with its emerging challenges on deeper commitment and religious witness, pastoral positions, vocations, missionary projects and investments.His concerns relate to the rich potential of their presence in the mission while embracing the huge demographic shifts and globalized reality in pastoral ministries.

Following this, Fr Rinaldo Vecchiato, Vicar Provincial and Bursar, gave his reports on finances for the year 2009 (Jan-Dec).With substantial figures reflected on reports of each community in the province, he pointed out the importance of responsibility and accountability.He underscored variations on markets, profits and the relationships between economic downturn and investments, alongside the community support fund, scholarship fund, development fund, and operating fund.He cited both in the cultural chasm of market values and banking system whichinclude losses and gains in the provincial investments, stocks in banks, and other pertinent cost coverage or revenues deposited in the bank.

With the need to become aware of and committed to the guidelines presented in the implementation of the motions and proposals of the General Chapter, Fr Rui Manuel Silva echoed the hidden strength of hope in terms of vocations, mission priorities, SIMI, SIMN, and other intercultural encounters of today's missionary urgencies.He spoke with a good sense of humor giving highlights to certain issues that offer some challenges both in the community and ministry, respectively.In tune with the legacy of the congregation, he underscored the vision and abiding witness to world around us.

Reports of local superiors in each region followed suit with questions and clarifications made during the open forum.In a similar vein, Haiti project was addressed to the body that traced the potential movements across the dimensions of proposals and feasibility studies.

In keeping with their faith commitment as consecrated missionaries united in their religious calling, moments of prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist were held in three parishes:

a).Our Lady Queen of Peace Mission where the festive ceremony for the foundation stone and construction land blessing of the new Retirement Home.Fr Matthew Didoné, along with his confreres and lay people, led the said event.The Brazilians, Hispanics, and Americans that comprise the parish prepared sumptuous dinner after the mass.It was a graced moment of sharing in terms of relationship; a moment of delight and gratitude.

b).Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church - this is predominantly a Haitian community under the pastorship of Fr Roland Desormeaux.Their solidarity as people of faith remained a remarkable expression of their spirituality.Liturgy was prepared in Creole, French, Spanish, and English.It was a rich mosaic far more aware of the church of the poor where there's a variety of expression through dialogue of cultures and languages.After the mass, reception followed at the parish hall.

c).St Vincent Parish - it is a multicultural parish where the Brazilians outnumber other ethnic groups.Fr Joseph Pranzo, the pastor, along with his parochial vicars - Fr Volmar Scaravelli and Fr Germán Vargas, form a team to minister to immigrants in the parish, e.g. English-Spanish-Portuguese speaking parishioners.Fr Rui Manuel Silva presided the mass in Portuguese.Afterwards, dinner with special Brazilian 'churasco' was served in the parish hall.

Of the many other issues to discuss and reflect upon, the liturgy on reconciliation took the centerpiece in wrapping the whole session of the assembly.Gospel text was read in 7 languages, e.g.Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, Creole, French, and Tagalog.