Dominicas de la Presentación - Capítulo General 2019

La Turena, Bucaramanga (Colombia), 07/18/2019, Sr. Ángela María Vélez Restrepo.- The Report on the Life of the Congregation, presented today by Sr. María Escayola Coris, Superior General, touches our daily life, decisive efforts, and the endless number of achievements that we do not always value or recognize. It describes our on-going longings to find answers, bring newness to our life, and strengthen what we have received through our desire to keep alive our charismatic history. Above all, her report stresses faith and trust in Providence and the presence of our Mother Foundress.

...An itinerary of communion, grace and shared vision that invites us to go beyond borders and to be open to reorganization and the work in communion that the Congregation needs in view of the future.

The Report on the Life of the Congregation is presented in four sections:

- The Journey traveled: years, seen through the responses from the provincial chapters
- The Congregation on the Journey from 2014 - 2018: statistics
- Journeying in communion: A glimpse from the General Government
- Sent to go beyond borders to revitalize life and mission: some aspects of a prospective

Each part of the Report motivates us, it is a mirror to look at ourselves and discover all the aspects inherent in our consecrated life.

- In the journey traveled, we are invited to reflect on the revitalization of our spiritual and fraternal life, missionary presence, the priority of formation in the provinces, government, closeness, listening and discernment, economic management at the different levels. That is to say, it is an opportunity to look at how to respond to the commitments of the 54th General Chapter.

- The reality of the Congregation and Statistics presents to us in the first section those aspects that touch directly our Particular Law, its modifications and updates, and the Policy for the protection of data as required in the legislation of various countries. In the second section, the statistics showed us what is happening in the 15 structures of the Congregation, present in 36 countries with 1845 sisters. The graphs tell us: how we have evolve over time, the Sisters who have left, those who come to walk with us and those who remain faithful, believers, confident, revitalizing with their commitment the life and mission of the Congregation, with the certainty of a God who "does not abandon the work of his hands" and who today tells us more than ever: "My grace is enough for you".

- A look at the General Government highlights the communion experienced in their journey through the mission of the Superior General, the Councilors, the Treasurer and the Secretary General. In this section, we are more familiar with their work in council and the service of government, through canonical visits and accompaniment at the level of spiritual and community life and the election of superiors. It is a government in participation, communication and communion, through meetings, visits, EGCs, and formation. Various aspects of mission are expressed including SMC, Justice and Peace, solidarity with countries that suffer and solidarity projects. Finally everything that concerns the Church, relation with ecclesial structures, the International Union of Major Superiors, the Dominican Order, and the Cause of Marie Poussepin and the Mother House was mentioned. Each subject is developed with realism, with an explicit awareness of its part in our Congregation's life.

- Some aspects of a Perspective, in accordance with the theme of the 55th General Chapter "Sent to transcend frontiers to revitalize life and mission". In this fourth section illuminated by the text of Jeremiah 29:1: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future full of hope. I, the Lord, affirm it.” Other parts give an account of the road we still have to travel: calls to hope, to return to what is essential, sent with the strength of the Charism, to transcend frontiers, to revitalize life and mission, in process of transformation and accompaniment, at the service of the common good, economic dimension and mission, towards new horizons. Each one challenges us to greater openness to the present, toward a vision of the future.

In conclusion, Sr. Maria places us in the hands of the Lord and Our Lady the journey that we have traveled together, the accompaniment of the presence of the Spirit and the support and gift of fraternity from each sister.

If gratitude is the memory of the heart, this report allows us to exclaim with the psalmist: "great and marvelous are your works Lord... the Lord has been great to us and we are glad".... 

Thank you Sister Maria, Thank you Sisters of the General Government.