Fusagasugá (Colombia). The meeting of the Interprovincial Conference of Bolivarian Nations (CINAB) took place in Villa Maria Spirituality House in Fusagasugá (Colombia) in the Province of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (CBC) from 25 to 27 February 2020.
The purpose of the meeting was preparation for General Chapter XXIV which will begin in Rome, in the FMA Generalate, on September 18, 2020 and will end on November 8, 2020.
The themes were re-stated, “Do whatever he tells you (Jn 2: 5). Communities that generate life in the heart of contemporaneity” and the objective of GC XXIV, “To reawaken the original freshness of the Institute’s vocational fruitfulness.”
The Provincials, Delegates, and alternates elected in the Provincial Chapters of the Provinces of Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Bolivia participated in the meeting. The meeting was attended by Sr. Silvia Boullosa, Visiting Councilor and Referent for CINAB.
Sr. Marleny Patiño, President of CINAB and Provincial of St. Mary Mazzarello Province of Medellin (CMM), opened the assembly, retracing the journey made by the Conference and how the teachings of Pope Francis and of the FMA Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians were the reference points for the choices made during these years. She also highlighted that the most recent ecclesial documents were a fundamental resource for reflection and study to be communities that generate life in the heart of contemporaneity.
One of the questions that guided the work was, How to be generators of life in this historical time of our nations. Fr. Hernán Cardona, SDB, Dean of the Faculty of Theology of the Javerian University of Bogotá oriented the first moment of enlightenment with a Lectio on the theme “Do whatever He tells you.” Leonardo Rincón S.J. then presented the theme
“The signs of contemporaneity today.”
During the day, there was the opportunity to share the most significant experiences of the Provincial Chapters and to put in common some of the preoccupations present in each reality. It was an enriching time, recognizing the diversity of journeys of the communities and the desire to continue to generate life in the Provinces.
The Working Instrument of GC XXIV was also studied in depth. Sr. Silvia Boullosa animated the work of reflection and study, encouraging all the sisters to continue the preparation for living this Institute event with passion and a sense of belonging, so that each Province may continue to generate life today.
The meeting ended with the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Divine Baby Jesus at Bogota and the visit to the Community of Sr. Teresa Valsè.
