On December 20, 2018, the Indico Pacifico Provincial Congregation began
Fr. Jun Viray, S.J., Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, celebrated the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit that marked the official opening of the Provincial Congregation.
Fr. Jun shared in his homily some of the experiences that he had in their recently completed 36th GC, and that he thought might be helpful for the delegates of the PC to take into account during the process of discernment. At the end of the Eucharist he blessed the participants and assured them of his prayers for the next nine days.
Start of the CP
The Provincial Superior, Thelma Barbarona, following the preliminary steps, declared the Provincial Congregation open. After a break, the assembly proceeded to the election of the sisters who would perform important tasks during the PC.
Two days before beginning the Provincial Congregation we had a few moments to get to know each other a little better with some dynamics provided by the delegates of Japan. Later we continued in a climate of silence and prayer. Fr. Rene Repole SJ gave us points to reflect on discernment and the attitudes demanded by a process of discernment. At the end of his talk he invited us to have the attitudes of openness and generosity to see where the Lord is leading us to the future.
On the afternoon of the 19th we had time to share our prayer and reflection on discernment. Then we received the material of the PC and the guidelines for its proper functioning.
Starting on December 21, we began to work on the material that the sisters of the entire province sent to be treated in the Provincial Congregation. This is a time of prayer and personal reflection, work in smaller groups, sharing in the assembly to clarify and enrich and finally approve the final work that will be sent to the General Congregation.
December 25 we had a break from our work, to join the entire human community that celebrates the birth of Jesus, the EMMANUEL, the God with us.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!