On Monday the 17th of October we
started with the collaborators of our International Organization GAAP and with
some brothers invited from other continents with the “Think tank”, in order to
reflect on the objectives and the development of GAAP. It was a very intensive week. The responsible
persons of GAAP are now preparing a final document that will be presented to
the general chapter. They also prepared a meeting for the more concrete
follow-up in January in Rome.
During that week we had also a
special event in our museum Dr. Guislain, where in collaboration with the
pharmaceutical factory ‘Janssen Pharmaceutica’ a new department was opened,
focusing the working of the brains and the evolution in the neurology as
support in the treatment of psychiatric patients. The guest speaker was Mr.
Kennedy, nephew of the late President, who proposed to start with an annual
reward for the most progressive initiatives in the field of mental health care.
On Sunday the 23rd of
October, we left for Rwanda,
where we participated in the training session for our local superiors of Africa. 30 superiors were together in our formation
center ‘Twisere’ in Ndera for a 2 weeks session. We gave a formation on
religious leadership, and Mr. Guido De Clercq gave a conference on more
practical issues like organizing a meeting, how to bring over clear messages,
etc. We heard afterwards that the participants were very enthusiastic about the
formation, the first in the history of the congregation. In December, we plan
the same formation for our superiors of Asia.
During the weekend of 29 – 30 October, we visited our international novitiate
in Nairobi
where we gave a recollection. At the same time we had a first evaluation of the
novices together with the formators.
During the week that we were in Rome, we went with some
brothers on pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo, the place of Saint Father Pio.
We could not find a better place to celebrate All Saints. We had also some
meetings in the Vatican
and with our group of interreligious dialogue. We ended our short stay in Rome with the participation of the Vespers with the Holy
Father at the occasion of the opening of the academic year of the universities
of Rome.
Back in Belgium, we had the opportunity to
visit Bro. Hermeland Heerwegh who was celebrating his 100 year. He is the first
Brother of Charity who becomes 100 year, and he is still in good condition. That
week we gave a 2 days reflection to the Sisters of Charity in Roeselare
and a retreat of 3 days to the charismatic group “Maria Kefas” in Beauraing,
before returning to Rome.
And in Rome it
will be again a period of meetings with the superior generals and the council
of catholic health care and the Propaganda Fide.
And so are we going to the end of
the year visiting in Asia: India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
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