Father General Pedro Aguado continues his sectoral visit throughout the Order to accompany the demarcational congregations in their leadership role in the Piarist presences, in the accompaniment of young adult religious and young people in initial formation. Francisco Anaya Walker, Provincial, organised and coordinated the logistics of the visitation.
Currently, the USA-PR demarcation accompanies the Piarist realities in the United States, Cuba and Puerto Rico and collaborates in the Generalate House in Veracruz and in the recent foundation of the Generalate House in Guatemala. It has two Cuban formands in the Emmaus Province pursuing higher studies (Pedro e Iván), as well as a novice (Jan) and a junior in Mexico (Daniel).
Most of the participants in this visit were able to take part in the activities proposed by Fr Pedro Aguado. The USA-PR Province has a great intercultural richness, as the religious come from thirteen nations. This makes for a very interesting and challenging cultural exchange.
The visit began with a meeting of the Provincial Congregation with Father Pedro Aguado, Father General, and Father Julio Alberto Álvarez, Assistant General for America. During the meeting, they reviewed how the chapter lines of the 48th General Chapter are being implemented through the leadership of the Father Provincial and his Assistants.
Fr Pedro Aguado began his visit with the three young prenovices – Matthew, Japhet and Ishmael – who live at St Helena House in the Bronx, NY, as well as Junior Joseph, who lives at Assumption House in Manhattan, NY. He also spoke with the formators – Fr Orlando and Jorge – and the formation communities about the current situation the Order is experiencing in the area of initial formation.
Fr General then led a two-day retreat for the young adult religious who are in the first six years of their solemn profession – Fathers Orlando, Pedro, Abner, Manuel, Vinod, Jorge, Ricardo, Melchor and Ruben. It was a great opportunity for them all to share their lives and faith in detail. They ended this retreat thanking the Lord for the gift of vocation and transparency.
On the other hand, Fr Pedro Aguado also had important tasks during his visit: Presiding at the Mass of Thanksgiving for the life of Father Mario Vizcaino; visiting the Devon community in Philadelphia; presenting the brotherhood letter for Mr Dario and Mrs Olga (great collaborators of the Calasanctian work); the Eucharistic celebration with the children of St Helena’s School, the visit to the three communities on the island of Puerto Rico (Ponce, San Juan and Adjuntas) and the meeting with the new Piarist presence in Hialeah, Miami.
We are grateful to God and to Demarcation for their persevering mission to accompany and develop the life that God brings forth in each Piarist presence. May God continue to make their efforts fruitful and accompany them in every challenge and opportunity to continue building the Kingdom of God.
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