From 8 to 15 September, Fr Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch.P., Father General, resumed the canonical visitations to the Demarcations. On this occasion he visited the communities of Puerto Rico and the communities of New York in the USA, accompanied by Fr Francisco Anaya, Provincial, and Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez, General Assistant for America.
During the visits to the communities and to the Piarist brothers, Fr Carles convened meetings with the religious communities, the heads of the schools, and the brothers whose mission is initial formation in the juniorate stage. With joy and hope he met with the junior formees Jean and Jafet, and also with the formators Fr Fernando Negro and Fr Christian Santiago. He held fraternal dialogue with some of the religious of the communities, and together they visited pupils in their classrooms in the schools led and accompanied by the diligent efforts of the Piarist brothers in: Colegio Calasanz in San Juan, Colegio Ponceño in Ponce, and the parish school of the Parish of Saint Helena. In the parishes of New York—both Saint Helena and the Annunciation—he presided at the Eucharist, confirming the brothers in the faith, followed by a warm welcome from the communities. We also underline the joyful and hopeful presence of Bryan who has resumed his vocational formation process in the community of Philadelphia, accompanied by his formator, Fr Orlando Rodriguez.
Fr Carles Gil and his Assistant held meetings with the Provincial Congregation to follow up the noble and beautiful mission entrusted to the Demarcation, encouraging and supporting them in the challenges they face through the key inspirations of the General Congregation’s Roadmap. These key inspirations were the thematic axis of the meetings and of the dialogues with brothers, teachers, heads of works and pupils.
We thank the communities for their valuable organisation in receiving this visit and we look forward to the second part of the visitation to the remaining communities of the Demarcation. We wish both the religious and the laity of the Demarcation that our Holy Father Calasanz may continue to found in their hearts the tenacity and the blessed boldness of Calasanz, so that the mission in favour of children and young people may be each day good news for all.
