From 28 February to 2 March, the General Canonical Visitation took place, during which the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., shared with the university community and the religious community the Keys of Inspiration of the Order, in a reading oriented towards growth and consolidation from the University. This visitation also took place in the context of a comprehensive renewal of services and infrastructure on both campuses, for the benefit of the student body and parents.
The Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., was accompanied by Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez, Sch. P., General Assistant for America. Both were warmly welcomed by the folk dance group of the Centro de Estudios Cristóbal Colón and the Universidad Cristóbal Colón. During the visitation, meetings were held such as an open dialogue with the University’s Institutional Council and with the Provincial of Mexico, Fr Sergio Fernando Hernández, Sch. P., who maintains an agreement between the Province of Mexico and the Generalate House in Rome in order to accompany day-to-day challenges and to project the institutional growth of the entire Centro de Estudios Cristóbal Colón and the Universidad Cristóbal Colón.
Likewise, the Father General made himself available to listen to students from the Student Council; and to students involved in the Pastoral life of the Centro de Estudios Cristóbal Colón. With the latter he celebrated the Eucharist, and he also visited the children of the Hogar Calasanz of Veracruz, who receive support from the University. He also offered a warm greeting to the students who danced “La Bamba” with professionalism and the energy of Veracruz, as part of the welcome at the Campus Torrente.
Finally, in his various messages, the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, underlined the importance of generating and developing knowledge; building in the student a world of transformative and transforming competences; accompanying the student; following up the competences of graduates through the Order’s Alumni Project; and continuing to be deeply Calasanzian, reflecting on how and where the University could be a sign of Good News.
The Father General’s encouraging message also reached the table of the religious community, as well as personal dialogues with the religious of the community: Fr Javier Alonso, Sch. P.; Fr José Guadalupe Álvarez, Sch. P.; Fr Absalón Salmerón, Sch. P.; Trân Dũng Quang, Sch. P.; and Lễ Dâng Tiến, Sch. P. The joy of this canonical visitation was blessed by the solemn profession of Dũng and Dâng, two young Vietnamese Piarists who have come to Mexico to place themselves at the service of the Order at the Generalate House and to begin learning Spanish.
We express our deep gratitude to the community of the Generalate House in Veracruz for the warm welcome and for the meaningful encounters experienced. United by Calasanz in the mission, we continue.
