From 16 to 23 February 2026, the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., led the General Canonical Visitation to the Vice-Province of Las Californias. The visitation was carefully prepared by each of the communities of the demarcation, who received from their Demarcational Superior the organisational circular previously sent by the Father General. The Demarcational Superior, Fr Daniel Velázquez, prepared, organised and accompanied both the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., and the General Assistant for America, Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez, Sch. P., throughout the entire canonical visitation across the communities and works.
The visitation began in Tijuana with the meeting of the Demarcational Congregation, during which Fr Daniel Velázquez presented a diligently prepared report on the integral journey of the demarcation, together with a programme and calendar of activities precisely planned so that the Father General could become acquainted with and engage in dialogue with the teams and religious communities of each Piarist presence. After listening to and dialoguing with the Demarcational Superior and his assistants, Fr Joseph Margalef and Fr Fernando García, we gave thanks in the Eucharist and greeted the parish community.
The Father General continued the visitation with personal interviews with those in formation: the two Juniors, Dilan Esleiter and Armando, as well as the pre-novice Raúl. He also met with the Piarist community of Tijuana (Fr Pere, Fr Segalés, Fr Julián, Fr José Alfredo, Fr Daniel and the young formands), as well as with the “tíos” and “tías” of Hogares de Tijuana, concluding with a beautiful time of fellowship with the boys and girls of HOCATI.
Subsequently, we visited the presence in Calexico, at the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where Fr Hilario and Fr Pedro Lucía gathered together the group of young people and parents of the Calasanz Movement, who, with diligence and affection, prepared the arrival of the Father General and his General Assistant. It was a beautiful encounter in which the young people, with joy and transparency, shared their faith, dreams and hopes; they also presented some dance performances and offered a delicious dinner prepared by themselves. We express our sincere gratitude for the dedication and cheerfulness of this meeting and for the way they live their faith. Congratulations: we shall remain united in prayer and in the Eucharist. We also thank Takeshi, who generously shared the table with the Father General and inspired him to continue encouraging the life of the Pious Schools of Las Californias.
After such an emotional encounter with the parish youth in Calexico and the exquisite dinner they prepared and organized by themselves, the Piarist religious residing in Mexicali and Calexico (Fr Hilario, Fr Pedro Lucía, Fr Roberto Morales and Fr Carlos) gathered for a community meeting, during which the Father General, Carles Gil, shared the culture of discernment to which we are called, in favour of a more authentic and synodal mission, integrally sustainable and outward-looking.
The following day, the Father General presided at the Eucharist in the parish and, after holding a dialogue with Fr Hilario, the parish priest, he greeted the pupils of Colegio OLGA, which is under the pastoral care of the same parish, although it is administered by the Sisters Servants of Jesus of the Blessed Sacrament.
Afterwards, we travelled to the community of Mexicali, where meetings were held with Fundación Solidaria and with the leadership and educational community of Instituto José Calasanz. The Father General and the General Assistant also visited the pupils in their classrooms, one by one. We then travelled to Ensenada, under the guidance of the Vice-Provincial, Fr Daniel Velázquez.
Upon arriving at the community of Ensenada, we received a warm welcome from the parish groups. We began with the community meeting, where Fr Luis Felipe Leyva, Fr Benito and Fr Félix (from the Province of Asia Pacific) presented their pastoral activities and joyfully shared the family atmosphere they have gradually built within the parish. After an excellent meal prepared by one of the members of the parish’s extended council, the Father General and the General Assistant listened to the Homework Schools groups, the Bible Circle community, the Joy Club community and the extended parish council. In addition, the Ensenada community and the visiting Fathers met with the Bishop of the Diocese of Ensenada, H.E.R. Mons. Rafael Valdéz. For his part, the Father General met with the religious of the Ensenada community to ensure continuity in the work with young adults in the demarcation, carried out in a remarkable and exemplary way by Fr Daniel Velázquez, Fr Pere and Fr Fernando García.
Afterwards we travelled to Los Angeles, where the Father General and the General Assistant met with the Los Angeles community (Fr Manuel, Br Miguel, Fr Miguel Mascorro, Deacon Chepe, Fr Federico, Fr Fernando García, Fr Joseph Margalef and Fr José Sosa). This meeting took place in a context of fraternity and a spirit of building up. The Father General also presided at the Eucharist in the three parishes entrusted to the Piarist Fathers. In each, he preached a homily in the context of Lent, in accordance with the readings of the season. Without losing his close, constructive and pastoral tone, Fr Carles Gil highlighted the opportunity we have, as Christians, to place Jesus each day at the centre of our thoughts, actions and words.
Fr Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., met with all the young religious, except Fr José Manuel, who during those days was taking part in the Order’s leadership course in the city of Kraków, together with Fr Benjamín.
At the end of the visitation, Fr Carles Gil and Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez, Sch. P., met for a second time with the Vice-Provincial Congregation in order to give thanks and to continue encouraging those who shepherd this demarcation to follow in the footsteps of Calasanz and to build the Pious Schools that the Order is called to be for the good of children and young people. We also thank Antonio, a young man from Tijuana whom we were able to meet in his vocational accompaniment with Fr Fernando García, in the hope that his dialogue with the Lord may help him recognise His will. Thank you to the demarcation for its welcome and, in a particular way, to Fr Daniel Velázquez for the kindness of accompanying us at every step of the canonical visitation to the Vice-Province.
