From 2 to 15 February, the General Congregation carried out the Canonical Visitation to the Province of Mexico, entrusting the communities and works with the preparation of spaces for discernment on the Order Culture that we are called to build within the local and provincial Piarist presence in Mexico. The Canonical Visitation unfolded in two stages: the first part was delegated by the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., to Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez, Sch. P., who, with a spirit of building up the Pious Schools, met with the groups, teams and religious communities in the Piarist presences, according to what had been previously organised. The second part was led by the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., accompanied by the General Assistant for America.
In advance, as the General Congregation, we express our gratitude for the visit organised in Mexico and directed and accompanied by Fr Sergio Fernando Hernández, Provincial Superior in Mexico, as well as to each and every person — religious and lay — who prepared with warmth and professionalism the meetings held during the Canonical Visitation. The first part of the visit consisted of gathering the groups, teams and religious and lay communities, in a spirit of encounter and discernment, in almost all the presences of the Province. At the conclusion of the visit, everyone gathered for the Provincial Assembly to dialogue with the Father General on the general lines for building up the Pious Schools, in light of the Keys of Inspiration.
Puebla was the first presence visited. Everything began at Hogares Calasanz in Puebla, where the image was eloquent because of the amount of mission and good being carried out, especially among children and young people. The photograph included the children of Hogares: from the little ones of three years old to adolescents and young adults such as Víctor, who is undertaking professional formation. Also present were Ann, Leticia, Reyna, Lupita, Vicky, Gloria, Mario Milly and Fr Christian, who care for the children in the Hogares. In the initial image of this visit also appeared the religious community and the Fraternity community: Fr Luis Brito, Fr Natalio Salazar, Fr Carlos Fragoso, Fr Christian Gutiérrez and Deacon Óscar Osbaldo; as well as Mónica, Rosalba, Bere, Alejandro, Gloria, Miguel and Vicky.
Together they formed a vivid picture of what we are called to be in the Piarist presence of Puebla, where works and communities recognise themselves as gathered by the same Jesus: Instituto Carlos Pereyra, Hogares de Puebla, Parish of San Baltazar, Escuela Calasanz Puebla, the religious community, the Fraternity community, children and young people, and volunteers — all engines of the Pious Schools as a presence of the Kingdom of God and of Calasanz in Puebla.
Fr Julio Alberto also met with the Parish Council of San Baltazar Parish and presided at the Eucharist concelebrated with the Piarist religious community on the Day of Consecrated Life and the Feast of the Presentation.
Afterwards, the visit continued in Santa Ana, Tlaxcala, where rich and substantial dialogues were held with groups that organise and give life to Instituto José María Morelos. The institutional dialogues, carefully prepared, were held with: the religious community (Fr Martín Hernández, Fr José Oriol, Fr Daniel Cruz, Br Guillermo Rodarte and Br Alejandro Pérez); the Institutional Council; the Leadership Council; the Pastoral Council; the Fraternity of the Pious Schools Jerusalem; the Parents’ Council; students from the three sections; and finally the educational, administrative and service community. The day concluded with a beautiful Eucharist of thanksgiving.
Subsequently, Fr Sergio Fernando Hernández and Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez travelled to Oaxaca to accompany and jointly celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Piarist presence of Instituto Carlos Gracida. We warmly congratulate the educational community and, in a particular way, the children and young people who celebrate the goodness of so many religious and lay people who have developed the charism of Calasanz in the region. The delegate of the Father General for this visitation held dialogues both with the school leadership and with the Fraternity of the Pious Schools in Oaxaca.
The next stop was the Pious Schools community in Apizaco. The fruitful dialogues and meetings began within the framework of the Sunday Eucharist and with the presentation of the children and young people who belong to the Calasanz Movement, accompanied by Julio Carreón, Headmaster of Instituto Fray Pedro de Gante. Afterwards, previously prepared meetings were held with: the Fraternity of the Pious Schools of Apizaco; the religious community (Fr Emmanuel Suárez, Fr Carlos and Fr Pablo Alberto); the pre-novitiate community (Mauricio, Julián Alberto, Dante, Uriel and Fr Pablo Alberto, formator); the institutional meeting with the educational, administrative and service community of Instituto Fray Pedro de Gante; the Board of Directors; the Pastoral Council; and, finally, a dialogue with the secondary and upper secondary students, as well as visits to the pre-school and primary sections.
The visitation then continued in the city of Veracruz, beginning with Escuela Calasanz de Veracruz. Meetings were held with the religious community (Fr Jesús Álvarez, Fr Rubén Plata, Fr Nabor Reyes and Br Isaac Rabín); the Institutional Council (Fr Nabor Reyes, Ana Laura and Irving, Headmaster of Escuela Calasanz); the Leadership Council; the Student Council — class representatives from each year of primary and secondary education; the teachers of Escuela Calasanz; members of the Calasanz Movement; the group of mothers who serve as catechists; and the Parents’ Council of Escuela Calasanz. It was a full day that offered a glimpse into the life being built within the school, accompanying many in a spirit of familiarity and mutual care.
Afterwards, it was the turn of the parish community of the Parish of the Holy Family, where the General Assistant for America presided at the Eucharist and later shared a fraternal gathering with members of the Parish Council. The following day, Centro de Estudios Cristóbal Colón prepared a warm welcome with heartfelt words, as well as a beautiful expression of Veracruz folklore: “La Bamba”. The meetings held during this Canonical Visitation included groups such as: parents; representatives of the educational, administrative and service community; student representatives from the four sections; pastoral groups and the CECC Pastoral Council; two communities of the Fraternity of the Pious Schools in Veracruz; and finally, the CECC Leadership Council.
Finally, it was the turn of the Piarist community in Celaya, where Fr Carlos Martínez and Fr Rosalío Lugo currently reside. Both presented their pastoral work: the latter described his leadership and pastoral care at the Cristo Rey chapel, while the former shared his pastoral service at the novitiate house, where various programmes for the care of children and young people are carried out in response to the complex context of insecurity and violence affecting the city and, in particular, the neighbourhood where the Pious Schools of Celaya are located. It is a noteworthy pastoral project in which elements converge that are giving rise to a new stage in the history of the Pious Schools in Celaya.
On that same day, the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, Sch. P., arrived in Mexico and joined — indeed encouraged — this dialogue of discernment regarding the Order Culture we are called to cultivate in order to continue being Good News also tomorrow, both at Hogares Calasanz and at the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Tlalcoligia, Mexico City. At the Hogares, the Father General engaged in dialogue with the “tíos” and the children.
The following day, the Father General, Carles Gil i Saguer, together with twenty members of the Piarist community of Mexico City South, travelled by van to Instituto Carlos Pereyra in Puebla, where a Provincial gathering was held in order to share with Fr Carles and Fr Julio Alberto the life that is being developed, shared and organised within the demarcation, around themes such as: Safeguarding and care of the most vulnerable; the Calasanz Movement; Initial Formation; Shared Mission; Participation; Itaka-Escolapios; Hogares Calasanz; the Fraternity of the Pious Schools; Vocational Ministry; Pedagogy; Process-based Pastoral Ministry; Sustainability; and Projects. For his part, the Father General offered precise and motivating feedback to those leading these secretariats, based on what had been presented. He also presided at the Eucharist, concelebrated with the Piarists of the Mexico demarcation.
All this life within the Mexico demarcation was discerned during the meeting of the Provincial Congregation (Fr Sergio Fernando Hernández, Fr Emmanuel Suárez, Fr Martín Hernández, Fr Guillermo García C. and Fr José Luis Sánchez), with the participation and leadership of the Father General, Carles Gil, accompanied by Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez. The Provincial Congregation held a dialogue that was hopeful, positive and realistic, while at the same time attentive to persons and processes.
Finally, Fr Carles Gil concluded the Canonical Visitation with the Sunday Eucharist at the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Tlalpan, Mexico City), as well as with personal and community visits and dialogues with the Juniors and the formation community in Tlalpan: Fr Baltazar Santillán, Br Justino Abdiel, Br Julen, Br José Luis, Br Henri, Br Guillermo, Br Sebastián and Br Isaac Rabín.
During the meetings, the achievements and joys of the various teams were addressed according to their respective areas of work; challenges and pending tasks were also shared in light of the areas requiring growth. For their part, the Father General, Carles Gil, and Fr Julio Alberto Álvarez offered feedback on the presentations in accordance with the Order’s Keys of Inspiration. The visitation seeks to continue and to invite participants at each table to discern their lived experiences of mission — personal, group or community — with the aim of continuing to build the Pious Schools in a vocational key, placing Jesus at the centre and inspired to live Pious Schools that are synodal, outward-looking, integrally sustainable, and marked by authenticity and identification consistent with Saint Joseph Calasanz. Many thanks to everyone for your attention and hospitality throughout the visitation. Let us continue building the dream of Calasanz.
