From 18 to 19 May, the Provincial Assembly of Presence was held at the Diocesan Seminary of Ávila, Spain, with the participation of more than 70 people from across the Province.
The day began with prayer led by Constanza de las Marinas. Afterwards, the Father Provincial took the floor, presented the sessions and explained the dynamic around the motto “So that they may have life.” Our intention, he noted, “is to generate life in all our presences, in communion with the Order; to place Christ at the centre, since He is the one who truly generates life. In this Assembly, we wish to open a dialogue in order to know the fruits of the local assemblies, in a synodal key.”
Then, through an analysis contrasting the dynamics that “need life” with those that already “give life”, the different members of the Provincial Presence Team highlighted, by areas, four points of life and four points for giving life.
Among the points that need life, we may highlight a certain concern about the excessive accumulation of projects and meetings, which generates a feeling of tiredness in daily life. Another difficulty is the lack of succession, since there is an evident difficulty in finding profiles able to take on positions of responsibility and leadership rooted in identity or pastoral care. A gap in faith is also detected: it is increasingly complex to incorporate teachers who have already had a prior faith journey, which makes it difficult to transmit the charismatic identity to new educators, together with the observation that many new incorporations lack a true educational vocation. Finally, we underline the lack of shared horizons, which may cause a certain weakness in communion, a deficit of accompaniment from the Provincial Team towards the local presences, and a lack of consolidation in networking and synodality.
On the other hand, they also highlighted points of life. Among these, we may underline that our Demarcation is an active Province, in constant search and aligned with the Order. It has a robust structure and a strong provincial organisation that generates high-quality materials and fosters a high level of consensus. In the pastoral field, the Calasanz Movement is becoming firmly consolidated in the centres, supported by young leadership projects such as the David Project and by a solid culture of accompaniment. We are at the forefront of educational and social work, with the implementation of the affective-sexual education programme, the consolidation of the EDUCA Network for social transformation, and milestones such as the new headquarters of Itaka-Escolapios in Gandia. Finally, efficient management should be highlighted: at the economic level, the institution is moving forward steadily, thanks to management audits as a key axis for improvement and to the progressive professionalisation of its processes.
Afterwards, the participants were divided into groups to work on the Provincial Project of Presence, the conclusions of the local Assemblies of Presence, and the preparation of the future lines of action ahead of the next Provincial Chapter.
On the second day, the final session of the Assembly began with prayer presided over by Fr Alejandro Vásquez. The Provincial Presence Team then explained the dynamic for prioritising the future proposals presented the previous day by the different groups. Once prioritised, these future lines will be taken to the next Provincial Chapter.
At the end of the working session, the Assembly concluded with a Eucharist presided over by Fr Enrique Rodríguez Varas, who encouraged those present to continue their mission, always placing the youngest and most in need at the centre, as Saint Joseph Calasanz would have done. During the celebration, a relic of Calasanz was presented, commemorating the 25th anniversary of Itaka-Escolapios.
A fraternal meal brought the Assembly to a close, in a positive and hope-filled atmosphere.
With this meeting, the Province strengthens its commitment to continue building the “Piarist we” among religious and lay people, seeking to respond to today’s social challenges and always protecting the youngest.
Bethany Communications
