LIVING THE PASTORAL CENACLE 2019


The Pastoral Cenacle of the Movement for a Better World took place in Rome From 1st to 14th September.

A group of 54 people, from 21 countries, which includes most of the local groups located in different continents.

Prior to the beginning of the Pastoral Cenacle, the various local groups had the opportunity to reflect on the “Current Experience of Our Charisma”. The local groups expressed their understanding of the life of the group and of the world, what inspires us with enthusiasm, what appears as a horizon in the future of the group and what is revealed at this time about our charisma.

On the afternoon of the first day the presentation of each of the participants took place in a cozy and friendly atmosphere. It was carried out through a dynamic in which each person shared briefly with another of their choice, their aspirations for this Cenacle. These aspirations were written in a paper sheet that we exchanged with the chosen person.

On the morning of the second day, we began working out with an adapted form of the Second Itinerary:”Our vocation and mission. A way of being disciples of Jesus. ”

We lived the experience of this itinerary for five intense days, in morning and afternoon sessions. Between sessions, times of meditation and personal reflection were interspersed, on previously developed guides, with annotations from the proponent. Then, we shared these reflections, either in the local groups, or most of the time in a group of 6-8 people who shared the same language, there was also an interlinguistic group.

The work in linguistic groups, was very interesting, because it allowed us to share our experiences and experiences, from different cultural points of view and quite different realities. Personally I have to thank the brothers and sisters of Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Spain for the richness, sincerity and depth of their comments, shared in a climate of listening and respect, which helped to know the different personal realities and their communities.

On Monday, September 9, we had the “Giornata di studio” about Ricardo Lombardi, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his death. During this day, several speakers were clarifying and highlighting the figure of Lombardi from the historical perspective, his prophetic and renewing charism, the relationship of Lombardi and Chiara Lubich in relation to an evangelical fraternity, their ecclesiological vision of the Church and the Kingdom,  to end with new itineraries proposal, “Update of the Exercises” and a Eucharistic celebration congregated by all the attending priests and chaired by the bishop secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

All this work was preparing the participants into a climate of serene reflection and shared dialogue, from the perspective of the gospel, to face the fourth stage of the Cenacle “Our life in Christ, as people and as a Promoter Group”. At this stage the lines of action of the Promoter Group were updated.

After a serious process of discernment, we were looking for the presentation of the candidacies for the new General Directorate, which culminated with the manifestation of their availability by potential candidates, at the end of the Eucharistic celebration.

Finally, on the morning of the 13th, after hearing the purposes of the different candidates available, we proceeded to the votes.  The Director General was elected and subsequently the members of the new General Directorate. Previously the Cenacle had manifested and passed a resolution, which would be elected in successive votes, five members as components of the Gerneral Directorate, but those elected in 4th and 5th place, would cease as effective members, at the time the dicastery definitively communicates in writing the amendment of the statutes.

The aforementioned modification includes reducing the number of components of the General Directorate from five to three. This modification was in its date, approved by the movement from the local groups, and at this moment it is in the process of official communication by the corresponding dicastery, which has already expressed its approval verbally.After the first vote, Father Pablo Nassif, from Argentina, was elected as General Director, and they were subsequently carried out, as indicated in the bylaws, successive votes for each of the members and the General Directorate.

The General Directorate being constituted:
1st elected.- General Director, Father Pablo Nassif.- Argentina.
2nd elected.- María Mar Manteca.- Spain
3rd elected.- Father Prasad Maddela.- India.
4th elected.- Father Ignacio González.- Spain.
5th elected.- Carlos Sola.- Puerto Rico.

The experience shared these days in Rome has allowed me to live again in a style of listening and respect, a process of spiritual work in which progressively, as a group of people, although with different languages, different cultural and vital realities, they can share and Live a spiritual experience. This confirms what has long been checking on wealth, not without difficulties, involving diversity, and how the Spirit of the Lord is present when we look for it in a group.

On the other hand, it is worth highlighting the importance of having lived this adapted itinerary, to arrive in a climate of discernment and reflection that allowed consensus on some lines of action that serve the movement for the next four years and put into effect an electoral process that it is not a mere election of positions, but the assumption of responsibilities in the service of the movement of those responsible for the General Directorate.

The work days were intense, very full of content. Personal times could have been longer. There have been annotations, made in a brilliant way, with a lyrical tone and a great depth, although extensive. In short, we have lived a few deep days, of great service to the movement, to own personal and spiritual development, and it has been a tool at the service of spiritual animation of the movement. May its fruit help us all to contribute to a revitalization and adaptation to the current times of what constitutes the charisma of the Movement for a Better World.

Cristóbal Pino

2 thoughts on “LIVING THE PASTORAL CENACLE 2019”

  1. Cristobal, thank you for your brilliant summary of our meeting in Rome! It will help me with my talk about these days at our convivenza from Oct. 29 to 31 in Salzburg, Austria. Please pray for us that it will be a fruitful time for our group! I was also waiting for the picture of our assembly to be able to show it to my friends. I am very thankful for those days – thanks to all of you especially to the people who had to do such a lot of preparation! Theresia

  2. Grazie Cristobal per la tua chiara sintesi dei lavori. L’inglese scritto mi è molto più comprensibile di quello orale dei lavori.
    Cercherò di tradurre il tuo testo per integrare, nella nostra prossima convivenza del gruppo italiano, la brevissima sintesi che del Cenacolo ha fatto Silvano e, che ha già inviato a tutti i membri.
    Un caro saluto a te e agli altri della valida delegazione in Cenacolo della Spagna
    Mario

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