APRIL 7
OPENING OF THE 14TH GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE SONS OF CHARITY
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At exactly 5 o'clock in the afternoon, as scheduled, we began the opening liturgy of the General Chapter with an invocation to the Holy Spirit accompanied by the symbolic flames with the names of the nations in which we are present and the flames that reprensent the deceased fathers. The emotion is intensed at the beginning of the event in which the Holy Spirit pours out again his gifts to the Congregation and to the Church. The prayer continues with the celebration of Vespers.
At the end of the prayer, Father General, Fr. Carlo Bittante, officially welcomes the Chapter Fathers from: India, Tanzania, Kenya, Philippines, Timor Leste, Brazil and Italy. Then he invites everyone to go to the Chapter hall to begin the preliminary work so that the Chapter can be carried out in order: the election of the secretary and scrutineers, the approval of the program and the calendar, and the distribution of the first tasks. The Chapter is sovereign and the Father General in office is its President. The meeting took about an hour and a half.
Then it is followed by the fraternal dinner. We warmly thank the brothers and fathers of Poiano community that hosts us, and all those who have worked so far to ensure that everything is ready and in order. The specialties from the various places of origin add flavor to the meal.
APRIL 8
ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
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Greetings to everyone. Thank you for all those who pray and accompany us spiritually. We feel that we are in the thoughts and hearts of many. There are 23 Chapter Fathers: 13 Italians (also missionaries), 3 Brazilians, 2 Timorese (also missionaries), 3 Filipinos, 1 Indian, 1 Tanzanian/Congolese.
This is the 14th General Chapter that is taking place in Poiano, Verona. The first General chapter took place way back in 1946 in St. Job in Venice. At the time, there were 22 Capitulars present.
We are living the Chapter in synodality: narrative phase, wisdom phase, prophetic phase. In these few days the narrative phase leads us to listen (for many hours!) to the narration of the situation of the Institute (moral report) together with the economic matters. It has been 6 very challenging years for the Government of the Institute and for all the religious. Six years of an abundance of blessings! The task for these priliminary days consist of listening and studying the report in depth, through personal and group study, and discussion in the assembly.
We concluded the day by listening in front of Jesus, the Eucharist. “Every action of ours has its beginning in You and its fulfillment in You”. Let us fix our gaze on Him.
The fraternal dinner unwind the spirits.
APRIL 9
Third day
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Even today we are going through the narrative phase. Throughout the day, we listen with attention and interest to the reports of our confreres responsible or as reference of the different geographical areas in which we are present: the delegation of Brazil, delegation of Philippine-East Timor, Tanzania-Kenya, and India.
We see so much life and richness the Canossian charism is expressed through our brothers and people who are with us in the different parts of the world.
At the end of the day we gather everything before Jesus in the Eucharist, bringing all our communities and Canossian works in prayer.
APRIL 10
Fourth day
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This morning, as for the weather forecast, it is cloudy and the brightness of spring has left us. However, the richness of God's grace that enlightens us remains. Everything is illuminated by the love of the Crucified.
We have dedicated the day seeing Light of Christ in all the situations that are being related to us, in the rich quantity of materials that we have read, listened, and confronted: even before the Chapter with the text of the Instrumentum Laboris up of today with all the reports and insights. We had a good moment of personal reflection and we began the sharing of many aspects in the life of the Institute.
We are now towards the end of the narrative phase. We ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead us to a faithful discernment of the gaze that the Father has on our lives. In the next few days we will begin the wisdom phase.
APRIL 11
Fifth day
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Good morning everyone. We're a bit late with yesterday's simple journal. This morning the sun shines again. Its warm and light welcomes us even if we are closed inside the building, and reassures us to face the day of particular reflections.
In fact we spent the whole morning in the assembly and the afternoon in different working groups. The latter are made up of Religious of different origins to allow a wider horison of sharing as possible, with the richness of the diversity of language, culture, age and apostolic commitment.
God's gift of Charism is present in the life of each of us and of the entire Canossian charismatic family. In these days we are called to revive this gift in our work today. We confront situations, rediscover values, and enhance the good that exists knowing that in return we will be bearers of great wealth... in clay vases... to share in our communities.
Thank you for the prayers that you continuously raise to the good Father, we feel the spiritual accompaniment of the entire Institute and of all the Charismatic Family, as well as of all our communities around the world. Until tomorrow!
APRIL 12
Were not our hearts burning
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Today the passage from the Gospel of Luke, which tells about the two disciples of Emmaus (Lk 24,13-35) guides us in our meetings. It seems to be the right icon for our chapter and post-chapter journey. In the morning we are guided by the reflection of Sr. Grazia Papola, an Ursuline nun and a biblical scholar. Her commentary on the Gospel gave us several insights for the chapter work. The reflection is followed by an open forum in the assembly.
In the afternoon we resume the working groups interrupted yesterday, and enriched by the morning's reflections. The capitular fathers enter into spiritual conversation with particular intensity, like the disciples of Emmaus.
We believe that the Lord Jesus discreetly accompanies us and let ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit in examining the Scriptures. In the daily Eucharistic celebration Jesus makes himself present, the summit and source of our meetings these days.
We ask for your prayers so that we could allow the voice of the Holy Spirit to emerge within us for the life of our dear Institute of the Sons of Charity - Canossian.
APRIL 13
Drew near and walked with them
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APRIL 14
Refresh the memory of the origin
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Today we refresh the memory of the origin, where everything is started for us Canossians with St. Magdalene, Bro. Giuseppe Carsana and Bro. Benedetto Belloni. We go on a pilgrimage to Venice to the parish of SS. Job and Bernardino, where the Canossian Oratorio has began.
We celebrate the Holy Mass with the parish community. Today, the Third Sunday of Easter, the Risen One brings us together and pours out in the community the richness of his gifts, in particular the Canossian charism. A celebration that is well participated, intense, and joyful which is followed by a simple refreshments where the parishioners and the canossian religious engage in conversation and sharing.
Afterwards, Fr. Guido share to the fathers and brothers, and some members of "confratelli dell'Addolorata" the life of the Canossian religious 100 years ago, in 1924, which is developed around the history of the Oratorio of St. Job.
The volunteers of the Oratorio prepare us a simple, ethnic full lunch. We warmly thank them for experiencing their hospitality.
We, Capitulars then return to Verona and begin the spiritual exercises with Don Fabrizio De Toni, a "sincere" priest and passionate to his vocation. Thus begins the Gran Silence.
APRIL 15
OPEN THE EYES OF YOUR HEART, LORD!
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APRIL 16-17
SPECIAL TRIBUTE FROM THE CAPITULARIES TO P. FILIPPO
I surrender to your love, Lord
CLICCA SULL'IMMAGINE PER SAPERE DI PIÙ
APRIL 19
ELECTION OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT
OF THE CANOSSIAN SONS OF CHARITY
CLICCA SULL'IMMAGINE PER SAPERE DI PIÙ
APRIL 20
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APRIL 21
GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
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APRIL 22
WITNESS OF THE DELEGATE OF THE PHILIPPINES
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The last week of the Chapter has begun. Revive the Charism that is in you! In these days we desire that the gift of the Holy Spirit is expressed through thoughts and decisions that will find their written form. Today, the sessions dedicated to this purpose continued throughout the day and will continue to do so in the coming days as well. We are always guided by the concreteness of the life of each local community that feels the need for renewal and relaunch on the one hand and on the other is aware of limits and vulnerabilities.
Around here, at a slightly higher altitude, it is snowing. Bad weather also forces us indoors. These weather conditions push us to take care of our common home not only with atmospheric events, but also with the good relationships to which we feel called. Good bonds create home. We too build it with fidelity to our Canossian vocation. To enter we will pass through a special door: Jesus himself. “I am the door.”
APRIL 23
WITNESS OF THE DELEGATE OF THE BRAZIL
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Today still cold and snow a few kilometers from Poiano. More sessions, but above all discerning about our life as an Institute. In particular we reflected on the Oratory. We have collected the reflections made in recent years with the Fathers, with the laity and leaders of our speakers. We took the Ratio Oratori back into our hands, but above all we listened to the reality of young people.
We took up the Apostolic Exhortation Christus vivit again and talked about: educational institution ... welcoming home ... flexible creative renewal ... static centers ... pastoral subjects moving towards and with young people ... We can sense the richness of what we said to each other.
“Here is the finger of God!”, said the holy priest Don Giovanni Calabria, of the oratory of San Giobbe. Today we also wish to inflame our apostolate with the Fire of Charity of St. Magdalene of Canossa.