(ANS - Rome) -Every important event in the life of the Church is always prepared, not only from an organizational point of view, but especially from the spiritual aspect. For this reason, during the Salesian General Chapter, there will be a period of discernment before the elections. It will be guided by a Claretian, Fr José Cristo Rey García Paredes.

Fr Garcia Paredes was invited to fulfil this role by the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez, in the month of August. He is Spanish, a doctor of theology and music, and a professor of Theology of Consecrated Life at the Institute for Consecrated Life in Madrid, which is incorporated in the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical University of Salamanca. He has been invited as a speaker by many institutions around the world, and is the author of numerous articles and books. He collaborates with the Claretian magazine "Religious Life" in Spain, and is very familiar with the life of the Salesian Congregation. In this regard, see his website: www.xtorey.es

On Sunday 16 February, Fr García Paredes came to the Salesian Generalate in Rome and met the Moderator, Fr Francis Cereda who introduced him to the work done on the Chapter so far: the Letter of Convocation of the Rector Major, the celebration of the Provincial Chapters, the Working Document on the theme of the Chapter, the examination ​​by the Rector Major and the General Council of the structures of central government of the Congregation,and the Regulations of the General Chapter.

In particular, the moderator presented the experiences of discernment at GC24, GC25 and GC26 - the first three chapters in which someone was invited to accompany the Assembly in discernment for the elections.

Fr Garcia Paredes then met with the Rector Major and his Vicar and the Moderator. Together they discussed the basic needs of the discernment process: to help the Assembly to create a strong spiritual atmosphere in search of God's will, and to identify the profile of the individual figures on whom the discernment might focus.

They also talked about how the process has been done so far to identify the candidates, as well as the proposals for a review of the structures of government that will be presented by the Rector Major and his Council, and the need to pay attention not to rush the process but to proceed calmly and serenely.

Published 21/02/2014