(ANS – Rome)– The participants in the 27th General Chapter (GC27) arrived back at the General House in Rome late last night, 24 February.  This morning they began the preparatory work of the Chapter by examining the reports from the departments and regions of the Salesian Congregation. There was a full programme of state of the art presentations that serve as the starting point for future deliberations.

As happened already at the 26^th General Chapter in 2008, the reports were given in advance of the official opening of GC27. Each Councillor and Regional was given a little more than twenty minutes to outline the operational guidelines, the strengths, the areas needing improvement and the successes of the last six years in their respective areas of responsibility.

After the introductory prayer, the morning’s work started with the address of the ninth successor of Don Bosco, Fr Pascual Chávez. He referred to the Feast of the Salesian saints Louis Versiglia and Callistus Caravario and Don Bosco’s dream of the two chalices - one containing sweat and the other the blood shed by Salesians - to remind all the participants of the need to rediscover and live Salesian mysticism with the commitment, zeal and apostolic fruitfulness that characterized the two holy martyrs.

These were the reports presented in the morning:

• Fr Francesco Cereda on Formation;
• Fr Fabio Attard on Youth Ministry;
• Fr Filiberto González on Social Communications;
• Fr Václav Klement on the Missions;
• Fr Adrian Bregolin, Vicar of the Rector Major, on the Salesian Family.

In the afternoon:

• Fr Guillermo Basañes on the Africa-Madagascar Region;
• Fr Natale Vitali on the America South Cone Region;
• Fr Andrew Wong on the East Asia-Oceania Region;
• Fr Maria Arokiam Kanaga on the South Asia region;
• Fr Marek Chrzan on the North European Region;
• Fr José Miguel Núñez Moreno on the West European region.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 26 February, there will be presentations from:

• Bro. Jean Paul Muller on the Economy;
• Fr Esteban Ortiz on the Interamerican Region;
• Fr Pier Fausto Frisoli on the Italy-Middle East region.

Published 25/02/2014