(ANS – Ramos Mejía) – An Assembly of Salesian Brothers of the American Southern Cone Region was held at the Salesian House of Ramos Mejía from 22 to 25 August. More than 50 confreres took part, from Brazil Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile. The theme of the Assembly was “Celebrating Fraternity”.

Led by the Formation Team of the Southern Cone Region (EFOSUR), the participants reflected on their own experience of fraternity.  Then went on then to examine, through the lens of the story of the prodigal son, the basis of fraternity: being sons of God and of Don Bosco.

The Brothers proceeded to a further stage, using story as a way of getting to know and understand better the reality of life, to draw up guidelines for living the ideal of fraternity in Salesian religious life, starting from the call to build fraternity contained in the Salesian Constitutions, in response to the call of God who gives us brothers to love.

Among those present from beginning to end of the Assembly were Fr Néstor Ledesma, Provincial of Paraguay, Fr Luis Timossi, of the Conference of Provinces of the Southern Cone (CISUR), and Fr Tadeo Canavarros, of the Conference of Provinces of Brazil (CISBRASIL). Fr Manuel Cayo, Provincial of the northern province of Argentina was present for some of the meetings.

In the final evaluation it was said that these had been days of profound reflection, which enabled the participants to draw up guidelines for the future of the Lay Dimension of Salesian life within the single Salesian religious Vocation, a dimension characterized by closeness and presence.

Published 02/09/2013