(ANS - Madrid) – On 23-24 January, the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major, met in Madrid with the Provincial Councils of the two Salesian Provinces of Spain. On Saturday 23 January he met with representatives of the Mary Help of Christians Province (SMX) and on the Sunday with those of the Province of Saint James the Greater (SSM). Both provinces have now been working for one year. They are the result of the reorganization of the six Salesian Provinces that existed in Spain until 2014.

By Javier Valiente, SDB

The Rector Major wanted to see at first hand how the process of unification of the new Provinces was working out. In his meetings with the Councils they spoke about the work of animation and government of the Provincial and Council, about the various projects, the difficulties encountered in the new situation, the houses, the number of Salesians and of the territory and also about the accompaniment offered to every Salesian and especially to the Rectors.

An important step was the comment during the Provincial Chapters on the documents that will shape the future of the Salesian presence in the country, such as the Provincial Directory, the Organic Plan and the Educative-Pastoral Plan.

The Rector Major emphasized the crucial moment that the Congregation is living in Spain and the need to strengthen the Salesian presence, being bold and courageous in our responses and in the way we organize and redefine the role of the community. He also asked for greater involvement of the laity in the works, even in positions of responsibility. He stressed the need to continue to journey together, strengthening the shared projects and thinking about what the congregation can offer to society and to the Church in Spain at this moment in history.

The meeting ended with planning for the visit of the Rector Major to Spain in the month of May.

Published 25/01/2016