Day 23. Moving Towards the Future

On Friday, the Chapter entered the next stage: “where you saw how the LORD, your God, carried you, as a man carries his child, all along your journey until you arrived at this place.” (Deu. 1,31)

The focus of the morning prayer was on the faithfulness of God. “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?” (Deu. 4,7) A slide show of the Chapter’s most memorable moments helped the capitulants contemplate what this text meant to them today. The prayer ended with these words, remembering St Madeleine Sophie’s message:  “The fate of the Society is in our hands.”

At this stage the capitulants had the task of developing the four main themes, which will define the Society’s journey in the structure of the eight proposed new provinces so it can revitalize its mission. The focus of the morning was on formation while the afternoon was dedicated to governance. The capitulants worked in their groups at the tables and in plenary to identify what points need to be worked on by the Chapter and what points will be refined after the Chapter.

There have been side events held in the evenings, which offer the capitulants a chance to discuss topics that are not on the Chapter agenda but are nonetheless useful conversations to have. The topic of Friday night’s event was formation, as it is vital that the Society’s formation program meets the needs of the future.