We Would Love
to Keep in Touch!
Like the ordinary pattern of family life in the world at large, families can experience a change in family structure and responsibilities. Perhaps the mother is offered a very good job and the father needs to stay home to raise the children. Or for lucrative job considerations, the family needs to move to another city, state or country. Discussions or decisions may be necessary and plans drawn up accordingly.
So also in religious life, each congregation has a schedule – according to their Rule of Life – every six, nine or twelve years. We meeting with representatives of the congregation in a “General Chapter”. The La Salette Rule explains the purposes of the General Chapter:
Here is the composition of the new General Council (2018-2023):
Concerning the Vicar General and Councilors, the Rule explains their purpose: “They aid the superior general in his task of governing, animating and coordinating. The general assistants are elected for the period of the superior general's term” (#236 C). Many other responsibilities are also described for the Superior General and his Councilors.
In addition, every sixteen months during his term of service, the Superior General convokes a Council of the Congregation. The Rule explains: “The purpose of the Council of the Congregation is to broaden the Congregation's participation in its government and to develop a spirit of cooperation and co-responsibility. It is composed of the superior general, his assistants, the provincial and regional superiors or their representatives” (#248 C).
As a community of La Salette Missionaries, we are held together through our La Salette Rule of Life. In #53 of our Rule, it states that: “In faith we have chosen to live according to the Gospel in the Congregation of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. As a Community, we want to serve the Lord and his People. This is why we accept the Rule of Life. Its purpose is to express the charism of our Congregation, and to enable us to live the reconciliation which Christ won for us on the Cross, to advance in the freedom of the children of God, and together to commit ourselves to the mission we have received.”
And, lastly, we treasure those laity who work with us and for us. Our Rule states: “To provide more effective service we work in close collaboration with the laity, the diocesan clergy and other congregations, under the authority of the Bishop and in keeping with the pastoral guidelines of the local Church.” (#28).
As we embark on another part of our life and ministry, assisted by the Superior General and his Council, as well as by the support and ministry of our La Salette Laity in conjunction with the La Salette Sisters, we ask Our Lady of La Salette to guide all of us in our efforts to be reconcilers in the world of today, faithfully making her message known to all her people.
So also in religious life, each congregation has a schedule – according to their Rule of Life – every six, nine or twelve years. We meeting with representatives of the congregation in a “General Chapter”. The La Salette Rule explains the purposes of the General Chapter:“The role of the general chapter is to examine the spiritual and temporal condition of the Congregation; to give the opportunity for the Congregation as a whole periodically to take account of itself and its mission, to adapt itself to the times in order better to answer to the needs of the world, to assure that it will make the best use of the means at its disposal and to affirm its unity” (#195 C).
Our recent General Chapter met in Argentina for several weeks, and after listening and responding to reports, they voted for the following La Salette Missionaries to serve our La Salette community based in our House in Rome, Italy.Here is the composition of the new General Council (2018-2023):
- Superior General: Fr. Silvano Marisa, M.S. (from Italy), re-elected Superior General of the Missionaries of the
- Salette for a second term
- Vicar General: Fr. Jacek Pawłowski, M.S. (from Poland)
- 2nd Councilor: Fr. Jojohn Chettiyakunnel, M.S. (from India)
- 3rd Councilor: Fr. Manuel dos Reis Bonfim, M.S. (from Brazil)
- 4th Counselor: Fr. Venâncio Nunda, M.S. (from Angola).
Concerning the Vicar General and Councilors, the Rule explains their purpose: “They aid the superior general in his task of governing, animating and coordinating. The general assistants are elected for the period of the superior general's term” (#236 C). Many other responsibilities are also described for the Superior General and his Councilors.
In addition, every sixteen months during his term of service, the Superior General convokes a Council of the Congregation. The Rule explains: “The purpose of the Council of the Congregation is to broaden the Congregation's participation in its government and to develop a spirit of cooperation and co-responsibility. It is composed of the superior general, his assistants, the provincial and regional superiors or their representatives” (#248 C).
As a community of La Salette Missionaries, we are held together through our La Salette Rule of Life. In #53 of our Rule, it states that: “In faith we have chosen to live according to the Gospel in the Congregation of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. As a Community, we want to serve the Lord and his People. This is why we accept the Rule of Life. Its purpose is to express the charism of our Congregation, and to enable us to live the reconciliation which Christ won for us on the Cross, to advance in the freedom of the children of God, and together to commit ourselves to the mission we have received.”
And, lastly, we treasure those laity who work with us and for us. Our Rule states: “To provide more effective service we work in close collaboration with the laity, the diocesan clergy and other congregations, under the authority of the Bishop and in keeping with the pastoral guidelines of the local Church.” (#28).
As we embark on another part of our life and ministry, assisted by the Superior General and his Council, as well as by the support and ministry of our La Salette Laity in conjunction with the La Salette Sisters, we ask Our Lady of La Salette to guide all of us in our efforts to be reconcilers in the world of today, faithfully making her message known to all her people.