Dear brothers and sisters of the Union,
in these days of grace, preparing for Easter, we members of the General Coordination Council met in the spirit of the Cenacle, giving priority to prayer, dialogue, listening and sharing in communion. We praised the Lord for the marvels which he has done and for the many lovely occasions for growth, celebration and encounter throughout the world.
With Pope Francis we too want to “Preserve the freshness of the Charism; Welcome and accompany men and women of today, in particular, the youth; never forget that the most precious good, the seal of the Holy Spirit, is Communion. (Cf. Address of Pope Francis to Participants of the III World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, Rome, 22- 11- 2014).
Once again, the icon of the Queen of Apostles in the church of via Ferrari was the model for the choice of the new President of the Union. For the first time a lay member, a woman, was elected to this role. For all of us, this is a prophetic sign, and we hope that it will be so for the entire Pallottine Family. Together with all of the members of the GCC, as expressions of their countries of origin, we will share the responsibilities. She will be supported by our prayer, and will enjoy our respect and trust in order to help the Union to grow in continuity with and in gratitude towards the President who preceded her.
In his talk, the Ecclesiastical Assistant gave a new impulse towards a deeper understanding of the pedagogy of the Cenacle, reminding all of the members of three fundamental aspects: entering into, remaining in and going out from the Cenacle, in order to carry out the apostolate in going towards the peripheries of life.
The talks and the exchanges of experiences during these days underlined the growth of the Union in various countries, but also the urgency of having formators who can guide the members and collaborators in a serious personal and apostolic formation. We all feel the need to commit ourselves in concrete apostolic projects as Union, and also to appreciate and accompany the family in a growth in faith so that it can be more and more a domestic Church.
We also said that news should be circulated through the website of the Union, and we realise the importance of the media for evangelising and for sharing experiences throughout the world.
The meeting with the representatives of the three Core Communities, during which we reflected together on their specific role of guaranteeing the unified apostolic life of the Union, was highly effective; with them we also continued our reflection on the identity and role of the GCC (cf. GSt,78).
In all of our meetings, above all in prayer, you were with us and the presence of the Spirit sustained and enriched our life.
During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, we will continue to deepen our sense of the beauty and preciousness of our Charism, which is always current in responding to the appeal of the Church.
May Saint Vincent and Mary, Queen of Apostles, intercede for us so that we may always rejoice in the Gospel and proclaim by word, by witness of personal and community life our only rule: the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Happy Easter and may the merciful love of God inflame our hearts with his infinite tenderness.
Always in communion,
Your brothers and sisters on the GCC
Rome, March 31st, 2015
A.I.D.G.
