Our Brothers met in Santiago on 8-14 April 2019 to analyse and reflect on progress with the amalgamation of the Latin American Provinces and entities into one single Province, scheduled for 2020.

It was attended by 78 Brothers including the Prior General, Brother Jesús Etayo, and General Councillor Brother José Augusto Gaspar L.

The agenda was quite full and demanding and in the course of the debate and presentations, the Brothers were able to clarify their doubts. The following items were debated:

“The mass media in the contemporary cultural environment”

“The social networks and how to manage them”

“Providing pastoral accompaniment for young people ".

“Preventing abuse and maltreatment".

“The financial state of the Provinces” (by Dr. Xavier Pomés).

The meeting ended at lunch time on 12 April, and the Brothers returned to their home Provinces. The merger Commission and the Provinces continued to meet to discuss the issues, following the model for animating the life of the Brothers and the centres, the organisational structure and legal procedures for establishing the new Province.

On the morning of 9 April, we were given the opportunity to visit the Order’s centre at Viña del Mar.