APC met at Amadeo in Philippines from 17 to 19th June 2019. All the Provincials, Delegate and secretary except Provincial Bro. Timothy from Oceania Province attended the meeting. Bro. Julian as delegate of Bro. Timothy attend the meeting. Bro. Gerado, the Provincial of Rome and Bro. Victor, Provincial of Portugal send their apologies for being not able to attend this meeting due to other commitments in the same period. From the General Curia General Councillors Bro. Joseph Smith and Bro. Vincent Kochamkunnel attended the meeting as responsible for the region. Bro. Joseph Smith facilitated the meeting. Ms. Lydia from Korea translated for the Korean Brothers and Bro. Joseph translated for the Vietnamese Provincial.
APC had a three days fruitful meeting with an excellent facilitation of Bro. Joseph Smith. Bro. Vincent shared a message at his opening address emphasizing the importance of Regional collaboration and the leadership based on the lines of actions of the General chapter. Bro. Vincent further highlighted the importance of formation, especially the on-going formation and the need for a regional scholasticate, urgency of holding provincial assemblies in order to discuss about the lines of action of the General chapter for both Brothers and Co-Workers, to establish a commission in every Province in order to prepare an action plan to prevent abuses etc. The main points discussed
APC members evaluated the mission statement and reaffirmed the mission statement of the APC
Bro. Fermin Panizza, Team leader of the Formation team submitted his report. Bro. Fermin expressed his concerns including financial shortage in the postulancy and the need for a vehicle at the postulancy house.
There is a general consensus except Vietnam to go ahead with the Regional Scholasticate. So, the APC has decided to start the process to establish the regional scholasticate. Regional commission for the Formation is entrusted to study and make a proposal. The regional commission will propose the place, identify the formators, and other preparations required to establish the regional scholasticate before the next APC meeting on 29th September in Rome.
Various commissions were formed and the chairman and the members for each commission were nominated and approved to form the regional commission in the following areas such as Formation (Vocation promotion, Initial Formation and on-going formation), Pastoral care, Ethics and Mission and International Cooperation. Bro. Vincent will prepare a guideline for each Commission.
The meeting ended by thanking everyone attending the meeting especially to Bro. Joseph Smith for his excellent service as moderator. The Members expressed their gratitude to our Brothers from Philippines for their wonderful hospitality and expressed their gratitude to the Formation Team under the leadership of Bro. Fermin for their hard work and the excellent programme to form our young Brothers from the region.