On Friday, February 17, the working group responsible for preparing the European Congress of the Order’s European professional nursing schools met at the Provincial Curia of Castile.

It was attended by Brother Rudolf Knopp and Brother Miguel Ángel Varona Alonso (Europe Commission), Brother Calixto Plumed (Andalusia Province), Mrs Amelia Guilera Roche (Aragon Province), Mrs Addolorata Vassallo (Tiber Island), Mrs Elfriede Kasbauer (Bavarian Province), Mrs  Barbara Zinka (Austrian Province) and Dr Carlo Galasso (Hospitality Europe).

Their deliberations were accompanied by Mr Klaus Mutschlechner (General Curia) and the directors of the following schools in Spain: Brother Francisco Ventosa (Seville), Mr Carlos Calleja (Madrid), Mr Juan Manuel Arribas and Mrs Soledad Ferrera (Ciempozuelos). 

The meeting finalised the objectives and the agenda for the Granada meeting, which will be held on 6-7 April 2017, attended by about 140 students and lecturers.

The Congress theme will be “Humanising care and accompaniment: a style of vocational formation” and will enable the participants to debate the methods and models adopted in their schools to enhance and exploit the charism of Saint John of God and Hospitality in their vocational training process.

One particular context in which the implementation of these values will be analysed will be the provision of health and social care for migrants and refugees in Europe and in the Order’s structures.