The first meeting in the Sexennium of the General Commission on Bioethics was convened on 17-18 December 2019, attended by: Brother Joaquim Erra (Commission President), Dr. Salvino Leone and Sister Margarita Bofarull representing the Europe Region, Dr. Silvia Oger representing the Latin America Region, Brother Hugues Assou representing the Africa Region, and Brother André Sène (Commission Secretary). 

Apologies for absence were received from the representative of the Weona Region, Robert Moore, and Brother Pius Chang, representing the Asia Pacific Region, who for different reasons were not able to attend.

The main purpose of the meeting was to plan the Bioethics actions to be taken during the Sexennium.

The main agenda items transacted by the Commission at its first meeting were: updating the Commission's Rules; the actions to be developed on the basis of the lines of action for the Sexennium approved by the General Chapter, and the drafting of the Order's Code of Ethics as requested by the last General Chapter. Last but not least, a re-reading of Pope Francis' Encyclical 'Laudato Si' in terms of Hospitality. In this regard, the members of the Commission warmly welcomed the fact that so many communities of the Order had already begun to apply it in practice, and urged our communities and apostolic works continue along this path, to "care for our common home."