The meetings of the Europe Commission and its Operational Committee were followed up the meeting of the European Working Groups set up to animate the various activity areas in the Europe Region in the quadrennium 2018-2022.

The first meeting of the European Working Group on Vocations Promotion and Initial Formation was convened on Tuesday, 30 October, chaired by Brother Luis Marzo and included among its members, Brother Seraphim Schorer, Brother Tymoteusz Hołozubiec, and Mrs Frances Dignan. Also present were General Councillors Brother Rudolf Knopp and Brother Benigno Ramos, and the coordinator of the European Commission, Dr Carlo Galasso.

At the meeting, the previous Europe Subcommission on Vocations Promotion (2013-2018) passed the baton to the new working group, which adopted its new rules of procedure and, complying with the instructions received from the Europe Commission, nominated its candidates for membership

Brother Benigno Ramos was also present to present the project to set up a single European Novitiate, for which the responsibilities had been vested in a team of Formators appointed by the General Definitory.

During the day’s work, the group discussed various issues relating to vocations promotion and the initial formation of new Brothers, analysing in particular the initiatives which the European Provinces had individually adopted and the proposals made during the final week of the European scholastics meeting in Vienna in 2018.

The working group will hold its next meetings in 2019, after the General Chapter.