Official Photo of the Meeting
We publish below the final document of the VIII Latin American Meeting of the Vincentian Family, held in Cochabamba, Bolivia, between March 13 and 18, 2018. In the document, the 93 participants from 18 countries and 10 branches of the Vincentian Family reaffirm the importance of collaboration among the Vincentian branches in the service of the poor.
Father Joelson Sotem (CM), national coordinator of the Vincentian Family in Brazil, participated in the event and wrote a small commentary on the conclusions of the meeting:
Father Joelson Sotem, C.M.
“The Vincentian Family has its “boots on the ground.” We’re walking. In some moments we are sure about the path. Sometimes we find ourselves at crossroads and we need to discern the best way. What strikes me is that we can not lose sight of the fact that what drives us always in our journey is the lived Vincentian charism born of Vincentian spirituality. The tools at our disposal are the strategies of Systemic Change with deep COLLABORATION among all. We have many projects being carried out in defense of the poor in our Latin America, but we must dedicate ourselves more so that we can truly be the voice and defender of the poorest of the poor. And that together with them, rescue the dignity that was taken from them.”
The Brazilian delegation at the event was composed of Sr. Luciana (FC); Fr. Mizaél (CM); Ada Ferreira (SSVP); Fr. Aguinaldo (CM); Sr. Romilda; Fr. Adauto; Sr. Rizomar (FC); José Hailton (SSVP); Sebastião da Silva (SSVP); Neide (AIC), Fr. Joelson (CM) and Fr. Odair (CM).
José Hailton coordinated the meeting. For 6 years he has coordinated FaViLa (Familia Vicentina Latinoamericana – the Latin American Vincentian Family). He informed that the next meeting will be in the city of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic in 2021.
Final Document – FaViLa 2018
VIII FAVILA
Cochabamba, Bolívia 13-18 of March 2018
“VINCENTIAN FAMILY — WE REPSOND WITH GOD
TO THE CRIES OF LIFE”.
IN Cochabamba, Bolívia, de 13 a 18 de março de 2018, we experienced God through the Latin American and Caribbean Vincentian Family with 93 participants from 18 countries.
In this meeting, we had great riches:
- the festive liturgical celebrations;
- in an atmosphere full of fraternal joy;
- in the presentations of very significant people reflecting on the Vincentian Charism.
We would like to highlight the special presence of Fr. Tomas Mavrič, Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity and Director General of several associations.
During the work, with great impact on the participants, we were called to be a:
- Vincentian Family reaffirming the centrality of Jesus Christ and his choice for the Kingdom of God;
- “samaritan” Vincentian Family, taking a prophetic stance for life;
- Vincentian Family with political impact;
- Vincentian Family that uses the structure it has to work in a network with common goals;
- Vincentian Family that is called to contribute significantly for concrete actions within the “Vincentian family Homeless Alliance”, based on the methodology of systemic change and with strategies of collaboration.
These are the commitments to which we have been called. We will sensitize the Vincentian Family on the face of poverty revealed in migration and trafficking of people as seen from the reality of each country and make the appropriate commitments.
May each national council devise new strategies for the Vincentian Family to open up to the current perspectives with a new look at reality, the poor and ourselves.
We conclude the meeting with a deep appreciation of gratitude for the efforts of each person involved in the realization of this event.
The next meeting will take place in the year 2021, in the Dominican Republic.
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