MISEVI recently held an Extraordinary International Assembly in which 13 countries were represented by 50 people. It was the first assembly since 2018, and the energy was palpable. MISEVI Colombia hosted the assembly with great enthusiasm and hospitality from April 10-13, 2024 at the Daughters of Charity Pinares Center.
The new synodal Church that Pope Francis is calling us to is one we experienced this weekend, sitting at table together, listening to one another’s testimonies, hearing the voices of our colleagues speaking to us from their places of origin, dancing and singing, praying and struggling, bursting old wine skins, pouring wine into new wineskins, awakening to a new consciousness, finding God, expanding the Vincentian charism, responding to a call to holiness. All of this was possible because we were called by God; blessed by one another; broken both individually and collectively; and shared, sent back to our countries to proclaim the good news and to return to our service with those who are living on the margins.
It was inspiring to witness the living faith of the participants and to recognize that MISEVI is very much alive, growing into the future, becoming new wine for new wineskins, incarnating the charism of the Vincentian spirit.
We are blessed with a new team: President Gina Paredes from the Dominican Republic, along with 4 new members: Martha Marin who continues with a second term (Colombia); Juan Carlos Arroyo Granadillo (Venezuela); Marek Kunštár (Slovakia), and Roberto Lagos Lima (Mexico). Sr. Alicia Margarita Cortez Cazares, DC, and Fr. Stephen Monaghan, CM, remain as Spiritual Advisors.
This new team will bring new wineskins that will support the growth and the deepening of MISEVI in the next four years, as they accept the task of helping MISEVI to truly embrace Pope Francis’ call for a new church that is on mission.
Glory to God for a successful gathering. May the Lord continue to strengthen His people to continue to do His work! Greetings from Botswana to you all.