2010 Provincial Chapter
Twenty-one religious of the Australian Province of the Blessed Sacrament Congregation met in Sydney from 12-17 September for our four-yearly Provincial Chapter. We were blessed with the presence of our Superior General, Fr Fiorenzo Salvi, and his Vicar, Fr Sebastiano Luistro, plus the three priests from our Province in Vietnam who are here to study English. The meeting was ably facilitated by Patricia Bergin with efficient secretarial assistance from Christine Sartori.
The key business of the Chapter was to discern how best to assure the future of our two shrines - St Francis' in Melbourne and St Peter Julian's in Sydney - given the increasing age and diminishing number of our members. In the first place we will consult with our neighbouring Provinces - India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam - to see what assistance they can offer. We will also establish a broad-based advisory body to draw on wisdom beyond ourselves.
The project of welcoming religious from Vietnam to come here to improve their English was re-endorsed as mutually beneficial.
We thank you for the support of your prayers which helped make the meeting so fruitful.
