Colombia – The meeting of Provincials of the Inter-American Region began with a day of Spiritual Retreat

24 October 2023
Colombia – The meeting of Provincials of the Inter-American Region began with a day of Spiritual Retreat

(ANS - Cartagena de Indias) - The meeting of the Provincials of the Inter-American Region began yesterday, 23 October, at the "San Pedro Claver" school in Cartagena de Indias, in the presence of Fr Hugo Orozco, the Councillor for the Inter-American Region, and Rt. Rev. Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, Archbishop of Cartagena, who presided over the Mass.

The Salesian school 'St Peter Claver' has a long history. In 1939, on the initiative of Bishop Adán Brioschi and a group of industrialists from Cartagena, the Salesians were invited to come to Cartagena to help needy children. Fr Bruno Orjuela and Salesian Coadjutor Alcides García founded the Festive Oratory, which later became the School of Arts and Crafts, and is today known as the Salesian Vocational Schools. In 1959, at the height of the economic crisis, the 'Saint Peter Claver University College', founded by the Jesuits in 1903, was forced to shut down. The Jesuits proposed to the Salesians to take up the college on a condition that they kept up the name 'St Peter Claver'. Thus, on 7 February 1959, the Salesian School 'San Pedro Claver' in Cartagena was born, thanks to the Salesian community. The school’s commitment to Catholic education and the young people has been well received by the people of Cartagena.

One of the most significant moments of the meeting was the day of recollection, which took place in the house of the Jesuits, where St Peter Claver is buried under the main altar and is a place of profound importance for catholic believers of Coumbia.

The closing Mass of the one-day retreat, was presided over by the Archbishop of Cartagena, Bishop Múnera. The life and work of St. Peter Claver to care for the rights of slaves and his tireless efforts on behalf of the most vulnerable were recalled during the event.

In addition to Fr Orozco, the following Provincials attended the meeting:

  • Fr José Pastor Ramírez (2021 - 2026), Province of St John Bosco of the Antilles
  • Fr Líder Justiniano Flores (2021-2027), Province of Our Lady of Copacabana of Bolivia
  • Fr Julio Andrés Navarro Mora (2023 - 2029), Province of Divine Saviour of Central America
  • Fr Jhon Jairo Gómez (2019 -2025), Province of San Pedro Claver of Colombia-Bogotá
  • Fr Luis Fernando Valencia (2018 - 2024), Province of Saint Louis Bertrando of Colombia - Medellín
  • Fr Marcelo Farfán (2023 - 2029), Province of Sacred Heart of Jesus of Ecuador
  • Fr Morachel Bonhomme (2022-2028), Vice Province of Blessed Filippo Rinaldi of Haiti
  • Fr Filiberto González (2020 - 2026), Province of Christ the King and Mary Help of Christians of Mexico-Guadalajara
  • Fr Ignacio Ocampo Uribe (2019 - 2025), Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Mexico-Mexico
  • Fr Timothy Zak (2017 - 2023), Province of St. Philip the Apostle of the United States East and Canada
  • Fr Melchor Trinidad (2020 - 2026), Province of St. Andrew's of the United States West
  • Fr Rafael Bernardo Montenegro (2020 - 2026), Province of St. Luke of Venezuela
  • Fr Juan Pablo Alcas (2023 - 2029), Province of Santa Rosa of Peru.

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