Spain – Fr Farfán's Extraordinary Visit to "Spain-SMX" Province concluded

10 June 2022

(ANS - Barcelona) – On June 2 and 3, the Salesian house of Martí Codolar hosted the last meeting of the pastoral year for the community Rectors, an event that coincided with the closing of the Extraordinary Visitation to the "Spain-Mary Help of Christians" (SMX) Province carried out on behalf of the Rector Major by the Extraordinary Visitor "ad nutum" and "pro tempore," Fr. Marcelo Farfán.

As the Rector Major had manifested, Fr. Farfán's Visitation, which began on September 1, 2021, aimed to further intensify the mutual communion among the religious and communities, to get to know the life of each of the houses, and render fraternal service to the province, according to Articles 127 of the Constitutions and 104 of the Regulations. Goals that, in hindsight, can be said to have been achieved.

During these approximately 9 months of his stay in the Province, Fr. Farfán visited the 75 houses that, scattered among the Communities of Andalusia, Extremadura, Murcia, Valencia, Aragon, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, make up the Provincial territory, spending an average of two days in each of them and taking part in several significant events, such as the Provincial Chapter and the Provincial Feast celebrated last April in Malaga.

As the Visitor illustrates in his report, the visit allowed him to get to know the reality of the local educational-pastoral communities and to work side by side with the Province's animation and service organizations, sharing the experience and orientations of the General Council, as well as an updated view of the state of the Province and the progress made since the previous visit in the unification process that followed the redesign of the Spanish Provinces.

In his report, Fr. Farfán was able to share an overall reading of the reality of the Province, dwelling on aspects such as animation and governance, Salesians and communities, formation, youth ministry, and pastoral educational environments, social communication, and animation of the Salesian Family. He was also able to illustrate some key points for the animation and governance of the Province, starting from the fidelity to the Congregation expressed in the application of the 28th General Chapter, and offered several reasons for joy and hope. The report concluded with several inspiring options for the Provincial Council and the whole SMX Province to consider.

In addition to this sharing and dialogue among Salesians, the meeting provided an opportunity to delve into other information related to the situation of the aid offered by the Province and the Salesian NGO "Bosco Global" to the people affected by the war in Ukraine, as well as on the status of the project to accompany the Salesian presences in Lebanon and the Salesian activities planned for next summer.

The meeting concluded with answers from the Provincial, Fr. Angel Asurmendi Martínez, to some questions raised during the Provincial Chapter, and the traditional group photo.

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