Conclusion of the V General Assembly and the Commissary Apostolic’s mission

Aparecida, 01/28/19 (Sodalitium News – Brasil). After a 20 day gathering in which the Holy See chose the new Superior General and the members of the Superior Council from among those proposed by the Assembly, the Sodalitium concluded its V General Assembly in Aparecida, Brasil.

Final photo of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae’s V General Assembly

Over a hundred perpetually professed sodalits gathered from January 6th to January 27th accompanied by Card. Joseph Tobin, the Holy See’s Ad nutum Delegate; Mons. Noel Londoño, C.Ss.R., Commissary Apostolic; Fray Guillermo Rodríguez, O.F.M., Assistant Commissary Apostolic and Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J., Pontifical Assistant.
The V General Assembly began with a week of Spiritual Exercises directed by Fr. Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J. and concluded with Mass at the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora Aparecida, presided by Mons. Noel Londoño, C.Ss.R.

During the V Assembly there were special moments for the sodalits to share vividly during meetings, reports, forums and plenaries; where that which will define a moment of maturity in our path of reformation, renovation and reconciliation emerged. The participants of the Assembly also went to a Mass at the Nuestra Señora Aparecida Sanctuary presided by Card. Raimundo Damasceno Assis, former Archbishop of Aparecida. At the sanctuary all the members of the Assembly renewed their commitments of full apostolic availability before the veneered image of Nuestra Señora Aparecida.

Members of the Sodalitium during one of the V General Assembly’s work session

By Vatican disposition, the closure of the V General Assembly also meant the end of the Commissary Apostolic’s task that began on January 10th, 2018, when the Holy Father appointed Mons. Noel Londoño, Bishop of Jerico (Colombia) as Commissary Apostolic for the Sodalitium. Card. Joseph William Tobin will remain as the Dicasterium’s Ad nutum Delegate, particularly for financial matters.

During the Assembly sessions two messages were issued one of “Forgiveness and Reconciliation” and one of “Gratitute towards the Sodalit Family”.

The Sodalitium’s V General Assembly has been an opportunity for its members to be in an attitude of listening and welcoming the Holy Spirit and its motions, of opening themselves to the merciful gaze of God, and seriously examine their personal and communal conscience. It is an invitation to be open with solid hope, enthusiasm and generosity to the horizon of the apostolic mission that Our Lord Jesus has called them to and which the Church has entrusted them with.