MSC Indian Province: First Provincial Chapter
Sunday September 15, 2024
19th August 2024 was a great day in the history of the MSC Indian Province as it celebrated the First Provincial Chapter from 19 -23 August 2024 in Nirjhari Conference Centre, Carmelaram Bangalore.
The Theme of the Provincial Chapter “Celebrating Our Present, Embracing Our Future: A New Horizon in Our Missionary Journey.” helped us to feel that we were gathered together as brothers, belonging to something bigger than ourselves and our local communities, namely to the province community and the Congregation, sharing our common concerns for the Mission and Future of
MSC Indian Province. The 27 Capitulars of the Chapter gathered in a spirit of prayerful discernment.
The Opening Ceremony set the tone from the onset: Gathered in the love of Christ, we are formed to be goodness and light in the world. The prayer spoke to the heart of each one. The Eucharistic Celebration was presided over by Rev.Fr.Gene Pejo MSC, The Assistant General, and the Facilitator for the most important Chapter of our MSC Indian Province. In his Welcome Message, Fr.Darwin Thatheus MSC, Provincial Superior, invited the Chapter Body to see this as a special moment of discernment.
The Report of the Provincial Superior aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the activities, achievements, challenges, and future recommendations of the MSC Indian Province. This clearly defined our capacity for embracing the Newness that God was presenting to us. It was an invitation for the capitulars to listen, see and understand the newness.
The delegates who came together considered the mission directions for the coming few years. The chapter, which is on the threshold for the Indian Province, discussed Statutes as its primary importance. Apart from this, the chapter also focussed on Formation, Mission, Apostolate and Finance as its important milestones.
The fraternal dimension of the provincial chapter was experienced in our unity around the Table of the Lord and in our common prayer, our fellowship at meals and evening socials, and the unanimity in voting. While respecting the different points of view on the topics discussed, in the end, we reached a consensus about the documents in preparation for our Future.
I believe we can confidently say that the provincial chapter was an experience of the movement of the Spirit, giving our province a clear direction for the next few years to grow more in MSC Spirit and Missionary Zeal.
L. Stanley Loude John, MSC
