In issue 2 (March-April 2025) of the magazine “Scalabriniani” an article was published about our VII General Assembly. We are publishing the text here. From December 28, 2024 to January 18, 2025, the VII General Assembly of the Secular Scalabrinian Missionaries was held in Solothurn (Switzerland). It was an experience of deep listening, which began already in the preparation, during the Pre-Assembly in January 2024 and in the following months, with the contribution of the individual Missionaries and local communities.
We are grateful to have been able to rely on this great communion, also thanks to the presence, as witnesses of God's faithfulness in our history, of the first missionaries of our Institute: Adelia Firetti, Pasqualina Bortolamai, Maria Grazia Luise, and Anna Repetti.
The closeness of the Scalabrinian Family was expressed through the letters from the Superior General of the Scalabrinian Missionaries, Fr. Leonir Chiarello, and the Superior General of the Scalabrinian Missionary Sisters, Sr. Neusa de Fatima Mariano. Mons. Felix Gmür, Bishop of the Diocese of Basel, opened the Assembly with the celebration of the Mass of the Holy Spirit and, commenting on the verse “Know how to understand the will of God” (Eph 5:17), emphasized that the expression is in the plural: to know the will of the Lord requires dialogue, which is first and foremost listening, and listening to the Word of God.
The Assembly reconfirmed Regina Widmann as General Leader and elected General Councilors: Estela Camillo da Silva, Luisa Deponti, Anna Fumagalli, and Melanie Fuchs.
Listening to the reports on our missionary presences allowed us to retrace the steps taken on various existential and migratory frontiers as a small community with great horizons. Following the inspiration of St. J.B. Scalabrini, our entire mission, in all its expressions, is called to become prophetic, that is, a leaven of transformation according to the Gospel, to recognize and foster the signs of hope present in every environment.
Luisa Deponti
https://www.calameo.com/read/0042837394022f1f3f308?trackersource=library
Photo1: The members of the Assembly together with Adelia Firetti and the other “witnesses” of history
Photo2: The General Leader, Regina Widmann (in the center), with the new Council
