Medellín, Colombia. On July 5th at 3pm the first Assembly of the new Province of Colombia-Venezuela began with 71 participants at the meeting facility of Villa Claret (El Picacho) in Medellín.
Up until then the Delegation of Venezuela had 16 priests, 2 brothers, 4 students, and 5 laity. The Province of Colombia-West had 25 priests, 2 brothers, 1 student, and 4 lay persons.

Fr. General presided over the Assembly. At his first opening address, he detailed the historical significance of this reorganization, not as a return backwards of the two entities which were born together. It is a communal setting for a project, bringing together two full and rich histories of Claretianism, carrying with it a great intercultural component signified by the various national origins of the participants. It has a clear purpose of missionary renewal coming from the Constitutions and reality, framed in shared mission, and expressed this time with the presence of 9 laity bound together from various apostolic fronts, and a rich legion of men and women who effectively share with us in the work of evangelization.

In the inaugural Eucharist the provincial government team, named by Fr. General and his Council, took possession of the province. They will have tenure of five months and their specific work will be the preparation of the Provincial Chapter which will be celebrated in December in which a new Government will be elected for a period determined by the Chapter.

The Provincial Government is made –up of the following:
Provincial: Fr. Javier Pulgarín (in the photo making the profession of Faith).
Consultors: Frs. Marino Pérez, Raúl Céspedes, Alvaro Arias and Albeiro Ospina (who will be the Econome).

A cordial climate was perceived at the beginning of the Assembly with an eagerness on the part of the participants to take advantage of the moment to put the foundations in place for the new Province. There are, of course, fears and expectations which need to be ventilated openly to disperse those fears and worries.(Photo)