The delegation of Chile met in assembly September 13 – 15 with Fr. Josep Abella presiding. In his opening address, Bishop Alejandro Goic, president of the episcopal conference, helped us to begin our evaluation and planning on a good footing. There were thirty missionaries and ten lay collaborators in attendance. Thanks to the lay participants, who coordinate and promote projects, much like secretariats of the prefecture for the apostolate, the climate was very optimistic and our planning more solid and efficient.

We made a number of commitments, which we hope to realize in the next three years. In the area of spirituality, we feel called to ground our religious life on the same foundations as our Founder did: the Word, the Eucharist and Mary. We agreed that in our work with youth and in our vocational ministry, formation and missionary service the Good News will be more credible, when we proclaim it in collaboration with others, in solidarity with the poor and marginalized, and doing all we can to inculturate it. Finally, in the area of government and animation, we are taking the first steps toward reorganization in southern part of Latin America.
We will need to find new sources of vocations, involve ourselves more decisively in the causes of JPIC, and give priority to popular biblical ministry.