Aparecida, Brazil. On Sunday, July 24, the General World Assembly of the Lay Claretian Movement ended. Tino Rodríguez (photo) was re-elected Secretary General of the Movement, Magda Araujo (Colombia) director of the Secretariate of Formation, and Patricia Arancibia (Chile) Secretarite of the Economy.

Fr. Paul Smyth, CMF, Vicar General of the Claretian Missionaries, was proposed as Advisor of the General Council.

The final document of the Assembly gathered the proposals and concrete suggestions with an eye toward the future, respecting their autonomy but looking for common avenues for the General Council, Regional Council, groups and communities. This final document recognizes the different objectives planned with regard to Spirituality, Communication, Evaluation, Mission, Formation, and Economy. Each objective carries with it proposals and suggestions to be carried out by the General Council, Regional Council, communities and groups.

During the long and intense afternoon of the final day of the Assembly, the gathered proposals were voted upon one-by-one. Those which we approved by an absolute majority were set as prioritized lines of action for the next four years. Those not accepted were considered as suggestions, together with the other suggestions made in the previous days. On the final evening, in addition to sharing in various regional foods, gifts were handed out to the attendees who stood out the most, and greetings to the New Council were given from all of the branches of the Claretian Family.