Bogotá, Colombia. From January 23 to 31, the Claretian Missionaries of the Province of Colombia-Venezuela celebrated their IV Provincial Chapter, a space for discernment and renewal that allowed for the updating of the Provincial Missionary Life Plan. Inspired by synodality and in communion with the Universal Church, the participants reflected on their vocation and evangelizing commitment in today’s world. Fr. Joseph Mbungu CMF presided over the Chapter, while Sr. Rosmery Castañeda OP served as facilitator, providing guidance and accompaniment throughout the process. The Chapter also had the participation of 49 Superiors and Delegates, together with 10 women from our missions.
The path to this IV Provincial Chapter was marked by community reflection in the Mission Centers and different zones of the Province. Guided by the Declaration of the III Provincial Chapter (2021), the missionaries deepened their identity and pastoral action, reaffirming their rootedness in the mission.
This gathering was key to updating the provincial action lines and projecting the missionary future. Through shared discernment, the new Provincial Missionary Life Plan was consolidated, a document that will guide the Province’s work in the coming years. The central question of this stage was: “How do we live our missionary vocation today?” allowing for the definition of concrete commitments for a fuller witness. During the Chapter, the new Provincial Government was also elected. Fr. Luis Armando Valencia was elected as the Provincial Superior. Fr. Anselmus Baru was chosen as the Prefect of Apostolate, Br. Jhon Jairo Flórez as the Prefect of Formation, and Fr. Néstor Calderón as the Prefect of Economy.
The Chapter reaffirmed the vision of an open Province, outgoing and in constant renewal. The importance of constant evaluation, innovation in evangelization, and the use of new pastoral tools was emphasized.
During the Chapter, significant moments were experienced, among them the centrality of the Word, where attentive listening to God’s voice in reality and in the cries of the poor took place. Synodal participation was enriched by the presence of laypeople, members of the Claretian Family, and young participants as a sign of vocational renewal. There was also a moment of recognition and forgiveness, a space to acknowledge one’s own fragilities and renew the community commitment. The presence of religious sisters such as Sr. Rosmery Castañeda OP and Anabel Atencio RMI encouraged living consecration with boldness. The use of digital communication played a significant role, incorporating technological tools and the participation of cyber missionaries to disseminate the Chapter experience.
This new provincial Pentecost drives the Claretian Missionaries to continue being witnesses and messengers of the Gospel. With a synodal heart and open to the action of the Spirit, the Province projects itself into the future with hope and renewed missionary commitment.
Source: Juan Carlos, CMF, Province of Colombia-Venezuela, Communication Officer.
