Letter from Coordinator 02 2011

Dear Confreres,
Warm greetings to all of you and the members of your Units. As you know, through the decision of the Father General Michael Brehl, I start my new appointment as the Coordinator of the Conference of Redemptorists of Europe on the June 1st. Of course, this just the beginning, and for all of us it is a completely new experience in our Congregation. I hope that the Holy Redeemer will show us the way and that He will bless us.
I want to say that I have a lot of hope and optimism about our common work in the Conference.
Until now we have held three Assemblies of our Conference: Vienna (Austria), Trois-Épis (France), Cortona (Italy). We have taken the first steps. We prepared the Statues for approval by General Council, and the document about our Apostolic Priorities in the Conference. We also have working documents from different Commissions: Formation, Theological, Finance. We have started the discussion about many important issues for us. But we still are on the very beginning of a new road.
Soon there will be a meeting in Rome where all five new Coordinators will meet with General Government (20-23.06.2011). I expect that many issues – especially juridical issues – will be explained.
The next important meeting for me will take place in Warsaw (Poland) from 12th to 14th of July. I will meet with the Consultors for the Conference: Fr. Pedro López Calvo (Spain) and Fr. Cornelius Casey (Ireland). During this meeting we will discuss our present situation and the preparation for the next Assembly of our Conference, which will take place in Dublin (Ireland) from 24th to 27th of October.
I am at your disposal from June 1st. Of course I have to finish all my duties in Poland. I am still the Master of Novices until August 15th in Lubaszowa. I know that for those of you who want to meet me, there is not a good connection to Lubaszowa, so Fr. Provincial Janusz Sok gave me the possibility to have my office temporarily in Warsaw (ul. Karolkowa 49; 01–203 Warszawa). If somebody would like to meet with me, I will go to Warsaw. After August 15th I will stay in Warsaw until the Conference decides about the permanent place for the Coordinator and the Secretary.
The best way to have contact with me is by email: jacekwsd@wp.pl. For all who have some problems with internet my cellphone is: 0048 694 496 977.
I invite all of you to collaboration in the Conference and I hope that together we will move forward, doing the best we can. Thank you very much for all signs of support and kindness which I have received from you during the last weeks.
In the special way I would like to say thank you to the Provincial of Lyon-Paris, Fr. Francois Vannier and his Provincial Council for the fruitful meeting with Extraordinary Provincial Council in Paris in early May, and to the Provincial of Madrid, Father Pedro Lopez and the superior in Granada, Fr. Juan Manuel Lasso for the opportunity to learn Spanish during the last weeks.
I promise a special prayer for all of you, and I count on yours.

In the Redeemer
Fr. Jacek Zdrzałek CSsR