Assembly of CRE – Lviv 2014
The VII Assembly of the Conference of Redemptorists of Europe was held in Lviv in Ukraine from 23 to 25 September 2014. In some way there was the last Assembly with many of present participants because some of the Units are in the processes of restructuring. On the beginning of 2015, the Provinces of Lyon-Paris and Strasbourg will become one Unit and the same about Vienna and Munich. We are also aware that the election processes can change something.
The present political situation in Ukraine and the war in the east part of the country are not the best ones for travel and for work but the members of the Assembly chose Lviv as the place for Assembly one year ago. Now they decided that they will go to Lviv and their presence will be also the sign of solidarity with our Confreres from Lviv Province during this so difficult time for them.
The Assembly had two main parts. The first one was connected to the summary of the various activities done during last year. During the second part the participants planned the common work for future.
During the first part much attention was paid to the formation meetings and the work of Secretariat for Evangelization.
The course of spiritual renewal before the perpetual vows was held for the second time in the Conference. Our students from all European Units took part in that course. It is very good sign that we can start one part of initial formation together for whole Europe. First time the Conference invited also the Confreres for common formation in so-called “Time to Transition to the Ministry”. The Assembly received also very good feedback after the first Pilgrimage of the formandees from CRE to Alphonsian Places.
Secretariat for Evangelization presented the evaluation of the common meetings and evangelization gatherings such as: REDCAMP, Pilgrim ministry in Astorga, meetings of Redemptorist Youth and Vocational Ministry, Social Ministry, the preparation to the Congress about Migration, etc.
There was the discussion and the evaluation of the processes of preparations for establishing the Interprovincial Communities in CRE. The community in Tirana (Albania) started its activity 10 days before the Assembly. Almost every Unit in Europe was involved in the preparations of this community in Albania. There was a great joy that the Conference has started the new mission in new country. The Conference decided to continue the work connected to the establishing the Interprovincial Community in Luxembourg (Luxembourg). But the community in Copenhagen (Denmark) will not be connected to the Conference but to one of our Units.
The next Assembly will be held in Porto (Portugal) from 22 to 24 September 2015.
Fr. Jacek Zdrzalek
Coordinator of the CRE
